The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season continued with a rainy round six, as all games got underway on a cloudy weekend afternoon in Melbourne. Moorabbin is holding down the fort in the firsts with a 6-0 record, while the Panthers Reserves are joined by Malvern Braves at the top of the ladder. Malvern leads the thirds too, while Williamstown has things under control in the fourths.
Division 2 Firsts
Port Melbourne Mariners 1 v Williamstown Wolves 5
Port Melbourne was one of two undefeated teams heading into round six, but the Mariners momentum ran out on Sunday as Williamstown got the better of their neighbouring rival.
The Wolves were thrilled with this result, as they were 3-0 before starting this series with the Mariners and dropping back-to-back games. After two low-scoring games in which Williamstown just couldn't get any offense going, the Wolves bounced back with a solid afternoon performance. This was a sweet way to mark the day as Williamstown's club coach Aaron Green celebrated his 400 game milestone.
Photo: Williamstown Wolves Baseball Club - Facebook
The Wolves got a hard-earned clean sweep with wins across the board as the club community came together to celebrate Green, who had a triple, a single and two runs scored in his big game.
Williamstown put a run on the board in the first before several quiet innings on both sides. Two more runs in the fourth and the seventh helped the Wolves put the game out of reach, while Port Melbourne managed just one run in the top of the eighth.
Justin Gourlay, Jason McDonald and Jayde Thorne all had two hits apiece for Williamstown as the team went on to collect 12 hits in total on the day. Robert Higginson, Mitchell Collins, Kevin Desmedt and Hiroshi Narasaki also had base hits.
Dennis Neal threw five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out six. Desmedt was decent in three innings of relief for the Wolves, protecting their lead with just one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts. This was the first time he allowed an earned run in five appearances this season.
The Mariners managed six hits, with two of those base hits by Aaron Petri who knocked in his team's lone run of the game. William Parsons had a single while Matt Morris and Zane Chavez had doubles. Petri gave up three earned runs in his five innings of work, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out three. Tyson Cox-Davis pitched in relief with two unearned runs scoring in his three innings of work.
Now 5-1, Port Melbourne moves on to play Werribee while 4-2 Williamstown takes on Preston.
Doncaster Dragons 2 v Mulgrave Rebels 5
The Rebels are on a roll! Mulgrave won the first game of the series 9-3 and the second 10-8 before securing the series sweep on Sunday. The Rebels outscored Dragons 24-13 over these three games, as Mulgrave had 10+ hits for the fourth consecutive game.
Sunday's meeting saw Mulgrave tally 10 hits while Doncaster had seven. Nick Thompson hit his first home run of the year along with a base hit, while his fellow Rebel Riley O'Shea had two singles. Ricardo Anaya, Liam Richardson, Anthony White, Brayden Martin and Joel Stubbs all singled while Zeke Howie doubled for a big offensive outing.
Although they only scored two runs, Doncaster did put together seven hits with two each going to Luke Utting and Brendan McDonald. Nic Unland, Dakota Gibson and John Britton singled as well.
Simon Fitzmaurice threw well for Doncaster, covering six innings with eight hits and just two earned runs, while U18 Blue state team representative Angus Stals struck out three in an easy inning of relief. Mulgrave managed to score big with two hits off of Nic Unland.
Mulgrave's Liam Richardson covered 6.2 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts. Zeke Howie followed up for 2.1 innings of scoreless pitching with just one hit allowed.
With three in a row under their belts and an even 3-3 record, the Rebels set their sights on St Kilda while a winless Doncaster side hosts Malvern.
Preston Pirates 0 v Werribee Giants 5
Werribee got game one in dominating fashion with a 16-1 victory, while Preston came back with a 13-3 win in the second meeting. The third and final game between these two was a quieter affair offensively as the Giants secured a solid shutout win.
The game was quiet to start before Werribee got on the board in the third with a pair of runs. Two more runs in the sixth and an additional in the eighth sealed the deal in Werribee's favour.
Preston had six hits but couldn't get any runners around to score, with two apiece to Mitch Legge and Glenn Farrell. Cam Deeble and Jaycob Pascuzzi had hits too. Despite only having four hits, one to Daine Gregory and two doubles and a single to Justin Gil, Werribee came home five times to make a difference in the game.
Mitch Heyward started for Preston, giving up five walks and three hits with four runs - three of them earned - across six innings. Hayden Godbold followed up with two innings of work, allowing one hit, one walk and one earned run to score.
Werribee's starter Wesley de Jong was fantastic, giving up just four hits with 10 strikeouts sprinkled across seven innings.
Now Werribee is 4-2 and Preston is 3-3 as these teams avoid the bottom of the ladder and stay firmly in the race. Preston plays Williamstown next and Werribee plays Port Melbourne.
Malvern Braves 15 v Bonbeach Bluejays 6
The Bluejays lost their sixth straight game as the Braves' hot bats got the better of them. Malvern is 4-2 after winning their last four games, having scored 53 runs in the first six rounds while allowing just 26 overall.
Bonbeach started out strong, keeping pace with Malvern as the game was tied 2-2 after the first. With one run in the third and two in the fifth, the Bluejays were enjoying a 5-2 lead at the end of the fifth, but it didn't last long enough. It was in the top of the sixth that Malvern made a move, scoring five to take the lead. A three-spot in the seventh was followed by another five runs in the eighth as the Braves ran away with the game.
One more run at the end of the game wasn't enough for Bonbeach as Malvern collected 10 hits in total and all but one player in the lineup came around to score at least once. Lachlan Fuda had two base hits for 2 RBIs while Ryan Dale scored four times with a triple and three walks landing him on base. Mitch Kennedy doubled and singled for 3 RBIs, while Henry Hayman knocked in three runs of his own on three singles. Chris Burke and Gavin Woolger had singles as well, and Malvern collectively took 11 walks and only struck out four times in a great offensive outing.
Tyler Dale got the job done in five innings of work with nine hits allowed and five runs - three unearned - with three strikeouts. Chris Wall struck out three in 2.1 innings of work
Bonbeach visits Moorabbin this weekend and Malvern goes to Doncaster.
Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Baseball Club - Facebook
Moorabbin Panthers 5 v St Kilda Saints 4
Moorabbin completed the sweep of St Kilda with a hard-fought win. The Panthers won the first game 13-2 and the second game 10-2 before a tighter third matchup saw the Saints lead for much of the game.
The Panthers had a 1-0 lead through the fifth when the Saints put two on the board. St Kilda added one more in the eighth before Moorabbin bounced back with a three-spot in the ninth. The Saints got one back in their last frame but they couldn't quite close the gap to get the win.
Stewart Mathieson pitched well for Moorabbin, giving up just two runs -one unearned - across five innings with three hits and five strikeouts. Zach Kamerman had four strikeouts in four innings on the mound while also recording two base hits for Moorabbin as the team collected 14 hits in total.
Jon Ballantyne had three singles while Ben Laux knocked in three runs on a huge double. Mathieson, Neil Johnston, Travis Finney and Mitch Barr all had two hits apiece to support Moorabbin's formidable offense.
On the St Kilda side, the lineup managed 10 hits with two each for Tom Snowden, Mariano Favia and Antonio Torres. Eduardo Escalona, Daiksuke Hebara, Daniel Hogg and Hayden Mariano contributed with hits of their own. Hebara tossed nine innings, giving up 12 hits and four runs but striking out five.
St Kilda will try and get a winning series out of their upcoming matchups with Mulgrave, while Moorabbin looks to remain undefeated against Bonbeach.
Division 2 Reserves
Port Melbourne Mariners 2 v Williamstown Wolves 7
The Wolves have won their last five after yet another strong performance over Port Melbourne. The Mariners won two out of three games in their first series against Bonbeach, but close rivals Williamstown proved too hard to beat.
In Sunday's meeting both teams held strong defensively through the bottom of the third, when Port Melbourne allowed Williamstown to score four. The Mariners got one back in their next at-bats but a further three runs for the Wolves put the game out of reach. A final run in the last inning gave Port Melbourne a slight boost, but not enough to make up for the deficit.
Williamstown is 5-1 in third place behind Williamstown and Moorabbin, while Port Melbourne is one of four clubs sitting at 2-4.
Doncaster Dragons 19 v Mulgrave Rebels 8
Doncaster left little to be desired on Sunday, smashing runs left and right for a much better result than round five's 9-0 shutout loss to Mulgrave. Considering the Rebels also shut out the Dragons 19-0 in their first meeting, Doncaster's lineup was thrilled to see some solid offensive production after a string of tough games.
Mulgrave and Doncaster both sit at 2-4 records ahead of matchups with St Kilda and Malvern, respectively.
Preston Pirates 7 v Werribee Giants 10
Jacob Sigismondi had three hits and was solid behind the plate for Werribee hasn't lost a game since round two. Preston's offense put in a valiant effort but it wasn't quite enough as Werribee scored eight unanswered runs across the final three innings.
Preston has one win, four losses and one draw while Werribee sits higher on the ladder with a 2-2-2 record.
Malvern Braves 21 v Bonbeach Bluejays 0
This wasn't a pretty game for Bonbeach as the team suffered its first shutout loss of the season. Malvern's offense proved uncontrollable as the Braves batted their way to fifth double-digit victory. 12 runs in the opening frame were crucial for Malvern as the Braves tacked on two runs in the second, third and fourth before finishing with a three-spot in the fifth.
Malvern is oh-so-close behind undefeated Moorabbin with five wins and a draw, while Bonbeach sits at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-5 record.
Moorabbin Panthers 9 v St Kilda Saints 5
The Panthers cemented their status as the team to beat with another convincing win over St Kilda to complete the sweep. The Saints were never too far behind, but they just couldn't catch up as Moorabbin pulled away for good with five runs in the third.
St Kilda is 2-4 heading into this weekend's game against Mulgrave, while Moorabbin isn't fazed by the upcoming series against Bonbeach.
Division 2 Thirds
Williamstown Wolves 8 v Port Melbourne Mariners 0
The Wolves shut out their neighbours for the second week in a row, having outscored the Mariners 28-5 in these three games.
It looked like anyone's game through the second before Williamstown scored one in the third and one in the fourth to take a close yet confident lead. Two more runs in the fifth and a four-spot in the sixth turned the tides in Williamstown's favour for good. This sweep has boosted the Wolves record as they now sit in third place at 4-2, while Port Melbourne drops to 2-4 ahead of an away game at Werribee. Williamstown hosts Preston this weekend.
Bonbeach St Chads 6 v Malvern Braves 18
Malvern's thirds keep on shining with an undefeated record and an amazi8ng 109 runs scored compared to 25 runs allowed. Bonbeach couldn't get ahold of Malvern's feisty offense, with two runs scoring in the second and four in the third before the Braves really opened things up with six runs in both the fourth and the sixth.
Bonbeach scored three in the third and the fifth for a bit of a boost, but the offense couldn't match Malvern's. Bonbeach is 1-5 and looking ahead to a new series at Moorabbin.
Mulgrave Rebels 17 v Doncaster Dragons 11
This high-scoring affair saw Mulgrave get revenge for a heartbreaking one-run loss in round four and a draw last week. The Rebels were on a mission to score runs and they made it happen with solid team batting in their first victory. Doncaster remains higher on the ladder with three wins, two losses and a draw for a fourth-place spot.
Doncaster takes on Malvern and Mulgrave faces St Kilda this weekend.
Werribee Giants 12 v Preston Pirates 6
The Pirates won the first meeting in dominant fashion 21-2, but since then their offense has dropped off while Werribee's has picked up. After winning round five 9-5, Werribee put together another great game with nine runs in the second to break a 2-2 tie. Preston managed four more over the course of the game while the Giants added another in the fourth to boost their record to 2-4. The Pirates are still ahead in the ladder with a 3-3 record ahead of playing Williamstown this weekend.
Werribee's Ben Bavdek was a standout with five innings pitched and six strikeouts along with two hits of his own.
Division 2 Fourths
Williamstown Wolves 10 v Geelong Baycats 7
This was a tough series for the Baycats as they came close a handful of times but just couldn't quite edge the team that's won the premiership for the past two years.
Williamstown took a 6-0 lead in the first and it was an uphill battle for Geelong, as the lineup put together two in the second before Williamstown scored a further four runs.
Five Geelong runs in the fourth and the fifth put the game back within reach, but ultimately the Baycats couldn't quite close the gap.
The Baycats move on to play Werribee while Williamstown plays Preston.
St Kilda Saints 12 v Moorabbin Panthers 5
The Saints cruised to a big win, their third of the season, as they bounced back from two tough losses at the hands of the Panthers.
Moorabbin's offense slowed down on Sunday as the lineup struggled to keep up in the team's first loss of the season. The Panthers remain in an enviable position in second place with a 5-1 record, while St Kilda has some work to do to break free from the middle of the ladder.
St Kilda is at Mulgrave this weekend and Moorabbin has a bye.
Mulgrave Rebels 4 v Doncaster Dragons 14
Mulgrave took the first game 11-9 and Doncaster handled the second 14-3 before the final meeting between these two teams resulted in a huge win for the Dragons.
Doncaster is 2-4 and Mulgrave is 1-5 going into the next series at Malvern and St Kilda, respectively.
Werribee Giants 1 v Preston Pirates 19
This series has been full of twists and turns as Werribee won last week 24-5 before Preston turned the tables for a similar scoreline.
The majority of runs came off the Pirates bats in the first and second, as Preston had a 16-0 lead heading into the third. An extra three runs came around in the fourth while Werribee finally got one back in the fifth.
Werribee's Andrew Smith pitched in relief, striking out three and allowing two hits from 12 batters.
Preston is now fourth on the ladder with a 3-3 record, while Werribee sits a bit lower at 2-4.
Williamstown Wolves 10 v Geelong Baycats 7
This was a tough series for the Baycats as they came close a handful of times but just couldn't quite edge the team that's won the premiership for the past two years.
Williamstown took a 6-0 lead in the first and it was an uphill battle for Geelong, as the lineup put together two in the second before Williamstown scored a further four runs.
Five Geelong runs in the fourth and the fifth put the game back within reach, but ultimately the Baycats couldn't quite close the gap.
The Baycats move on to play Werribee while Williamstown plays Preston.
St Kilda Saints 12 v Moorabbin Panthers 5
The Saints cruised to a big win, their third of the season, as they bounced back from two tough losses at the hands of the Panthers.
Moorabbin's offense slowed down on Sunday as the lineup struggled to keep up in the team's first loss of the season. The Panthers remain in an enviable position in second place with a 5-1 record, while St Kilda has some work to do to break free from the middle of the ladder.
St Kilda is at Mulgrave this weekend and Moorabbin has a bye.
Mulgrave Rebels 4 v Doncaster Dragons 14
Mulgrave took the first game 11-9 and Doncaster handled the second 14-3 before the final meeting between these two teams resulted in a huge win for the Dragons.
Doncaster is 2-4 and Mulgrave is 1-5 going into the next series at Malvern and St Kilda, respectively.
Werribee Giants 1 v Preston Pirates 19
This series has been full of twists and turns as Werribee won last week 24-5 before Preston turned the tables for a similar scoreline.
The majority of runs came off the Pirates bats in the first and second, as Preston had a 16-0 lead heading into the third. An extra three runs came around in the fourth while Werribee finally got one back in the fifth.
Werribee's Andrew Smith pitched in relief, striking out three and allowing two hits from 12 batters.
Preston is now fourth on the ladder with a 3-3 record, while Werribee sits a bit lower at 2-4.