Game reports by Neil Barrowcliff
The Australian Schoolboys have wrapped up their tour of the West Coast of the United States. After twenty games in Washington State, Oregon and California the team won 9 games, lost 9 and tied 2. The tour gave the team an appreciation of the life, expectations and workload of a baseball player in the US and they were scouted extensively through the entire tour from both professional and college scouts.
Game 19 vs San Diego City College
Inn/Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Australia
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
5
1
San Diego City
3
0
0
0
0
0
X
3
4
3
After a couple of hard-hit balls from San Diego City College, Australia found ourselves down 3-0. D’Avoine quickly found a great rhythm and shut down the opposition. His 6Ks over 5 solid innings made sure we had a chance. In the 4th, McCallum led off with a drive to right field, he subsequently stole second and then third, and Baker’s line shot up the middle brought him in.
With runners on again in the sixth, after Frew started with a single to centre, but it wasn’t until the last that we had some real chances against some very good pitching. Here, Baker got on with a high pop-up that fell between three players in shallow right. Whitehead doubled down the left field line to bring him home, and an error at third off a hard hit shot from Whitley gave Australia a sniff. However, San Diego held on to their lead and defeated Australia 3-2.
Game 20 vs. San Diego City College
Inn/Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Australia
0
0
1
2
3
0
0
6
11
1
San Diego City
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
In a double header game, San Diego City College threw a range of quality pitchers against us, seemingly aware that we would fight them all the way. Hendrickson’s great outing on the weekend at the Chandler Bat Classic earned him the honour of starting today, pitching just the one inning before the relievers took over. Hendrickson continued his stellar form, allowing just the one baserunner (who he promptly picked off!).
The first two innings were very tight for both sides, and it wasn’t until Rawlinson led off the third with a walk that hopes were high for runs. Bourke bunted Rawlinson over, then Leskiw singled to put runners in the corners (a great arm in right field for San Diego prevented Leskiw collecting the RBI). Quirk then put down the perfect bunt to score Rawlinson, making it safely to first and advancing Leskiw.
More was to come in the 4th, when Frew got on with a fastball in the back, stole second and scored on King’s line shot up the middle. King also stole second and was advanced to third by a single from Holding. Baker hit a deep shot to right field, allowing King to score on the sacrifice.
In the 5th, with DeJong continuing to work his tidy craft on the hill, Leskiw, Quirk and Nuenborn all collected hits before a double to deep centrefield by Turnbull broke the game open. This inning saw Australia rack up three runs, all but putting the game beyond San Diego’s reach.
Whitehead relieved Dejong in the sixth, and dominated their hitters to close the game out.
For more information about the Australian Schoolboys Tour visit www.schoolsport.edu.au.