BASEBALL fans were treated to an exciting contest on Friday night when the red-hot Centrals took on South under lights at Blue Lake Sports Park.
With South starting to challenge the top sides, it shaped up as a danger game for Centrals, so coach Dylan Gull took the mound to get his side going.
It would be a battle of the coaches on the hill, with Ryan Placcuci doing the honours for South.
South started with a bang in the first innings, with hits and walks amounting to seven runs in the first innings, with a shell-shocked Centrals on the ropes and in trouble after just one innings.
However, Like all good teams, Centrals responded, but still trailed by four at the break.
Centrals found plenty of bat on ball and confined South by adding another run in the second innings and three more in the fifth.
Meanwhile the runs had dried up for South and Centrals hit the front thanks to a bit of Mitchell Cutting magic with the bat.
Centrals scored two more runs over the next couple innings and South could only manage one before time ran out and the game was called.
South fell agonisingly short with an 11-8 result, with Centrals just too good in the end.
The victors finished the game with 16 safe hits to just six and moved another two points clear on top of the ladder.
A sunny Saturday afternoon saw Federals aim for a breakthrough maiden victory against a hot-and-cold Tigers roster.
Tigers came off a big loss the week before to Centrals and needed to fire to claim a win and stay close to Centrals on top of the table.
Tigers made a big statement, with coach Karl Ransom benching himself after a poor outing last week and Patrick Kermond and Harrison Elletson getting the call up.
Tigers started well with plenty of bat on ball contact, but no runs to show for the first innings. Federals were up for a hard task facing former player Alex Reppin, who was on song on the hill.
He picked up 11 strike outs and kept a clean sheet on the scoreboard.
The game was all Tigers after the first innings, with big numbers of hits and players crossing the plate and a dominant 15-0 result.
Tigers brought home 15 runs and the win was made all the sweeter for Joe Sims in his 250th game for the club.
Tigers picked up 15 hits to just three for the night.
Federals star Alex Pearson was best for Federals, with two hits.
For Tigers, Alex Reppin had four hits and Jake Powell with five runs batted in, which helped Tigers cruise back to second spot in the standings.
Results – Division 1: Tigers 15 d Federals 0. Tigers: A. Reppin 4, J. Foster, J. Powell, M. Thompson, G. Ransom, P. Kermond 2, T. Horrigan 1; Federals: A. Pearson 2, N. Lobley 1.
Centrals 11 d South 8. Centrals: M. Cutting 3, N. Meinck, D. Chuck, D. Gull, K. Chant, S. Shaw 2, K. McLean 1; South: B. Nash, R. Walter 2, T. Lockwood, R. Placcuci 1.
Division 2: Centrals 14 d Naracoorte 8; Millicent 5 d/w with Tigers 5.
Division 3: Tigers 26 d Centrals Magpies 4; Centrals 18 d Federals 5.
Big Leagues Under 18s: South 10 d Tigers 7.
Under 15s: Centrals 12 d South 5; South 7 d Tigers 5.
Under 13s Gold: Centrals 7 d Tigers 5.
Under 13s Blue: Centrals 9 d Tigers 2.
