Continuing our Sunday drives through the hills this day saw us take on the dodgers of golden grove
With the pre-game McDonald’s eaten and the standard plate meeting occurring Blake stood in
He dutily got us started by again showing his wheels by beating the first baseman to the bag for the first hit of the day. As the norm he stole second but it looked like going to waste as the dodgers arm got Kai and Henry out to have us two down.
Not to worry said Jesse making his first div 3 start of the year I will take care of it and smashed a double to left. A walk to Lenny and a dunk shot to Conor had another run cross the plate before Jamie fresh from coming down with his brother and getting reacquainted with his GBC brothers kept the ball rolling with an RBI tracer up the middle walks to the number 8 and 9 hitters set the scene for Blake to clear the bases with a 3 RBI triple when the dust finally settle we had 7 runs across the plate.
We went out into the field and they got one back but the boys smelt a victory Jesse making a nice play diving and throwing off his back to Lenny showed we weren’t going to let this one go. Henry started the second with a walk and back to back hits to Jesse and Lenny had that run back in quick time another two coming across to stretch the lead out to 10 to 1
Again Golden Grove put on runners and again the boys in the field where excellent making every play that was required.
A Golden Grove pitching change saw the bats slow a little with the hurler showing the lads what a quality curveball looks like.
In the fourth Golden Grove looked like taking advantage of a tiring GBC hurler by putting the lead off on with a hit then a walk. After somehow how getting a strike out the next out was a beautifully executed throw from Kai at right field getting the runner at second who had to hold up as Jesse looked like taking a screamer. After a wild pitch that plated one the inning ended with a whiff.
We got two more runs late and Jamie fresh from Berri and short stop came in to finish the game throwing the last two the game ending with Blake throwing a runner out at home to what this coach thinks was a perfect way to end it.
It was good to see the guys although not really getting hits still having real good approaches at the plate when Jamie Rix came on. His curveball would be one of the best we will see this year and the guys handled it well and will learn from it.
Big thanks to Gav backing up and catching cheers bro, Lenny for winding back the clock Jesse for putting his hand up and Jamie for coming down for his first game of what I hope will be many more. Kymbo for always being my right hand man and thanks to the band of misfits who make the team up in Conor Henry Kai and Blake. Your defence is what keeps me going each week. Thankyou my brothers
Big challenge next weekend against the head-butting rams
On a nice sunny spring afternoon we headed up to Brownhill Creek to play the Saints of Sturt. With a few guys out of the line-up I was confident we had the team in place to get the job done either way. I guess we soon got a reminder you don’t win games on paper.
We started off the top of the 1st eyeing a big first inning with 1 out and the bases loaded…..1 pitch and a line drive double play later, we had failed to trouble the scorers early on. T Stevens took the ball for the 2nd week straight and without much help from the field he put in a huge effort for us this day.
Bobby Abroe drew a walk to start the 3rd off, swipe a bag or 2 and got knocked in to plate our first run. But, at the end of 3 it was still 1-0 to the visitors. With Gamer Eldridge swinging the bat he turned on the afterburners to leg out the required 270 feet, scoring from first with 2 outs on a double to the centre-right gap from the coach. Bobby followed this up with double of his own and Mags dropped a triple, it was a slightly more comfortable 5-0 lead after 5 innings.
The Sturt hitters were pesky all day long, providing tough outs at the plate and they got their reward tacking on a couple of runs late. Finally we got the last outs as required and took home a pretty ordinary W. Stevo was huge on the bump, going the distance, battling some sore limbs and some pretty lacklustre support his field. But as someone pointed out post game, it’s better to win ugly than lose pretty. So we’ll take it and look to get back on track against a hungry opponent this coming weekend.
A date at Norman Bates reserve with the red hot Utah Saints was on tap for the Snakes Alives and as expected, a tough contest was on display in perfect playing conditions.
Beef Borrito had to shuffle the line-up with two #teamoutfield legends being unable to take their customary spots - Mister Freeze being on tour with metal band Okilly Dokilly and The Fenomenon battling illness - so it was up to Johnny Koxville and Van Wilder to step up in this huge contest.
Fill-in leadoff Ghost-Faced Killah started off with a magnificent nine-pitch base-on-balls which should have been just what the doctor ordered combined with The Cave Darter having HSR reaching for her first green pencil, however the good guys came up empty in the first.
Mint Slice gave up a double but managed to get through the first unscathed as well, both pitchers doing a sterling job in the early going. The good guys looked a chance in the second with base knocks to Bean Borrito and Vdub Brewing, but the first and third chance went begging with nothing in the run column.
Donuts were traded through four before our boys upped the ante, the Borrito/Brewing combo once again getting back to back singles to have first and third occupied, this time with no outs. Ghost-Faced Killah approached the batting box singing “Sour mash served in every glass up at the Wally Bash - Sunsplash, autograph blessing with your name slashed” before smashing the pill for a triple-treat to knock in two, then an Unstoppable Pecs Machine crispy single plated a third, 3-0 us the score after four and a half.
Apparently the 5th is where all the runs happen at Norman Bates Field and as quickly as we scored three we gave up those three and managed to give up a couple more as we uncharacteristically let ourselves down in the field.
The score remained at 5-3 Sturty and that’s how this one ended, a pretty disappointing day out that did however have some positives. Choco Slice was stellar on the hill and we saw some good at-bats from rookie 55 Shades of Dan after he went full Jose Canseco at 3-0 in the early going.
With some tough teams at the pointy end there is no reset for the wicked as we prepare to take on the City Nine in front of Dixon’s Dugout this week.
A big congrats go to the Snakes’ own Alice from Tigerland for notching the first U15 Tigers win in two seasons on Sunday. Well done kids!
In what started out as a tough tussle in the early going (nil all through 3) the Glenelg bats come alive in the 4th inning effectively killing off the game.
When it comes to playing baseball, I don't really enjoy playing when it is too cold. Too hot is a bit of a bother too. Raining, no thanks. Windy, not my cup of tea. Slightly overcast, perfectly still (wind), too sunny, too hazy, High humidity, Pollen count above moderate and too early in the day (i.e. anything before 2pm) also doesn't float my boat.
But on this great Saturday day 7th November 2020, about 24 degrees with a slight easterly breeze flowing the Bays took on Woodville and were victorious by 10-0 score line.
Much like the previous weeks our team had the superior at bats which greatly contributed to the score. The Senators got a few hits of their own but could not string them together meaning Brothers Ben "Nevis" Dixon and Sam "Crackenbush" Dixon pitched an effective shutout.
Everyone through the line batted well especially Wayne Hughes and John Sandercock who both refused to get out (6 out of 7 between them). Dave Jucha came off the bench driving a gapper for a clutch RBI. Tim Swansson, "Crackenbush" and "Nevis" also chimed in with green pencil shots.
Starting the day on the mound was old well oiled machine Mitch to keep the run count to the minimum. Woodville only scoring a couple in the first, we returned the favour to even the game up in the bottom off the first.
The field playing tight defence with Jordan taking some nice catches in centrefield to keep the game alive. With the crack of the bats we got a 2-4 lead. Woodville kept chipping away all day to find us 4-8 down going into the last.
The team rallied together with Timmy and Stephen keeping us in with a chance. Kristian and Stix did the job to even up the game final score for an exciting 8 all draw.
