Millicent came up trumps in the Mount Gambier and District Baseball League Division 1 game at their home ground on Saturday against South Indians.


They were immediately ahead in the bottom of the first inning when Darcy Pink singled to left field and was batted in by Phil Altschwager when he hit safely to the same spot.


South replied in both the top of the fourth and fifth scoring two runs and three runs respectively.


Brad Meek was aboard on an error, Brent Masterman followed on a fielder’s choice and both scored on Linkon Ratcliffe’s long ball to centre field.


In the next Brad Walkom clipped a nice hit to centre field, Ben Nash followed with a hit to right field which scored Walkom, Ryan Walter’s infield hit created an error which allowed Nash to cross the plate and Walter scored on Brent Masterman’s hit into a fielder’s choice giving Indians the lead five runs to one.


A lapse in concentration by the Indians let the Bandits back into the game in the bottom of the inning.


With two out Nick Cory found himself at first on an error, then four consecutive walks to Phil Altschwager, Darcy Hogan, Josh Vanderhorst and James Fleming forced Altschwager home while Hogan followed on a passed ball before the inning was wrapped up.


The red and white added one more in the top of the seventh to give them a little breathing space.


Ben Nash drove a ball solidly to right field and eventually crossed on a passed ball.


There was more pain for South in the even dig as the blue and grey mowed them down.


Phil Altschwager singled to shortstop, Darcy Hogan was thrown a base on ball, James Fleming was dropped at right field, David Langley at first on a fielder’s choice allowed Altschwager and Hogan to score on the same wild throw, a safe hit to left field from Matt Webber batted in Fleming followed by one to centre field by Jordan Johnson which scored Langley.


Webber crossed on a fielder’s choice on batter Darcy Pink and coach Nick Cory’s infield hit created another error allowing Johnson to hit the home plate for the Bandits’ sixth run of the inning giving them a handy four run lead.


With the three-hour time limit closing in Millicent put the game to bed in the eighth.


Consecutive walks to Josh Vanderhorst and James Fleming saw them on base.


David Langley batted in Vanderhorst with a hit to a fielder’s choice.


Fleming hit home on a wild pitch, Matt Webber on base again this time from an error and was batted in by Nick Cory giving a fine victory to the Bandits 13-6.


Millicent had 13 safe hits, 13 base on ball, one hit batter, seven runs batted in, four strikeouts and made eight errors.


South had seven safe hits, one base on ball, five runs batted in, 10 strikeouts and made six errors.


TIGERS PUT THE MAGPIES INTO A FLUTTER


In the Division 1 baseball game at Blue Lake Sports Park, Central Magpies put up a brave fight in the early part of the game but were eventually blown away at the end.


Batting first for the Magpies, lead off batter Bree Ridding singled to centre field, Chase Kilpatrick picked a walk, Justin Tzioutziouklaris clobbered a hit to centre field, Blade Sturges got aboard on a fielder’s choice which saw Ridding gunned down at the plate, Mitch Cutting crunched a hit also to centre field which scored both Kilpatrick and Tzioutziouklaris and Sturges crossed the plate on Jobe Hartin’s hit into an error.


In Tigers’ first at bat three errors saw Cooper Pitkin touch all the bases for their only run of the dig.


The Magpies added two in the next, Brad Lynagh drew a walk, Justin Tzioutziouklaris knocked out a hit to centre field which scored Lynagh with Tzioutziouklaris crossing on a wild throw.


The orange and black piled on the runs in the even second.


Joe Sims picked a walk, Pat Kermond got on base from a wild throw, Koby Stratman crunched a hit to right field scoring Sims, Toby McKinnon aboard on a fielder’s choice loading the bases, Riley Parsons picked a base on ball forcing Kermond home, Cooper Pitkin was hit by a pitched ball which forced Stratman home, McKinnon on base from a fielder’s choice and Parsons and Pitkin both scored when Dyllan Lane’s flyball to leftfield was grassed.


The Tigers led seven runs to five.


Central Magpies hit the lead in the third scoring six runs.


Mitchell Cutting dropped a hit safely to left field, Jobe Harten at first on a fielder’s choice, Cutting crossed the plate on a wild pitch, Jordan Carrison picked a walk, consecutive base on ball to Bree Ridding and Brad Lynagh forced Harten home, Carrison scored on a wild pitch, Justin Tzioutziouklaris’ hit to shortstop created a wild throw which scored both Ridding and Lynagh and the sixth run came when Blade Sturges batted in Tzioutziouklaris.


The Maggies were up by four but this was their last runs as Tigers got their bats working.


A giant three bagger to Matt Thompson as he stood up at third, Dyllan Lane was thrown a walk, Koby Stratman batted in Thompson and Lane touched home on a fielder’s choice.


The Tigers tightened the screws in the bottom of the fifth, adding six more.


With the first two batters sent back to the dugout, the Tigers got their game flowing.


Jake England started the ball rolling with a single to left field, back-to-back base on balls to Matt Thompson and Dyllan Lane filled the corners, Joe Sims crunched a hit to left field scoring both England and Thompson, Pat Kermond also found left field safely batting in Lane and Sims and Kermond and Stratman delivered the final two runs from Riley Parsons’ two bagger to right field.


The Magpies were put to the sword in the seventh when the mercy rule was invoked.


Single base hits to Pat Kermond, Koby Stratman – his third for the game, and Toby McKinnon filled the corners again.


Kermond scored on a wild pitch, Stratman was batted in by Riley Parsons who was thrown out at first, Cooper Pitkin ‘s flyball was dropped allowing McKinnon to touch home plate, Jake England beat out a throw from the infield, Pitkin scored on a wild pitch, Matt Thompson picked another walk, and finally the 10 run advantage occurred when Dyllan Lane got hold of one, hitting to the fence at centre field to stand up at third.


In the meantime both England and Thompson crossed the plate and the game was called with Tigers winning 21-11.


Tigers had 13 safe hits, eight base on ball, one hit batter, 13 runs batted in, three strikeouts and made six errors.


Central Magpies had eight safe hits, seven base on ball, six runs batted in, five strikeouts and made nine errors.