Tigers will take on South in the Mount Gambier Baseball League’s Division One preliminary final on Saturday in what shapes as a fierce contest between two clubs that have a real dislike for each other.
Tigers have had the wood over South in the home and away games, with Tigers winning all seven contests by the mercy rule margin.
South’s young and developing side cannot be ruled out though, as the young Indians have nothing to lose while Tigers have everything.
The real question will be whether South plays Bruce Morale and Damien O’Dine in the Division One side, and it’s definitely something Tigers will be planning for.
Morale can certainly bring that intimidation factor to the opposition and he certainly does not like Tigers.
Tigers coach Karl Ransom will know he just needs to back his players and give them the belief and confidence they can do it, to get another chance at snatching the premiership in 2023.
Key match ups
Jesse Foster (Tigers) V Jesse Balshaw (South)
The catchers for either side play a key part in the match.
Foster is the stronger arm in this department but Balshaw is on par in the batting box and he can shift the momentum in important times.
Both guys are pivotal in their importance for either side to advance to the grand final.
Karl Ransom (Tigers) V Ryan Placcuci (South)
The battle of the coaches will be huge in this game, who makes the first move on the mound, who decides when it is time to play the shirt game and get the next run to create a bigger buffer.
Both players can hold their own in the batter’s box and on the hill but it will be the mental challenge that makes this contest a cracking one.
Ransom has the premiership coach experience from last campaign but every game is do or die so he will need to make sure his moves count.
Ben Marcus (Tigers) V Travis Lockwood (South)
The veterans of the respective sides, Marcus is all class.
A 400 game superstar of the competition and these games are his time to shine.
Lockwood has been a stalwart of South in his time, and as it gets closer to the end he would like one more chance at a grand final.
He will need to be in his best form with the bat and in the outfield to give South any chance.
Prediction: Tigers by 6
