CENTRALS continue to stamp their authority on the Mount Gambier baseball competition, this time with a comfortable win over Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
Centrals were quick out of the blocks to hold a six-run lead after just three innings.
Tigers coach Karl Ransom shuffled the side around, made some changes and gave the simple rev up to the side – “we either show fight and pride, or we can roll over, your choice”.
It seemed to work as Tigers then scored four in the third innings and and two in the fourth to level the score.
However, Dylan Chuck took the pitching duties from Koby Chant and settled Centrals.
Ethan Chuck continued to show he is a big-game player, along with Alex Ridding when both got the bats going and put Centrals back on the front foot, scoring three runs to apply more scoreboard pressure.
Tigers’ Matt Thompson and Jesse Foster tried hard, but errors started to creep into their game and three straight walks on the hill by Ransom hurt.
Ridding and Dylan Chuck then picked up another hit each and the pressure built further.
Centrals were just too strong in the end, with an eight-run victory to show they are the team to beat in season 2023.
Meanwhile, Friday night saw another come-back game, with South hitting seven runs across the plate in the first innings.
With the game all-but gone, Federals went to club champion Clay Carpenter who then held South to just three runs over the next eight innings, while Federals could look to make a come-back.
Federals tried hard but just could not get the breakthrough, despite having runners in position most innings.
The final score was South by six runs in a strong start to the weekend for baseball.
Division 1: Centrals 15 d Tigers 7. Centrals: A. Ridding 3, D. Chuck 2, D. Gull 2, K. McLean 2, K. Chant 1, M. Cutting 1, N. Meinck 1; Tigers: M. Thompson 3, J. Foster 2, J. England 2, J. Mee 2, A. Reppin 1.
South 10 d Federals 4. South: R. Parsons 2, J. Balshaw, T. Lockwood, D. Joyce, B. Nash, R. Walter, T. Morale, D. Habner 1; Federals: M. Nicholls, C. Nicholls 2, C. Carpernter, R. Hutchesson, J. Wilsmore, N. Lobley 1.
Division 2: South 8 d Naracoorte 3.
Tigers 11 d Centrals 2.
Division 3: Centrals 13 d Tigers 6.
South 18 d Federals 2.
Under 18s: Federals 18 d South 1.
Under 15s: Tigers 11 d Centrals 8.
South 8 d Tigers 7.
Under 13s: Centrals 12 d Federals 3.
Centrals 13 d South 1.
Federals 5 d Tigers 4.
