Black & white perfection

CENTRAL has completed the perfect season, snaring a threepeat of Mount Gambier & District Baseball League Division 1 titles with a convincing two game victory over fellow clubmates Central Magpies in an historic intra-club title decider.DIVISION 1 GAME ONE.

After shutting out the Central Magpies in the top of the first inning in the first game in the best of three grand final series of Division 1 baseball on Friday night at Blue Lake Sports Park disaster struck for top of the ladder sister team Central.

Lead off batter and team coach Kyall McClean crunched a hit to leftfield then stole to second base.

Nathan Meinck then hit to shortstop who made the play to second base to hold McClean back.

In sliding back into the base, he unfortunately dislocated his shoulder which resulted in a trip to hospital and unable to take any further part in the game.

Alex Ridding’s hit to shortstop resulted in a wild throw scoring Josh Chuck, McClean’s replacement, Meinck crossed on a wild pitch while Dylan Gull’s single saw Ridding home for a three-run start.

Magpies were back in the game in the fourth with two runs.

Brad Lynagh picked a base on ball, Justin Tzioutziouklaris picked up his second hit of the game landing in leftfield, Mitch Cutting followed to the same spot filling the corners.

Blade Stuges’ hit to third base forced an error scoring Lynagh whilst Liam McDonald’s walk scored Tzioutziouklaris.

Not to be outdone Central applied pressure right back.

Colby Muller drew a walk, Nathan Meinck advanced him with an infield single, Dylan Chuck hit deep to rightfield pushing Muller home, Alex Ridding’s single also to rightfield scored Meinck, Dylan Gull’s flyball to leftfield was put down scoring Chuck and allowed Ridding to cross the homeplate from second.

One more in the next dig by the League leaders saw them push the lead out by five runs.

Patrick O’Hehir’s two bagger to centerfield put him in a scoring position and he was duly batted in by Josh Chuck.

More heat on the Magpies in the bottom of the sixth as they could not contain the power hitting of their opposition who scored three looking as though they would enforce a mercy rule result in seven innings.

Dylan Gull crunched a hit that very nearly cleared the fence at leftfield for a standup double, Koby Chant hit safely to centerfield, Dave Harris followed suit with a hit to rightfield scoring Gull, Colby Muller’s hit to first base created an error scoring Chant and Harris was batted in by Josh Chuck.

Two consolation runs in the top of the ninth to the Magpies in a last-ditch effort was not enough to keep the game going.

Young Cooper Smith slammed a double to leftfield, Mitch Ruwoldt beat out a short hit to first base, Smith outfoxed the defence arriving home on some brilliant baserunning and Ruwlodt was batted in by Jordan Carrison leaving Central 11 runs to four winners of game oneDIVISION 1 GAME TWO

Central put Central Magpies to the sword in Game 2 of the best of three game grand final series on Saturday afternoon at Blue Lake Sports Park in Division 1 baseball.

They scored 19 runs from 19 safe hits and kept the Magpies scoreless for six innings.

Although being the second-best team in the five-team competition, had one of the other Mount Gambier clubs had been able to nominate a team in this Division then the Magpies would have been playing in Division 2 and with the talent in the team a probable premiership.

Credit goes to the Central Club for giving some 25 to 30 players the opportunity to play at this level and experience the higher intensity of the game.

It gave the opportunity to many as young as 16 to play at this higher level which will be of great value in the future.

But back to the game, when in the bottom of the third dig the Central batters got going.

Lead off batter Dave Harris was hit by the pitcher, Nathan Meinck blasted a double to rightfield, Dylan Chuck singled to leftfield scoring Harris, Alex Ridding was also hit by the pitcher filling the bases and then master blaster Dylan Gull stepped up to the plate.

Unlike the night before when his hit fell just short of the fence, this time he found the sweet spot on the bat and the ball sailed over the fence at leftfield for a grand slam home run.

This well-oiled team machine was up and running.

Colby Muller was next on base and walked home after the bases were loaded again.

They repeated the dose in the next inning adding a further seven runs.

A walk to Alex Ridding, an infield muffed fly to Dylan Gull, a single to Koby Chant batted in Ridding, an error by the catcher allow Muller aboard again loading the bases, a base on ball to Daniel Ferguson scored Gull, a shot up the middle to centerfield by Dave Harris scored Chant and Muller.

Dylan Chuck followed with a hit to the same fielder scoring Ferguson and Harris and he in turn was batted in by Dylan Gull.

Everything fell Central’s way in the fifth as their hits dropped into space short of outfielders and just out of reach of infielders.

Colby Muller on on a fielder’s choice and scored on a wild throw, then seven consecutive singles to Dave Harris, Nathan Meinck, Dylan Chuck, Alex Ridding, Dylan Gull, Koby Chant and Colby Muller batted in five runs for a final score of 19 runs to zero.

After his three safe hits on Friday night and three safe hits in this game including a grand slam home run Dylan Gull was presented with the Jeanette Burner Memorial Most Valuable Player Medallion by members of her family (pictured inset opp. page with Heanette’s daughter Hayley Burner).

The Premiership Cup was presented to injured coach Kyall McClean.DIVISION TWO

Naracoorte finished their season with the premiership after being top of the ladder most of the season.

Although they were challenged late in the game they managed to keep South Indians at bay.

The Rangers sored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings and two in the fifth.

Naracoorte pitcher Ken Sisson held the South batters to just two safe hits for the game and picked up eight strikeouts along the way. Naracoorte were always on top, noticeable in the batting box as they out hit South nine safe hits to two.

The Indians added three runs in the sixth but not enough to advance the game to extra time giving the Rangers a five run to three victory. MVP for the game was Ken Sisson.BIG LEAGUE

Top of the ladder, South Indians prevailed in their quest for a premiership in the Big League, played prior to the Division 1 game at Blue Lake Sports Park in the first of six premierships to be decided over the weekend.

South was always ahead in the game from the get-go scoring one in the second and two in the third innings.

As they did last weekend, Central were able to forge their way back into the game with two in the fourth and a tying run in the sixth.

Unfortunately for them they were not able to build further on their score and were made to pay by some brilliant batting from the Indian lineup.

Safe hits to Phoenix Cole and Linkon Ratcliffe and with two out a walk off, two run, standup double to winning pitcher and game most valuable player Jett Lewis sealed the game and the premiership for a jubilant South Indians.JUNIOR LEAGUE

Tigers re-found their early season form to take out the Junior League premiership against Central.

Batting first Tigers leadoff batter Duke Bradley belted the first pitch over the leftfield fence and they went on to score another two runs to give them a three run start.

Central fired back with two but Tigers scored another three in the next inning including another hit over the fence by Titan Dumigan giving them a little stranglehold on the game.

Central added three in the third to trail by a solitary run but Tigers put the game to bed in the fourth when they had four runs cross the home plate.

Both teams had eight strikeouts but it was the batting that was the difference between the two teams as Tigers out hit Central nine to four including two home runs.

Atticus Mutton was adjudged most valuable player for his two safe hits and his job as relief pitcher to shut down the Central batters to take the save.LITTLE LEAGUE

Central started the day with the first of three club premierships of the day when they defeated Federal nine runs to nil.

Federal were courageous in defeat but fourteen walks, a couple of hit batters and six safe hits against didn’t really help their cause but another season under their belt will see them huge improvers next season.

Central’s two pitchers Harvey Gull and Connor Ruwoldt contained the Demons batters along with some excellent fielding efforts.

Central’s Axel Reeves was the only batter with two safe hits. Most valuable player was Central’s Connor Ruwoldt.MINOR LEAGUE

Competition late arrivals Tigers Black faced off against Central for the Minor League grand final.

Scoring four runs in the first, two in the third and two in the fourth saw Central hold sway over the Tigers who were only allowed the solitary run in the third.

Both pitchers for both sides pitched their very best but Central had the edge in the batting box with eight safe hits to six but Central were able to score runs at will as they hit to all parts of the ground.

Central had multiple hitters in Jordan Scherer, Will Mitchell and Harley Mitchell while Federal only had one multiple hitter in Digby Newman.

Jed Cutting from Central was adjudged most valuable player.