After their second loss of the Mount Gambier and District Baseball Association season last week against Tigers, Central were not going to show South any mercy in Friday night’s Division 1 baseball at Blue Lake Sports Park.


After seeing off five batters for no runs in the top of the first, the Magpies came out in the bottom of the inning with all guns blazing having 17 batters step up to the plate.


Leadoff batter Josh Chuck was the first out but then Colby Muller doubled to rightfield, Kyall McClean picked a base on ball, Dylan Chuck singled to leftfield which scored Muller.


Alex Ridding also singled to leftfield which pushed McClean and Chuck home, Koby Chant’s hit back to the pitcher created a wild throw which allowed Ridding to cross the plate, Dylan Gull hit safely to right field, Dave Harris Texas leaguered to leftfield which loaded the bases.


Nathan Meinck drew a walk which forced Chant home, Josh Chuck for his second appearance in the same inning hit to short stop which caused an error on which both Gull and Harris crossed, and Colby Muller’s second safe-hit for the inning again loaded the bases.


Kyall McClean then hit very deep to centrefield which cleared the bases bar himself batting in Meinck, Chuck and Muller causing the Indians to make a change on the mound.


Ryan Walter then stemmed the flow, giving up no runs but leaving Central with 11 runs at the end of the first dig.


Central scored another in the second and two more in the third to give the black and white a commanding 14-0 lead.


However, they poured on even more runs in the fourth from 11 batters presenting at the plate with Walter tiring.


Daniel Ferguson walked, Sam Ruwoldt beat out a play to first base and Bree Ridding also drew a walk again loading the bases.


Now two out and a third pitcher on the hill, Colby Muller’s third safe-hit of the game went to left-field scoring Ferguson and a speedy Ruwoldt.


Consecutive walks to Kyall McClean, Dylan Chuck and Alex Ridding loaded the bases again, forcing Muller home with McClean then advancing on another walk by Koby Chant and the final run came with Chuck scoring the team’s 21st run when Daniel Ferguson was hit by a pitched ball.


Although completely shut out of the game, credit must go to South as they had plenty of juniors in their team which augers well for the future and not once did they drop their heads.


Central had 12 safe-hits for 19 runs batted in, 14 base on ball, two hit batters, one strikeout and made two errors.


South had two safe-hits, six strikeouts and made three errors.



Federal applies pressure to Tigers for second spot on ladder
In Saturday night’s Division 1 baseball at Blue Lake Sports Park between Tigers and Federal, Federal was first cab off the rank.


Leadoff batter Alex Pearson’s hit to shortstop created an error and he was batted in by Alex Reppin.


They added another in the third dig when Matt Nicholls singled to leftfield and was batted in by Roy Hutchesson on his sacrifice fly also to leftfield.


With two more runs scored in the next the game was starting to blow out.


Alex Pearson’s hit to rightfield landed safely, Clay Carpenter hit into an error this time at second base and Alex Reppin batted in his second run when Pearson scored and Carpenter came home on a wild pitch.


In the fifth Alex Pearson again hit into an error at shortstop and he eventually crossed home on another wild pitch.


Tigers got their act together in the even dig when Jake Powell was hit by a pitched ball, as was Jai Hillstone.


Powell scored on Jake England’s hit into a fielder’s choice.


Pat Kermond’s hit to shortstop resulted in a wild throw, allowing Hillstone to add to the score.


Kermond was batted in by Mitchell Thomson’s safety to centrefield with Tigers closing the gap but behind five runs to three.


In the seventh inning Tigers went ahead.


Jai Hillstone drew a walk and Pat Kermond again on board from a fielder’s choice.


Ben Marcus drove the ball to rightfield which scored Hillstone and Matt Thompson followed suit which pushed both Kermond and Marcus home.


Tigers were in front by one and Federal made it tough going for the orange and black when they scored four in the eighth.


Craig Nicholls singled to rightfield, Jordon Johnston on base from a hit into an error and Roy Hutchesson singled, loading the 


bases.


Nash Lobley picked a walk forcing Nicholls across the plate, Johnston and Hutchesson both scored on Alex Pearson’s single to right centrefield and Lobley was batted in by Clay Carpenter who hit nicely to leftfield.


The green and red made it five up in the last inning with consecutive safe-hits to Craig Nicholls and Jordan Johnston had them fill first and second base.


Nash Lobley cleared one of them when Nicholls raced home on his two bagger to rightfield.


There were still two bases occupied but were loaded when Alex Pearson was hit by the pitcher and then a walk to Clay Carpenter forced Johnson across the home plate before Tigers could get the third out.


The Federal fielders quickly shut down the Tigers batters in the even dig to run out winners 11 runs to six.


Federal had 14 hits for nine runs batted in, four base on ball, three hit batters, five strikeouts and made one error.


Tigers had six safe-hits for four runs batted in, four base on balls, two hit batters, six strikeouts and made eight errors.