By Trevor Jackson
CENTRAL Baseball Club showed why it is the reigning Mount Gambier and District Baseball League premier, with an impressive 8-4 win over South Indians on Saturday night.
The Blue Lake Sports Park venue hosted a twilight fixture for the opening round, with the two clubs trading blows throughout the contest.
South opened the scoring in the first inning to put Centrals on notice, as Jesse Balshaw walked home from third with the bases loaded.
Centrals hit back at the top of the second as Koby Chant scored on Brad Lynagh’s safe-hit and Alex Ridding crossed home as a result of an error from Lynagh’s hit.
Kayll McClean added another to the tally in the fourth inning, batted in by Alex Ridding, then Jordan Aston made it home from first base off a McClean hit deep into the outfield.
By that stage the writing was on the wall but the valiant Indians fought back, with singles to Deklin Joyce, Balshaw and later Ryan Placucci.
Central finished the night with 13 safe hits, two walks, six RBIs, seven strike outs, two errors and left 10 runners on base.
South managed nine safe hits, four walks, four RBIs, nine strike outs, eight errors and left nine runners on base.
Meanwhile Millicent celebrated its return to Division 1 competition when they shut out an undermanned Federal, mercying them in the eighth inning with a 10-0 victory.
Millicent scored in all but two innings with the first run coming in the second.
Tim Niewenhuizen crossed home, after getting aboard from Craig Chittleborough’s deep hit to right-field.
In the bottom of the second Jack Hateley’s safe hit saw him at first and he was followed by a safety from Darcy Pink.
Hateley scored on a passed ball while Pink was batted in by Anthony Mutton.
From there the Bandits controlled the game, a Niewenhuizen lead off the fifth inning with a three bagger and scored on Anthony Mutton’s safe-hit to left-field.
He subsequently touched the homeplate on Chittleborough’s safety to centre-field.
Two more runs were added in the seventh and the game was completed in the eighth whe Niewenhuizen hit safely and scored hi fourth run.
In the end it was an outstanding performance from Millicent in its return to the big league.
The Bandits had 12 safe-hits, six base on ball, eight RBIs, nine strike outs, 12 left on base and made two errors.
An undermanned Federal struggled all day with just three safe-hits, three base on ball, four strike outs, left four runners on base and made two errors.
Results
Division 1: Central 8 d South Indians 4. Safe hits: Central – K. McClean, D. Chuck, A. Ridding 3, K. Chant 2, J. Aston, B.Lynagh 1; South Indians – B. Morale 3, J. Balshaw, D. Hamilton 2, H. Battye, R. Placucci 1.
Millicent 10 d Federal 0. Safe hits: Millicent – T. Niewenhuizen, C. Chittleborough 3, J. Hateley, D. Pink, A. Mutton 2; Federal – M. Nicholls, J. Wilsmore, R. Hutchesson 1.
Division 2: Federal 8 d Central Magpies 5. Safe hits: Federal – H. Thomson, J. Wilsmore, B. Kroon 1; Central Magpies – K. Shaw, K. Bowd 2, J. Chuck, B. Braithwaite, J. Carrison 1.
Central 9 d South Indians 2. Safe hits: Central – J. Aston 3, L.Tilley, B. Sturges 2, B. Green, L. Kent, J. Aston 1; South Indians – H. Timms, S. Isaacson, P. Walter 1.
Division 3: Central Magpies 17 d South Indians 3. Safe hits: Central Magpies – L. Patching 3, S. Henschke 2, A. Crouch, N. Crouch, A. Hoath, T. Wilson, D. McCarthy, G. Crouch 1; South Indians – S. Unayami, K. Joyce, J. Henke, C. Morale, Z.Anderson 1.
Central 18 d Naracoorte 1. Safe hits: Central – B. Hosking, S. Frankenburg, D. Cutting, B. Jones 2, S. Kuhl, S. Page, C. T. 1; Naracoorte – R. Whitwell, B. Harper, T. Paech 1.
Millicent d Federal o n forfiet.
Junior League: Federal 18 d Central Magpies 10. Safe hits: Federal – A. Lynch 3, C. Williams, R. Searcy, O. Wheatley 1; Central Magpies – D. Ferguson, B. Vause, R. Earle 2, B. Ridding, B. Braithwaite, B. Dempsey, O. Earle 1.
South Indians 11 d Central 3. Safe hits: South Indians – D. Lewis 3, D. Habner, E. Timms, C. Clark, J.Lewis 2; Central – C. Page, A. VonStanke, B. Dempsey, J. Ferrari, T. Siebert, M. Ruwoldt.
Little League: Central 6 d South Indians 3. Safe hits: Central – C. Smith, O. Vause 2, L. Brierley, J. Harten 1; South Indians – J. Lewis 2, Z. Lewis, Z. Smith, N. Habner 1.
Millicent 13 d Federal 7. Safe hits: Millicent – J. garner, L. Fox 1; Federal – W. Vincent 3, S. Telford 2.
Minor League: Federal 9 d Central 1. Safe hits: Federal – L. Vincent, M. Adam, L. Telford 3, L. Evans-Reid, M. Kroon, F. Wheatley 2, J. Fenton, T. Klaassens 1; Central – M. Cook, X. Harpham, A.Stephenson 1.
