Geelong 6, Sunshine 5
On paper it didn’t look like a fair fight. The Baycats were 10-3-1 and atop the ladder; the Eagles perched on the lowest rung, struggling to find ways to win. As the cliché goes: That’s why they play the game.
Geelong did prevail, 6-5, in a cracker of a game that was close throughout—and Sunshine’s to lose until the very last.
The Eagles started the scoring by tallying a run in the top of the first. The Baycats responded by plating one in the second and another in the third to take the lead. It was short lived.
Sunshine scored two in the fourth and another couple in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead. There it stood until the ninth when the never-say-die Baycats rallied to plate four runs in the bottom of the ninth to win a fantastic baseball game.
Cheltenham 8, Waverley 1
Led by superb pitching and the hot hitting of Adam Blackley, Mitch Holding and Sam Michael, the host Rustlers easily dispatched the Wildcats, 7-1. Buoyed by single runs in the second and fifth, two in the sixth and a game-sealing four in the seventh, Cheltenham was in control all day. Waverley’s sole run came in the fourth.
Blackley went 2-3 with a home run and three runs batted in. Holding was even better, going 2-4, scoring three runs and hitting a double and a long ball, knocking in two. Jack Enciondo also went deep for the Rustlers.
With the victory, Cheltenham improves to 8-6 on the season. The defeat drops Waverley to 5-10.
Essendon 16, Sandringham 5
Winning division games is always crucial. Especially when it’s at home. Essendon did just that on Sunday as they used four innings (first, second, seventh and eighth) of at least three runs to bombard the Royals, winning 16-5.
A single marker in the sixth complimented the three runs in the other three frames. The six in the eighth were enough to evoke the mercy rule.
Sandringham scored their runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth. At the plate they were led by Jordan Barnett (2-4 with an RBI), Anton Cevec (2-5, run, two RBI) and Ryan Morris (3-4, run, double, RBI).
Essendon kept pace with Geelong with the win. They trail the Baycats by one game.
Melbourne 13, Doncaster 2
The Demons were wickedly good at home on Sunday. They banged out 14 hits, including four doubles, in the dominant 13-2 win.
Matthew Kent starred going 4-for-4 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Adam Burton had three hits (two of them doubles) and knocked in three and Rhys De Highden also plated multiple runs.
Across the field, the Dragons couldn’t get going at the plate. They only mustered six hits, two from the always reliable Ben Utting. He also gets credit for the only two runs batted in for his side.
Now 12-2-1 on the season, Melbourne hosts Newport next Sunday in the last round of games before Christmas. Doncaster (3-11-1) returns home to play Preston.
Newport 6, Preston 3
Speaking of the Pirates . . . they hosted the Rams on the weekend. Newport grabbed the lead early, scoring a run in the top of the first. Pitching prevailed from then until the top of the seventh when the Rams busted the game open with five runs. Though Preston fought back with three of their own in the bottom half, nobody else crossed the plate.
The 6-3 victory allowed Newport to hop over Preston for the fourth spot on the ladder. The Rams now sit at 6-8 while the Pirates are 6-9.
Blackburn 7, Springvale 0
The Orioles pitched lights out on Sunday, allowing only five hits and ceding no walks. After tallying once in the first, they added two runs in the seventh and four insurance markers in the eighth. At the plate they also dominated, led by Luke Cartwright who went 3-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Nicholas Barrett and David Tierney also had multiple hits.
For the Lions, Lucas Anderson, Scott Baillie, Freddy Flores, Matthew Hayle and Glenn Mascoll each had a single.
The win keeps Blackburn within shouting distance of first place Melbourne, 2.5 games back. Springvale is now tied with Waverley for fourth in their division with identical 5-10 records.
On paper it didn’t look like a fair fight. The Baycats were 10-3-1 and atop the ladder; the Eagles perched on the lowest rung, struggling to find ways to win. As the cliché goes: That’s why they play the game.
Geelong did prevail, 6-5, in a cracker of a game that was close throughout—and Sunshine’s to lose until the very last.
The Eagles started the scoring by tallying a run in the top of the first. The Baycats responded by plating one in the second and another in the third to take the lead. It was short lived.
Sunshine scored two in the fourth and another couple in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead. There it stood until the ninth when the never-say-die Baycats rallied to plate four runs in the bottom of the ninth to win a fantastic baseball game.
Cheltenham 8, Waverley 1
Led by superb pitching and the hot hitting of Adam Blackley, Mitch Holding and Sam Michael, the host Rustlers easily dispatched the Wildcats, 7-1. Buoyed by single runs in the second and fifth, two in the sixth and a game-sealing four in the seventh, Cheltenham was in control all day. Waverley’s sole run came in the fourth.
Blackley went 2-3 with a home run and three runs batted in. Holding was even better, going 2-4, scoring three runs and hitting a double and a long ball, knocking in two. Jack Enciondo also went deep for the Rustlers.
With the victory, Cheltenham improves to 8-6 on the season. The defeat drops Waverley to 5-10.
Essendon 16, Sandringham 5
Winning division games is always crucial. Especially when it’s at home. Essendon did just that on Sunday as they used four innings (first, second, seventh and eighth) of at least three runs to bombard the Royals, winning 16-5.
A single marker in the sixth complimented the three runs in the other three frames. The six in the eighth were enough to evoke the mercy rule.
Sandringham scored their runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth. At the plate they were led by Jordan Barnett (2-4 with an RBI), Anton Cevec (2-5, run, two RBI) and Ryan Morris (3-4, run, double, RBI).
Essendon kept pace with Geelong with the win. They trail the Baycats by one game.
Melbourne 13, Doncaster 2
The Demons were wickedly good at home on Sunday. They banged out 14 hits, including four doubles, in the dominant 13-2 win.
Matthew Kent starred going 4-for-4 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Adam Burton had three hits (two of them doubles) and knocked in three and Rhys De Highden also plated multiple runs.
Across the field, the Dragons couldn’t get going at the plate. They only mustered six hits, two from the always reliable Ben Utting. He also gets credit for the only two runs batted in for his side.
Now 12-2-1 on the season, Melbourne hosts Newport next Sunday in the last round of games before Christmas. Doncaster (3-11-1) returns home to play Preston.
Newport 6, Preston 3
Speaking of the Pirates . . . they hosted the Rams on the weekend. Newport grabbed the lead early, scoring a run in the top of the first. Pitching prevailed from then until the top of the seventh when the Rams busted the game open with five runs. Though Preston fought back with three of their own in the bottom half, nobody else crossed the plate.
The 6-3 victory allowed Newport to hop over Preston for the fourth spot on the ladder. The Rams now sit at 6-8 while the Pirates are 6-9.
Blackburn 7, Springvale 0
The Orioles pitched lights out on Sunday, allowing only five hits and ceding no walks. After tallying once in the first, they added two runs in the seventh and four insurance markers in the eighth. At the plate they also dominated, led by Luke Cartwright who went 3-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Nicholas Barrett and David Tierney also had multiple hits.
For the Lions, Lucas Anderson, Scott Baillie, Freddy Flores, Matthew Hayle and Glenn Mascoll each had a single.
The win keeps Blackburn within shouting distance of first place Melbourne, 2.5 games back. Springvale is now tied with Waverley for fourth in their division with identical 5-10 records.