CENTRAL v TIGERS
BASEBALL returned to the Limestone Coast on the weekend, with both Mount Gambier and District Division 1 games resulting in 10-run mercy blowouts.
Following Federal’s Friday night dominance, Saturday’s contest weighed heavily in favour of Central.
Tigers were on the back foot early, as Central threatened in the first two inning, leaving four runners on base including bases loaded in the first.
However, the game came together in the bottom of the third when both Kyall McClean and Dylan Chuck drew walks and Brock Keding’s bunt saw the bases loaded again.
Koby Chant also picked a walk which scored McClean.
Brad Lynagh singled to centre-field which scored Chuck, but Koby Chant overran second base and went down with a knee injury.
The game was then delayed for 45 minutes while an ambulance was called and he was attended to.
When the game resumed Mark Kilpatrick’s hit into and infield out scored Keding before the inning was eventually completed.
In the bottom of the fourth, lead-off batter McClean doubled to left-field and Keding hit safely.
McClean scored on Dylan Gull’s hard hit to centre-field and Keding crossed on Lynagh’s infield fielder’s choice giving the Magpies a 5-0 lead.
Tigers fired up in the top of the sixth as Jesse Foster found himself at first after a single to left-field and Brayden Morton doubled to centre-field.
Tyler Horrigan’s safe-hit to centre-field scored Foster and Morton crossed home on Garth Ransom’s safety, also to centre-field, followed closely by Horrigan who scored on Karl Ransom’s single which also went to a busy centre-field.
However, in the bottom of the inning Central replied with two more of their own.
McClean walked and Chuck hit safely to right-field.
Gull’s second consecutive hit scored McClean and Chuck crossed home on a fielder’s choice.
In the top of the seventh for Tigers, Ben Marcus finished up at second base after a wild throw from third base and Joe Sims walked.
Marcus scored on Morton’s sacrifice fly and Horrigan batted in Sims before the inning was closed out.
In the bottom of the inning, Ethan Chuck picked a base on ball and was batted in by cousin Dylan Chuck to give Central a 10-5 lead.
After keeping Tigers scoreless in the top of the eighth, Central’s Kilpatrick was hit by the pitcher and scored on a wild pitch, Ridding hit safely to centre-field, Josh Chuck found himself on base when his hit forced an error at third-base and big brother Ethan picked a base on ball.
Kyall McClean drew a walk which scored Ridding, Dylan Chuck’s sacrifice fly scored Josh Chuck, while Keding and Gull were also thrown walks which resulted in Ethan Chuck crossing the home-plate.
With a brilliant piece of base-running and a lapse in concentration by Tigers, McClean reached Central’s match-winning 10-run lead when he scored
on the fourth ball.
Central had 11 safe-hits, 11 base on ball, two hit batters, 10 runs batted in, seven strike outs, left 12 runners on and made two errors.
Tigers had eight safe-hits, one walk, one hit batter, five RBI, eight strike outs, left six runners on base and made six errors.
FEDERAL v SOUTH
FEDERAL kicked off the new year in style after posting a percentage boosting win over South Indians in the recent round of Mount Gambier and District baseball.
Federal opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Alex Reppin drew a walk and Wade Chant followed with a single to left-field.
They both crossed home-plate on Gavin Smith’s long hit to centre-field.
Nathan Taylor’s two-bagger to right-field scored Smith.
In the bottom of the third Chant again found himself onboard and Tom Rundle’s flyball to right-field was put down.
They both scored on Smith’s two base hit to left-field and he ultimately scored, again on a Taylor single to left-field to give the Demons a 6-0 lead.
South scored its solitary run in the top of the sixth inning when Bruce Morale’s single shot to centre-field saw him at first-base and he scored on Ben Nash’s infield hit for an out.
In the even sixth, Federal’s Clay Carpenter picked a base on ball and Kane McMillan doubled to centre-field.
They both advanced to home on Darcy Pink’s hit to centre-field.
Federal pulled the mercy rule card in the bottom of the seventh with the required three runs.
Chant’s third hit of the game saw the ball sail over the left-field fence for his first home run of the season.
Rundle singled and scored on Taylor’s third safe-hit of the game and Smith also singled and crossed home on Alex Pearson’s safe-hit to right-field.
Federal had 15 safe hits, two base on ball, batted in all 11 runs, two strike-outs, left six runners on base and made just a single error.
South had four safe-hits, three base on ball, one hit batter, 1 RBI, six strike-outs, left seven runners on base and made two errors.
