Match Reports
Seniors Round 14
27 January 2008
FIRSTS 10 def Sandringham 0
Following Thursday nights near debacle the Tigers faced off against second placed Sandy, a team who had inflicted one run defeats on us in the previous two encounters this season.
However in what was as close to as perfect performance as you can get the Tigers prevailed 10 to 0 (actually 11 runs crossed but the last doesn’t get to count) in just an hour and three quarters of baseball.
Rowan Johnstone took the start and gave up just 2 hits and 2 walks in his 6 innings of work. Johnno had excellent velocity on his fast ball and spotted all his pitches very well in picking up his 2nd win in as many weeks. Sean Meldrum worked the 7th on just the one hit to keep the shut out in tact.
Offensively we continued the great post xmas form racking up 13 hits and picking 5 walks whilst just whiffing the once. The pitch selection by all our hitters was first class and coupled with aggressive running the visitors were never really allowed a look in.
It would be unfair to single any of the hitters out in what was a great exhibition from 1 to 9 but Leon’s mighty 2 run blast, into the wind at left field, to cap off our 6 run 3rd inning deserves highlighting.
Superlatives don’t really do justice to the performance of the team – clearly our best of the season to date – and as long as we turn up to play as we did on Sunday then our winning streak should extend to 6 with this weeks home fixture against Bonbeach.
With Mulgrave defeating Bonbeach our win leaves us still in a 3 way tie for 3rd but only one and half back of Sandy and 2 back of Bonbeach. The important thing is that we focus only on what we can control and that is continuing to execute in the way we have in all but half an inning last Thursday night.
Do that and the results will look after themselves.
Sandringham 000 000 0 0 runs 3 hitsUpwey FTG 006 200 2 10 runs 13 hits 0 errors
Hits : Unland N 3; Hopcraft, Simmons, Groener 2; Schroeders, Rice L (Home Run), Kimberley, Oxworth 1
RBI’s : Rice L, Groener 3; Unland N 2
Pitching : Johnstone 6 IP 0 runs 0 Eruns 2 hits 1 K 2BB
Meldrum 1 IP 0 runs 0 Eruns 1 hit 1 K 0 BB
SECONDS 7 def Sandringham 1
THIRDS 29 def Sandringham 9
Well the scribe is back and the fingers are dancing, well almost, across the keyboard with a few match reports to catch up on. Lots of good news around the club so far in 2008 with the firsts and seconds having good wins. The thirds have also had some wins although we did let the game against Mulgrave slip away from us. The following will get you up to date with our start in 2008.
First game back and up against top of the ladder Mulgrave so this was going to be something of a struggle. We started well and scored 5 runs in the first thanks to a couple of walks and a string of hits. Mulgrave had scored 1 in the first and another 4 in the top of the second. We bounced back scoring 2 ourselves in the bottom of the dig to lead 7 to 5 after 2 digs. Mulgrave then scored 1 in the third, three in the fourth and 1 in the fifth but we were also scoring. After 5 digs Mulgrave were 10 to 8 up with several Mulgrave runs being unearned. Those pesky errors do hurt!! Mulgrave ended up winning 11 to 9 as we let this game slip away from us. Scott Ramsey was the star with the bat with a double and two singles, David Rice ( yes, David, not the one of the sons) also got a double, with Sean, Ashie and Wozza each getting 2 singles. Too many errors when fielding and no hits from the bottom half of the order did not help.
Next game against Werribee at Werribee and thanks to Luke Everitt for helping us out with pitching duties. Luke had a big day on the mound picking up 9 strike outs in five digs and then moving to first base where he got all 3 outs in the last dig. Batting wise, we had a good day, particularly Sean who hit 5 single base hits on the trot from his 5 at bats. Scott Ramsey picked up two doubles and Chris Grey got a triple and a single. 2 hits also for Wilko and Andy and singles to Luke, Ricey, Ashie, and Wozza. We ended up winning 16 to 5 before facing the long drive home. We had a run down play between second and third involving almost all the infield but we eventually tagged the runner out. Lots of “assists” with that play. Speaking of assists a special mention to Scott Ramsey in centre field who greatly “assisted” David Rice at left field. David thought that there was way too much ground for him to cover and that Scott needed the exercise. Scott may have had a different view but he just smiled, as usual, and got on with the game.
Last Sunday we played at Sandringham and the Tigers supporters sought the shade of the trees along the first base line. A cool breeze kept them comfortable while on the diamond we had another big day with the bat. In the fist dig the Sandy pitcher struggled to find the strike zone and even though we only had 1 hit we scored 10 runs. Wilko shut them down in the first and we continued to bat well throughout the game scoring in every innings. Batting wise Jordie got an infield homer, Ashie also got a home run along with 2 doubles, 2 doubles and a single for Wilko, a double and 2 singles for Ricey, a triple and a double for Wozza, 2 singles to Sean, Chris and Andy and a double for Scott. Fielding wise a few unearned runs for Sandy and we need to get rid of the pesky red in the book. However, a special mention for the last out of the game. Sean fielding at third base got a bad bounce on a hard line drive from the Sandy batter. The ball deflected off the top of his glove but it was grabbed in mid air, and bare handed, by Andy who was backing up Sean. Andy threw to first to get the out and get the supporters up and cheering the play of the day. We won 29 to 9. The vocal tiger supporters gave extra support to Ricey for his base running attributes and also coming on for the last dig to roll his arm over.
We are fourth on the ladder and the narrow loss to Mulgrave has made it hard for us to get above third. We have only three games left in the home and away series and can not drop out of the four. However, we need to beat Bonbeach next week ( in third spot on percentage) to have a chance at getting into second spot and the double chance. See you at the old Chelsea tip next Sunday. All the best from the scribe.
FOURTHS 17 def Sandringham 5
FIFTHS 9 lost to Doncaster A 17
This we hosted Doncaster A who on paper we could really challenge but the end result was a different story. We hit the field with a slightly different line up due to a few of the regulars have the week off for a variety of reasons and the addition of the Club Coach who was up for a run.. (A full critique of his performance later)
In our first fielding inning we got off to a shaky start with us offering up a couple of walks and then a hit and Doncaster had put over three runs. Our outs where made by Tim Annett getting a force out at third and two fly balls, one to Karim out at left and Tim Watson at second.
In our first inning we where unlucky not to score as we had bases loaded with none out with Gotschy and Scott both getting one with hits, but then your truly in the clean up spot put a slow roller back to the pitcher and they turned into a double play (sometimes you just want to cry!). The next batter then flied out sending us back into the field scoreless.
The next innings in the field was an improvement with only one run being scored against us due to a solo home run. The defensive outs where made with routine ground outs to first from Scott on the hill and Gotschy at Short. The third out was a drive straight to Karim at leftfield.
We took the lead in our second innings with a couple of hits, the odd error and a couple of walks putting over seven runs. We took the field and we got the first batter out who flied out to Gotschy at short who took a sensational catch. Doncaster then got a string of hits and put over seven runs before we could close out there innings.
In our third bat we strung together three hits and put another two runs on the board.
In Doncaster fourth innings we lost the strike zone and add a few hits by our opponents and they put on a further six runs.
In our final at bat we did hit the ball but did not add to the score.
We had a real chance to win this game and the things we need to improve on is scoring runners with way to many runners left on bases and reducing the amount of opposition runner we put on base with walks.
Hitting - Gotschy 3 (1db) Goose 2 with singles to Scott Legge, Tim Watson, Tim Annett (db) & Bertrand (db).
Oops almost forgot! Number 44 held is own today with a flawless defensive performance at first base. As you can see from the hitting his return for three at bats was one double, which went into the right centre ally and was arguably the slowest run double ever seen run on the back diamond! His other two at bats where pop ups to short stop. He did also steal third base after not being held on second.
Cheers - The forty year old fat rookie
WOMENS 13 def Waverley 9