It was a massive weekend of baseball as the sport returned to its natural home at Blue Lake Sports Park’s main diamond on Sunday.
With the exceptional volunteering efforts, the main field was back to playable after serious corella damage, which allowed all teams to enjoy a double header.
Saturday afternoon saw South play host to Millicent/ Federals in the first of two games.
South got out of the blocks first in the third innings getting a run across the plate, but Jack Hateley was back to his best with three hits and turning a very rare feat with a triple play to get Millicent/Federals right amongst it.
Millicent continued to pressure a South outfit who just could not shake them before the latter held on 4-3.
The second contest was runs galore as fatigue set in with a number of errors affecting both sides.
South found themselves on the back foot this time with Millicent/Federals putting four across the plates in the first bat of the game.
This left coach Bruce Morale with some thinking to do facing a 13-4 deficit with one hit left.
But South would not die wondering and suddenly it was getting close as the Indians found themselves with a runner on second and third with two out and needing just one run to level the score after plating eight in the fifth.
Unfortunately it was heart break for the Indians as Millicent held on to secure their second win of the season.
Sunday baseball returned to Mount Gambier for the first time 20 years and it was the top sides of comp going head to head.
Centrals is a class above the rest of the competition at the moment and have a great system in place. Tigers are right on their heals and just simply need to click to get the results they are chasing.
The crowd witnessed a finals like atmosphere and a fiery contest between two proud clubs.
It was Tigers who pounced bringing home two runs early to put the pressure on Centrals.
Centrals as always bounced back and crossed three runs in the first to lead.
From there it was a game of tug of war.
Tigers plated another two runs to hit back but again Centrals responded.
Tigers and Centrals went toe to toe and tensions were at boiling point between both teams.
Centrals proved why it is on top when it plated another three runs making the score nine to five.
Tigers just could not get the runs home leaving a whooping twelve runs on base and let the game skip giving the ladder leaders a two-run victory seven to five.
Game two was all Centrals, Tigers were flat and lacked drive and Centrals took advantage early.
Tigers again failed to capitalise with runners in scoring position.
Centrals finding the gaps early seen the score jump to four Centrals one tigers and was a far as it got.
Centrals winning the double header for Sunday and booked their Grand Final ticket as they will not be able to lose the pole position on the ladder.
Tigers coach Karl Ransom was disappointed after the game knowing both games were there for taking.
“We lacked drive, we did not pick the right ball to hit, we played selfish baseball and we need to get better, they are the best team in the competition for a reason,” he said.
