Millicent started the scoring in Saturday’s thrilling Mount Gambier and District Baseball League clash with Federal at the bottom of the first dig. Jordan Johnson drew a walk which was followed by safe-hits to Nick Pink and Craig Chittleborough.
Johnson was batted in by Anthony Mutton and Jack Hateley’s safety scored Pink. Federal’s Matt Nicholls doubled to left-field and was batted in by Roy Hutchesson, but the Bandits replied when Johnson and Pink again found themselves on base from safe-hits and were both batted in.
In the next inning Johnson was again aboard and scored on Pink’s hit to left-field. Federal needed a response and was up and about in the fourth inning. Nicholls hit safely, Josh Wilsmore picked a walk and Jack Telford’s hit to centre-field saw the former cross the plate.
Brady Cooper’s infield single scored Wilsmore, Telford touched home on a wild throw and Cooper added one more when he was driven in by Alex Pearson. Millicent could only muster one more run in the even inning when Jack Hateley hit safely to right-field and scored on Ellis Cushion’s safety also to rightfield, giving the hosts a 6-5 lead.
The Demons added two more runs in the fifth, while the Bandits retaliated with three more of their own. Federal added one more in the sixth, but Millicent went on a run scoring spree in the bottom half of the inning mainly due to some very loose pitching.
Pink was hit by a pitched ball, Chittleborough walked, Darcy Pink hit safely as did Anthony Mutton whose hit batted in Pink. Next up Hateley picked a base on ball which advanced Chittleborough to the home-plate, Tom Winkley was hit by the pitched which added another run, Saxon Altschwager also walked adding another run, Johnson batted in Winkley and to round off a seven-run inning Altschwager scored on Nick Pink’s sacrifice fly.
Federal tried valiantly to haul the eight-run deficit in, but came up four runs short. Clay Carpenter and Tom Rundle both walked, Nicholls’ fourth safe-hit of the game scored Carpenter, Rundle crossed the plate on a wild pitch, Zeb Chant hit into a fielder’s choice and both he and Nicholls were batted in by Wilsmore who drilled a pitch out to left-field.
With the allotted time up and no requirement for Millicent to bat, the game was called leaving the home side victors 16 runs to 12. Central continued its undefeated status against South Indians at Blue Lake Sports Park on Saturday night.
The Magpies opening the scoring in the bottom of the first when Josh Chuck singled to centre-field and was batted in by Nathan Meinck’s two bagger to left-field.
The Indians opened their account in the top of the fourth for their one and only run of the game. Pitcher Dean Hamilton drove the ball to right-field and scored after bases were loaded from walks by Travis Lockwood, Jesse Balshaw and Ryan Walter, who forced Hamilton over the plate.
Alex Ridding scored on a wild pitch and Jordan Aston was batted in by Meinck to build Centrals’ lead. In the sixth, Ridding again found himself at first, this time from an infield error and crossed the home-plate on Aston’s sacrifice fly to centre-field.
The Magpies basically put the game beyond doubt in the bottom of the eighth when Dylan Gull’s drive fell short of right-field and Koby Chant’s long fly to centre-field was grassed.
Gull scored on Ridding’s infield safe-hit and Chant crossed the plate on Aston’s short hit to an infield play to seal the 6-1 victory.
