Match Reports
Seniors Round 19 Finals
2 March 2008
FIRSTS 3 def Fitzroy 0 in the Elimination Semi Final
After 21 games in the regular season it comes down to finals time and for both the Lions and ourselves a game that meant season over for the losers.
In sport we often hear of “the big game players” or the “great finals players” – the ones who rise to the occasion and perform superhuman feats. Do you know what, it is the greatest load of bullshit of all time, generally issued by those in the media that have never played any sport at any sort of level but who revel in thinking that they need to raise the expectations of an already insatiable public.
Yes finals are a different game, and the pressures that exist in them very different to the regular season game. But nobody can actually play at a level above what they have been capable of week in, week out. The great finals player is the one who is not overawed by the occasion and as a result fails to produce, but the one who is able to do exactly what they have done, week in week out.
So to what was a great game of baseball.
Andrew Jones was given the ball to start the game and what a fantastic performance this young man produced. Seven innings, 4 scattered hits whilst striking out 4 and just the one base on balls (oh and two blokes picked off at first including, very importantly, the lead off hitter in the game after he had reached safely). Faced with what was Fitzroy’s only real scoring opportunity in the seventh – 2nd and 3rd occupied and 2 out – Andrew promptly struck out the hitter on 3 pitches.
Mind you he was brilliantly supported by a defence that turned 3 double plays and committed just the one error.
Now while all this was going on the visitors starter, Brock Pawley, was also having a pretty decent day and while we did continually manage to get lead offs on base it wasn’t until the 4th that we finally got on the board. Adam Helleren lead off with a walk and moved over to 2nd on Leon’s right side ground ball. After being robbed in his first at bat by a great fly ball, Brendan Simmons smashed a ball to the fence in right centre to score Adam and give the good guys the lead.
We talk about execution and here was just the perfect example. A patient lead off hand to get on base and then a wonderful piece of team hitting – get the ball right side and put the man in scoring position. This is the way you win ball games!
In our half of the sixth the baseball gods denied us of a further run or runs. With Adam on 1st and 2 out Kimbo absolutely smashed one to straight away centre field – the ball landing just shy of the fence and then hopping over for a ground rule double. When the ball went over Adam was halfway between 3rd and home and had the ball stayed in it would have been at least one. With first base open the ‘Roys chose to intentionally walk Boo and Scotty Groner then nailed one straight at the 2nd basemen. Two foot either side and we’ve got 2 more – baseball truly is a game of inches.
Johnno came out of the pen in the eighth to try and protect our one run lead. After the lead off squibbed a hit up the middle the next hitter showed bunt on the first 3 pitches he faced, fouling one off and taking two balls. The visitors then decided to take the bunt off - a one hopper back to Johnno, perfect feed to Hoppy and we’ve turned a crucial double play. PFP pays off!!!!!
To the bottom of the eighth Adam doubles to start the inning and then with one out Kimbo walks and again pitching fine to Boo he is walked and the Tigers have bases loaded and just the one out. Brendan Cheesman, pinch hitting for the injured Scotty Groner, smashes a ball that the 3rd basemen just manages to snare, but Kimbo manages to just get back to 2nd before the double could be turned. Both situations – the line drive out and the scramble -again prove that this is a game of inches.
With two out now the visitors make a pitching change but Michael Oxworth delivers a line shot up the middle to knock in 2 and we lead 3 to 0. A great piece of clutch hitting – nothing superhuman but just getting the job done when it was required.
Rowan came out and closed out the ninth without any dramas and we go on to next weeks Preliminary Final against Bonbeach. This will be another great game as our two teams are very closely matched. Ultimately it gets down to who can take their chances when they come up.
Well done to the 2nds and 3rds on both reaching their respective Grand Finals. We all wish you well on Sunday – remember to focus on execution and not the result and you will be fine.
Fitzroy 000 000 000 0 runs 6 hits
Upwey 000 100 02X 3 runs 8 hits
Hits : Oxworth 2; Hopcraft, Helleren, Rice L, Kimberley, Simmons, Unland N 1 each
RBI’s : Oxworth 2; Simmons 1
Pitching : Jones 7 IP 0 runs 0Eruns 4 hits 1 BB 4 K’s
Johnstone 2 IP 0 runs 0 Eruns 2 hits 0 BB 0 K’s
SECONDS 14 def Mulgrave 3 in the Preliminary Final
After putting last weeks loss behind then the boys took on last years runners up in Mulgrave with a point to prove. With the side missing Bonsy with personal commitments they set out to get their spot in this years Grand Final. Molly got the start for the Tigers and was on song, throwing 5 solid innings of work. In each inning getting better and better command of his pitches and keeping control of the Mulgrave offense. The runs came early again for the tiger offence with Lewy picking up the first of many RBI's for the day. With Bonsy being out of the lineup it saw Unners in the lineup and proved his worthy with the bat picking up a couple of hits including a triple.
The boys didnt even give Mulgrave a sniff with the outstanding defence that has been shown all throughout the year once again comming up trumps. Molly left the came at the end of the 5th with a comfortable lead and was relieved by Ricey. Ricey was also giving nothing to the Mulgrave hitters, but he was not getting all the calls his way, but managed to get through the 2 innings required to shut down the game.
With one more game to go the boys face up against the outfit of Fitzroy. If they can continue the solid offence and defence from the weekend they are in with a good shot at evening up the tally between us and Fitzroy and see that the boys take home another flag.
Ayresy
THIRDS 13 def Fitzroy 4 in the Preliminary Final
The Tigers took on the Fitzroy Lions in a must win game at Fitzroy on Sunday and it was another exciting finals game. Some of the Tiger cheer squad was enjoying the shade of the trees along the first base line but all the Tigers fans were getting excited as the game progressed.
No shade though for the Tigers on the diamond as we came up to bat in the top of the 1st. No joy for Wilko but then Sean gets walked. He is pushed around by Ricey and then scored by Scott before we went side away with 1 run on the board. Fitzroy matched this with a succession of hits from the top of their order before we shut them down. 1 all after 1. Top 2 and no joy for us as we go 3 up, 3 down. The lions then score 2 runs, again thanks to their top order. Jordie gets his first catcher caught stealing out to stop the rot of stealing first to second. 3 to 1 the lions way after 2. Top 3 and we score one as Sean bats in Andy Williams but we go side away after reducing the deficit by one. Bottom 3 and the lions score another from a couple of hits and Jordie picks up his second catcher caught stealing. After 3 digs it is Lions 4, Tigers 2.
Top 4 and Jordie gets on via a hit pitched ball and Ashie then hits a double to right field. Jordie then gets home on a passed ball. Andy gets to first on a fielders choice as Ashie is out at home plate with the top of our order coming up to bat with 2 down. Wilko hits a single to centre field and then Sean puts on a hit and run and hits one to centre field that scores Andy and gets Wilko to third. Ricey is walked and Scott gets a single to the left field corner that scores Wilko and Sean. We score 4 as the Lions come up to bat. Bottom 4 and 3 up 3 down for the Lions as we take the lead 6 to 4. Top 5 and no joy as we go 3 up, 3 down. Bottom 5 and we sit the Lions down with no runs via a double play with a catch to Wilko in left field and the throw to second to get the runner out off the base. That got the Tigers fans up and cheering as the bases were loaded and we had only 1 out.
Top 6 and the Lions change their pitcher and we go 2 up, 2 down as he is throwing nothing but strikes and putting pressure on our batters. The Tigers fans were getting a bit nervous as the Lions seemed to be gathering momentum but then in a classic captains hit Sean belts one passed third base to the left field corner and we get a runner on. Ricey then hits a double to right field as Sean scores from first and the Tigers fans are up and cheering. Scott then scores Ricey as we go side away after scoring 2 runs from 2 down. Bottom 6 and 3 up, 3 down for the Lions. Jordie gets another catcher caught stealing at second as we go into the last dig with an 8 to 4 lead.
Top 7 and lead off Jordie gets a hit to left field. Ashie and Yuley get on with Jordie going out on a forced play at second. Andy then gets a hit to right field that scores Ashie. Wilko gets a double to right field that scores Yuley, Sean hits a single to centre field and scores Andy, Ricey goes out on a sac fly that scores Wilko. Scott gets a double to centre field that scores Sean and we then go side away after putting 5 more runs on the board. Bottom 7 and the lions go down without scoring and the Tigers are into the grand final against Mulgrave. You beauty!! Speaking of Mulgrave, there were a couple of Mulgrave spies near the Tigers dug out. They are now really worried as the grand final will put brother against brother and brother against brother. The Yule and the Williams families will have both winners and losers in their families next week as the Tigers play in the grand final.
A great win for the Tigers and we certainly have the momentum going into the grand final.. We scored 5 of our 13 runs, including 2 in the 6th dig, when we were 2 down. Never give up in the batting box. The undisputed batting star was Sean who got on base 5 times from his 5 plate appearances and collected 4 single base hits, 3 RBI’s and 2 stolen bases. Wilko, Ricey and Scott all got both a double and a single but we fell away after the top order. We had a double to Ashie and a single to both Jordie and Andy. Without wanting to be too harsh, Chris will remember this game for his 5 at bats and being the third out every time.
Defensively another whole of team effort for the game as each player featured in at least one out. Jordie as catcher had a great game. From the middle of the second dig he threw out every runner that tried to steal first to second and picked up 3 runners catcher caught stealing. Ricey pitched well all game and picked up 3 strike outs. We had a couple of errors so some improvement is possible for next week. See you at Mulgrave next Sunday for the grand final and GO TIGERS!!!.
WOMENS 19 lost to Port Melbourne 26 in the Elimination Semi Final