Essendon 3 def Blackburn 0
Essendon hosted Blackburn in the Ian Mckenzie Memorial game, played to a high standard befitting to the life and contribution Macka made to baseball.
Early pitching dominated until a Josh Davies solo shot gave Essendon their first lead of the game, a lead they would never surrender. Two more manufactured runs in the sixth and it would be the second shutout game for Essendon in as many weeks as last year's premiers are still yet to concede a run this season.
Geelong couldn't capitalise on a great day from Rudy Jaramillo as he worked out of five tough spots for the Baycats. Jaramillo pitched seven innings without conceding an earned run on four hits.
The Baycats grabbed an early lead in the third after a single from Cameron Gibbons plated Chris Webb and when Jaramillo scored on an error it was 2-0 Geelong through three. That how it remained until Waverley were able to claw one back in the seventh before pinching the win with a two run bomb from Kayne Hillier in the top of the ninth.
Jeremy Young was awarded the win for Waverley after tossing three innings of shutout ball, striking out three, walking two and surrendered no hits. Brock Wells took the loss for Geelong.
A 154 pitch outing from Brock Pawley in his second start for the year was enough to get Fitzroy their first Division 1 win for the season. Pawley struck out 14 and walked just one hitter, giving up two earned runs on the way to a complete game win for the righty.
Single markers from Cheltenham in the second, third and fourth from were quickly erased on the back of a seven run bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a Tom Dicker two-run shot.
Joel Mackenzie plated six from his four hits including a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory. Zach Rhodes picked up two hits in his first game at old Fitzroy, while Carl Wilson picked up a pair of singles.
No game summary provided.
Game cancelled due to weather.
Mother Nature was the only winner on the day with not one pitch thrown in anger in the Div. 1 Firsts game between Newport and Melbourne today.
Massive winds caused havoc as gusts resulted in branches falling onto the field during the 2s game and at one point a massive branch landed just a little too close to the third base coach. That was enough to stop that game. After a delay and further consultation, the umpires called all games for safety reasons.
Sandringham import Reed Mason took to the mound facing a howling wind for the second week in a row. Apparently not fazed by the breeze, Mason allowed just three hits through five scoreless innings before being relieved by Branden Stenhouse who conceded just one run in his three frames.
The Royals added runs in the third and fifth before a three-run sixth had them poised for the win, before a four-run ninth from Springvale sent the game into extra innings.
Sandy brought in Jayson Arthur who got through the tenth unscathed before a bases loaded wild pitch saw the Royals score the go ahead run and seal the walk-off win.
In a time game shortened to 80 minutes by fading light, Cheltenham got up over Sandringham 2-1. Cheltenham starter Lachie Madden was steady all night, not giving up a walk, allowing just 4 hits through 5 innings. Sandringham's young pitchers Jayson Arthur, Jackson Boyd and Mitchell Wilcox shared the work, combining for 6 walks and 5 hits.
A lead-off walk to Scott Moore and RBI single from Adam Burton from the first two plate appearances of the game had Melbourne off to the perfect start. Two first inning errors from Fitzroy in the first allowed Melbourne to add another and take an early 2-0 lead. Another lead-off walk in the second was capitalised on by Oliver McMahon who plated Melbourne's third.
Fitzroy clawed one back in the bottom half of the second and a three-run shot by Alex Turlea in the third gave Fitzroy a 4-3 lead and brought young pitcher Adam Pahos into the game. Pahos would go on to face 10 hitters in 2.1 inningins allowing only one hit while striking out three without conceding a run.
A Mitch Ayres RBI double tied the game at four and that's the way it would remain.