The six VSBL Division 3 teams are back to business with big matchups to start the new year. Springvale leads the way, followed by Footscray and North Western.
Division 3 Firsts
Chelsea Dolphins 0 v Bonbeach Bluejays 30
The Bluejays' club as a whole scored 132 runs over the weekend while giving up just 51, with the dominant offence on full display in this matchup.
Two runs scored in the first while the Bluejays put up a massive 18-run spot in the second. Three additional runs came in the third, one in the fourth and a final six in the sixth.
Dylan Brown threw five innings with just one hit, two walks and four strikeouts. Daniel Conway-Jones struck out all three batters he faced in his inning of work. Matthew Prior also contributed an inning with just one hit and one strikeout.
Bonbeach collected 17 hits on the day, including four hits and five RBIs from James Crowe with three singles and a double. Conway-Jones wasn't far behind with four RBIs on two hits and a triple. Oliver Hookey-Rizzo knocked in four too with a single, a double and two walks.
In addition to 12 walks and six HBP batters, Bonbeach also had RBIs from Jacob Bald, Isaiah Bird, Matt Bucci, Jarad Curwood, William Marks, Mathew Prior and Edward Steere. Dylan Eldridge singled as well.
After getting their first win on the board, the Bluejays play Pakenham next as Chelsea takes on Springvale.
Springvale Lions 8 v North Western Titans 5
Springvale has a 4-0 record after a late burst of offence on Sunday. The game was scoreless through five before Springvale tacked on four in the sixth. Springvale scored another run in the seventh and three more in the eighth. North Western's five runs came in the eighth but despite a missed double play, Springvale held strong to keep the Titans from tying it up.
Rydge Hogan was on the mound for Springvale through four innings, with no hits or walks, just one HBP and four strikeouts. Matthew Cameron handled two with two hits, one HBP and three strikeouts. Scott Baillie struck out two in his one inning of work to end the game, with seven straight strikes and no balls, while Lucas Anderson contributed two innings before him in relief. He had five hits, five runs - four of them earned - and three strikeouts.
Connor Wilson pitched well for the Titans, settling into his start after giving up a HBP and a walk to the first two batters. Baillie had Springvale's first hit to open the fifth, followed by Rowan Hall's ball up the middle, but a double play kept things under control.
The four-run sixth started with a 4-0 walk to Brandon Mize, a clever bunt by Thatcher and a HBP. Hogan was intentionally walked ahead of Cameron, who followed up with a two-RBI base hit. Cavanagh loaded the bases again after a HBP, setting the scene for Baillie's big double to right.
Cameron and Baillie had two RBIs each with Anderson, Adam Thatcher, and Benjamin Birchall also plating runs in the game. Neal Cavanagh had a single and a double and Rowan Hall had a base hit.
The undefeated Lions play Chelsea next and the 3-1 Titans visit Footscray.
Footscray Bulldogs 12 v Pakenham Pumas 4
Pakenham dropped this game after a 11-2 win over Chelsea to wrap up 2020. The Pumas led 3-1 after the first but it didn't last long, as Footscray fired back with seven in the second. The Bulldogs scored another one in the fourth and three in the fifth. Pakenham got one back in the bottom but the rest of the game was quiet for the last four innings with no runs scoring on either side.
Brittney Cedelland pitched four innings for Footscray with three hits, two walks and one run. Alexander Da Silva threw three with four hits, one walk, three runs - two unearned - and six strikeouts. Heny Hernandez gave up just one walk and no hits in two innings of work, striking out two.
Pakenham's Tim Bellerby pitched 7.66 innings, giving up 10 hits, two walks, one HBP, and four runs with six strikeouts. Jarrad Bell handled the other 1.33 innings, giving up eight hits and a walk with eight runs, seven of them earned.
Footscray's offence included Cedelland's two singles for two RBIs while Da Silva had two doubles and two RBIs. Cory Hart singled, Jaime Harvey had two base hits, a HBP and an RBI. Hernandez had four singles and two RBIs while Asdrubal Jimenez had two base hits. Joe Michaud plated three RBIs on a single and a double, while David Ponce de Leon had an RBI single.
Bellerby had three RBIs for the Pumas with two base hits as Scott Dale had a single and a walk. Mitchell Lording doubled, Darren Reeves singled, and Ben Westhorpe had an RBI base hit.
Pakenham has a 1-3 record while Footscray is 3-1, with the next games v Bonbeach and North Western, respectively.
Division 3 Seconds
Springvale Lions 25 v North Western Titans 1
The Titans couldn't keep up with the Lions as they scored consistently throughout the game.
Springvale led 2-1 after the first and 6-1 after the second, with another four in the third and one in the fourth. 14 runs scored in the fifth to give the Lions' their biggest win of the season so far.
Springvale's big outing included contributions from James Brake, Maxwell Chew, Luke Martin, and Benjamin Rosewall.
The Lions have three wins and a draw while North Western has three losses and a draw. Springvale hosts Chelsea and North Western plays Footscray next.
Footscray Bulldogs 19 v Pakenham Pumas 10
The Bulldogs had the upper hand in this matchup as they collected their highest run tally of the season. Both sides scored three in the first two innings but Footscray pulled ahead with two in the third. Seven runs apiece in the fourth kept things interested, but the Bulldogs were on the ball, bringing home another seven in the fifth.
Connor Allen, Nathan Axiaq, Matthew Dugger and the rest o the hard-hitting Footscray lineup will take a 3-0-1 into round five v North Western. 2-2 Pakenham plays Bonbeach next.
Chelsea Dolphins 5 v Bonbeach Bluejays 5
The Dolphins scored four early runs to take the lead, but five for Bonbeach in the second quickly changed that. The third, fourth and fifth innings were quiet before Chelsea tied it up in the sixth.
Chelsea now has two losses and two draws while Bonbeach has a 1-2-1 record. Chelsea plays Springvale and Bonbeach plays Pakenham next.