After last week’s rain out round got reinstated we rolled into to host the 2nd place Golden Grove team in a bid to get through to the GF. With the 5’s having rubber stamped their entry into the big dance in the early game, we were pretty keen to join the party.
I flipped the pill to Stevenson and he went to work, getting a donut to get things underway in the top of the 1st. With a couple of runners on in the home half Zeddy got a base hit and we ended the first with a 1-0 lead. The top of the 2nd saw the Dodgers hitters load em up with 0 outs, Stevo bared down and we got the next 3 hitters out to hand them another zero. An Abroe double got our 2nd run in, as the middle innings went quiet for both teams.
Sid Reynolds got a knock to drive in our 3rd and Stevens helped himself out with a hit to knock one in and the score was 4-0 after 5. We had a few other opportunities to get a couple of insurance runs in, but were unable to cash in on these.
Hayds took over on the bump to record the final 6 outs, once he dusted off some cobwebs he found a way to work his way through it. In the end, we got the job done and that’s what counts.
We will have another huge task in front of us this weekend, but have a home grand final and can’t wait to get out there and push ourselves to the limits. Good luck to all the GBC teams playing on the last weekend of the season, may you play to your best.
There was no rain in sight as steamy conditions greeted the Snakes Alives as we prepared to battle for a place in the big dance against the Utah Saints. Conditions were steamy and clear for the “rematch” of the previous weekend’s washout, with both teams having valid claims to go through and take on whichever Torrens would prove victorious in the other prelim.
Kymbo Slice took the pill in the first and worked around a single as the Krajinator covered up a hard hit pill to close out the top half of the first in style. The good guys failed to get anything going in the first despite a couple of excellent at bats from the Bombay Basher and the Unstoppable Pecs Machine resulting in marathon base-on-balls. 0-0 after one.
Inning two was a whiff-fest as the Slice struck out two, but was bettered by the opposition verper who struck out the side to keep the score at 0-0 after two.
The theme of pitching domination continued in the third, with Choc-Orange slice working around singles to induce handy grounders or flyballs to stay out of trouble.
Chief Beef Borrito led off the top of the 3rd with another long at bat resulting in a full count walk, before Wu Tang Dan advanced Borrito to second with a sac bunt. The Mumbai Masher flied out to right deep enough to advance Borrito to third, and with two out the Fenomenon also walked for 1st and third with two out. With The Jolly Jouster at the plate, the Utah Saints verper went for an off-speed pitch that scooted past the catcher. Beefy decided this was as good a time to test out the hammy as ever, and sprinted for the dish, just beating the throw for the first score of the game. 1-0 good guys after three.
Strawberry Slice came out for the fourth and gave up back-to-back hits to have the visitors threatening. A handy shallow fly to right failed to advance the runners before a walk had the bases loaded with just one out and trouble. The next hitter nailed one to centre right at the Mumbai Masher, and off took the runner at third for the tying run…. the Masher threw in a quick goose-step before launching the pill towards the dish…. Ghost Faced Killah grabbed the sweet throw as the runner dived into the dish, the tag was made….OUTTT AT THE PLATE for an inning ending double play. 1-0 Tiges after four.
The Jolly Jouster came in to replace the Slice in the 5th, and got through the inning conceding just a single. 1-0 after five.
Into the 6th with the most slender of leads, and an absolute cracking ballgame on our hands. Once again the Utah Saints had a baserunner on, but as we had all day, we managed to get out of the inning without any damage on the scoreboard.
Bottom six, still leading 1-0, and a pitching change for the visitors. Fenintendi leads off with a hit pitched ball. The Unstoppable pecs machine singles. A fielders choice sees the runner out at second, first and third one out. The slice gets beaned. Loaded bases, one out. Ghost Faced Killah steps up and laces one to right, scoring a run but we lose the second run at the dish. Two out, 2-0 Tiges. The V-Dub Brewing Co continues the fun, knocking a single to make it 3-0. Chilli Chicken Borrito to the dish, base hit to centre, 4-0. Wu Tang Dan, single, 5-0. Three outs to get.
As usual, those last three outs are the toughest, with the visitors having a crack. A sweet play at right by new rightfielder Van Wilder Party Liaison saved one but the Saints add a couple with three base hits in the last. 5-2, two out and a pop fly to the Jolly Jouster finishes it. An excellent win and a well-deserved spot in the big dance for the Snakes Alives. Super Saturday was good to our club, and I wish all of the coaches and players from Divs 4-7 all the best next week on the last Saturday of the season. I’m sure all coaches are as proud of their players as I am of mine. #GBCForever
Finally, a massive congratulations to the Div 1 girls who took out the title last Friday, you guys rock!
We lost the first final week (v H&G), then being a lucky loser, we were still in it. The following Saturday it rained a tad in the morning and all games were cancelled, unluckily we were out of the finals. One or two people did not enjoy this outcome, come Sunday we were back in the race with the games rescheduled to the following week.
So just like in a popular Keanu Reeves' movie, a phenomenon which happens when they "Change something" we were back at Bill Cooper Oval, Burnside to take on Kensington in a loser goes home preliminary final. It was 12 midday (I'm a little unsure if that is am or pm) the temperature is a warm 30, and there is a slight/modest easterly rolling in from left. There was some patchy cloud action, but Twas' a nice day for some b-ball action.
The game was tight early but the division 6 tigers dug in their claws and rode out 8-run winners. The major difference was in the batter's box with pretty much all the Glenelg team doing their bit (apart from Sam Dixon who was no good, but luckily for him pitched ok). As a team we probably got half a dozen hits with Glen Pycock (2 RBI 2B) and Ben Alexander the main accumulators with 2 a piece. Ben Dixon, Jason King, David Jucha (also got struck out!) and Wayne Hughes also getting timely hits (I do understand that is more that 6, but math is not my strong suit).
To go with our 6 hits, we also probably got 6 HPB and 6 walks. A nice patient all round batting display, apart from one. One game to go for the enjoyable season, Grand Final at East Torrens on Saturday.
I couldn't think of a Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition reference in the meme, I'll try again in the forthcoming days.
