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Legends Baseball Club returns from Australian Masters Games

For the first time in the near 20 year history of the Mount Gambier Legends Baseball Club, two teams represented the Club at the recently held Australian Masters Games in Adelaide.

After putting together two teams for recent local Masters Baseball here in Mount Gambier and at the Southern Districts Baseball Club in Christies Beach it was decided to enter both teams in the Australian Masters.

One team was entered into the Over 35 competition while the second team participated in the Over 50 competition.

Only five teams registered for both competitions so a double round robin series was played with eight games each being played over five days starting October 7 plus finals being played last Thursday.

Over 35
Game 1
Coming up against the eventual Gold medalists Chugganauts, the team got a bit of a baseball lesson when they failed to collect a safe-hit and were comprehensively beaten 15 runs to 2

Game 2
A little better effort in this game against Glenelg Gunslingers when they only went down 10 runs to 0 failing to push a runner across the plate.

Safe-hits:- Andrew Storr, Ken Rowe

Game 3
Golden Grove Blue Dogs were next up with another loss but the margin getting a little closer. Giving up 8 runs in the first 2 digs but scoring 5 of their own they were still in the hunt midway through the game. However Blue Dogs add ed another 3 whist the Legends could on score another 2 finally going down 11 runs to 7.
Safe-hits:- John Verrity 3, Phil Clark, James Parker 2, Haydn Timms, Tim Queale, Ashley Ratcliffe

Game 4
A win at last against the Adelaide Aces 13 runs to 6 when good batting and tighter pitching saw the Legends on the board at last.
Safe-hits:- Nick Pink 3, John Verrity 2, James Parker, Andrew Storr, Dave Pitkin, Zac Ratcliffe

Game 5
A second win 5 runs to 4 was the result of their return game against Gold Grove Blue Dogs. Although being outhit 9 to 3 the Legends played solid baseball in the field to shut down the Blue Dogs runners.
Safe-hits:- Phil Clark, John Verrity, Tim Queale

Game 6
Chugganauts got on top of Legends early and never looked back defeating the Blue and Gold team 12 runs 0.
Safe-hits:- Nick Pink, James Parker, Andrew Storr

Game 7
Despite out-hitting the Adelaide Aces 12 to 8 and being 8 runs up going into the last inning it was heart break for the Mount team to go down by a solitary run 11 runs to 10.
Safe-hits:- Andrew Storr 3, Phil Clark, John Verrity, Ashley Ratcliffe, Tim Queale 2, James Parker, Zac Ratcliffe

Game 8
The last game of the round robin series with a win to ensure a Bronze Medal playoff or a lose being decided by other results. Unfortunately it was the Glenelg Gunslingers who roared out of the batting box and never looked back with a crushing 14 run to 1 victory. However, all was not lost as the Legends finished 4th.
Safe-hits:- John Verrity, James Parker, Luke Lovekin

Bronze Medal Game
Head to head the Legends were 1 all with the Golden Grove Blue Dogs going into the medal playoff. After being 2 all at the end of the 1st inning Blue Dogs put the game to bed in the 2nd when they scored 6 runs with the local team only able to add a further 3 with the Blue Dogs running out Bronze Medalists 12 runs to 5.
Safe-hits:- Phil Clark 2, Andrew Storr, Tim Queale, Ashley Ratcliffe 1 Medals were presented to the victors immediately following the game. Chugganauts won Gold from Glenelg Gunslingers who picked up Silver in the Over 35 competition.

Over 50
Game 1
As per the Over 35s the Over 50s were touched up by the eventual Gold Medalists when they went down to KAOS 17 runs to 2.
Safe-hits:- Darren Kite, Phillip Mitchell, David White

Game 2
Ballarat Golddiggers was next up and the Legends were up by 1 in the penultimate inning but could not hold eventually going down 11 runs to 7.
Safe-hits:- John Farrington, Dave Mitchell 2, Ben Stellini, Darren Kite, Phillip Mitchell

Game 3
The Legends only win for the series came against Adelaide Aces when they out gunned Aces in the batting box and from the mound. Pitcher Don Paterson kept the opposition to just 5 hits while the Blue and Gold outhit the Aces batters with 7.
Safe-hits:- Don Paterson 2, Sid Hosking, Ben Stellini, Phillip Mitchell, David White, Grant Stump

Game 4
After being in front for 2 digs the Legends fell behind when Sydney Tide went berserk in the third picking up 8 hits and a mercy inning 9 runs. They went on to an easy win 17 runs to 4.
Safe-hits:- Dave Mitchell, Don Paterson, Peter Taylor, Darren Kite, Darren Pink

Game 5
A much better game against KAOS second time around only going down by a solitary run. KAOS could not handle the slow pitching of Phillip Mitchell and the Legends held an 11 run to 6 lead going into the even 5th inning. A pitching change saw the KAOS batters hit all over the field to take the win.
Safe-hits:- Dave Mitchell, John Farrington, Phillip Mitchell 2, Don Paterson, Darren Kite, Dave White, Dave Thornton, Kevin Telfer

Game 6
Golddiggers return game saw them put the pedal to the metal sealing their 2nd spot on the ladder with a 17 run to 4 win over the Legends despite efforts to get runs on the board. Unfortunately, the Legends were caught out mistakenly pitching David Mitchell when he was supposed to not pitch at all. The game was actually awarded to Golddiggers as a forfeit 9 runs to 0,
Safe-hits:- David White 2, Dave Mitchell, John Farrington, Don Paterson, Dave Thornton, Peter Taylor, Phillip Mitchell

Game 7
With a double header on the last day Legends required a win to head to the Bronze Medal playoff and Adelaide Aces was their best chance having beaten them first time around. However, the Aces were definitely not singing from the same hymn book pulling off a 14 run to 1 upset.

Safe-hits:- John Farrington, David White, Dave Thornton

Game 8
Still in the hunt with a shot as Adelaide were only on 3 points while Legends had 2. Unfortunately for the Legends, Sydney Tide had their first 8 batters cross the plate before an out was made in the even 1st dig basically putting the game out of reach.11 errors for 8 unearned runs didn’t help with the Tide running out winners 12 to 5.

Safe-hits:- Darren Kite 2, Dave Mitchell, John Farrington, Don Paterson, David White, Grant Stump

KAOS won Gold, Golddiggers Silver and Sydney Tide defeated Adelaide Aces to win Bronze.

Unfortunately, injuries played a part in the makeup of both teams with eight games in five days causing pandemonium with lineups. Also pitch counts on the pitchers caused much stress on particularly the coaches as they had to juggle their chuckers over games, innings and so many games in a short space of time. Whilst the Legends were unsuccessful, for many it was an eye opener and a learning curve as it was their first time playing at an Australian Masters. Winning isn’t the be all and end all but mainly about enjoying the game of baseball against new teams, playing with and against players that you have not played with before and most of all having fun. It is more fun if you win though.

Planning will begin to have Legends represented at the Pan Pacs in the Gold Coast in October next year, which will be the 20th anniversary of the Legends first Masters Games in Alice Springs.

The Mount Gambier Legends Baseball Club would sincerely like to thank the following businesses for their generosity and support toward the two team’s expenses: 25Acres Pizza Pasta Café, Baxter Hire, Beautyworx Medispa, Bendigo Bank, Blackbird Industries, Borderline Concrete Kerbing, Cavpower, Collins Court Butchers, Ferguson’s Diesel Services Pty Ltd, Grant Stump, Hair by Bec, Harry Peackock Plumbing, Henry Post Jewellers, J, FL Buckley & Sons, K & G Wright Pty Ltd, KDs Deli, Kettle Logging Pty. Ltd., Limestone Coast Ability, Limestone Coast Timber Floors, Macca Excavations, Mark Lane – Ary Bar & Bistro, Mount Gambier Central Caravan Park, MT Wheels, OG Roberts & Co, Peter Jennings Pumps Pty Ltd, Pick Ave Deli & Bakery, Precision Security, Shed 21, Sign Depot, Swallow Drive Meat Supply, Taylor Marine, The Golden Needle Tattoo and Piercing Parlour, The Property Co. SA, Wreckett Pty Ltd

OVER 35 TEAM: (Above) Back: James Parker, Andrew Storr, Ken Rowe, Jason Henke, John Verrity (Coach). Phil Clark, Tim Queale. Front: Luke Lovekin, Zac Ratcliffe, Nick Pink, Ashley Ratcliffe, Dave Pitkin
Bat Boy: Liam Queale . Absent: Haydn Timms

OVER 50 TEAM: (Below) Back: Jill Hosking (Scorer), Peter Taylor (Coach), Ben Stellini, Grant Stump, Darren Pink, Kevin Telfer, David Mitchell, Don Paterson. Front: Darryl Hosking, John Farrington, Darren Kite, David Thornton, Phillip Mitchell