Round seven of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 1 season featured some major matchups as Sunshine remained undefeated after a wash out against Newport and reigning premiers Blackburn bounced back after a few tough losses. New series start this weekend as teams look to climb up the ladder and keep their seasons going in the right direction.
Division 1 Firsts
Sandringham Royals 2 v Geelong Baycats 5
Although Sandringham won the midweek at Melbourne Ballpark, Geelong got the better of the Royals on the weekend. The Baycats got started early, taking a two-run lead into the second inning, which they then extended out to five before the sixth.
Sandringham mounted a small comeback, scoring two runs in the seventh dig but from there, the game was kept tight on defence from both sides.
Ryan Darcy had two runs on two hits for Geelong, while Lewis Weldon, Jarryd Wood and Kelli Zablan all scored a run each too. Joshua Davies had three hits from four at bats, bringing in two runs, as did Tyler Luther-Wilson who brought in two runs from one hit.
Rudy Jaramillo pitched the complete nine innings, letting up nine hits and two runs. He didn’t let any Sandringham players off with a walk to first and struck out six batters throughout the game for his fourth win in six games. Jaramillo also threw 25 first-pitch strikes in his dominant performance.
Sandringham found runs through Harrison Wills and Will Tucker, who both went one-for-one. Zac Skinner and Cody Anderson recorded two hits each.
Declan Crocker and Premier12 call-up Sam Street tried their best on the mound to control the Baycats but each to no avail as the Baycats sit mid-table with a 4-3 record, while the Royals slip to 2-5.
Looking ahead to round eight, Sandringham hosts Essendon and Geelong greets Sunshine at home.
Sandringham Royals 2 v Geelong Baycats 5
Although Sandringham won the midweek at Melbourne Ballpark, Geelong got the better of the Royals on the weekend. The Baycats got started early, taking a two-run lead into the second inning, which they then extended out to five before the sixth.
Sandringham mounted a small comeback, scoring two runs in the seventh dig but from there, the game was kept tight on defence from both sides.
Ryan Darcy had two runs on two hits for Geelong, while Lewis Weldon, Jarryd Wood and Kelli Zablan all scored a run each too. Joshua Davies had three hits from four at bats, bringing in two runs, as did Tyler Luther-Wilson who brought in two runs from one hit.
Rudy Jaramillo pitched the complete nine innings, letting up nine hits and two runs. He didn’t let any Sandringham players off with a walk to first and struck out six batters throughout the game for his fourth win in six games. Jaramillo also threw 25 first-pitch strikes in his dominant performance.
Sandringham found runs through Harrison Wills and Will Tucker, who both went one-for-one. Zac Skinner and Cody Anderson recorded two hits each.
Declan Crocker and Premier12 call-up Sam Street tried their best on the mound to control the Baycats but each to no avail as the Baycats sit mid-table with a 4-3 record, while the Royals slip to 2-5.
Looking ahead to round eight, Sandringham hosts Essendon and Geelong greets Sunshine at home.
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 6 v Melbourne Demons 3
After their best performance of the season thus far with a 10-0 victory on Tuesday night's midweek, the Tigers followed up by taking another early lead. Melbourne responded with three in a big third inning to take a 3-1 advantage.
That same scoreline was seen up until the eighth when Upwey Ferntree Gully tied things up at 3-all. The Tigers then kept them Demons scoreless at the bottom and used their momentum to drive another three home, before a great defensive display allowed Upwey Ferntree Gully to etch another win for the season.
Melbourne's Oliver McMahon, Mitchell Ellis and Sadi Nergiz all had one run on one hit, Nergiz with a double and Ellis recording a triple. Bronson Neave had two hits while Tim Sullivan had a double which brought home a run.
Adam Pahos pitched 3.1 innings for the Demons, giving up one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Andrew Case pitched for the second time this season and in 4.0 innings he managed one run on three hits with an impressive six strikeouts.
Sean Meldrum handled things on the mound for Upwey FTG, throwing five solid innings. Justin Swanton was credited with the game-tying double, while Travis Murphy cleared the bases on a double to give the Tigers their late 6-3 lead.
Jarrod Turner has proven once again to be a reliable reliever for the Tigers after tossing four scoreless innings.
Travis Murphy and Jordan Elliot lead Upwey FTG with three hits apiece.
Berwick City Cougars 1 v Blackburn Orioles 11
Berwick had the early lead, getting one over Blackburn in the first inning, but it was the Orioles who responded promptly to give themselves a 10-run win.
Blackburn put two runs on in the first and held that slender lead as the bottom of the fourth was approaching. It was then that the Orioles went all in with seven runs coming in the following two innings, before another two in the seventh made the result known.
Liam Hopkins was the outstanding member of the Orioles with four hits, each resulting in runs. Ben Leslie had two hits for the same amount of runs (along with two RBIs) while Charlie Collins managed two runs also. Cooper Goodman was able to bring in three runs with his one hit.
Scott Mitchelson pitched five innings giving up one run on four hits with two strikeouts and 18 first-pitch strikes, with Rowan Johnstone pitching well in relief and Luke Cartwright reliable behind the dig. Cartwright took three walks to get on base for his team as the Orioles finished with nine hits to the Cougars' five.
Blackburn has caught up with Berwick on the ladder, both teams sitting on 4-3 heading into the next round.
Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3
Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.
The Wildcats were great on the bases as a third of their hits put runners on second base. Jordan Ley and Mitchell Wilhite each had two runs from three hits with Ley also accruing three RBIs. Andrew Russell had four hits with two RBIs, Billy Findley also with two RBIs.
Russell pitched five innings, giving up two runs from five hits with five strikeouts. Luke Pananicolaou got the save after not giving up a run in two innings and striking out three of the eight batters he saw.
The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.
Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.
Fitzroy Lions 2 v Essendon Bombers 0
Essendon missed out on scoring opportunities as Fitzroy claimed a narrow yet much-need victory. Fitzroy carried a one-run lead from the first inning right through to the seventh when they batted in another run. The Lions kept their defence tight to record an upset win, their second of the season.
Tom Dicker and Jordan Walker were the Lions to cross the plate with Dicker collecting two hits, a double and a home run. Rusty Huber pitched four innings, giving up three hits while striking out two while it was Brock Pawley who picked up the win, pitching five innings for four hits.
For the Bombers, Ross Bament and Michael Formisano collected two hits each, while Jared Cruz, Scott McIntyre and Cody Rodwell all had one. Luke Abels took the loss as he finished his 5.2 innings with two hits, a run and six base on balls with five strikeouts.
Sunshine Eagles 0 v Newport Rams 0
The wild weather over the weekend bogged down Newport's ground, making it unplayable and leading to a wash out. Sunshine remains undefeated with a 6-0 record while Newport is 1-5. The Eagles play the Baycats and the Rams play the Lions in the next series.
Division 1 Reserves
Waverley Wildcats 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7
The Rustlers have won back-to-back games to keep them in a favourable position on the ladder, currently sitting second with a 5-1 record behind Melbourne. This result marked two straight losses for Waverley after a stellar 4-0 start to the system. The Wildcats will hope to avoid a three-game skid as they face Melbourne this weekend.
Fitzroy Lions 3 v Essendon Bombers 14
A 10-run first innings deficit was always going to spell trouble for the Lions as they gave up four more in the following two innings.
Fitzroy got on the board themselves in the fourth but only managed three as they took a hit against Essendon who recorded their first win of the season, while the Lions are still searching for victory.
Berwick City Cougars 8 v Blackburn Orioles 7
Blackburn never backed down from the challenge in this encounter with Berwick.
After getting the first run of the game, the Orioles let four through in the second and that lead grew for the Cougars by one in the third.
Blackburn came back after bringing in three at the bottom before Berwick again responded with two of their own.
Still down after the eighth, despite pegging those two runs back, Blackburn sensed a chance. While they let Berwick nab one at top nine, they did the same at the bottom, although the third out was made before a tying run crossed the plate.
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers v Melbourne Demons - WASH OUT
Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT
Division 1 Thirds
Sandringham Royals 11 v Geelong Baycats 5
A three-run first inning to both teams set the standard for a good game, until Sandringham put the foot to the peddle in the second, ramping up their lead by eight.
The Baycats needed runs urgently and they scored two in the third. From there, it was tight on both end for the Royals and Baycats, as the score remained the same until the completion of the game.
Melbourne Demons 6 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11
The Tigers were able to produce more runs when it mattered in this tight matchup. If Melbourne scored three, the Tigers scored four. If Melbourne scored one, the Tigers scored two. This is how it was for the first two innings.
Upwey Ferntree Gully was able to pull another five runs across in the next two digs before Melbourne produced two in the final two innings of the game to make it a five-run loss.
Upwey's Harry Snoxell started and gave up just three runs over three digs before passing the ball to Ewan John for another three innings. Will Richardson finished it off with one inning as Pat Gawith went 3-for-3 and Will Chadwin had two hits. The entire Tigers lineup had a hit, a great result for the team that's really clicking on all cylinders.
Blackburn Orioles 7 v Berwick City Cougars 5
Most of the runs in this game came towards the end as the first two innings saw neither team able to capitalise whereas each team scored one in the third.
Berwick scored the next two in the fourth before Blackburn’s next two innings produced two three-run spells.
Berwick tried to fight back but managed two runs shy of the draw despite showing great determination as they took it right up to the top-of-the-table, undefeated Orioles.
Hayden Roe was a standout player for Blackburn, hitting a massive double with some great plays in the field.
Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 1
An even contest locked at nil-all until Essendon broke away in the fourth with two runs. They added another in the sixth as did Fitzroy, taking the final score to 3-1.
Fitzroy have just the one win this season while the Bombers have gone ahead of Geelong on the ladder to fifth place.
Waverley Wildcats 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
Waverley was on a hot winning streak of five games before Cheltenham intervened in this matchup.
The Wildcats gave up the most runs they had this season to date as Waverley moves into the second spot on the ladder and take on Melbourne next week while Cheltenham still have the one win this season and will want to make that two when they face the Orioles.
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT
Division 1 Fourths
Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3
This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.
Before that though, the Orioles got started with three runs at the top of one, to which Berwick responded with two. In the second, each team added one to their total before Blackburn again added another in the fourth.
Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.
A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.
Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.
In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.
Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2
A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.
It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.
Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.
Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0
Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.
The Demons were consistent, scoring in each inning as their score and lead progressed, racing out to a 4-0 lead at the end of two, 8-0 at the end of five before four runs in the sixth made the margin crack double figures.
Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 6 v Melbourne Demons 3
After their best performance of the season thus far with a 10-0 victory on Tuesday night's midweek, the Tigers followed up by taking another early lead. Melbourne responded with three in a big third inning to take a 3-1 advantage.
That same scoreline was seen up until the eighth when Upwey Ferntree Gully tied things up at 3-all. The Tigers then kept them Demons scoreless at the bottom and used their momentum to drive another three home, before a great defensive display allowed Upwey Ferntree Gully to etch another win for the season.
Melbourne's Oliver McMahon, Mitchell Ellis and Sadi Nergiz all had one run on one hit, Nergiz with a double and Ellis recording a triple. Bronson Neave had two hits while Tim Sullivan had a double which brought home a run.
Adam Pahos pitched 3.1 innings for the Demons, giving up one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Andrew Case pitched for the second time this season and in 4.0 innings he managed one run on three hits with an impressive six strikeouts.
Sean Meldrum handled things on the mound for Upwey FTG, throwing five solid innings. Justin Swanton was credited with the game-tying double, while Travis Murphy cleared the bases on a double to give the Tigers their late 6-3 lead.
Jarrod Turner has proven once again to be a reliable reliever for the Tigers after tossing four scoreless innings.
Travis Murphy and Jordan Elliot lead Upwey FTG with three hits apiece.
Berwick City Cougars 1 v Blackburn Orioles 11
Berwick had the early lead, getting one over Blackburn in the first inning, but it was the Orioles who responded promptly to give themselves a 10-run win.
Blackburn put two runs on in the first and held that slender lead as the bottom of the fourth was approaching. It was then that the Orioles went all in with seven runs coming in the following two innings, before another two in the seventh made the result known.
Liam Hopkins was the outstanding member of the Orioles with four hits, each resulting in runs. Ben Leslie had two hits for the same amount of runs (along with two RBIs) while Charlie Collins managed two runs also. Cooper Goodman was able to bring in three runs with his one hit.
Scott Mitchelson pitched five innings giving up one run on four hits with two strikeouts and 18 first-pitch strikes, with Rowan Johnstone pitching well in relief and Luke Cartwright reliable behind the dig. Cartwright took three walks to get on base for his team as the Orioles finished with nine hits to the Cougars' five.
Blackburn has caught up with Berwick on the ladder, both teams sitting on 4-3 heading into the next round.
Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3
Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.
The Wildcats were great on the bases as a third of their hits put runners on second base. Jordan Ley and Mitchell Wilhite each had two runs from three hits with Ley also accruing three RBIs. Andrew Russell had four hits with two RBIs, Billy Findley also with two RBIs.
Russell pitched five innings, giving up two runs from five hits with five strikeouts. Luke Pananicolaou got the save after not giving up a run in two innings and striking out three of the eight batters he saw.
The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.
Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.
Fitzroy Lions 2 v Essendon Bombers 0
Essendon missed out on scoring opportunities as Fitzroy claimed a narrow yet much-need victory. Fitzroy carried a one-run lead from the first inning right through to the seventh when they batted in another run. The Lions kept their defence tight to record an upset win, their second of the season.
Tom Dicker and Jordan Walker were the Lions to cross the plate with Dicker collecting two hits, a double and a home run. Rusty Huber pitched four innings, giving up three hits while striking out two while it was Brock Pawley who picked up the win, pitching five innings for four hits.
For the Bombers, Ross Bament and Michael Formisano collected two hits each, while Jared Cruz, Scott McIntyre and Cody Rodwell all had one. Luke Abels took the loss as he finished his 5.2 innings with two hits, a run and six base on balls with five strikeouts.
Sunshine Eagles 0 v Newport Rams 0
The wild weather over the weekend bogged down Newport's ground, making it unplayable and leading to a wash out. Sunshine remains undefeated with a 6-0 record while Newport is 1-5. The Eagles play the Baycats and the Rams play the Lions in the next series.
Division 1 Reserves
Waverley Wildcats 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7
The Rustlers have won back-to-back games to keep them in a favourable position on the ladder, currently sitting second with a 5-1 record behind Melbourne. This result marked two straight losses for Waverley after a stellar 4-0 start to the system. The Wildcats will hope to avoid a three-game skid as they face Melbourne this weekend.
Fitzroy Lions 3 v Essendon Bombers 14
A 10-run first innings deficit was always going to spell trouble for the Lions as they gave up four more in the following two innings.
Fitzroy got on the board themselves in the fourth but only managed three as they took a hit against Essendon who recorded their first win of the season, while the Lions are still searching for victory.
Berwick City Cougars 8 v Blackburn Orioles 7
Blackburn never backed down from the challenge in this encounter with Berwick.
After getting the first run of the game, the Orioles let four through in the second and that lead grew for the Cougars by one in the third.
Blackburn came back after bringing in three at the bottom before Berwick again responded with two of their own.
Still down after the eighth, despite pegging those two runs back, Blackburn sensed a chance. While they let Berwick nab one at top nine, they did the same at the bottom, although the third out was made before a tying run crossed the plate.
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers v Melbourne Demons - WASH OUT
Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT
Division 1 Thirds
Sandringham Royals 11 v Geelong Baycats 5
A three-run first inning to both teams set the standard for a good game, until Sandringham put the foot to the peddle in the second, ramping up their lead by eight.
The Baycats needed runs urgently and they scored two in the third. From there, it was tight on both end for the Royals and Baycats, as the score remained the same until the completion of the game.
Melbourne Demons 6 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11
The Tigers were able to produce more runs when it mattered in this tight matchup. If Melbourne scored three, the Tigers scored four. If Melbourne scored one, the Tigers scored two. This is how it was for the first two innings.
Upwey Ferntree Gully was able to pull another five runs across in the next two digs before Melbourne produced two in the final two innings of the game to make it a five-run loss.
Upwey's Harry Snoxell started and gave up just three runs over three digs before passing the ball to Ewan John for another three innings. Will Richardson finished it off with one inning as Pat Gawith went 3-for-3 and Will Chadwin had two hits. The entire Tigers lineup had a hit, a great result for the team that's really clicking on all cylinders.
Blackburn Orioles 7 v Berwick City Cougars 5
Most of the runs in this game came towards the end as the first two innings saw neither team able to capitalise whereas each team scored one in the third.
Berwick scored the next two in the fourth before Blackburn’s next two innings produced two three-run spells.
Berwick tried to fight back but managed two runs shy of the draw despite showing great determination as they took it right up to the top-of-the-table, undefeated Orioles.
Hayden Roe was a standout player for Blackburn, hitting a massive double with some great plays in the field.
Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 1
An even contest locked at nil-all until Essendon broke away in the fourth with two runs. They added another in the sixth as did Fitzroy, taking the final score to 3-1.
Fitzroy have just the one win this season while the Bombers have gone ahead of Geelong on the ladder to fifth place.
Waverley Wildcats 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
Waverley was on a hot winning streak of five games before Cheltenham intervened in this matchup.
The Wildcats gave up the most runs they had this season to date as Waverley moves into the second spot on the ladder and take on Melbourne next week while Cheltenham still have the one win this season and will want to make that two when they face the Orioles.
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT
Division 1 Fourths
Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3
This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.
Before that though, the Orioles got started with three runs at the top of one, to which Berwick responded with two. In the second, each team added one to their total before Blackburn again added another in the fourth.
Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.
A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.
Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.
In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.
Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2
A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.
It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.
Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.
Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0
Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.
The Demons were consistent, scoring in each inning as their score and lead progressed, racing out to a 4-0 lead at the end of two, 8-0 at the end of five before four runs in the sixth made the margin crack double figures.
Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT
Berwick City Cougars 1 v Blackburn Orioles 11
Berwick had the early lead, getting one over Blackburn in the first inning, but it was the Orioles who responded promptly to give themselves a 10-run win.
Blackburn put two runs on in the first and held that slender lead as the bottom of the fourth was approaching. It was then that the Orioles went all in with seven runs coming in the following two innings, before another two in the seventh made the result known.
Liam Hopkins was the outstanding member of the Orioles with four hits, each resulting in runs. Ben Leslie had two hits for the same amount of runs (along with two RBIs) while Charlie Collins managed two runs also. Cooper Goodman was able to bring in three runs with his one hit.
Scott Mitchelson pitched five innings giving up one run on four hits with two strikeouts and 18 first-pitch strikes, with Rowan Johnstone pitching well in relief and Luke Cartwright reliable behind the dig. Cartwright took three walks to get on base for his team as the Orioles finished with nine hits to the Cougars' five.
Blackburn has caught up with Berwick on the ladder, both teams sitting on 4-3 heading into the next round.
Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3
Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.
The Wildcats were great on the bases as a third of their hits put runners on second base. Jordan Ley and Mitchell Wilhite each had two runs from three hits with Ley also accruing three RBIs. Andrew Russell had four hits with two RBIs, Billy Findley also with two RBIs.
Russell pitched five innings, giving up two runs from five hits with five strikeouts. Luke Pananicolaou got the save after not giving up a run in two innings and striking out three of the eight batters he saw.
The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.
Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.
Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3
Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.
The Wildcats were great on the bases as a third of their hits put runners on second base. Jordan Ley and Mitchell Wilhite each had two runs from three hits with Ley also accruing three RBIs. Andrew Russell had four hits with two RBIs, Billy Findley also with two RBIs.
Russell pitched five innings, giving up two runs from five hits with five strikeouts. Luke Pananicolaou got the save after not giving up a run in two innings and striking out three of the eight batters he saw.
The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.
Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.
Fitzroy Lions 2 v Essendon Bombers 0
Essendon missed out on scoring opportunities as Fitzroy claimed a narrow yet much-need victory. Fitzroy carried a one-run lead from the first inning right through to the seventh when they batted in another run. The Lions kept their defence tight to record an upset win, their second of the season.
Tom Dicker and Jordan Walker were the Lions to cross the plate with Dicker collecting two hits, a double and a home run. Rusty Huber pitched four innings, giving up three hits while striking out two while it was Brock Pawley who picked up the win, pitching five innings for four hits.
For the Bombers, Ross Bament and Michael Formisano collected two hits each, while Jared Cruz, Scott McIntyre and Cody Rodwell all had one. Luke Abels took the loss as he finished his 5.2 innings with two hits, a run and six base on balls with five strikeouts.
Sunshine Eagles 0 v Newport Rams 0
The wild weather over the weekend bogged down Newport's ground, making it unplayable and leading to a wash out. Sunshine remains undefeated with a 6-0 record while Newport is 1-5. The Eagles play the Baycats and the Rams play the Lions in the next series.
Division 1 Reserves
Waverley Wildcats 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7
The Rustlers have won back-to-back games to keep them in a favourable position on the ladder, currently sitting second with a 5-1 record behind Melbourne. This result marked two straight losses for Waverley after a stellar 4-0 start to the system. The Wildcats will hope to avoid a three-game skid as they face Melbourne this weekend.
Fitzroy Lions 3 v Essendon Bombers 14
A 10-run first innings deficit was always going to spell trouble for the Lions as they gave up four more in the following two innings.
Fitzroy got on the board themselves in the fourth but only managed three as they took a hit against Essendon who recorded their first win of the season, while the Lions are still searching for victory.
Berwick City Cougars 8 v Blackburn Orioles 7
Blackburn never backed down from the challenge in this encounter with Berwick.
After getting the first run of the game, the Orioles let four through in the second and that lead grew for the Cougars by one in the third.
Blackburn came back after bringing in three at the bottom before Berwick again responded with two of their own.
Still down after the eighth, despite pegging those two runs back, Blackburn sensed a chance. While they let Berwick nab one at top nine, they did the same at the bottom, although the third out was made before a tying run crossed the plate.
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers v Melbourne Demons - WASH OUT
Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT
Division 1 Thirds
Sandringham Royals 11 v Geelong Baycats 5
A three-run first inning to both teams set the standard for a good game, until Sandringham put the foot to the peddle in the second, ramping up their lead by eight.
The Baycats needed runs urgently and they scored two in the third. From there, it was tight on both end for the Royals and Baycats, as the score remained the same until the completion of the game.
Melbourne Demons 6 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11
The Tigers were able to produce more runs when it mattered in this tight matchup. If Melbourne scored three, the Tigers scored four. If Melbourne scored one, the Tigers scored two. This is how it was for the first two innings.
Upwey Ferntree Gully was able to pull another five runs across in the next two digs before Melbourne produced two in the final two innings of the game to make it a five-run loss.
Upwey's Harry Snoxell started and gave up just three runs over three digs before passing the ball to Ewan John for another three innings. Will Richardson finished it off with one inning as Pat Gawith went 3-for-3 and Will Chadwin had two hits. The entire Tigers lineup had a hit, a great result for the team that's really clicking on all cylinders.
Blackburn Orioles 7 v Berwick City Cougars 5
Most of the runs in this game came towards the end as the first two innings saw neither team able to capitalise whereas each team scored one in the third.
Berwick scored the next two in the fourth before Blackburn’s next two innings produced two three-run spells.
Berwick tried to fight back but managed two runs shy of the draw despite showing great determination as they took it right up to the top-of-the-table, undefeated Orioles.
Hayden Roe was a standout player for Blackburn, hitting a massive double with some great plays in the field.
Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 1
An even contest locked at nil-all until Essendon broke away in the fourth with two runs. They added another in the sixth as did Fitzroy, taking the final score to 3-1.
Fitzroy have just the one win this season while the Bombers have gone ahead of Geelong on the ladder to fifth place.
Waverley Wildcats 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
Waverley was on a hot winning streak of five games before Cheltenham intervened in this matchup.
The Wildcats gave up the most runs they had this season to date as Waverley moves into the second spot on the ladder and take on Melbourne next week while Cheltenham still have the one win this season and will want to make that two when they face the Orioles.
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Division 1 Fourths
Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3
This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.
Before that though, the Orioles got started with three runs at the top of one, to which Berwick responded with two. In the second, each team added one to their total before Blackburn again added another in the fourth.
Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.
A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.
Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.
In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.
Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2
A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.
It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.
Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.
Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0
Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.
The Demons were consistent, scoring in each inning as their score and lead progressed, racing out to a 4-0 lead at the end of two, 8-0 at the end of five before four runs in the sixth made the margin crack double figures.
Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3
This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.
Before that though, the Orioles got started with three runs at the top of one, to which Berwick responded with two. In the second, each team added one to their total before Blackburn again added another in the fourth.
Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.
A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.
Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.
In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.
Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2
A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.
It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.
Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.
Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0
Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.
The Demons were consistent, scoring in each inning as their score and lead progressed, racing out to a 4-0 lead at the end of two, 8-0 at the end of five before four runs in the sixth made the margin crack double figures.
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Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT
Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT