Ballarat 11, Port Melbourne 8
A big six-run fourth was the difference in a very exciting tilt between two teams who had higher hopes when the season began.
The Brewers scored twice in the second before getting those six runs in the fourth. After the Mariners tallied five times in the fifth, Ballarat came right back with two in the bottom half to cushion their lead.
Port Melbourne scored once in seventh and another in the eighth to pull within two. On this day, though, the Brewers would not be denied a victory. They scored one final time in the eighth and shut them out in the ninth to earn the well-fought win.
The Mariners were led at the plate by all-everything Will Musson who went 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Seven other players contributed one single apiece and Justin Lake paced the team with two RBI. Aaron Petri crossed the place twice for Port Melbourne.
Across the diamond the hitting parade was led by Leigh Ashmore and Hamish Burrows, who both contributed three singles. George Davidson, Ethan Etheridge, David Haehl and Ricky Howell each had two hits, including Davidson’s two doubles. Howell had a three-bagger and Davidson and Ashmore both knocked in three runs.
The win upped Ballarat’s mark to 12-14-1 on the season while the loss dropped Port Melbourne to last place with a 6-20 record.
Bonbeach 8, Williamstown 3
Another six-run inning proved crucial in a Division 2 tilt when the Bluejays had that many players cross the plate in the second home frame.
The Wolves roared back with three in the fifth but Bonbeach was too much after that, scoring two insurance runs in the seventh and keeping Williamstown off the scoreboard the rest of the game.
The Bluejays were led by Mitchell Sheldon-Collins (2-3 with two runs and an RBI) and Andrew Webber (2-4 with a run and a double). Adam Major also had a two-bagger and drove in one and Brendan Kelly had two RBI.
The Wolves had four players record two hits each (all singles) and Scott Meager and Kile Rogers had the two runs batted in.
Bonbeach finished the year in a tie for seventh with Berwick City, both with identical 10-17 records. Williamstown was fifth with a 13-14 mark.
Malvern 6, Berwick City 3
Needing a win and a Port Melbourne loss to stay out of the cellar, the Braves played a fantastic game and downed a determined Cougars side, 6-3.
Down 1-0 after half an inning, they tallied three times in the first only to see Berwick City score twice in the third to tie the game. There it stayed until the Braves erupted for three in the seventh to finish the scoring.
Scott Ashton, Geoffrey Holland and Simon Willox each had two hits for the victors. Geoffrey Holland had a triple and two RBI to lead the team.
Malvern (7-20) finished a half-game ahead of Port Melbourne for second-to-last and Berwick City (10-17) tied with Bonbeach for seventh.
Moorabbin 11, Upwey Ferntree Gully 2
In an intriguing tilt between two finals-bound teams, the top-of-the-table Panthers used a formidable five-inning surge to down a proud Tigers team, 11-2.
Moorabbin scored three times in the third, once in the fourth, twice each in fifth and sixth and added three runs in the seventh to bury Upwey. The Tigers only managed single markers in the sixth and eighth innings.
Nicholas Rice and Jarrod Turner had the lone RBI for Upwey with Turner the only Tiger to have more than one hit.
Across the diamond, three players—Nick O’Shea, Ben Laux and Andrew Katz—had more than one knock with Laux and Brendan Wilson registering doubles. Ricky Wheeler had three runs batted in and Laux had four.
The win, Moorabbin’s 23rd of the season in just 26 games, gives them plenty of momentum as they ready to face fourth place Upwey (15-12) in a best-of-three series beginning tomorrow night at Melbourne Ballpark. First pitch is 7.30 p.m.
Werribee 2, Fitzroy 0
A scheduling quirk also facilitated a preview of the other semifinal matchup on the season’s final day.
Though there was little to play for save the purity of the game, this remarkable contest went 12 innings before a run crossed the plate.
In the top of the final frame, Reece Haywood came through with the team’s lone RBI. He had one of the Giants six hits, scattered throughout the dozen innings. Matthew Howe and Jonathon Lowe scored the team’s runs.
For the side that fell just short in this scintillating game, Danny King and Brock Pawley both had two hits and Luke McLean added a double.
John Muchan paced the Lions with two sacrifice bunts.
First pitch is scheduled for 7.30 tomorrow night at Preston Ballpark as Werribee (21-5-1) and Fitzroy (15-10-1) go toe-to-toe in a best-of-three series.
A big six-run fourth was the difference in a very exciting tilt between two teams who had higher hopes when the season began.
The Brewers scored twice in the second before getting those six runs in the fourth. After the Mariners tallied five times in the fifth, Ballarat came right back with two in the bottom half to cushion their lead.
Port Melbourne scored once in seventh and another in the eighth to pull within two. On this day, though, the Brewers would not be denied a victory. They scored one final time in the eighth and shut them out in the ninth to earn the well-fought win.
The Mariners were led at the plate by all-everything Will Musson who went 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Seven other players contributed one single apiece and Justin Lake paced the team with two RBI. Aaron Petri crossed the place twice for Port Melbourne.
Across the diamond the hitting parade was led by Leigh Ashmore and Hamish Burrows, who both contributed three singles. George Davidson, Ethan Etheridge, David Haehl and Ricky Howell each had two hits, including Davidson’s two doubles. Howell had a three-bagger and Davidson and Ashmore both knocked in three runs.
The win upped Ballarat’s mark to 12-14-1 on the season while the loss dropped Port Melbourne to last place with a 6-20 record.
Bonbeach 8, Williamstown 3
Another six-run inning proved crucial in a Division 2 tilt when the Bluejays had that many players cross the plate in the second home frame.
The Wolves roared back with three in the fifth but Bonbeach was too much after that, scoring two insurance runs in the seventh and keeping Williamstown off the scoreboard the rest of the game.
The Bluejays were led by Mitchell Sheldon-Collins (2-3 with two runs and an RBI) and Andrew Webber (2-4 with a run and a double). Adam Major also had a two-bagger and drove in one and Brendan Kelly had two RBI.
The Wolves had four players record two hits each (all singles) and Scott Meager and Kile Rogers had the two runs batted in.
Bonbeach finished the year in a tie for seventh with Berwick City, both with identical 10-17 records. Williamstown was fifth with a 13-14 mark.
Malvern 6, Berwick City 3
Needing a win and a Port Melbourne loss to stay out of the cellar, the Braves played a fantastic game and downed a determined Cougars side, 6-3.
Down 1-0 after half an inning, they tallied three times in the first only to see Berwick City score twice in the third to tie the game. There it stayed until the Braves erupted for three in the seventh to finish the scoring.
Scott Ashton, Geoffrey Holland and Simon Willox each had two hits for the victors. Geoffrey Holland had a triple and two RBI to lead the team.
Malvern (7-20) finished a half-game ahead of Port Melbourne for second-to-last and Berwick City (10-17) tied with Bonbeach for seventh.
Moorabbin 11, Upwey Ferntree Gully 2
In an intriguing tilt between two finals-bound teams, the top-of-the-table Panthers used a formidable five-inning surge to down a proud Tigers team, 11-2.
Moorabbin scored three times in the third, once in the fourth, twice each in fifth and sixth and added three runs in the seventh to bury Upwey. The Tigers only managed single markers in the sixth and eighth innings.
Nicholas Rice and Jarrod Turner had the lone RBI for Upwey with Turner the only Tiger to have more than one hit.
Across the diamond, three players—Nick O’Shea, Ben Laux and Andrew Katz—had more than one knock with Laux and Brendan Wilson registering doubles. Ricky Wheeler had three runs batted in and Laux had four.
The win, Moorabbin’s 23rd of the season in just 26 games, gives them plenty of momentum as they ready to face fourth place Upwey (15-12) in a best-of-three series beginning tomorrow night at Melbourne Ballpark. First pitch is 7.30 p.m.
Werribee 2, Fitzroy 0
A scheduling quirk also facilitated a preview of the other semifinal matchup on the season’s final day.
Though there was little to play for save the purity of the game, this remarkable contest went 12 innings before a run crossed the plate.
In the top of the final frame, Reece Haywood came through with the team’s lone RBI. He had one of the Giants six hits, scattered throughout the dozen innings. Matthew Howe and Jonathon Lowe scored the team’s runs.
For the side that fell just short in this scintillating game, Danny King and Brock Pawley both had two hits and Luke McLean added a double.
John Muchan paced the Lions with two sacrifice bunts.
First pitch is scheduled for 7.30 tomorrow night at Preston Ballpark as Werribee (21-5-1) and Fitzroy (15-10-1) go toe-to-toe in a best-of-three series.