Geelong 9, Doncaster 3
Buoyed by 16 hits—five of which went for extra bases—the host Baycats downed the Dragons, 9-3. The hit parade’s grand marshal was Mark Rigby who went 3-5 with two doubles, a run and a RBI. Matthew Zablan also had three hits (all singles) and scored twice. Other Baycats with two hits: Rohan Brashar, Christopher Durston, Cameron Gibbons, and Rudy Jaramillo. Gibbons also knocked in four runs.
Across the diamond, Rhys Aldenhoven and Michael Mazzocato contributed four of the Dragons seven hits.
With the loss, Doncaster falls to 3-8-1 (fifth place in their division) while Geelong sits top-of-the-ladder with a 9-2-1 mark, one game ahead of Essendon in the other division.
Blackburn 8, Sandringham 1
Deuces were wild in the Orioles win on Sunday. Blackburn scored two runs in the second, third, fifth and sixth to bring home the victory. The lone marker for the Royals came in the top of the ninth courtesy of Nicholas Dunn knocking in pinch hitter Cameron Beaumont. Marko Lezaic had two of Sandringham’s eight knocks.
Blackburn, meanwhile, pounded out 17 hits, including four from David Dicker and three each from Jimmy Bent, Ryan Berg, and David Tierney. Steven Bookluck contributed the game’s only home run.
Essendon 10, Waverley 0
In a dominant performance from start to mercy-rule shortened finish, the Bombers whitewashed the Wildcats, 10-0. Essendon plated five runs in the second, one in the fourth, another in the sixth, and three more in the last of the seventh to provide the winning margin.
Tom Dicker led Essendon with three hits (including two doubles) and two runs batted in while Dean and Scott McIntyre each had two hits. Ditto for Michael Formisano, who also led the team with three RBI.
Cheltenham 9, Newport 4
In a tilt between two teams trying to establish their identities nearly halfway through the campaign, the Rustlers downed the Rams, 9-4. Visiting Cheltenham scored in the top of the first but then ceded two in the bottom of the frame. The exact same scenario played out in the third. Trailing 4-1 in the fifth, the Rustles tallied twice then followed that up with three in the seventh and two in the eighth to make it 9-4.
The victory evens their record at 6-6 while the Rams fall to 5-6 with the loss.
Melbourne 8, Preston 1
With yet another win, the visiting Demons solidified their spot atop the ladder with a sterling 10-1-1 mark, a full 2.5 games ahead of Blackburn. The Pirates now sit at 4-8, a half-game ahead of Sunshine in the battle to stay out of the cellar.
Springvale 2, Sunshine 1
Easily the most well-pitched game of the weekend saw the Lions eke past the Eagles, 2-1. After trading single runs in the first, blanks were de rigueur until Springvale plated what would turn out to be the winning run in the top of the fifth. The victory improves the Lions record to 3-9 while the Eagles are now 3-8.
Buoyed by 16 hits—five of which went for extra bases—the host Baycats downed the Dragons, 9-3. The hit parade’s grand marshal was Mark Rigby who went 3-5 with two doubles, a run and a RBI. Matthew Zablan also had three hits (all singles) and scored twice. Other Baycats with two hits: Rohan Brashar, Christopher Durston, Cameron Gibbons, and Rudy Jaramillo. Gibbons also knocked in four runs.
Across the diamond, Rhys Aldenhoven and Michael Mazzocato contributed four of the Dragons seven hits.
With the loss, Doncaster falls to 3-8-1 (fifth place in their division) while Geelong sits top-of-the-ladder with a 9-2-1 mark, one game ahead of Essendon in the other division.
Blackburn 8, Sandringham 1
Deuces were wild in the Orioles win on Sunday. Blackburn scored two runs in the second, third, fifth and sixth to bring home the victory. The lone marker for the Royals came in the top of the ninth courtesy of Nicholas Dunn knocking in pinch hitter Cameron Beaumont. Marko Lezaic had two of Sandringham’s eight knocks.
Blackburn, meanwhile, pounded out 17 hits, including four from David Dicker and three each from Jimmy Bent, Ryan Berg, and David Tierney. Steven Bookluck contributed the game’s only home run.
Essendon 10, Waverley 0
In a dominant performance from start to mercy-rule shortened finish, the Bombers whitewashed the Wildcats, 10-0. Essendon plated five runs in the second, one in the fourth, another in the sixth, and three more in the last of the seventh to provide the winning margin.
Tom Dicker led Essendon with three hits (including two doubles) and two runs batted in while Dean and Scott McIntyre each had two hits. Ditto for Michael Formisano, who also led the team with three RBI.
Cheltenham 9, Newport 4
In a tilt between two teams trying to establish their identities nearly halfway through the campaign, the Rustlers downed the Rams, 9-4. Visiting Cheltenham scored in the top of the first but then ceded two in the bottom of the frame. The exact same scenario played out in the third. Trailing 4-1 in the fifth, the Rustles tallied twice then followed that up with three in the seventh and two in the eighth to make it 9-4.
The victory evens their record at 6-6 while the Rams fall to 5-6 with the loss.
Melbourne 8, Preston 1
With yet another win, the visiting Demons solidified their spot atop the ladder with a sterling 10-1-1 mark, a full 2.5 games ahead of Blackburn. The Pirates now sit at 4-8, a half-game ahead of Sunshine in the battle to stay out of the cellar.
Springvale 2, Sunshine 1
Easily the most well-pitched game of the weekend saw the Lions eke past the Eagles, 2-1. After trading single runs in the first, blanks were de rigueur until Springvale plated what would turn out to be the winning run in the top of the fifth. The victory improves the Lions record to 3-9 while the Eagles are now 3-8.