The Mount Gambier and District Baseball League kicked off the restart to the season with a pair of Division 1 double headers.


GAME 1 – CENTRAL V TIGERS


In Friday night’s two Division 1 games Central was pitted against Tigers.


In a high scoring first game Central scored all but five of their runs in the second dig, when nine runs crossed the plate.


Dylan Gull was the first of 13 batters to face the pitching of Karl Ransom and was thrown a walk.


Dave Harris’ two-bagger drove in Gull for the first run of the game, followed soon after by Harris who scored on Colby Muller’s hit to leftfield.


Josh Chuck picked a walk and Cooper Smith hit into an error at third base which saw Muller score Central’s third.


Kyall McClean then hit the ball deep to centrefield which resulted in both Chuck and Smith crossing the plate.


Sam Ruwoldt singled, McClean crossed on Dylan Chuck’s hit into a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning, Alex Ridding’s drive to centrefield scored Ruwoldt, Dylan Gull hit into an error and he was batted in by Colby Muller when he hit safely to rightfield before the inning was over with the Magpies scoring nine runs.


Now it was up to Tigers to begin the fightback. Ben Marcus picked a base on ball and scored their first run on Jai Hillstone’s hit to a fielder’s choice.


Batting before Hillstone, Karl Ransom came up with a single to leftfield and he was batted in by Matt Thompson.


Tigers added a further run in the next dig slowly clawing their way back into the game.


Jarvi Mee on board from a fielder’s choice and crossed the plate on Ben Marcus’ hit to rightfield.


There were three runs scored with more work to do for Tigers.


The Magpies got that run back in the even inning when Alex Ridding drove the ball to the outfield and was batted in by Dave Harris.


Tigers added one more in the top of the fifth when Matt Thompson drew four balls and was batted in by Kane Harrison’s long shot to leftfield.


In the bottom of the sixth two wild throws from the Tigers shortstop saw Central batters Dylan Chuck and Alex Ridding on base with the second wild throw resulting in Chuck scoring.


Nathan Meinck crunched the ball to centrefield for a two-bagger and scored on Cooper Smith’s safe-hit also to centrefield, giving the black and white side a 13-4 lead.


Tigers tried hard to bridge the gap but could only manage two runs in the final inning.


Ben Marcus and Karl Ransom both hit singles to the outfield, with Marcus batted in by Jai Hillstone and Ransom by Jake Powell, leaving Central winners 13-6.


Central picked up three base on ball, six strikeouts, 12 safe-hits for 10 runs batted in and made three errors.


Tigers had three base on ball, nine strikeouts, nine safe-hits for their six runs batted in and made four errors.


GAME 2 – CENTRAL V TIGERS


With 15-year-old Brad Walkom on the mound for Central pitching to his 14-year-old brother Jakob, Tigers were away in the top of the first.


Jai Hillstone punched the ball to centrefield and scored on Jake Powell’s hit to the same spot.


The Magpies hit back scoring three.


Kyall McClean walked, Dave Harris was hit by the pitcher, Colby Muller’s hit to third base resulted in a wild throw which saw both McClean and Harris cross the home plate and Muller scored on Josh Chuck’s infield safe-hit.


The orange and black drew level in the top of the third.


Ben Marcus hit safely to centrefield and scored on Matt Thompson’s hit to the infield which created an error.


Thompson crossed the plate when a throw from the catcher to third base went awry, tying the score line at three all.


In the bottom of the fourth, Central doubled its score.


Josh Chuck picked a walk, Jobe Harten hit into infield error which scored Chuck, Nathan Meinck hit safely to leftfield, Harten scored on Kyall McClean’s infield hit that resulted in an error and Dave Harris’ hit to centre pushed Meinck across the plate.


Central brought Dylan Chuck to the hill in the top of the fourth resulting in a complete shut out of the Tigers batters.


Of the 12 batters to face him in the four innings eight were struck out.


A final run for Central came in the bottom of the sixth.


Dave Harris drew a base on ball and was batted in by Alex Ridding giving Central the win 7-3.


Central had four walks, one hit batter, six strikeouts, six safe-hits for three runs batted in and made three errors.


Tigers had two walks, 10 strikeouts, four safe-hits for two runs batted in and made three errors.


GAME 1 – SOUTH V FEDERAL


Saturday evening saw fourth placed South Indians up against third placed Federal with the first game being a very tight affair.


South was first on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Riley Parsons arrived at first base from a hard fought infield safe-hit.


He went on to score on a wild pitch.


It was not until the sixth dig that any more runs were scored and they all went on the Indians scorecard.


Ryan Walter hit safely to third base followed by a centrefield hit to Jett Lewis.


Riley Parsons’ Texas Leaguer to rightfield scored Walter then both he and Lewis were batted in by Deklin Joyce who picked up a nice hit to centrefield and that was the ball game, South winning 4-0.


Federal unfortunately could not string a series of hits together to put any pressure on the South defence, while the red and white side was able to do just that to record the win.


South had one walk, eight safe-hits for three runs batted in and made two errors, while Federal had one hit batter, one strikeout and six safe-hits.


GAME 2 – SOUTH V FEDERAL


Game two saw a complete turnaround in fortunes as Federal went on the offensive.


Federal’s lead off batter Nash Lobley, after taking a full count, slammed the ball out to centrefield to be on board, Riley Rolph was hit by the pitcher then Lobley scored on Matt Nicholls’ sacrifice fly to centrefield followed soon after by Rolph who scored on a wild throw.


South halved the lead in the bottom of the second when Ryan Placucci hit into an error at third base and scored on Ben Nash’s drive to centrefield.


However, for the Indians that was all she wrote as the Demons went on a scoring spree.


It started in the top of the fourth when both Alex Pearson and Craig Nicholls were thrown walks.


Pearson scored on Jordan Johnson’s dribbler to the pitcher and Nicholls crossed on Owen Wheatley’s infield hit to a fielder’s choice.


Johnson added to the scoreline when he crossed the home plate also on a fielder’s choice.


Five more runs were added by Federal in the sixth dig.


Owen Wheatley found himself at first after his hit was fluffed by the third sacker then consecutive hits to Riley Rolph, Alex Reppin, his fourth for the game and Matt Nicholls which scored Wheatley and a two-bagger to Alex Pearson batted in both Rolph and Reppin.


Matt Nicholls added the fourth run when he scored on brother Craig’s sacrifice flyball and Jordan Johnson batted Peason home.


In the last at bat for Federal, Owen Wheatley again on base from an error and Nash Lobley hit safely to shortstop who was playing deep.


An infield fielder’s choice allowed Wheatley to cross and Alex Reppin’s sacrifice fly saw Lobley score.


Matt Nicholls picked up a consecutive safe-hit followed by Alex Pearson, whose solid hit forced an error at shortstop.


Craig Nicholls stepped up to the plate and crunched the ball to centrefield which pushed his brother over the home plate as well as Pearson, leaving South in disarray winning 14-1.


Federal had two walks, two hit batters, one strikeout, 14 safe-hits for 13 runs batted in and made four errors.


South had one base on ball, one hit batter, eight strikeouts, one safe-hit and made five errors.