Picture: THOMAS MILES
FEDERAL 6 d SOUTH INDIANS 4
FEDERAL has put itself back into premiership contention after a tight 10-inning 6-4 run win over South Indians in Saturday’s early game of Division 1 baseball.
The Demons scored first in the top of the third dig when Tom Rundle worked his magic after an error at first base and scored on a wild throw from second in an attempted double play at the plate.
But it was not smooth sailing for the eventual victors, as South retaliated with three runs of its own.
Dean Lane picked a walk, while Ryan Placucci continued his good form with the bat to hit a two-bagger to left-field.
Both he and Lane scored on Bruce Morale’s double to left-field.
Ben Nash in the meantime was on base after a fielder’s choice and scored on Nathan Roach’s hit into an infield out.
The Demons added one more in the fourth when Nathan Taylor found himself on base after a fielder’s choice and scored on Clay Carpenters hit to an error at right-field.
They then tied the game up in the fifth inning when they scored another run.
Gavin Smith singled to left-field and crossed home plate on Wade Chant’s safe hit to third base.
Going ahead by one run in the top of the sixth, Carpenter hit safely to left-field and scored on Smith’s second consecutive safe hit, this time a two-bagger to centre-field.
Again the game was tied when the Indians retaliated in the bottom of the seventh, as Dean Hamilton doubled to right-field and was batted in by Steve Isaccson’s single to centre-field.
Inning eight and nine went by without any change to the score.
It was not until the top of the 10th the game was won, as Federal’s Wade Chant found himself safe at first base after a wild throw from third base and crossed home on Sam Shepherd’s huge triple to right-field.
Shepherd scored on Clay Carpenter’s hit into an infield out.
South had no answer in the even inning and left Federal to a two-run victory.
The Demons had nine safe hits for the match, one base on ball, seven strikeouts and made three errors, while South had 10 safe hits, five base on ball, 11 strikeouts and six errors.
TIGERS 8 d CENTRAL 0
THE late game on Saturday saw Tigers with a dominant 8-0 triumph over Centrals, to leave the Magpies with plenty of work to do to stay in the final’s race.
Tigers did all the scoring and started off with two runs in the first inning.
Brayden Morton hit safely to centre-field and Ben Marcus got on board after an error by the Central pitcher.
Morton then scored on Brodie Foster’s safe hit to shortstop and Marcus crossed on Jesse Foster’s sacrifice fly to left-field.
In the third dig Ben Marcus singled to centre-field and scored on Karl Ransom’s safe hit to third.
Two more runs were scored in the sixth after Alex Harkness walked and crossed home on a wild throw to another base and Ben Marcus also walked and scored on an error from a throw to first.
In the bottom of the eighth and with two out, Brandon Telford found himself at first after an error at third base and was batted in by Tyler Horrigan’s double to right-field.
Brodie Foster was the recipient of a missed fly ball by the Magpies first baseman and Horrigan touched home on a wild pitch, while Foster crossed the home plate on Karl Ransom’s deep two-bagger to centre-field.
Central had no answers for the Tigers onslaught and a scoreless night was the result.
Tigers were top cats all night with 10 safe hits, five base on ball, five strikeouts and just one error.
The damage could have been far greater, as the victors left 10 runners on base.
For Central, it had five safe hits, three base on ball, 14 strikeouts and made five errors.
It left nine runners on base.
Both pitchers served out the whole game, with Tigers’ Brodie Foster sending down 138 pitches and Central’s Mark Kilpatrick delivering 144.
