Our Group took on the Cardinals in the Tigers cage for our first home game of the year. A great turn out from our supporters and a chance for us to showcase our hard nosed baseball and intent to take the game on.
Flynn Luders took the bump to get us started taking care of one of the leagues best power hitters in Austin Gallagher and setting the tone for the game.
Kensington bought their big guns knowing we are a force to be reckoned with and through the best they had , all three ABL pitchers. Although the score line did not show the result we wanted our home grown Tigers took it to the flighty Cardinals, having runners on every inning bar one, loaded bases and runners at the corners but could not quite find the gap when we needed it.
A 3 run shot to the Cardinals in a heavy gale force wind, did not stop the Tigers fight, placing pressure every at bat on the Cardinals right to the very last. Our relievers once again did a great job in keeping runs to a minimum, as we progress through the season this will become paramount as we begin scoring heavily.
As our Tigers develop more stripes they become resilient , learn from their mistakes and grow into hunters.
This week we begin the hunt at Paterson Reserve!
Hosting the red birds for our home opener on Sunday the stage was set for a little magic.
Harro turned in another quality start, fanning 12 cardinals. True to form he limited the damaged and put us in a position to win. Surrendering 3 runs over 4 & 2/3s work, their offense came from just 2 missed pitches on the day. Trailing 3-0 with 2 out in the 5th, Fireman Burns was called to the middle of a bases loaded jam. Seemingly unphased by the situation, Errol whiffed Porter, and headed to the dugout. Willbur lead off the bottom of 5th inning with a double, Archie then followed with a single to right, and suddenly like last week were staging a late comeback. A sac bunt from Mouse, a hit from Tommy, together with Ben’s sac fly we had clawed our way back within a run. Burnsy kept it that way by making light work of the visitors in the 6th.
Cue that magic. Daisy was plunked leading off the inning. Somehow, he evades being picked off at first after being caught in a pickle. Darcy then knocked a ball through short, and in to left. With Witty in the box we executed a double steal, and Twinkle toes Tim scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Willbur then stepped in facing a 5-man infield. Clang! The ball smacks off their third baseman’s glove and the good guys walk off with the W.
Another well fought close game. Great execution.
This week we travel to Felixstow to take on East Torrens.
First home game of the season saw us take on the cardinals from up the hill.
Taking to the field first it seemed like the boys where still suffering from watching the AFL grand final the night before quickly falling behind 4 nil on some missed opportunities in the field.
Not to worry the boys hit back with 4 of their own with a single to Darcy and Abroe staying hot from last weekend smashing a double. Fresh from Pirie and after an absence from the GBC following his under 17 heroics Riley Twigden then snuck one over first to score another run
Craig Handy after putting his hand up Thursday came onto the mound to try and stem the tide
Unfortunately the lads must have been listening to the great spit enz song I see red as another couple of innings of miscues saw us behind again.
The pleasing thing is these junior studs never give up, a walk to Blake a hit to Archie and a perfect sac bunt by Darcy allowed the ever reliable Abroe to drive two more in.
We got the game back to within two with another run in the 4th after Abroe walked Jackson reached on an error and Dan making his first start this year in div 3 smashing a hit up the middle
The pres. went out and shut down Kensington to give us a chance.
After Abroe finally got out by hitting a tracer to short who was so happy he made the play went on the mound Jacko walked Dan forced an error by second and then with two outs Kai smashed one up the middle to tie the game.
The pres. after doing a mountain of work handed the ball to Riley for his first pitching outing for the year and despite not allowing a hit the cardinals snuck a couple home to go 11 to 9 up
We had our chances in the last putting a runner on but unfortunately none of the balls we put in play found the gaps
The pleasing thing is we are not rolling over we are giving ourselves opportunities to win these games. Tidy a few things up and we will
Thanks to Bender for giving us his all on the hill I really hope you guys listened to him after the game especially about using the down time in the field to work out what you are doing next.
To East Torrens and beyond
It was AFL GF Day and with the coach headed to the Gabba to see The Little Master do his thing one final time, some over qualified replacement coaches took the helm for the away team.
With some last minute changes to the line-up the guys settled on 9 bodies and we got into it. The visiting Tiger bats came out hot and we jumped out to an early lead, with big hits to Div 4 Rookies Zeddy and Mags – the later with a 2 run homer in the early going.
Hayds made his season debut on the bump and had a solid outing across 4 innings. Sid Reynolds recording the final 6 outs and we had got the job done.
Kloeds endured some tough times in the sun induced blind spot that exists at Henley somewhere around the 1B-2B-Shallow RF area. But the old guy would eventually get one to stick in his mini glove once sliding over to do his Jeff Kent impersonation at second base.
A solid win for the guys on the road, more challenges await.
Disclaimer: I did not witness any of the following as I was in Brisbane at the time getting ready to witness the greatest Aussie Rules team of the modern era (well, at least since 2015) roll to a third premiership in four years. For the purpose of this report, the part of Coach Borrito will be played by “Coach Carter” a 2005 American biographical teen sports drama film starring Samuel L. Jackson.
After a nasty scare in the Division six game where Dave Wooo-HA! Woo-HA! was knocked out cold by an errant Patrick Dangerfield elbow, the Snakes Alives picked up the bats, ready to take on the local Rams at John Loy Field.
The Bays put on a two-spot early through a combination of walks, errors and a hit to Ghost Faced Killah, wearing the number 21 in deference to the greatest swingman in AFL Grand Final history, Noah Balta.
The Slice took the hill and looked like he had some good filling as he gave up a single run leaving it 2-1 good guys after one. The Bays added five more in the second with hits to Fendog Millionaire, Orange Slice and according to the scorebook, Jay KAJINA. Caramel Slice was working his magic as he put up donuts in the book while the Tiges added another with a sac fly bringing in 55 shades of Dan to put us up 8-1 after three. The Millionaire made the Kenmax Play of the Day with an over-the-shoulder catch that Willie Mays or Mookie Betts would be proud of, making that back-to-back Kenmax’s from #teamoutfield.
KAJINA, now being played by Dustin Martin, racked up another knock as did the VeeDub Brewing Co to stretch the lead to 9-1 before Samuel L. Jackson took over piffing duties on the hill. The Rams snuck a couple of runs in to make it 9-3 but that was as close as they got.
A six spot was added by the Tiges in the last with Samuel L. Jackson getting beaned and hits to PapelFen, Substitute Steak and a double to the red hot Dustin KAJINA to leave the home team with plenty to do.
After being hit, Jackson was fired up, and as he faced the first hitter in the last inning was heard to mutter “"And You Will Know My Name Is The Lord When I Lay My Vengeance Upon You!", as he launched a missile past the hitters ear and into the backstop. Another run later and this one was over, a solid 15-4 victory in line with the smashing taking place up north in Brisbane Towne on the Fields of Wollongabba by the Tiges and in the Story Bridge Hotel by the supporters.
Coach Samuel L. Jackson got the boys together to proclaim “I got this, that Beefy Borrito is no longer a required player” before awarding the Norm Smith to Dusty Kajina.
Cheers boys for doing this coach proud while I was enjoying festivities up North, I am very much looking forward to sharing some home cooking with our first look at the main diamond next week. #23
For the seventh time this season the Glenelg Tigers div 6 jumped out of the blocks early with 6 first innings runs, a lead they'd not surrender for the contest. Some great hitting by Ben Alexander, Sam "Sanga" Dixon and Vanya "Wilder" Golusin lead to the early lead.
Multiple hits to Ben "Bandwagon" Dixon, "Sanga" and Leon Eldridge (2 hits in 1 inning) really helped the final outcome of an 8 run win to the Tigers on a windy Saturday 24th October 2020.
Having wrote these first 2 long sentences, it occurred to me that we were probably outhit in this game. But our fielding was on point with Al Laukirbe, Tim Swansson and "Wilder" all taking noteworthy catches and 3rd baseman "Bandwagon" making a sweet diving stop and throw from his knees.
The game was not without its setbacks with Dave Jucha injuring himself (concussion) on an attempted fly ball catch. Thanks to The Henley players and scorers enquiring into his health, he says he is fine but a little sore still.
Div 7 (Red) travelled to Henley and Grange’s kiddie diamond on Saturday morning. With the Antarctic winds blowing in from left field, it was always going to be a challenge for our inexperienced side.
We came to a consensus and decided to give the opposition a 7 run lead before we even had a bat.
Excluding that half innings, we had a drawn game. With over 50% the team playing in positions as familiar as the back of their necks, the learning curve continues.🐯
A cold, wet and windy morning met the Tigers as they travelled West Lakes to face the Rams. The Tigers got off to a quick start scoring 7 runs after some patient batting and hits to Olly, John, Rick, Paul and Peter. Mitch started on the hill for Glenelg and 4 batters later we were back into bat.
6 more runs in the top of the second on two hit to Greg and Paul saw in 6 more runs. The Tigers ended the second leading 13-4.
A change of pitchers for the Rams saw the game o quiet for a couple of innings and by the end of the fourth, the Tigers maintained a 13-5 lead.
The bats woke up in the top of the 5th with 7 more runs batted in on hits to Paul, Olly, John, Spike, Greg and Mitch.
The 7th inning saw two double from John and Kristian score a run before Fenny closed the game without breaking a sweat.
Thanks to Nick Barnes for jumping in to help us field a team and take another HPB for the team.
A big win for the Tigers, 21-5.
