Division Two 1sts Game 1
Preston vs. Williamstown 3-2
Preston dominated their last two meetings, with a 6-2 win on Saturday in round 28 and a 5-0 win in round 26. Game 1 of playoffs proved to be a much more competitive nailbiter, with the Pirates edging the Wolves in the tenth inning.
Williamstown got off to an early 0-1 lead on an unearned run, scoring again in the third to make
it 0-2. Preston threatened in the second but couldn’t get on the board until the fourth, thanks to back-to-back doubles and a single to make it 1-2. The Pirates tied it up in the fifth with a double from Jarrod Belbin, and the score remained that way until the tenth. Both teams made solid defensive plays despite the strong wind, and Preston’s Hayden Godbold pitched nine innings before handing the reins over to reliever Mitch Ley for the tenth. The Pirates made a break in the tenth, getting two men on with no outs. Jordan Ley brought the game-winning run home as Preston took a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 pm at Preston.
Berwick vs. Springvale 4-3
At Melbourne Ballpark in Altona, another close game was brewing, this one between first-place Berwick and fourth-place Springvale. With just two losses in the regular season, Berwick comes in with an advantage, but Springvale proved to be resilient last night, with Christian DeLeon pitching five strong innings and hitting a two-run double. Berwick took the lead in the ninth, securing their 4-3 win and a 1-0 advantage in the series. These two will face off on Saturday at Berwick at 2 p.m.