After a really big win in extra innings last week we head in to a massive clash with Sturt. Undefeated and top of the table.
Boys trained real hard during the week and were keen to see how we matched up.
Was another beautiful day down the bay and after Tim days big wedding day the boys were ready.
We were quietly confident heading into the game that our best would beat their best.
The boys were outstanding.
With Chris Burkholder on the hill throwing six for no runs was a fantastic start and a great effort by him.
Our hitters were right behind him doing all the things that we have been training for months.
Team batting by the boys and some big hits at the right time got us of to a great start.
From that the boys never looked back. Smashing the undefeated Sturt 11/1. Thanks for coming.
Was an outstanding team effort and heading into the Blake Horrocks cup the boys are looking real good. Let’s keep it rolling boys.
Things where looking ominous from Thursday training.
With Austin taking a one hopper to the eye at second base shattering his contact before training even started we had to move Flynn into the starting role.
To make it more fun Hilly called Sunday morning to inform us he had pulled his back out so cannot take his spot in right.
With Hayden moving to right Wurfel to first our new div 2 catcher Jaikob Mathews making the trip from Pirie and Darcy going into the DH spot the game could get underway.
Sturt scored early but we had our chances in the first with base loaded one out to mount a charge but unfortunately we could not get anyone home.
That is all she wrote as Flynn tried valiantly to hold Sturt down but they would have none of it. The poor guy working into the fifth for us until we handed the ball to Will who worked the last two frames.
When the napalm dust settled Bays lose 14 – 4
This is by no means an indictment of how the team is travelling there was lots of positives to come out of the game Adam hit some form with two doubles and 3 RBIs on the day. Sonny is hitting the ball well since moving into the three hole collecting three hits two being doubles to the fence and Kyle got his first division 2 hit of the year. We did not roll over despite the score line, mounting a mini charge in the last with bases loaded again showing that we did not just hand them the game without some fight
We are a young team in both age and experience the learning curve for some of the guys is as high as the skate ramp overlooking the GBC. Road blocks like Sundays game will happen you can choose to sit behind the road block and wait for it to move on its own accord or you can try and find another way round. You guys have the wheel.
Another home game was a nice treat on a Sunday morning which resembled an almost summers day early on. With a few different faces in the group and a miscommunicate of sorts we finally settled on a starting 9, exchanged pleasantries with the Saints coach and play ball was called.
In his first senior start Darcy Gluyas got things under way as the Brown Hill Creekians came out getting after it. The jumped out to a 2-0 early lead. Fresh from MC duties at the Day-Lloyde wedding the night before, our Sydney import for the day – The J Hawk dusted off the ol’ 29er and drew his first of 4 walks for the day, worked his way around the bases and score the home team’s first run of the day.
Darcy had a good first outing, going 4 and giving up 3 runs and looking comfortable going about it. The biggest hits for the game were from Matt Laverty with a 2 run double to left and Will Burke with a 2 out single to drive in the go ahead run. The guys showed good patience at the plate and took walks when on offer. Div 2 coach L Thommo showing some smarts around the base paths swiping a couple of bags.
We had another season debut on the mound in closer for the day Jacob Eldridge. Mouse threw strikes, got outs and did a great job in getting the final 6 outs. With loaded bases in the last and time all but out, both coaches agreed to call it a day and the home team raised the W flag. With 2 games left for 2018 the guys are poised to have a crack at some March baseball.
With a fellow Tiger tying the knot we had a few regular starters out of the mix as we roll out to try and take home the chocolates in the battle of the GBCs. After the lead up game saw the Bays take the first leg for the day via Mutarella’s 6s, I finally worked out a starting line-up and our first game on the road in a month began with a base knock into centre from sub in lead-off man Greg Abroe. Shaw knocked in our first run with a sac fly, hits to Handy, Kloeds and Sadler had us 4-0 up after 6 hitters, the perfect start.
The mid innings changeover saw T Stevenson take the pill and work through the home half without much fuss. Coach Milhouse stripped off the catchers gear in time to lead off the 2nd, draw a walk, take a bag, forget how to slide and make an easy advance look rather difficult. On the back of a bit of red pencil stuff and hits to Kloeds and Sadler it was 8-0 after two. The Wahoos were having none of a shut out and promptly plated a run in the 2nd, but a Stevens punch out which a runner on would halt the advancing tribe.
The next few innings weren’t of much entertainment as we swapped a couple of runs each and saw it 9-3 after 5. With a runner a second hits to Shaw, Handy, Kloeds got us some extra insurance runs and the scored skipped out to 13-3. With 2 out and the bases loaded after a HPB and BB, Milhouse worked his way to a full count and the home town coach decided he had seen almost enough and called an unconventional 3-2 time out for a mound visit. After everyone was clear on what needed to happen now and obviously some sage like advice of "throw a strike here so we don’t walk in a run" was passed on, the young scalper wound up and flipped off a full count slide johnson and that was that. #fml.
Bender took over bump duties in an attempt to record the final 3 outs. The black, red and grey home guys started the last with a lead-off walk, we forced him out at 2B, then they poked a few through the 5.5 hole followed up by a nice line drive up the middle and before we knew what hit us they had scored 5 and we only had 1 out. Obviously 10 is tough number to chase down so we did the needful and a soft come backer sealed the game.
We expected a tough game and got it, but the pre-xmas W was a nice reward for playing a decent game on the road. We did come away with a couple of battered soldiers, so hopefully ice, beers and old age is enough to get those guys back asap. With 2 games left before the break we will roll down south in what will be a big day with The Squid Cup being duelled out in the 1s and six match ups to be fought out on the day. From our perspective we meet a familiar foe in the form of our grand final match from last year. In a different grade. On the back diamond. I know, it’s weird.
Coming off a hard fought win against the Dipper benders and the Moose knuckles, the Snakes Alives took on the 6th leg of our seven week road trip, this time at Ram Park, home of the John Loy scoreboard.
Once the hi-viz vested umpy had completed caddy and car park valet duties, the good guys grabbed the sticks to get proceedings underway. Captain Curtain continued his great form with a leadoff single before Boston’s finest reached via a base on balls. Up stepped C-USM wielding a cross between a tin bat and a highlighter pen to smash a double and get the John Loy scoreboard rolling. A Krajybird walk proceeded a K-Slice double and the boys were four to the good. Senior Oyster reached on an error before the tent specialist knocked one out. A beaned Borrito kept the inning going, then Captain Curtain hung his second hit for the inning and the caddy called a halt to proceedings as the good blokes had Mad Dog colouring in a solid seven circles in the Ausport Official Baseball Scorebook.
Hollywood took the pill and kept his field involved as V-Dub, Slice and Borrito negotiated the actual Ram eaten turf to get the necessary outs to lodge a donut for the home team.
The rest of the game was a pretty comfy ride as the 4-5 combination racked up a lazy six hits including five doubles while BA Baracus pitied the fool who was piffing , floating an immaculate toaster over first base’s head for yet another hit.
Biscuits Wilson once again excelled with caramel Tim-Tams providing a nutritional boost to keep the scoreboard and some sensational fielding ticking over, with Kymbolicious taking the pill for the second stanza to allow Hollywood some freedom to roam the infield and take his licks.
The G-spot and Wilbur got in the game while Juchzenfest called for some early Furphy action as the Tiges rolled this one home for a 14-1 win.
We remain in third spot and take on second placed South at FalconNotHawk Park next week as part of the big day of tribute to Blake Horrocks in what should be a cracking day of baseball.
It was a fairly lacklustre game at Mortlock Park for the early div 6 encounter. So much so i will interlace a game fact with another more interesting fact about baseball*.
🐯 Our best batters on the day were Kristian Mundy and Tony Mezzini each with multiple hits and multiple RBIs. John Sandercock and Marty Beyer also hit well.
⚾ The first ever baseball field had an area of exactly one acre, It was the Home of the New Jersey Acres and later gave it's name to the area unit.
🐯 Tony and Marty Leaker each pitched during the game with adequate composure and finesse.
⚾ Baseballs were coloured black until the early 1930's until the advent of night games enforced baseballs to be changed to the traditional white colour.
🐯 Paul Luders made the defensive play of the game with a running catch (from left field) over the foul line, gathering the fly ball just in bounds.
⚾ Cleveland's Major League Baseball team changed their name from the Spiders, to the Naps and eventually the Indians copying a team from Goodwood in Adelaide SA (who coincidentally also used to be the Spiders)
🐯 The best play of the day was a Goodwood batter (Emma) asking the Glenelg pitcher (Marty) to "be nice and don't be mean". The Tiger pitcher proceeded to hit the Goodwood batter in the back. But as she recently moved from a good GBC to a lesser good GBC no-one seemed to mind too much. Emma did get a nice hit earlier though.
⚾ If you stretch the yarn (289 metres) out of the inside of a baseball, you would easily reach the Eiffel Tower's observation deck from the ground (275m).
*disclaimer any facts stated above have not been researched in any way and may or may not be true. The last one seems plausible though?
Saturday we headed down to the Rams park, where their was lighting all around us settling in for a good game. Early promise but no runs on the board, until Shiro hitting his first Aussie home run followed soon after by Adam with a in the park home run. This week we gather to string our hits together and stay solid in the field, and put up a better all round game. So no chocolates this week going down 12-5.
