A four-game sweep over Queensland sees Victoria Aces challenging South Australia and Perth Heat at the top of the Dominos Claxton Shield table with two rounds to be played.....
It was another delightful setting for baseball in the harbour city as Victoria Aces hosted Queensland Rams in the second of their weekend Dominos Claxton Shield double-headers at the Geelong Baseball Centre this evening.
Again estimated in the range of 400-500, Aces diehards and baseball supporters in town for the Under-Aged Championships would have been impressed by the quality of the baseball played by both squads, with Victoria imposing itself on Game Three after the Rams challenged them early in the contest.
While some pundits were predicting a Game Four blowout, Queensland took it right up to the Aces in a pitcher-dominated contest that was in the balance throughout.
Now at twelve wins and five losses, the Aces have a four-game away series against South Australia next week before a last round-series shoot-out in Perth. Both series are crucial in deciding which states will go through to post-season play.
GAME THREE: VICTORIA 9 defeated QUEENSLAND 3
The twilight game presented an interesting match-up, with Dean Barker starting for the Aces and Chris Lamb for the Rams. Mercurial left-armers, both are known for having the occasional control issue among delivering some unhittable stuff. Close to his best tonight, "Barks" took the win in another result that was pivotal to the Aces' chances of making the play-offs.
The Rams opened hostilities by scoring a run in the first on the combination of a HPB, a walk and hits to Fairbrother and Schoenberger, but the Aces turned a double to escape from the dig with minimal damage.
Davies walked in the second, stole second and reached third as an infield error put Dingle at first. Davies scored on a fielder’s choice and Karlsen drew a walk to place runners at first and second. Scott McIntyre doubled to score and the Aces were away.
While Barker settled into his work, Lamb struggled to get ahead of the hitters, walking Russell and Weichard in the third. With runners at the corners, Tamburrino singled to score Russell before a double play ended the innings.
The Rams hit back in the fourth when Naughton landed on base after an error – with two out - and Daniel Lamb-Hunt cleared the centrefield wall to tie the game up.
Drew Naylor relieved Lamb and the Aces immediately came to life. Singles to Biddle and Karlsen, a double to Russell, passes to Wearne and Weichard – interspersed by a couple of wild pitches - resulted in three Aces runs and the hook for Naylor as Aaron Thompson was called to finish off the innings.
The Aces scored again after Biddle doubled in the fifth. By way of providing some further insurance, the Aces took to Thompson in the bottom of six as Dingle scored Weichard and Tamburrino – with two out – in lacing a double to centrefield.
Taking no chances in the truncated contest, the Aces called Russell Spear from the pen – in the top of six - to finish out the game. A tough proposition at the best of times, Spear was typically ruthless in retiring the six hitters that he saw.
QUEENSLAND 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 (3) 3 errors
VICTORIA 0 2 1 3 1 2 X (9) 1 error
Hits.
Queensland: T.Baker 2, T.Fairbrother, A.Schoenberger, D.Lamb-Hunt (home run)
Victoria: E.Biddle 2, A Russell, B.Tamburrino, G.Karlsen, S.McIntyre
RBIs.
Queensland: D.Lamb-Hunt 2, A.Schoenberger
Victoria: S.McIntyre 2, H.Dingle 2, A.Russell, B.Tamburrino, E.Biddle
Pitching.
Queensland: Chris Lamb 3 inn, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO
Drew Naylor 0.1 inn, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 WP
Aaron Thompson 2.2 inn, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Victoria: Dean Barker 5 inn, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO, 1 HPB
Russell Spear 2 1nn, 0 H, 0 R, 3 SO
GAME FOUR: VICTORIA 2 defeated QUEENSLAND 0
Adam Bright took the start for Victoria and immediately announced his presence by whiffing five of six hitters in the first two digs before giving way for Wildcats leftie Donovan Hendricks.
Emerging talent Justin Erasmus landed himself in early strife for the Rams as Wearne singled, Weichard walked and an error allowed the Aces’ first run to cross the plate. Settling into his work, Erasmus was solid over four innings, although his offence struggled to provide serious support in what developed into a tight game of baseball.
Tamburrino doubled in the fourth and scored after a fly ball and a grounder – making it 2-1, with Hendricks relieved by Ross Hipke after a terrific three-innings stint on the hill for two hits and five strike-outs.
With nothing tangible riding on the result for one club, the last of a gruelling four game series in enervating conditions is always prone to result in a blow-out. Not so tonight, as the Rams took it right up to the Aces with a quality outing on the hill delivered by Erasmus, supported by cameos in Montgomery and Timms. But four hits is never going to win too many ballgames and the Aces would be understandably delighted with their three hurlers, who did what they needed to do.
While the Aces may regain the services of James Beresford and are looking strong as they prepare for their last two home-and-away series, the Rams can take plenty out of this weekend. Against the odds – and with a developing list of players – they played some quality baseball and regrouped to push the Aces in three contests after a Game One drubbing on Friday night.
QUEENSLAND 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (0) 1 error
VICTORIA 1 0 0 1 0 0 X (2) 0 errors
Hits.
Queensland: J.McInnes, S.Watson, M.Nilsson, J.Naughton
Victoria: S.Wearne, B.Tamburrino, H.Dingle, T.McDonald, S.McIntyre
RBIs.
Queensland: nil
Victoria: B.Tamburrino, E.Biddle
Pitching.
Queensland: Justin Erasmus 4.0 inn, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
Brett Montgomery 1.0 inn, 1 H, 0 R
M.Timms 1.0 inn, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO
Victoria: Adam Bright 2.0 inn, 1 H, 0 R, 5 SO
Donavon Hendricks 3.0 inn, 2 H, 0 R, 5 SO
Ross Hipke 2.0 inn, 1 H, 0 R, 2 SO
