In Friday night’s Division 1 baseball at Blue Lake Sports Park South Indians were easily defeated by Tigers and their frustrating season finally ended.


However, hopefully their young players will be better for the experience and everyone hoping they stick with the game and the club and that with another 12 months under their belts they will more adept at playing senior baseball.


In the top of the first Tigers were first on the scoreboard.


Mitch Thomson found himself at first base on a fielder’s choice and was batted in from Matt Thompson’s sacrifice fly to leftfield.


The Indians levelled the score in the even dig when leadoff batter Ben Nash picked a base on ball and scored when Nat Anderson’s infield flyball was put down.


Tigers scored four unearned runs in the second to take the game away from the red and white.


Joe Sims onboard from a error at third base, Pat Kermond drew a walk, Sims scored on a wild pitch, Ben Marcus was hit by a pitched ball, Mitch Thomson’s Texas leaguer to leftfield scored Kermond and finally Marcus and Thomson crossed the plate on Jai Hillstone’s crunch out to rightfield.


There were two more in the next at bat for the orange and black.


Kane Harrison doubled to leftfield and Joe Sims came up with a base on ball.


They were both batted in by Jake England as he hit deep to leftfield giving Tigers a handy lead seven runs to one.


South cut the lead when they replied with two of their own.


Youngster Deklin Joyce picked up a nice safe-hit to leftfield and was batted in by Jett Lewis who also hit safely giving leftfield more work to do.


Lewis ran across home plate on a wild pitch.


This was the end of the penny section for the Indians as they were unable to add further to their score for the remainder of the game while Tigers were able to inflict more pain on the struggling Southies.


They added a further three runs in each of the sixth and seventh digs.


Mitch Thomson picked a walk, Jai Hillstone’s hit to second base created an error, Thomson crossed on Matt Thompson’s single, Kane Harrison on a fielder’s choice which saw Thompson dismissed at second base then Pat Kermond’s long clout to centrefield batted in both Hillstone and Harrison.


Mitch Thomson again leadoff in the seventh when he ran two base on a dropped flyball, Matt Thompson picked a walk, Mitch Thomson crossed on a wild pitch, Joe Sims and Pat Kermond both walked, Matt Thompson also crossed on a wild pitch as the Indians fell to pieces in the dying stages and Sims was batted in by Jake England with the mercy rule being invoked by the umpire Tigers winning 13 runs to three.


Tigers had 10 safe-hits for 10 runs batted in, eight base on ball, two hit batters, three strikeouts and made three errors.


South had six safe-hits for one run batted in, four base on ball, five strikeouts and made four errors.


CENTRALS WIN 13TH TAYLOR /PROBERT SHIELD GAME


The 23rd edition of the Taylor/Probert Shield was played Saturday night at Blue Lake Sports Park in front of both combating teams’ supporters, life members and sponsors.


Central was successful for the13th time with Federal now on nine wins with one draw since the first time it was played in 2000/2001.


Batting first Federal failed to trouble the scorers however a different story emerged when Central took its turn.


Leadoff batter Kyle McClean crunched a two bagger to leftfield but the next two batters went down, flying out to the outfield.


Then five consecutive safe hits had four runners cross the end plate.


Alex Ridding singled to leftfield, Koby Chant followed with a single to rightfield scoring McClean, Dylan Gull hit safely to centrefield giving all three outfielders a piece of the action in three plays, Dave Harris followed up with a single to rightfield that scored Ridding and finally Colby Muller’s blast to centrefield for a standup double scored both Chant and Gull.


From that point on the game was mostly controlled from the mound through Central’s Dylan Chuck and Federal’s Clay Carpenter, and some tight and sometimes brilliant fielding.


Federal was on the board in the top of the third after Riley Rolph picked a walk and scored on Craig Nicholls’ safety to centrefield.


Central added one more in the bottom of the fifth when Nathan Meinck drew a base on ball and was batted in by Koby Chant when he singled to the outfield.


From that point on both defences held tight with the game going the required eight and a half innings with Central not having to bat in the bottom half of the dig.


The Magpies now head straight to the grand final in a best of three series commencing on Friday, March 22 with the possible next two games being played the following day.


Federal and Tigers play next Saturday afternoon at 4pm to decide who the challenger to the title will be.


Whilst Tigers have held the upper hand over the season both teams have gun pitchers and neither will hold back.


Karl Ransom for Tigers and Alex Reppin for Federal will both be going hard to ensure their passage to the big one.


Batters will have to be on their metal to take the game away from the hurlers in a game of mental toughness batter over pitcher, pitcher over batter.


The game may come down to which team makes the least errors or makes difficult plays look simple. May the best team win.