Footscray 10, Research 8
Buoyed by a terrific start (a run in the first, five in the second and one in the third) the Bulldogs mauled the Roadrunners at the start, speeding to a 7-0 advantage after four frames. Research battled back with two runs in both the fifth and the sixth to narrow the gap to three but Footscray answered with three in the seventh to open up a six run advantage. Four runs in the eighth by Research made it a game, but the Bulldogs closed it out with a clean ninth inning.
Pakenham 18, Chelsea 15
On a surprisingly calm day at Chelsea’s home ground, the Dolphins fell to the Pumas of Pakenham 18-15 in an exciting, back-and-forth affair. Tallying twice in the first, Chelsea then surrendered seven runs in the second. In the victory, the Pumas racked up 21 hits.
St Kilda 13, Mulgrave 13
Last week the St Kilda Saints found themselves down 13-5 in the eighth inning and scored four times to halve the lead but couldn’t come through in the ninth against Footscray. On Sunday the Saints faced an identical deficit and came through with four runs in the top of the ninth to pull even with the Rebels. Though Mulgrave then got their leadoff hitter on and advanced him to third with only one out, St Kilda fireballer Brett Elliott struck out the next hitter and then induced a comebacker to end the threat.
Due to failing light the game ended in a draw.
Mulgrave started fast, plating two runs in the first inning. They then added five more runs in the third before St Kilda answered with two of their own in the fourth to make it 7-2 Rebels.
Mulgrave added six more runs in the next three innings but it could have been a whole lot worse had Saints hurler Simon Leicht not escaped bases loaded no out jams in both the seventh and eighth frames.
Down 13-6, St Kilda scored thrice in the eighth before finishing their impressive comeback.
The Saints started with Robby Lewis but after only facing a couple batters he had to leave the mound due to injury. Pete McCourt took over and performed admirably, pitching six innings before Leicht took over in the seventh. Elliott pitched the final frame for St Kilda.
Mulgrave had Stuart Phillips throw the first four innings, Mathew Young innings five through eight, and Nathan Cook pitched the ninth.
In a thrilling contests, the star of the game had to be Saints catcher Pete Smith. Playing his first game since the winter Grand Final, he went 5-6 with a double, triple, and the game-tying RBI single with two outs in the ninth.
Next week, Mulgrave (3-0-1) remains in Dandenong to host Chelsea (1-2) and St Kilda (0-2-1) returns home to Tom O’Halloran Field to take on Research (0-2).
Ormond Glenhuntly was idle this weekend.