Picture: JAMES MURPHY
FEDERAL kept its top-two chances alive with an easy 9-4 win over Central in Saturday night’s Division 1 Mount Gambier and District baseball game.
The Demons put their first run on the board in the top of the third inning when Darcy Pink made it home.
They then added three more runs in the top of the sixth.
Wade Chant thumped a two-bagger to left-field and Gavin Smith and Tom Rundle both picked walks.
Chant scored on a passed ball, Smith crossed home on Kane McMillan’s hit into an infield play and Rundle stole home for the third.
Central replied when Kyall McClean’s booming hit to right-field saw him pull up at third base and score on Brad Lynagh’s single before the inning was shut down.
In the top of the seventh, Demons’ batter Darcy Pink singled as did Nathan Taylor.
Pink scored Federal’s fifth run on Alex Reppin’s hit into an infield out and Taylor scored on a wild pitch.
The Magpies doubled their score in the bottom of the seventh when Colby Muller singled to left-field and scored on Ethan Chuck’s hit to left-field, which resulted in a wild throw.
The eighth dig was the final scoring inning for both teams.
Federal’s Gavin Smith hit to second base and forced an error, while Tom Rundle’s hit to right-field was grassed and Kane McMillan drew a walk to load the bases.
Smith crossed the plate on a wild pitch then consecutive base on ball to Pink, Taylor and Reppin saw both Rundle and McMillan home.
Consecutive walks to Central batters Koby Chant and Lynagh saw them both score with Chant batted in by Mark Kilpatrick and Lynagh home off Josh Chuck.
However, Central could not catch their opponent and Federal claimed a comfortable win.
DUE to the extreme weather conditions, Friday night’s Division 1 baseball game was reduced to seven innings, where Tigers pulled off a surprise win against South Indians.
Tigers opened the scoring in the top of the fourth when Tyler Horrigan doubled to right-field and scored on Ash Dumigan’s single to centre-field.
In the top of the sixth Kyle Ashby found himself on board after his hit into an error at third base and was ultimately batted in by Horrigan’s second safe hit of the game.
Horrigan crossed the home-plate when Dumigan’s second consecutive safe hit came up short of centre-field, to give Tigers a three-run lead.
The Indians pulled one back in the even sixth inning when Bruce Morale made first base on an interference call and scored on a fielder’s choice hit back to the pitcher.
With two out in the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Placucci hit safely to right-field and was batted in by Hayden Battye’s single to left-field before the inning was closed out, but it was not enough to claim the lead and Tigers won 3-2.
