The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season featured some highly competitive matchups over the weekend, with a huge highlight coming in the Moorabbin v Williamstown game when the Wolves denied the Panthers a 10-0 start to the season. Moorabbin, Malvern, Williamstown and Werribee make up the top four in the firsts, while Moorabbin is 9-0 in the seconds, Malvern is undefeated in the thirds and Williamstown is on top in the fourths.
Division 2 Firsts
St Kilda Saints 4 v Werribee Giants 5
St Kilda was forced to catch up from the first innings as Werribee came home twice at the bottom. It took until the fourth inning for the Saints to get their first runs, which tied the game.
Werribee doubled their score (and the lead) in the fifth before each side scored once more across the following two innings, with the score standing at 3-5 to the Giants at the end of seven.
St Kilda managed to keep the Giants at bay to end the game while adding one more run, yet the Saints still fell short of a win. The Giants recorded their seventh win of the season to sit fourth on the ladder, while St Kilda is at 2-8.
Wesley De Jong was the winning pitcher, throwing over 100 pitches for the Giants over seven innings, giving up one earned run with three strikeouts. Joshua Lee got the save from his two innings, giving up no earned runs.
Wade Balzer was the best of the bats for Werribee, leading the way with two hits for two runs including a home run with two RBIs. Ryan Balzer got two runs with Justin Gil being the other to score.
Franco Caramia was the losing pitcher, giving up four runs (although just one earned) in five innings with four strikeouts.
With the bats for St Kilda, Eduardo Escalona had two runs off of two hits while Roland Curiel and Tom Snowden had two hits each, the former with a run and RBI and the latter with two RBIs.
Moorabbin Panthers 1 v Williamstown Wolves 5
In a classic top-four clash, Williamstown broke Moorabbin's perfect record as the Panthers lost their first game of the season in a surprise defeat/
Williamstown started well and continued from there, gaining two runs in the first then another two in the fifth before Moorabbin scored their first in the seventh.
The Wolves made sure that was the only run that crossed the plate for the Panthers as they added one more in the eighth.
Dennis Neal was the winning pitcher as he covered seven innings, giving up one earned run and eight strikeouts. Chris Neilson for Moorabbin was the losing pitcher with four runs (two earned) and five strikeouts over five innings.
The Panthers just had five hits for the game, their lowest tally for the year as Mich Barr had one hit for one run, Xander Gunn providing the hit that got the run.
Jayde Thorne had three hits for the Wolves, returning with two runs and two RBIs. Jason McDonald also had two hits, each seeing a run score.
Moorabbin still sit in first but the gap between them and Malvern and Williamstown (8-2) has closed, however the Panthers will be hoping this was a minor hiccup in an otherwise stellar Division 2 season.
Doncaster Dragons 10 v Bonbeach St Chads 8
Bonbeach struck first in the first but Doncaster replied instantly the next dig and got a hold of the Bluejays as they'd secured another seven runs as they finished their sixth turn at bat.
It was on the back of five runs in the fifth that allowed them to lead by so much, but the next two Bonbeach innings registered seven runs, tying the scores at 8-all.
The home team brought two runs in at the top of the ninth and then were able to shut down the Bluejays to finish with a two-run win.
Simon Fitzmaurice and Ben Palensky shared duties on the mound for the Dragons, giving up seven earned runs between them but also combining for 13 strikeouts. For the Bluejays, Adam Shoppe got the loss, giving up eight hits, four earned runs with two strikeouts in his five innings.
For the batters, Doncaster had Palensky who had two hits, a triple and a home run for two runs and three RBIs. Nic Unland batted in three runners as he hit a triple in the fifth, and made it home himself shortly after.
Bonbeach had Matthew Bucci, Tomomi Tokubo each with three hits and two runs, Tokubi with a triple and Bucci with three RBIs. Andrew Webber and Jim Crowe had two hits each, Webber making it to second on both occasions, with those hits bringing in three runs across the game.
It was the Dragons' first win of the season as Bonbeach have struggled to get one themselves, but as the series continues, the Bluejays have another chance for a win.
Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Facebook
Malvern Braves 11 v Port Melbourne Mariners 3
Malvern got the win on the back of handy contributions from Gavin Woolger (three hits, two doubles, two runs) and Mitchell Kennedy (three hits, one home run, three RBIs). Justin Burke also had two hits for two runs while Henry Hayman had two hits, one run and two RBIs.
Tyler Dale pitched the full nine, giving up five hits, one earned run with two strikeouts. Those hits went to Port Melbourne's Tyson Cox-Davis, Sam Morris, Shaun Boothman and Chris Doyle.
The win puts Malvern in second place, ahead of Williamstown on runs against and it also provides them with their eighth win in a row after starting the season 0-2.
Preston Pirates 15 v Mulgrave Rebels 3
Both teams struck in the first inning, one runner making it home. It was Mulgrave who got the next lead of the game when they scored one in the second and it took until the fourth for Preston to make the game tied again.
After that moment, Preston used their bats to great effect with two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings. It all culminated in the Pirates securing nine runs in the seventh inning, that dominance ending with the Rebels just getting one run at the bottom and securing a big win for the Pirates for their fourth of the season.
Every player on the Pirates lineup got a run, Cameron Deeble scoring four times from three hits. Jaycob Pascuzzi, Nick Pascuzzi and Darcy Brynne-Connell each scored twice. Jaycob Pascuzzi was another who had three hits, as did Matt Fordham. Fordham was responsible for batting in four teammates throughout his at bats.
Ben Donnell pitched seven innings for five hits and two earned runs, his eight strikeouts taking his tally to 42 in six games.
Five hits were Malvern's total from the game, Nick Thompson picking up two, one of which was a double that brought in a run. Caleb Poole, Donnie Poole and Lincoln Lads were the Braves that came home safely.
Division 2 Reserves - Round Nine
St Kilda Saints 10 v Werribee Giants 5
Werribee got the first three runs of the game, in the first inning. From that point, it was a tight contest as neither team let up any runs until St Kilda got on the board and tied the game at the top of the fifth.
The Giants didn't want their lead to be cut for too long as they scored two at the bottom and again, it was a nil-all innings that followed.
The Saints came back hard again, tying the score at the top of seven, but scoring seven in total before the Giants could get three outs.
Unfortunately for the Giants, they couldn't produce the magic at the bottom, meaning St Kilda ran out winners. The Saints are still behind the Giants although both have four wins for the season.
Moorabbin Panthers 6 v Williamstown Wolves 2
Williamston got the first run of the game in the first but couldn't find another until the seventh, when they were playing catch-up to Moorabbin who'd scored six runs across the second to sixth innings.
It continues the Panther's perfect record to start the season, sitting first at 9-0 while the Wolves lost their second game of the season, their first loss since Round 1 as they were on a seven-game winning streak.
Doncaster Dragons 6 v Bonbeach St Chads 2
After two disappointing losses Doncaster picked up the pace in this game, working hard to keep the score looking positive. Doncaster improves to 3-6 while Bonbeach falls to 1-8, the Bluejays only win of the season coming back in round two with a 10-2 victory over Port Melbourne.
Malvern Braves 4 v Port Melbourne Mariners 5
Port Melbourne has broken their five-game losing streak with a one-run win over Malvern. After a quiet start to the game offensively, the Braves came back to score two apiece in the fourth and fifth, but they just couldn't quite close the gap. Malvern sits in second place with a 7-1-1 record and Port Melbourne is 3-6.
Preston Pirates 0 v Mulgrave Rebels 5
Three early runs put Mulgrave in a good position while Preston struggled to make anything happen offensively. The Pirates are 1-7-1 and the Rebels are climbing up the ladder, now with a 4-5 record ahead of this Sunday's games.
Division 2 Thirds - Round Nine
St Kilda Saints 10 v Werribee Giants 17
This fiery, high-scoring matchup saw Werribee come out on top to take a 4-5 record into round 10. St Kilda won in the previous round 16-1 over Mulgrave, and the Saints will be looking to obtain a similar result as they host Werribee this weekend. Both teams have the same record and whoever wins this upcoming weekend has a chance to crack the top four.
Bonbeach Bluejays 10 v Doncaster Dragons 19
Another high-scoring game ended in Doncaster's favour as the Dragons avoided a four-game losing streak. Bonbeach won back in round two over Port Melbourne but since then it's been an uphill battle as the Bluejays have dropped seven straight, despite a solid day offensively on Sunday.
Doncaster is 4-4-1 going into round 10 while Bonbeach is 1-8.
Port Melbourne Mariners 3 v Malvern Braves 9
The Braves don't seem interested in letting go of their undefeated record anytime soon, putting together yet another excellent team performance on Sunday.
Malvern has scored 137 runs this season while giving up only 32, while 3-6 Port Melbourne has scored 61 and given up 90. Port Melbourne heads to Malvern once more this weekend for a chance to knock the 9-0 team.
Mulgrave Rebels 11 v Preston Pirates 12
A battle of the bats saw Preston narrowly edge Mulgrave for the Pirates fourth win of the season. Preston had dropped the past four so this was a great result for the team, made possible by contributions from Zoe Allen, Lachlan Davis, Alex Duske, Tim Wainwright and others.
A quiet first inning gave way to the second, when Mulgrave scored three and Preston scored seven. The Rebels added one in the third while Preston put up two, and then it was on to the decisive fourth inning. Mulgrave put together quite the rally, scoring seven runs although Preston stole the lead back in the final frame with three runs to secure the victory.
Preston is 4-5 and Mulgrave is 1-7-1 going into round 10.
Williamstown Wolves 4 v Moorabbin Panthers 2
This was a quieter game in comparison to some of Williamstown's earlier outings, but nonetheless the Wolves got the job done. Moorabbin carried a 1-0 lead through five before Williamstown scored four in the top of the sixth. Moorabbin got one back in the bottom of the seventh but still fell short.
Williamstown and Moorabbin are tied with 7-2 records in second place behind undefeated Malvern, so this weekend will be a huge matchup at the Wolves' home den.
Division 2 Fourths - Round Nine
St Kilda Saints 21 v Werribee Giants 0
The Saints were all over this game, shutting down Werribee with an explosive offence that just couldn't be contained.
St Kilda put runs up every inning, with five in the first and four in the third. A two-run third inning was quiet in comparison to the huge 10-run spot to seal the deal in the fourth. Ian Buckle, Jeff Kuhl, Bryan Livett and Joshua Smart helped lead the charge for St Kilda as the team improves to a 6-3 record to stay within the top four. Werribee is in sixth place with a 3-6 record.
Geelong Baycats 2 v Malvern Braves 14
The Braves lost their first game of the season but since then it's been smooth sailing, exhibited once more this past Sunday as Malvern cruised to a big win and a 6-1 record to stay in second place.
The Baycats had a slow start, giving up some costly errors that proved detrimental. Malvern had a 5-1 lead after two before racking up seven runs in the third. Two additional runs followed while Geelong only scored once more in the final frame.
Despite the disappointing result, Daniel Dobbie and Marc Weakley worked hard on the mound for Geelong, while Oscar Boulter, James Markovic and James Squire contributed to Malvern's efforts.
Geelong is now 4-5 ahead of this weekend's game on the road.
Mulgrave Rebels 6 v Preston Pirates 13
The Pirates brought their A-game to this matchup, piecing together a six-run first inning to start things off right. Two more runs followed in the second before Preston let Mulgrave back in the game. The score was 8-6 to Preston heading into the bottom of the third, but the Pirates pulled away with five runs in the last two innings.
Preston improves to 4-5 to stay in the middle of the pack while Mulgrave searches for another win, the last taste of victory coming back in round four over Doncaster.
Williamstown Wolves 11 v Moorabbin Panthers 7
Williamstown had the upper hand in this game as the reigning premiers cruised to a big victory to go 9-0 on the season. The Wolves are in fine form as they chase their third straight Grand Final win.
After a quiet first half of the game offensively for the Panthers, in which they allowed the Wolves to take a 5-0 lead, the Panthers came back to put a handful of runs on the board but it just wasn't enough for Moorabbin to avoid loss number two on the season.
Williamstown scored four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to secure the win as Moorabbin takes a third-place 5-2 record into round 10.
Doncaster Dragons - BYE
St Kilda Saints 21 v Werribee Giants 0
The Saints were all over this game, shutting down Werribee with an explosive offence that just couldn't be contained.
St Kilda put runs up every inning, with five in the first and four in the third. A two-run third inning was quiet in comparison to the huge 10-run spot to seal the deal in the fourth. Ian Buckle, Jeff Kuhl, Bryan Livett and Joshua Smart helped lead the charge for St Kilda as the team improves to a 6-3 record to stay within the top four. Werribee is in sixth place with a 3-6 record.
Geelong Baycats 2 v Malvern Braves 14
The Braves lost their first game of the season but since then it's been smooth sailing, exhibited once more this past Sunday as Malvern cruised to a big win and a 6-1 record to stay in second place.
The Baycats had a slow start, giving up some costly errors that proved detrimental. Malvern had a 5-1 lead after two before racking up seven runs in the third. Two additional runs followed while Geelong only scored once more in the final frame.
Despite the disappointing result, Daniel Dobbie and Marc Weakley worked hard on the mound for Geelong, while Oscar Boulter, James Markovic and James Squire contributed to Malvern's efforts.
Geelong is now 4-5 ahead of this weekend's game on the road.
Mulgrave Rebels 6 v Preston Pirates 13
The Pirates brought their A-game to this matchup, piecing together a six-run first inning to start things off right. Two more runs followed in the second before Preston let Mulgrave back in the game. The score was 8-6 to Preston heading into the bottom of the third, but the Pirates pulled away with five runs in the last two innings.
Preston improves to 4-5 to stay in the middle of the pack while Mulgrave searches for another win, the last taste of victory coming back in round four over Doncaster.
Williamstown Wolves 11 v Moorabbin Panthers 7
Williamstown had the upper hand in this game as the reigning premiers cruised to a big victory to go 9-0 on the season. The Wolves are in fine form as they chase their third straight Grand Final win.
After a quiet first half of the game offensively for the Panthers, in which they allowed the Wolves to take a 5-0 lead, the Panthers came back to put a handful of runs on the board but it just wasn't enough for Moorabbin to avoid loss number two on the season.
Williamstown scored four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to secure the win as Moorabbin takes a third-place 5-2 record into round 10.