Aces trump Rams in Friday double-header

 

Game One was a “make-up” clash for the suspended game in Brisbane prior to Christmas. Entering the series with clear intent on doing some harm to the visitors, Victoria Aces set what they hoped would be the tone of this four-game series with a comprehensive result over the Rams.

 

While Simon Morriss has had a great season for the Rams to date, he threw a lot of pitches early on and landed himself in strife by leaving a couple out over the plate in the third. After Andrew Russell had singled, Paul Weichard drove one deep over the rightfield wall to score two, followed up by another monster blast – this time by Brett Tamburrino – to score another couple as the Vics surged to a 4-0 lead.

 

 

With starter Adam Blackley on song over a terrific six innings stint for the Aces, the Rams could manage a paltry three hits and were never in the hunt as Lee Hogan did what he is best at in closing out the last.

 

While the two fourth innings bombs were decisive blows for the Aces, their entire offence was in a belligerent mood this evening, taking the Rams for thirteen hits. Number four hitter Josh Davies continued his remarkable season with another four knocks (and two RBIs), while Matt Lawman made another fine contribution down the order.

 

Victoria: J.Davies 4, M.Lawman 2, S.Wearne, A.Russell, P.Weichard (home run), B.Tamburrino (home run), H.Dingle, E.Biddle, G.Karlsen

Queensland: B.Dutton, M.Nilsson, T.Fairbrother

Victoria: P.Weichard 3, J.Davies 2, B.Tamburrino 2, M.Lawman

Queensland: B.Dutton

Victoria: A.Blackley 6.0 inn, 3 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

L.Hogan 1.0 inn,

Queensland: S.Morriss 5.0 inn, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1 HPB

J.Bruce 0.1 inn, 3 H, 3 R

R.Wodson 1.2, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO

 

Aces CEO Stephen Nash interviews ASU college superstar Josh Spence 

 

 

 

Making his first appearance for the Aces, Rockies talent and former Bacchus Marsh resident Shane Lindsay let none of his supporters down by cranking up his fastball to 93 mph over two innings of quality work.

 

But it was a far different contest to the first of the evening’s games, as James Albury rose to the occasion for the Rams and held the Aces offence at bay with a combination of splitters and slurves that had some of the Victorian pitching gurus nodding in approbation.

 

With Matthew Blackmore relieving Lindsay, scores were deadlocked at 0-0 after four, with Albury sitting on a no-hitter and the Aces' only runner being a Weichard walk in the first.

 

But the Aces broke the deadlock in the fifth, as Tamburrino walked and was driven in by a Hayden Dingle double.

 

Scott McIntyre followed up with a double to leftfield to score a second run, but the Rams responded in the sixth as a Shayne Watson hit scored Naughton, who had landed on base compliments of a HPB from Russell Spear, who relieved Blackmore after a terrific three innings stint that yielded six strike outs and one hit.

 

Admirable as the complete-game Albury effort was, the Aces scored again in the sixth on a combination of hits to Davies, Tamburrino and Dingle, all three being great contributors over both games of baseball.

 

Queensland: J.Naughton, S.Watson, D.Lamb-Hunt

Victoria: H.Dingle 2, J.Davies, B.Tamburrino, S.McIntyre

Queensland: S.Watson

Victoria: H.Dingle 2, S.McIntyre

Queensland: J.Albury 6.0 inn, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Victoria: S.Lindsay 2.0 inn, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

M.Blackmore 3.0 inn, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO

R.Spear 2.0 inn, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rams Assistant Coach and former Geelong resident Brett Ward in cheery mood