Springvale continues to set the pace in the firsts with Ormond Glenhuntly Gold in tow as the 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 season heads towards finals. The Lions are also in prime position in the reserves, holding top spot after beating Ormond Glenhuntly Blue while Pakenham walked it off against Chelsea.
Division 3 Firsts
Springvale Lions 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 3
The Lions scored the bulk of their runs in the final three innings of the game, collecting nine throughout the sixth to eighth innings.
Springvale got out to a four-run lead as the score read 6-2 after three complete innings and 9-2 before Ormond Blue scored another run.
Scott Baillie got the win on the mound for Springvale as he pitched two innings and only gave up one hit and seven runs.
Lucas Anderson had four hits from five at bats as he had one run and two RBIs. Mark Richards had two hits and three RBIs while Lucas Price got one hit from two at bats for the Lions and in the process, brought in two runs plus came home himself.
Tim Hanson got on base three times during his time at the plate and came around to score three times while Baillie had two hits which included a double which he converted into runs plus an RBI. Rydge Hodge had a double-base hit which brought in two runs. Cory Hart scored two runs too as Springvale kept on rolling.
But it was Adam Thatcher that stole the show even more. Thatcher went 3-for-4 including a home run with three RBIs and five runs scored. It continues an excellent strong of games for Thatcher - in the past three games, he's had seven hits and eight runs.
The win for Springvale gives the Lions a 14-1 record, six wins in front of second-place Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, meaning they've secured the top spot for the competition with four rounds to play.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue has a 5-8-1 record in fifth place and plays Pakenham this weekend while Springvale faces North Western Titans.
Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 12 v North Western Titans 0
Ormond Glenhuntly Gold has moved into the top two on the back of this shutout win over North Western Titans.
The Hunters have won six in a row to get into the position they're in now and won't look like slowing down when they face Chelsea next weekend.
Sungwoo Back, manager of Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, says the team's hot start in the top of the first made a difference. "We always have a great performance if we score in the beginning of the game," Back said. "This match was important for us to achieve a good result for our season ranking."
Jiwon Choi was a standout on the field. "He had an unbelievable performance as a pitcher for our team - he was amazing," Back added. "All my team members hope to be champions this season."
Jiwon Choi was a standout on the field. "He had an unbelievable performance as a pitcher for our team - he was amazing," Back added. "All my team members hope to be champions this season."
North Western Titans' campaign only gets tougher, a trip to Springvale this weekend as they look to improve on their 3-11 record.
Chelsea Dolphins 16 v Pakenham Pumas 4
Chelsea downed second-place Pakenham to record win number six of the season and further distance themselves from the bottom of the pack.
The Dolphins got out to a 14-0 lead after the fourth inning before the Pumas struck with two runs at the bottom. Each team scored two more in the sixth inning.
Chelsea coach Gavin Smith was full of praise to his team on both sides of the game.
"Offence was the main reason for the win, smart and aggressive batting throughout the lineup helped by Cam Hubbard launching a grand slam. Adam Burton kept Pakenham's bats quiet on the hill, minimal errors on the field helped him out," Smith said. "We play our best when we play aggressive baseball, picking pitches, swinging hard. This is what we have to keep doing up to, and in finals."
The Pumas are on a three-game losing streak right now and don't want that continuing against Ormond Blue. Chelsea meanwhile will take on Ormond Gold next week.
Division 3 Reserves
Springvale Lions 13 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 5
Springvale had the upper hand over Ormond Glenhuntly Blue for the majority of the game.
The Lions pounced first with one run in the second, although the Hunters briefly took a lead by scoring five runs in the third.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue led 5-4 at the end of four innings, but the Lions weren't done yet. Springvale mounted an impressive display of power hitting to see off the threat from Ormond Blue with nine runs in the fifth, which with all their might, the Hunters couldn't chase down.
The Lions are first with a 12-3 record ahead of a game against the Titans while Ormond Blue sits at 9-5-1 in third place and faces Pakenham next.
Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 9 v North Western Titans 4
The Hunters have kept the pace with the top two with this win over North Western Titans as the home side remains winless this season despite some solid team efforts.
Second place Ormond Glenhuntly Gold has an 11-4 record ahead of this next game v Chelsea, while the Titans will face tough competition this weekend with Springvale.
Chelsea Dolphins 3 v Pakenham Pumas 4
Pakenham secured the walk-off win in the seventh inning after being down 3-1 after five.
The Dolphins struck first in the first inning as Pakenham brought it back to even in the second. Chelsea scored the next two runs in the third and fifth.
The Pumas scored two in the sixth to tie the scores at three-all until they were faced with scoring one to win in the seventh, which they managed.
Pakenham secured win number five of the season but remain in fifth place with Chelsea ahead of them. The Pumas will play Ormond Blue and the Dolphins will play Ormond Gold this weekend.