VSBL Division 3 firsts action has seen Springvale fall to their first defeat of the season but it hasn't toppled them from top spot. In the reserves, Springvale and Ormond Gold are tied at 9-3 each as every team hopes to get into a better position before the break comes around.
Division 3 Firsts
Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 5 v Springvale Lions 4
Ormond Glenhuntly Gold won a nailbiter against Springvale, giving the Lions their first loss of the season.
Matt Cameron started for Springvale, and by the top of the sixth in this close game Ormond was leading 2-1. The Hunters kept up with the offense, challenging Springvale all the way.
Lucas Price smashed his first home run of the season to bring Springvale within one run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Lions couldn't make anything else happen.
The Hunters have picked up their fifth win of the season and are in fifth place but a win next week against Ormond Blue could move them up a couple of spots. Springvale will hope this loss was just a minor hiccup when the Lions face North Western Titans.
Chelsea Dolphins 6 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 8
The Blue Hunters have won their fifth game of the season, beating Chelsea in a close matchup.
Chelsea led 2-1 after the first and by the end of the fifth the Dolphins were up 5-1, but Ormond Glenhuntly wasn't down and out yet. The Hunters scored two in the sixth and five in the ninth to come back and take the win.
Colin Trigellis-Smith got the win for Ormond Blue, pitching the full nine innings. He gave up nine hits for five earned runs with eight strikeouts in only his third outing for the club.
Trigellis-Smith collected a hit, a run in a great display of offence as Jarrod Barrow had the same, Trigellis-Smith with an RBI also. Ashley Fisher collected three hits which included a double and a triple and recorded two RBIs with a run themselves. Michael Sullivan collected two hits for one run with two RBIs as well. Tim Carracher found his way on base twice, including a triple as he drove in two runs and one himself.
It was the Hunters 'second win in a row after they were sitting on a six-game losing streak, now hoping that they can finish the season strongly against Ormond Gold. 5-7 Chelsea hosts North Western Titans for round 13.
Pakenham Pumas 19 v North Western Titans 2
The Pumas asserted themselves in the competition with a huge victory over North Western Titians in round 12.
Despite going down the last two weeks, the Pumas have put themselves in a good position before the break, placed second at 7-4-1 before taking on Springvale. The 2-10 Titans face Chelsea in the last weekend before the break.
Division 3 Reserves
Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 6 v Springvale Lions 10
Ormond Glenhuntly Gold went down to the Lions who are getting on a roll in the past fortnight after giving up two games in the rounds before.
The Hunters' had won round seven over Springvale 8-5, but they couldn't replicate the same success in this matchup. Both sides struggled pitching-wise early, with the Hunters taking a 5-4 lead after the first. Springvale put two on in the bottom of the third to steal the lead, with both teams scoring once in the fourth. Springvale scored three in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
The Lions sit first still at 9-3 while Ormond Gold has the same record, just one place below with five less runs scored on the season. Springvale has scored 136 and allowed 55 while Ormond Gold has scored 131 and given up 73.
Next weekend, Ormond Gold comes up against Ormond Blue whereas Springvale hosts Pakenham.
Pakenham Pumas 9 v North Western Titans 6
The Pumas won over North Western for their third win of the season, two of those wins coming in the past fortnight.
For the Titans, they'll hope to find their first win this weekend against Chelsea while the Pumas will want to end the season with a three-game win streak against Springvale.
Chelsea Dolphins 4 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 17
Ormond Blue is just one game from the top two after this win over Chelsea.
Chelsea scored three early runs but Ormond Blue was right there, scoring five before the inning was over. The Dolphins tacked on one more in the second but the Hunters answered with six runs. Chelsea was quiet for the rest of the game while Ormond Glenhuntly Blue scored four more in the fourth.
Warren Boustead, Benjamin Bull and Andrew Clark helped lead the Hunters to victory with contributions from up and down the lineup.
The Dolphins are 5-7 heading into a clash against North Western Titans while Ormond Blue clash with Ormond Gold as they have a chance to swap positions heading into the break.