Millicent found themselves up against league leaders Central in the early game of Mount Gambier and District Baseball League Division 1 at Blue Lake Sports Park.
Unfortunately, the Bandits found themselves in all sorts of trouble with the game virtually all over at the completion of the first inning.
Central’s pitcher Koby Chant held Millicent at bay in the first not allowing a runner across the plate despite a couple of safe hits from the Millicent lineup.
Lead off for Central Kyall McClean picked a base on ball, Dave Harris hit very long to centre field scoring McClean, Nathan Meinck hit into an infield out, Dylan Chuck hit safely to centre field which scored Harris and Dylan Gull picked a walk.
Koby Chant hit to a fielder’s choice that saw Chuck put out at third for the second out, consecutive walks to Colby Muller and Patrick O’Hehir with O’Hehir’s walk forcing Gull across the plate and then the wheels fell off the defence.
What should have been a routine third out from a throw across the diamond, Bree Ridding was at first on a silly error which the team compounded across the remainder of the inning with Chant and Muller scoring on the error.
Kyall McClean singled to centre field, Dave Harris aboard on a wild throw, Nathan Meinck and Dylan Chuck both drew walks with McClean forced home, Dylan Gull clubbed a two bagger to centre field which batted in both Harris and Meinck crossing the plate, Koby Chant was dropped by left field scoring Chuck and Gull before the Bandits felt for the handbrake.
All in all, Millicent gave up five safe hits, contributed six walks and made three errors that should not have been made with Central scoring nine unearned runs after there was two out and a total of 17 batters going through the box in one inning.
The Bandits put themselves on the scoreboard in the top of the third, just one run by Jack Hateley who arrived at first on an error and travelled around the bases on two more errors.
The black and white applied more pressure in the bottom of the inning.
Dylan Gull singled to left field, Koby Chant walked, Colby Muller hit into an infield error which scored Gull, Patrick O’Hehir hit into a fielder’s choice which saw Muller out, Kyall McClean hit to another error which scored Chant and Nathan Meinck clubbed a hit past the rightfielder to score O’Hehir and McClean.
Central added two more in the fourth when Koby Chant fit safely to left field, Patrick O’Hehir on from a fielder’s choice and Chant was batted in by Kyall McClean and O’Hehir was batted in by Dave Harris.
Millicent doubled their score in the fifth, in a game I’m sure they will best forget, when Jack Hately did it again hitting a two bagger to left field and batted in by Darcy Pink.
Central had 10 safe hits, 11 base on ball, 11 runs batted in, two strikeouts and made three errors.
Millicent had four safe hits, one base on ball, one run batted in, eight strikeouts and made six errors.
CENTRAL MAGPIES OVERCOME SOUTH INDIANS
In the late game at Blue Lake Sports Park Central Magpies put three early runs on the board.
Michell Cutting’s infield hit created an error, Lauchie Tilley hit safely to left field batting in Cutting, Justin Tzioutziouklaris drew a base on ball, Tilley scored on a wild throw and Liam McDonald batted in Tzioutziouklaris.
South Indians threw out the challenge to Central Magpies scoring eight runs in the bottom of the second.
Ryan Walter singled to right field, Kevin Joyce aboard on a fielder’s choice, Phoenix Cole singled to centre field, Linkon Ratcliffe clobbered a two bagger to left field, which scored Walter and Joyce, Bradley Meek batted in Cole, Blake McAdam batted in Ratcliffe, Ryan Whitwell plonked one out to right field, Zac Ratcliffe picked a base on ball as did Jett Lewis loading all the corners.
Kevin Joyce batted in Whitwell and a deep safe hit to right field from Phoenix Cole, his second safety of the inning, allowed both Ratcliffe and Lewis to cross the plate.
There was one more in each of the next two digs for the Magpies.
Lauchie Tilley picked a walk and was batted in by Josh Aston.
The next dig saw Brad Lynagh hit safely to left field and crossed the home plate on Mitchell Cutting’s sacrifice fly to centre field.
South added one more in the even inning, Ryan Walter picked a base on ball and crossed the plate on Phoenix Cole’s infield out.
The Magpies tied the game up in the fifth scoring four.
Back-to-back safe hits from Liam McDonald and Jordan Carrison were followed by a walk to Mitchell Ruwoldt, McDonald crossed on a wild pitch, Jake Turner smashed a hit to centre field allowing Carrison and Ruwoldt to add to the scoreline with Turner scoring on Mitchell Cutting’s infield hit.
The go ahead runs came in the sixth when Justin Tzioutziouklaris’ Texas Leaguer landed safely in left field, Josh Aston alive at first on a wild throw, Liam McDonald’s sacrifice fly scored Tzioutziouklaris and Jordan Carrison batted in Aston.
The Indians replied with a run of their own but still leaving them behind in the chase.
Ryan Walter at first on another walk and batted in by Bradley Meek’s safe hit to centre field.
From that point on it was all Central Magpies.
There was just one more in the seventh when Lauchie Tilley drew a walk and eventually crossed the plate on a wild throw.
In the eighth they busted the game wide open.
Jordan Carrison crunched a safety to centre field and Mitchell Ruwodt got a shot past third base, Carrison touched home after a wild throw.
Now with two out the Maggies kept coming.
Jake Turner’s single batted in Ruwoldt, with batting pressure Mitchell Cutting forced a wild throw from short stop, Lauchie Tilley’s infield hit caused another wild throw which saw both Turner and Cutting home, Justin Tzioutziouklaris’ single to left field batted in Tilley, Josh Aston’s safe hit to centre field batted in Tzioutziouklaris and Aston scored on another wild throw.
The Indians had no answer in the bottom of the inning giving Central Magpies the win 19-10.
Central Magpies had 16 safe hits, five base on ball, one hit batter, 13 runs batted in, four strikeouts and made two errors.
South Indians had six safe hits, four base on ball, one hit batter, 10 runs batted in, six strikeouts and made 10 errors.
