The 2018/19 Division 3 competition has seen St. Kilda and Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue take the lead, with Chelsea and Pakenham still in the running as well. There’s just a handful of games left to go in the season when 2019 rolls around, and North Western and Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold will be looking to get some more wins on the board to finish on a high note. Check out these results and recaps from rounds 11 and 12 below, and good luck to all players, teams and clubs in the New Year!
Round 12 (December 16th)
St. Kilda Saints vs. Chelsea Dolphins 1sts
2 1
The usually on-fire Saints offense was kept to a minimum as the Dolphins did their best to stay in the game and extend their three-game winning streak. St. Kilda squashed their hopes by hanging on for the win, securing an exceptional 12-0 start to the season. As the only undefeated team remaining in the division, St. Kilda is looking sharp as finals draw closer.
Supported by Franco Caramia’s strong six-inning start, during which he gave up just two hits and five walks for one earned run, the Saints managed to get on the board and keep their lead as the final out was made. Nigel Burrows, Eduardo Escalona, Mariano Favia, Daniel Hogg and Robert Lewis all singled, while Alan Ortiz kept his hitting streak alive with a blazing double and a walk for 2 RBI’s. Another key contributor was Paul Paskar, who had a pair of singles and a run scored. Tom Snowden threw three solid, and most importantly – scoreless – innings in relief, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out three. With no runs added in the last few innings, Chelsea was resigned to their fifth loss of the season. They will have a chance to cement their third-place position when the season continues in January, as the Dolphins visit the Pumas. St. Kilda will face their closest competitor, Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue to start the New Year.
St. Kilda Saints vs. Chelsea Dolphins 2nds
6 5
The Dolphins put up a fight, but ultimately, they couldn’t seal the deal against last year’s premiers. The Saints held on for their ninth win of the season and their fourth straight. St. Kilda’s 9-3 record puts them securely in second place as they head into the break, while Chelsea drops to 5-7 but remains in the top four.
North Western Titans vs. Pakenham Pumas 1sts
1 11
The Titans had a tough time once again as they dropped their 10th game of the season. North Western has not won a game since round 8 at Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold. A lack of offensive power and production, coupled with pitching struggles, has haunted the Titans for much of the season, but they’ve remained determined to get another victory under their belts. However, they fell short of their goals as the Pumas got the best of them. Pakenham has improved to 6-6 to remain in fourth place, but they’ll be eager to turn up the heat as they head into the final six rounds of the season.
North Western Titans vs. Pakenham Pumas 2nds
6 11
The two teams at the bottom of the ladder battled it out for a much-desired victory, and the Pumas prevailed thanks to some timely hits and key outs. This marks the Pumas’ second win, and they’ve walked away victorious in two of their last three after a tough start to the season. The Titans showed some promise with their bats but couldn’t deliver when it counted most, leading them to their ninth loss. They haven’t won a game since round 3 at Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold, so they’ll be looking to change things up with the New Year.
Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold vs. Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue 1sts
6 11
The two Hunters teams faced off for the third time this season, with OGH – Blue coming away with the win thanks to some fantastic action at the plate and pitching that buckled down when the opposition challenged. The Gold Hunters remain winless, while the Blue team sit in second place at 9-3 as they chase a second-straight premiership. Lachlan Carracher kept the Blue side in the game with his 5.2 innings of work on the mound, during which he allowed five hits, two walks and five runs – four of them earned. He also had a single and knocked in two runs at the plate.
Tim Carracher had a huge double, as did Lachlan Eddington in his first game for the team this year. Ashley Fisher hit his first home run, while Ben Gaplin had a single and a double. Geoff MacDonald also sent a homer over the fence in addition to a single, while Jason Maxwell and Trifon Stafilis singled as well. Michael Sullivan went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and a pair of singles, and he also threw 3.1 innings of one-run ball giving up just two hits.
OGH – Blue will aim to continue their strong season in round 13 when they host fierce rivals St. Kilda. OGH – Gold will try to salvage their season with a few wins as they visit fifth-place North Western Titans.
Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold vs. Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue 2nds
10 3
The OGH – Gold side had reason to celebrate after winning a big game against the top team. The Blue side snapped their 11-0 winning streak with a dismal loss, something they will put behind them as they head into the final six games with winning on their minds. With a 6-6 record, OGH – Gold sits in third place above Chelsea.
Round 11 (December 9th)
Chelsea Dolphins vs. North Western Titans 1sts
17 2
The Titans just can’t seem to catch a break as they fell once again to this driven Dolphins side.
Mitch Bowen smashed two home runs for 6 RBI’s, bringing his HR total to three on the season. Starter Wilson Yeh did a fine job on the mound, covering five innings during which he gave up just six hits and two unearned runs while striking out five. Relievers Jamin Tsai and Matthew Burton held the Titans at bay for scoreless outings.
Other offensive contributors for Chelsea included Kyle Burton, who had two base hits and three walks, along with Shane Jeffrey who got on base multiple times with four walks. Aden Rusden had 2 RBI’s on the day, while Steve Tourtsakis singled and took two walks for 2 RBI’s. This win brings the Dolphins to 7-4 on the season to cement their third-place position. North Western remains in fifth place at 2-9, with their next game at home vs. Pakenham. Chelsea will face some tough competition in the undefeated St. Kilda Saints.
Chelsea Dolphins vs. North Western Titans 2nds
9 2
A strong day at the plate for the Dolphins allowed them to cruise to their fifth win of the year, moving them up to third place in the standings with a 5-6 record. The Titans continued to struggle to manufacture runs and keep their pitching under control, as they’ve now had one win, eight losses and one draw. North Western will hope for a better result when they face Chelsea once more in round 16.
Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold vs. St. Kilda Saints 1sts
0 12
The OGH – Gold side was shutout for the fifth time this season as the Saints pounced on their pitching and did what they do best: score runs. Nigel Burrows contributed two singles, while Roland Curiel knocked in two runs and Mariano Favia hit a triple and a single for 3 RBI’s. Starting pitcher Daniel Hogg was practically flawless on the mound, throwing five innings of scoreless baseball, allowing the Hunters just one hit while striking out four. Paul Paskar followed up with three quiet innings in relief, giving up a lone hit as well.
The Saints lineup was hard at work all day long, with Franco Caramia singling, along with Hogg and Paskar, who also hit a double for 2 RBI’s. Rob Mescher and Alan Ortiz each had a pair of singles, while Robert Lewis had a single, a double and a walk for 2 RBI’s. The solid-as-ever Saints sit comfortably atop the ladder, and so long as they hold steady in the new year, they’ll be the favorite to win the premiership. Meanwhile Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold is still vying for their first win of the season, with another chance coming their way as they host OGH – Blue next.
Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold vs. St. Kilda Saints 2nds
4 28
It was not a pretty day at the plate or on the mound for the Hunters, who were pummeled by the reigning premiers. The Saints scored a season-high 28 runs, bringing their total runs scored to a whopping 164, while only conceding 33 runs across the first 11 games. The Hunters are now tied with Chelsea for third place with a 5-6 record, while St. Kilda is a step above in second place with eight wins and three losses thus far.
Pakenham Pumas vs. Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue 1sts
3 11
The Hunters bounced back from a disappointing 12-3 home loss to Chelsea the week prior by bringing their best stuff to this matchup. Lachlan Carracher did his job as the starter, going six innings and giving up just four hits, four walks and one HBP for three earned runs. He struck out three and also got a single at the plate before handing the ball over to Michael Sullivan, who covered three scoreless innings of relief with just two hits allowed.
Geoff MacDonald sent one flying over the fence for a home run, while Archie Lygris hit three singles and Ben Gaplin had two of his own. Ashley Fisher doubled twice and Tim Carracher had a base hit. This solid performance is something the 8-3 Hunters will hope to replicate as they hold on tight to their second place spot behind St. Kilda. Pakenham remains in playoff position with their fourth-place record of five wins and six losses.
Pakenham Pumas vs. Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue 2nds
6 20
After their thrilling 12-11 victory over OGH – Gold last week, the Pumas came out with two straight wins on their minds. However the OGH – Blue side was there to shut them down, denying them a crucial victory as the Hunters sailed to 20 runs. This brings their total runs scored to 154 with seven games to go in the season, while they’ve only allowed 26 runs against them. The Hunters are in first place with a stellar 11-0 record, while the Pumas are tied for last place with North Western.
Round 11 (December 9th)
Chelsea Dolphins vs. North Western Titans 1sts
17 2
The Titans just can’t seem to catch a break as they fell once again to this driven Dolphins side.
Mitch Bowen smashed two home runs for 6 RBI’s, bringing his HR total to three on the season. Starter Wilson Yeh did a fine job on the mound, covering five innings during which he gave up just six hits and two unearned runs while striking out five. Relievers Jamin Tsai and Matthew Burton held the Titans at bay for scoreless outings.
Other offensive contributors for Chelsea included Kyle Burton, who had two base hits and three walks, along with Shane Jeffrey who got on base multiple times with four walks. Aden Rusden had 2 RBI’s on the day, while Steve Tourtsakis singled and took two walks for 2 RBI’s. This win brings the Dolphins to 7-4 on the season to cement their third-place position. North Western remains in fifth place at 2-9, with their next game at home vs. Pakenham. Chelsea will face some tough competition in the undefeated St. Kilda Saints.
Chelsea Dolphins vs. North Western Titans 2nds
9 2
A strong day at the plate for the Dolphins allowed them to cruise to their fifth win of the year, moving them up to third place in the standings with a 5-6 record. The Titans continued to struggle to manufacture runs and keep their pitching under control, as they’ve now had one win, eight losses and one draw. North Western will hope for a better result when they face Chelsea once more in round 16.
Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold vs. St. Kilda Saints 1sts
0 12
The OGH – Gold side was shutout for the fifth time this season as the Saints pounced on their pitching and did what they do best: score runs. Nigel Burrows contributed two singles, while Roland Curiel knocked in two runs and Mariano Favia hit a triple and a single for 3 RBI’s. Starting pitcher Daniel Hogg was practically flawless on the mound, throwing five innings of scoreless baseball, allowing the Hunters just one hit while striking out four. Paul Paskar followed up with three quiet innings in relief, giving up a lone hit as well.
The Saints lineup was hard at work all day long, with Franco Caramia singling, along with Hogg and Paskar, who also hit a double for 2 RBI’s. Rob Mescher and Alan Ortiz each had a pair of singles, while Robert Lewis had a single, a double and a walk for 2 RBI’s. The solid-as-ever Saints sit comfortably atop the ladder, and so long as they hold steady in the new year, they’ll be the favorite to win the premiership. Meanwhile Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold is still vying for their first win of the season, with another chance coming their way as they host OGH – Blue next.
Ormond Glenhuntly – Gold vs. St. Kilda Saints 2nds
4 28
It was not a pretty day at the plate or on the mound for the Hunters, who were pummeled by the reigning premiers. The Saints scored a season-high 28 runs, bringing their total runs scored to a whopping 164, while only conceding 33 runs across the first 11 games. The Hunters are now tied with Chelsea for third place with a 5-6 record, while St. Kilda is a step above in second place with eight wins and three losses thus far.
Pakenham Pumas vs. Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue 1sts
3 11
The Hunters bounced back from a disappointing 12-3 home loss to Chelsea the week prior by bringing their best stuff to this matchup. Lachlan Carracher did his job as the starter, going six innings and giving up just four hits, four walks and one HBP for three earned runs. He struck out three and also got a single at the plate before handing the ball over to Michael Sullivan, who covered three scoreless innings of relief with just two hits allowed.
Geoff MacDonald sent one flying over the fence for a home run, while Archie Lygris hit three singles and Ben Gaplin had two of his own. Ashley Fisher doubled twice and Tim Carracher had a base hit. This solid performance is something the 8-3 Hunters will hope to replicate as they hold on tight to their second place spot behind St. Kilda. Pakenham remains in playoff position with their fourth-place record of five wins and six losses.
Pakenham Pumas vs. Ormond Glenhuntly – Blue 2nds
6 20
After their thrilling 12-11 victory over OGH – Gold last week, the Pumas came out with two straight wins on their minds. However the OGH – Blue side was there to shut them down, denying them a crucial victory as the Hunters sailed to 20 runs. This brings their total runs scored to 154 with seven games to go in the season, while they’ve only allowed 26 runs against them. The Hunters are in first place with a stellar 11-0 record, while the Pumas are tied for last place with North Western.
