Mercy rule wins end minor round

HOT temperatures again disrupted baseball at the weekend with all junior games cancelled, the final round of Division 1 reduced to two hours and semifinals in Division 2 reduced to 90 minutes.

MILLICENT V TIGERS

Tigers travelled to Millicent for both team’s finish to the season with neither team making it through to the major round.

Tigers got away to a hot start scoring six runs in the first innings.

Lead off batter Riley Parsons got aboard on an infield error, then consecutive hit batters filled the corners.

Matt Thompson’s single to centerfield batted in Parsons, the two hit batters and Riley Rolph and Jake England crossed on Toby McKinnon’s safety to rightfield.

Alex Lynch ended up at first on another infield error, McKinnon scrambled home on a wild pitch and Lynch scored on Riley Rolph’s second at bat for the inning when he hit nicely to rightfield.

The orange and black added three more in the very next inning.

Joe Sims hit an infield single, Koby Stratman was hit by the pitcher, Toby McKinnon hit to rightfield again loading the bases, Alex Lynch followed with a single to centerfield which saw Sims home.

Stratman was batted in by Riley Parsons and McKinnon followed him home from a resultant wild throw.

The Bandits put themselves on the scoreboard in the even second when coach Nick Cory picked up an infield single and was batted in by Jordan Johnson.

Tigers put themselves in mercy rule territory in the third scoring four.

Matt Thompson and Joe Sims both hit singles to the outfield, Koby Stratman was thrown a base on ball, Toby McKinnon unleashed a hit to rightfield, his third of the game, to score both Thompson and Sims and Stratman touched the plate on a wild throw.

McKinnon was batted in by Alex Lynch to give them a 13 to one advantage.

Millicent scored two consolation runs in the fourth when Phil Altschwager at first on an infield error.

Anthony Mutton picked a walk, and they were both batted in by Jordan John’s stand-up double to centerfield.

This however was not enough to avoid the mercy rule with game called after four innings.

Tigers had 10 safe hits, 2 walks, 5 hit batters, 9 runs batted in, 5 strikeouts and made 1 error. Millicent had 4 safe hits, 2 walks, 3 runs batted in, 3 strikeouts and made 5 errors.

CENTRAL V SOUTH INDIANS

Central scored runs in every inning bar the last whilst restricting South Indians to a solitary run over five innings in the game at Blue Lake Sports Park.

Batting first, Central lead off Kyall McClean singled to centerfield and then Dave Harris stepped into the box and slammed a huge hit to the fence at centerfield and with very fast wheels ran the diamond for an inground home run which also saw McClean touch the plate.

Nathan Meinck picked a walk, Dylan Chuck on first from a fielder’s choice, Alex Ridding’s sacrifice fly scored Meinck and Chuck crossed the plate on Koby Chant’s sac fly.

Three more runs in the second started with a walk to Dave Harris, a stand-up triple to Nathan Menck saw Harris home, Dylan Chuck Texas Leaguer to leftfield saw Meinck home and Chuck scored on Alex Ridding’s double to centerfield, which saw the scoreline sitting at Central 7 to South 0.

The Indians scored their solitary run in the bottom of the inning when Bradley Meek found himself aboard on a fielder’s choice, Brent Masterman then crunched a huge three bagger to centerfield scoring Meek before Central closed out the inning.

The black and white put the pedal to the metal in the nine runs from 14 batters in their next at bat.

Dave Harris drew his second base on ball and crossed the home plate on Dylan Chuck’s single to rightfield.

Now with two down Dylan Gull was afforded his third free trip to first base courtesy of a walk as did Alex Ridding filling the corners.

Koby Chant got hold of a pitch and sent it deep to centerfield scoring all three baserunners, Josh Chuck hit into an infield error scoring Chant, Colby Muller picked a walk, Chuck crossed on Kyall McClean’s hit to the infield which resulted in a wild throw.

Dave Harris’ infield hit also resulted in a wild throw allowing Muller home and finally Dylan Chuck’s safety to rightfield scored both McClean and Harris.

Four more in the fourth pushed Central’s scoreline out to 20 runs.

Koby Chant doubled to left field, Daniel Ferguson and Colby Muller were both thrown walks loading the bases once more.

Kyall McClean was hit by a pitched ball forcing Chant home, Chuck crossed on Dave Harris’ sacrifice fly, Muller crossed on Dylan Chuck’s hit to a fielder’s choice and finally McClean scored on a wild throw with Central winners 20 runs to one.

Central had 12 safe hits, 13 base on ball, 3 hit batters, 17 runs batted in and made 2 errors. South Indians had 1 safe hit, 1 base on ball, 1 hit batter, 7 strikeouts and made 6 errors.

DIVISION 2 – 1ST SEMI FINAL

In a low scoring tight tussle South Indians came from behind to find a place in this week’s preliminary final when they defeated the more fancied Tigers 3 runs to 2 in an enthralling game.

The Indians were first to score when the put the first run on the board in the top of the second innings.

Tigers headed them in the third when they added two runs to go ahead by one.

South tied up the game in the fourth when they added another solitary inning run.

The game appeared to be heading for extra inning but South were able to scramble a further and winning run in the fifth and shut down the Tigers in the bottom of the innings to give them a shot at a grand final berth.

Damien O’Dine was the stand out batter for South with three safe hits from three at bats while Phil Clark did his best on the mound to pitch the whole game.

DIVISION 2 – 2nd SEMIFINAL

Ladder leaders Naracoorte found their way into a grand final berth after scoring seven runs in the first inning against a frustrated Central outfit who had scored two in their first at bat.

Four safe hits and two base on ball was an ideal start to Naracoorte’s campaign.

The black and white scored four in the second to leave them just one behind but could not add to their score over the following two innings whilst the Rangers added two more in their two remaining at bats to give them the victory nine runs to six.

Both pitchers, Ken Sisson (Naracoorte) and Steve Kuhl (Central) went the distance with both not giving up much with Sisson having seven safe hits against him while Kuhl gave up eight.

Stand out batters were Central’s Shane Frankenburg with three safe hits and batting in three runs and Daniel Hallett, Naracoorte also with three safe hits. Central now face the challenge from South Indians in the preliminary final for another shot at premiership glory.

RESULTSDIVISION 1

Tigers 13 (Toby McKinnon 3, Matt Thompson, Joe Sims 2, Riley Parsons, Riley Rolph, Alex Lynch) d Millicent 3 (Jordan Johnson 2, Nick Cory, Saxon Altschwager); Central 20 (Dylan Chuck 3, Kyall McClean, Nathan Meinck, Koby Chant 2, Dave Harris (HR), Alex Ridding, Colby Muller) d South Indians 1 (Brent Masterman)

DIVISION 2 – 1st SEMI FINAL

South Indians 3 (Damien O’Dine 3, Darryn Cole, Haydn Timms, Jason Henke) d Tigers 2 (Cooper Pitkin, Adam Falland 2, John Verrity, Dave Pitkin)

DIVISION 2 – 1st SEMI FINAL

Naracoorte 9 (Daniel Hallett 3, Tom Paech 2, Dawson Fox, Ken Sisson, Martin Wirper) d Central 6 (Shane Frankenburg 3, Ben Green, Lachlan Ridding, Chris Tzioutziouklaris, Brett Hosking)