Reality check for giant killing Tigers

After their second loss of the season the previous round against Tigers, Central weren’t going to show South any mercy in Friday night’s Division 1 baseball at Blue Lake Sports Park.

After seeing off five batters for no runs in the top of the first the Magpies came out in the bottom of the inning with all guns blazing having 17 batters step up to the plate.

Leadoff batter Josh Chuck was the first out but then Colby Muller doubled to rightfield, Kyall McClean picked a base on ball, Dylan Chuck singled to leftfield which scored Muller.

Alex Ridding also singled to leftfield which pushed McClean and Chuck home, Koby Chant’s hit back to the pitcher created a wild throw which allowed Ridding to cross the plate, Dylan Gull hit safely to right field, Dave Harris Texas leaguered to leftfield which loaded the bases.

Nathan Meinck drew a walk which forced Chant home, Josh Chuck for his second appearance in the same inning hit to short stop which caused an error on which both Gull and Harris crossed, and Colby Muller second safehit for the inning again loaded the bases.

Kyall McClean then hit very deep to centrefield which cleared the bases bar himself batting in Meinck, Chuck and Muller causing the Indians to make a change on the mound.

Ryan Walter then stemmed the flow giving up no runs but leaving Central with eleven runs at the end of the first dig.

Central scored another in the second and two more in the third to give the black and white a commanding lead 14 runs to nil.

However, they poured on even more runs in the fourth from 11 batters presenting at the plate with Walter tiring.

Daniel Ferguson walked, Sam Ruwoldt beat out a play to first base and Bree Ridding also drew a walk again loading the bases. Now two out and a third pitcher on the hill Colby Muller’s third safehit of the game went to left-ield scoring Ferguson and a speedy Ruwoldt.

Consecutive walks to Kyall McClean, Dylan Chuck and Alex Ridding loading the bases again forcing Muller home with McClean then advancing on another walk by Koby Chant and the final run came with Chuck scoring the teams twenty first run when Daniel Ferguson was hit by a pitched ball.

Although completely shut out of the game credit to South as they had plenty of juniors in their team which augers well for the future and not once did they drop their heads.

Central had 12 safehits for 19 runs batted in, 14 base on ball, 2 hit batters, 1 strikeout and made 2 errors. South had 2 safehits, 6 strikeouts and made 3 errors.

In Saturday night’s Division 1 baseball at Blue Lake Sports Park between Tigers and Federal, Federal were first cab off the rank.

Leadoff batter Alex Pearson’s hit to shortstop created an error and he was batted in by Alex Reppin.

They added another in the third dig when Matt Nicholls singled to leftfield and was batted in by Roy Hutchesson on his sacrifice fly also to leftfield. Two more in the next and the game was starting to blow out.

Alex Pearson’s hit to rightfield landed safe, Clay Carpenter hit into an error this time at second base and Alex Reppin batted in his second run when Pearson scored and Carpenter came home on a wild pitch.

In the fifth Alex Pearson again hit into an error at shortstop and he eventually crossed home on another wild pitch.

Tigers got their act together in the even dig when Jake Powell was hit by a pitched ball, as was Jai Hillstone.

Powell scored on Jake England’s hit into a fielder’s choice. Pat Kermond’s hit to shortstop resulted in a wild throw allowing Hillstone to add to the score.

Kermond was batted in by Mitchell Thomson’s safety to centrefield with Tigers closing the gap but behind five runs to three.

In the seventh inning Tigers went ahead. Jai Hillstone drew a walk and Pat Kermond again on board from a fielder’s choice.

Ben Marcus drove the ball to rightfield which scored Hillstone and Matt Thompson followed suit which pushed both Kermond and Marcus home.

Tigers in front by one. Federal made tough going for the orange and black when they scored four in the eighth.

Craig Nicholls singled to rightfield, Jordon Johnston on base from a hit into an error and Roy Hutchesson singled loading the bases.

Nash Lobley picked a walk forcing Nicholls across the plate, Johnston and Hutchesson both scored on Alex Pearson’s single to right centrefield and Lobley was batted in by Clay Carpenter who hit nicely to leftfield.

Three runs up was going to make life difficult for Tigers. The green and red made it five up in the last inning.

Consecutive safehits to Craig Nicholls and Jordan Johnston saw them filling first and second base. Nash Lobley cleared one of them when Nicholls raced home on his two bagger to rightfield.

Still two bases occupied but loaded when Alex Pearson was hit by the pitcher and then a walk to Clay Carpenter forced Johnson across the homeplate before Tigers could get the third out.

The Federal fielder’s quickly shut down the Tigers batters in the even dig to run out winners eleven runs to six.

Federal had 14 hits for 9 runs batted in, 4 base on ball, 3 hit batters, 5 strikeouts and made 1 error. Tigers had 6 safe-hits for 4 runs batted in, 4 base on balls, 2 hit batters, 6 strikeouts and made 8 errors.

RESULTS

DIVISION 1

Central 21 (Colby Muller, Alex Ridding 3, Dave Harris 2, Kyall McClean, Dylan Chuck, Dylan Gull, Sam Ruwoldt) d South Indians 0 (Deklin Joyce, Jesse Balshaw); Federal 11 (Alex Pearson 3, Clay Carpenter, Alex Reppin, Matt Nicholls, Craig Nicholls 2, Jordan Johnston, Roy Hutchesson, Nash Lobley) d Tigers 6 (Ben Marcus, Mitchell Thomson, Joe Sims, Matt Thompson, Jake Powell, Jake England)

DIVISION 2

Central 31 (Sam Ruwoldt, Darren Smith, Justin Tzioutziouklaris, Alex Ridding 3, Daniel Ferguson, Jordan Carrison 2, Leigh Kent, Dylan Gull) d Federal 0

DIVISION 3 DOUBLE HEADER

GAME 1

Central 4 (Ben Green, Dean Cutting 2, Lachlan Ridding, David Chuck) d Tigers 3 (Phil Clark, Dave Pitkin, Paul Falland, Kaelan Mee, Darcy Perry)

GAME 2

Central 4 (Anthony Ridding, Shane Frankenburg, David Chuck ) drew with Tigers 4 (David White, Phil Clark 3, John Verrity, Dave Pitkin 2, Darcy Perry, Paul Falland, Marcus Thomson)

GAME 1

Millicent/Federal 7 drew with South Indians 7 (James Parker 2, Kevin Joyce, Haydn Timms)

GAME 2

Millicent/Federal 15 (Josh Vanderhorst, John McAdam, Peter Taylor, Andrew Hughes 2,Saxon Altschwager, Darcy Hogan, Phil Altschwager) d South Indians 2 (Haydn Timms 2, Steve Lewis)

BIG LEAGUE

Central 14 (Justin Tzioutziouklaris 2, Bree Ridding, Daniel Ferguson, Brock Dempsey) d South Indians 5

Tigers 13(Jai Hillstone, Cameron Scott, Kobe Stratman, Cooper Pitkin, Harry Elletson, Flynn Hillstone) d Federal 3

JUNIOR LEAGUE

Central 10 (Jakob Walkom, Jobe Lynagh) d South/Federal (Amelia Ireland, Phoenix Col; Tigers 6 (Ben Reichelt 2, Joe Box) d South/Federal 5 (Phoenix Cole 3, Finn Wheatley, Linkon Ratcliffe 2, Eli Thorne, Seth Devlin, Draven Alleyn)

LITTLE LEAGUE

Central 11 (Will Walkom 2, Kye Wren-Mitchell, Oli June, Jack Odgers, Harvey Gul) d Federal/Tigers 6 (Banjo Cannon, Oliver Bramley 2, Ashleigh Elletson, Dylan Simpson, Jack Freckleton, Tahj Pitkin)

MINOR LEAGUE

Federal 12 (Jack Freckleton) d Central 7 (Levi Fisher)