Round 7 – Seniors Minor 3rd Grade - Shoalhaven Mainers Baseball Association

Mariners Minor third grade were greeted by gorgeous conditions this week as they took on the Shellharbour Warriors in a home fixture at Ison Park.

Pitching duties were initially adopted by B2 Benny Campbell and after a hard fought start to the innings. Dave Crowley scored the first run of the day as the top of the order zoned in on the ball and kept the opposition active.The second was another close innings which was finished off by a nice catch on a towering pop up. Rising to the standard set by the infield, centre fielder Stephen Pearson shortly thereafter made a catch worthy of both highlight reels and training videos titled ‘How to make things hard for yourself under a high ball’. The team was inspired however by the selfless display for the spectators and lifted to another level.Catching duties were owned by Anthony Burgess who expertly called Tausia Antonio return to the mound as a rock solid reliever once Ben ‘Red Baron’ Campbell had the opposition (and his elbow) pleading for a change. Deftly picked off by an opportunistic pitcher, the imposing Tausia Antonio was unlucky not to reach home after some promising at-bats and a hit but it was an impressive return nevertheless after some time away.

The mother/daughter duo of Hayley Keith and Melissa Keith locked down both sides of the field with high-intensity showings at third base and right field respectively (though Hayley was left bemoaning the genes that rendered her 6 inches too short to snag a rocket shot out above third). In a resounding display of ‘Girl Power’ it was also an impressive debut in the infield by Sue Stibbard who showed great speed and tenacity at second base to keep would be stealers honest and stuck to the base like red clay on crisp, freshly bleached whites.

Disparing at the defensive wall in close, the Warriors turned to the air in an effort to break a scoreless stretch across the middle innings. A battle of bats ensued leaving the score keepers busy and B1’s Ben Quiney legs like jelly (to the amusement of third base coach Col Barnes who sent him for the successful run) as the hits flowed with runs smacked home for the Mariners by Dave Crowley, Ben ‘Hollywood’ Campbell .

Carrying a two run lead into the final innings, the Mariners sought to shut down the Warriors but succumb to lucky batting to the deep with some switched on opposite-field hitting leaving us needing three to tie it at the death.

One run was knocked home to leave a glimmer of hope however we weren’t able to capitalise with runners on base ultimately going down 7-9. Despite the loss there were smiles all-round after a very competitive outing (and that was before we discovered Sam was spruiking scones and cream from the canteen) and with a few players coming back from various ailments it will be with a ton of confidence that we take the field next week at Thomas Dalton park.

Pitching shared between Ben Campbell 2 innings 61pitches 30 strikes and 2 strikeouts . Tausia Antonio did 3 innings 78 pitches 4 hits, 78 pitches 46 strikes and 8 strikeouts.

Hits of the day went to Anthony Burgess, Ben Quiney, Tausia Antonio (2), David Crowley (2), Stephen Pearson (3), Benny Campbell (3)

[columns]

[column size=”third” last=”no”]