Hot temperatures again disrupted Mount Gambier and District Baseball League matches at the weekend.


All junior games were cancelled and the final round of Division 1 was reduced to two hours while semi finals in Division 2 were reduced to 90 minutes.


DIVISION 1 MINOR ROUND FINISHED IN A FLOURISH OF RUNS AS BOTH GAMES WERE WON ON THE MERCY RULE


Tigers travelled to Millicent for both teams finish to the season with neither team making it through to the major round.


Tigers got away to a hot start scoring six runs in the first innings.


Lead off batter Riley Parsons got aboard on an infield error, consecutive hit batters filled the corners, Matt Thompson’s single to centre field batted in Parsons, the two hit batters, Riley Rolph and Jake England crossed on Toby McKinnon’s safety to rightfield.


Alex Lynch then got to first on another infield error, McKinnon scrambled home on a wild pitch and Lynch scored on Riley Rolph’s second at bat for the inning when he hit nicely to right field.


The orange and black added three more in the very next inning.


Joe Sims hit an infield single, Koby Stratman was struck by the pitcher, Toby McKinnon clobbered it to right field again loading the bases, Alex Lynch followed with a single to centre field which saw Sims home, Stratman was batted in by Riley Parsons and McKinnon followed him home from a resultant wild throw.


The Bandits put themselves on the scoreboard in the even second when Coach Nick Cory picked up an infield single and was batted in by Jordan Johnson.


Tigers were in mercy rule territory in the third, scoring four.


Matt Thompson and Joe Sims both hit singles to the outfield, Koby Stratman was thrown a base on ball, Toby McKinnon unleashed a hit to right field – his third of the game, to score both Thompson and Sims, Stratman touched the plate on a wild throw and McKinnon was batted in by Alex Lynch to give them a 13-1 advantage.


Millicent scored two consolation runs in the fourth when Phil Altschwager got to first on an infield error, Anthony Mutton picked a walk, and they were both batted in by Jordan John’s stand-up double to centre field.


This however was not enough to avoid the mercy rule with game called after four innings.


Tigers had 10 safe hits, two walks, five hit batters, nine runs batted in, five strikeouts and made one error.


Millicent had four safe hits, two walks, three runs batted in, three strikeouts and made five errors.


CENTRAL FINISH THE MINOR ROUND UNDEFEATED


Central scored runs in every inning bar the last whilst restricting South Indians to a solitary run over five innings in the game at Blue Lake Sports Park.


Batting first, Central’s lead off Kyall McClean singled to centre field and then Dave Harris stepped into the box and slammed a huge hit to the fence at centre field and with very fast wheels ran the diamond for an in-ground home run which also saw McClean touch the plate.


Nathan Meinck picked a walk, Dylan Chuck got to first from a fielder’s choice, Alex Ridding’s sacrifice fly scored Meinck and Chuck crossed the plate on Koby Chant’s sac fly.


Three more runs in the second started with a walk to Dave Harris, a stand-up triple to Nathan Meinck had Harris home, Dylan Chuck’s Texas Leaguer to leftfield saw Meinck home and Chuck scored on Alex Ridding’s double to centre field.


Central had the early lead, up 7-0.


The Indians scored their solitary run in the bottom of the inning when Bradley Meek found himself aboard on a fielder’s choice.


Brent Masterman then crunched a huge three bagger to centre field scoring Meek before Central closed out the inning.


The black and white put the pedal to the metal in the nine runs from 14 batters in their next at bat.


Dave Harris drew his second base on ball and crossed the home plate on Dylan Chuck’s single to right field.


Now with two down, Dylan Gull was afforded his third free trip to first base courtesy of a walk as did Alex Ridding, filling the corners.


Koby Chant got hold of a pitch and sent it deep to centre field, scoring all three base runners.


Josh Chuck hit into an infield error scoring Chant, Colby Muller picked a walk, Chuck crossed on Kyall McClean’s hit to the infield which resulted in a wild throw.


Dave Harris’ infield hit also resulted in a wild throw, allowing Muller home and finally Dylan Chuck’s safety to right field scored both McClean and Harris.


Four more in the fourth pushed Central’s scoreline out to 20 runs.


Koby Chant doubled to left field, Daniel Ferguson and Colby Muller were both thrown walks loading the bases once more.


Kyall McClean was hit by a pitched ball forcing Chant home, Chuck crossed on Dave Harris’ sacrifice fly, Muller crossed on Dylan Chuck’s hit to a fielder’s choice and finally McClean scored on a wild throw with Central winners 20-1


Central had 12 safe hits, 13 base on ball, three hit batters, 17 runs batted in and made two errors.


South Indians had one safe hit, one base on ball, one hit batter, seven strikeouts and made six errors.


DIVISION 2 – 1st SEMI FINAL


In a low scoring tight tussle South Indians came from behind to find a place in next week’s preliminary final, defeating the more fancied Tigers 3-2 in an enthralling game.


The Indians were first to score when they put the first run on the board in the top of the second innings.


Tigers headed them in the third when they added two runs to go ahead by one.


South tied up the game in the fourth when they added another solitary inning run.


The game appeared to be heading for an extra inning but South were able to scramble a further and winning run in the fifth and shut down the Tigers in the bottom of the innings to give them a shot at a grand final berth.


Damien O’Dine was the stand out batter for South with three safe hits from three at bats while Phil Clark did his best on the mound to pitch the whole game.


DIVISION 2 – 2nd SEMIFINAL


Ladder leaders Naracoorte found their way into a grand final berth after scoring seven runs in the first inning against a frustrated Central outfit who had scored two in their first at bat.


Four safe hits and two base on balls was an ideal start to Naracoorte’s campaign.


The black and white scored four in the second to leave them just one behind but could not add to their score over the following two innings.


However, the Rangers added two more in their two remaining at bats to give them the victory 9-6.


Both pitchers, Ken Sisson (Naracoorte) and Steve Kuhl (Central) went the distance with both not giving up much with Sisson having seven safe hits against him while Kuhl gave up eight.


Stand out batters were Central’s Shane Frankenburg with three safe hits and batting in three runs and Naracoorte’s Daniel Hallett, also with three safe hits.


Central now face the challenge from South Indians in the preliminary final for another shot at premiership glory.