The 2021/22 VSBL Division 3 season got started on Sunday with a few exciting high-scoring games as Footscray, Springvale, Chelsea, and Pakenham put wins on the board.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and read recaps below.
Division 3 Firsts
Geelong Baycats 1 v Footscray Bulldogs 17
Footscray got ahead early and cruised to a big victory with offense up and down the lineup with 16 hits total.
Footscray pitching held Geelong to just two hits and a handful of walks, while the Bulldogs took advantage of eight walks to keep up the scoring.
The Bulldogs will look for win number two at home v Pakenham while Geelong hosts North Western on Sunday.
Springvale Lions 4 v Bonbeach Bluejays 0
The reigning premiers came away with a shutout victory over the Bluejays thanks to strong pitching from Lucas
Anderson, Scott Baillie, Rydge Hogan, and Matthew Cameron, who combined struck out 10 with just four hits and two walks to Bonbeach.
Anderson had two RBIs while Hogan and Cameron had one each while Neal Cavanagh, Ryan Kirby, and Joel Stubbs all singled.
Springvale will hope to go 2-for-2 at home v Chelsea while Bonbeach heads to North Coburg on Sunday.
Chelsea Dolphins 10 v North Coburg Rebels 2
Chelsea managed six hits and 10 runs to win the game over the Rebels, giving up five hits along the way.
The Dolphins put six runs on in the second and hung onto their lead for the rest of the game, despite allowing two RBIs for the Rebels, one by Brayden McTigue and the other from Jack Pinches.
After making the move up from Division 4 last year, the Rebels will continue their Div 3 journey at home v Bonbeach in the next round while Chelsea heads to Springvale.
Pakenham Pumas 10 v North Western Titans 3
The Titans led 2-1 after the first inning but Pakenham powered back with seven runs in the second. North Western only got one more in the fourth while Pakenham added a pair in the sixth to reach the final score and get the win.
Pakenham had six hits total and gave up five with two RBIs apiece from Max Hunter and Darren Reeves.
Dan Hamilton threw 5.1 innings for North Western with 16 first pitch strikes and eight strikeouts.
Hunter struck out six during his three innings on the mound for Pakenham.
Pakenham plays Footscray on the road and North Western heads to Geelong for the next round.