Interview with Peter Giles of Essendon Baseball Club. Direct link here.
Umpires- Plate- Lyons, 1st-Howe , 2nd- Howard, 3rd Dunn .
Starting Line up for Blackburn- D Tierney 8, A Tierney 6, Phillips 9, Hunter 2, Rogers DH, Dicker D 7, Evans 3, Bookluck 5, Berg 4.
Berka- Pitcher only (not batting).
Bench- Bright, Tuck, McQuiggan, Bumpstead.
Essendon- McIntyre D 9, Dicker T 4, Sullivan 8, Stokes 3, Davies 6, Cruz 7, Spear D/H, Moon 5, McDonald 2.
Formisano G- Pitcher only (not batting)
Top 1st- D Tierney F8, A Tierney -7, Phillips FC 6-4, Hunter F5.
G Formisano started off well for the Bombers as he allowed only one single to left.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 0.
Bottom 1st- McIntyre D F9, Dicker T 5-3, Sullivan -8, Stokes BB, Davies MF9, Cruz K2.
Blackburn started off their defence well when Phillips took a good catch running in from right for the first out. Sullivan worked the count full then singled to centre with a ground ball up the middle. Stokes walked then a run scored after a Davies flyball was dropped in right. It was then 2nd and 3rd occupied with two out when Berka finished it with a strikeout swinging.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 1.
Top 2nd- Rogers F2, Dicker F2, Evans 4-3.
Formisano got the first two outs with pop-ups to the catcher then Evans worked the count full before he grounded out to end it.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 1.
Bottom 2nd- Spear F5, Moon F3, McDonald HPB, D McIntyre 4-3.
Berka got a fly ball to 3rd to start it then another to 1st base before McDonald batting in the nine hole got HPB. The Essendon order turned over and D McIntyre came up, he worked the count full before he grounded out to 2nd.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 1.
Top 3rd- Bookluck K2, Berg 4-3, D Tierney -9, A Tierney -8, Phillips UA 4.
G Formisano threw good off-speed to get the first out swinging then another with a ground ball. D Tierney then hit over the infield to centre right and A Tierney grounded one to centre for a single. Phillips grounded to 2nd to end it.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 1.
Bottom 3rd- T Dicker F5, Sullivan 6-3, Stokes F5.
Bookluck was busy at 3rd as he had to run for both catches he took. Berka had settled and had the batters off balance.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 1.
Top 4th- Hunter 6-3, Rogers F7, Dicker D 6-3.
Three routine outs as Formisano sat the batters down in order.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 1.
Bottom 4th- Davies 5-3, Cruz F3, Spear K2.
Berka looked settled as he sat the Bomber batters down in order.
Score Blackburn 0, Essendon 1.
Top 5th- Evans 5-3, Bookluck -9, Berg =7, D Tierney -8 2RBI, A Tierney -9, Phillips K2, Hunter FC 5-4.
Bookluck broke the pitcher’s hold on the game when he hit to right with one out then Berg advanced him to 3rd when he doubled to the left field corner. D Tierney singled to centre for two RBIs then A Tierney singled to right and it was then 1st and 2nd occupied. Phillips went down swinging and Formisano got Hunter on a groundout.
Score Blackburn 2, Essendon 1.
Bottom 5th- Moon K2, McDonald BB, D Mcintyre -1, T Dicker =7, Sullivan 5-3, Stokes F9.
Berka started with a strikeout swinging then McDonald walked to bring up the top of the Essendon order again. McIntyre bunted foul then beat out an infield single on a slow roller in front of the pitcher. T Dicker hit hard to the left field corner for a double that scored one and got D McIntyre into 3rd.
Pitching change for Blackburn as McQuiggan took the mound from Berka. Berka left the mound after holding the Essendon batters well.
Sullivan grounded to the infield and Stokes flied out to right to leave the runner at 3.
Score Blackburn 2, Essendon 2.
Top 6th- Rogers -7, D Dicker K2, Evans GDP 5-4-3.
Formisano continued on the mound for Essendon as Rogers led off with a hit to left. Dicker went down swinging for the first out then Evans hit into a 5-4-3 double play to end the dig.
Formisano pitch count- 82
Score Blackburn 2, Essendon 2.
Bottom 6th- Davies F9 CCS 2-6, Cruz KC, Spear 5-3.
Davies led off with a hit to right but got caught stealing 2nd before Cruz struck out looking and Spear played into a 5-3 to end it.
Score Blackburn 2, Essendon 2.
Top 7th- Bookluck F9, Berg 1-3, D Tierney 6-3.
Formisano didn’t look troubled as he sat the Blackburn batters down in order.
Score Blackburn 2, Essendon 2.
Bottom 7th- Moon K2, McDonald -9, 4-6, D Mcintyre FC, T Dicker =7 RBI, Sullivan K2.
McQuiggan was on target for the Orioles as he got the first out swinging then McDonald bounced one in front of the fielder for a single to right. A groundball got the second out on a fielder’s choice then McIntyre stole 2nd. T Dicker scored him from there with a double to the left corner.
Pitching change for Blackburn as Tuck takes the mound from McQuiggan. Tuck finished it with a strikeout swinging.
Score Blackburn 2, Essendon 3.
Top 8th- A Tierney BB, Bumpstead (Pinch hitter for Phillips) SB, Hunter HPB, Rogers UA3, D Dicker BB, Evans -8 RBI, Bookluck F9.
A Tierney became the tying run when he walked then Lindsay took the mound after a very good performance from Gareth Formisano came to an end. Bumpstead sac-bunted and Hunter got HPB, then Rogers grounded to first and advanced both runners a single base. D Dicker walked and the bases were loaded.
Essendon made another pitching change as Hipke took the mound from Lindsay. Evans singled with a liner to centre and the game was tied at 3-3. A fly ball to right ended the dig and Blackburn left the bases loaded with one and a half digs left to play.
Score Blackburn 3, Essendon 3.
Bottom 8th- Stokes K2-3, Davies F9, Cruz BB, Spear -9, Moon BB, McDonald UA5.
Tuck got through the first two Blackburn hitters but then walked Cruz and Spear hit hard to right. It was then 1st and 3rd occupied when Moon walked to load them up and the pressure was right on Blackburn. A groundout to 3rd left the game tied at 3 all.
Score Blackburn 3, Essendon 3.
Top 9th- Berg F7, D Tierney WT6, A Tierney KC, Bumpstead K2.
Another pitching change for Essendon as Michael Formisano took the mound from Hipke. D Tierney got on after an error then Formisano dropped in a breaking ball to get the second out looking. A strikeout swinging at a high fastball took the game into the bottom of the 9th.
Score Blackburn 3, Essendon 3.
Bottom 9th- D McIntyre -7, Dicker GDP 5-4-3, Sullivan F7.
Tuck looked like he had settled as McIntyre singled to left but Blackburn recovered as they turned a double play and a fly to left ended it.
Score Blackburn 3, Essendon 3.
Top 10th – Hunter 1-3, Roger F7, Dicker UA3.
M Formisano gave his side another chance to end it when he sat the batters down in order.
Score Blackburn 3, Essendon 3.
Bottom 10th- Stokes -7, Davies -8, Cruz FC1-5, Spear BB, Moon -7 RBI.
Stokes singled to deep left and was replaced by pinch runner Giles. Davies singled up the middle and advanced him one base then Cruz bunted into a fielder’s choice at 3rd. Spear drew a full count walk then Moon singled to score the winning RBI.
Congratulations to Essendon Baseball Club, Division One Victorian Summer Baseball League Champions 4 seasons in a row.
Final Score Blackburn 3, Essendon 4.
For all other VSBL results go to the Summer League website http://www.vicsummerleague.baseball.com.au/