IT was a day to forget on Saturday for South Indians in Mount Gambier and District baseball as Millicent/Federal claimed a strong victory at Blue Lake Sports Park.
An early lead for South had most fans thinking it would likely fall the way of the script and after the third inning South held a three-run lead thanks to early hits from South coach Bruce Morale, Decklin Joyce and Jesse Balshaw.
Millicent star Jack Hateley showed good signs early on the hill and South veteran Dean Hamilton continued to keep Millicent at bay and restricted their runs.
Darcy Pink had a good afternoon with the bat and had picked up two hits at the halfway point.
After the sixth inning Millicent got hold of Hamilton to hold a 5-3 lead and a maiden win was on the cards.
Morale made a pitching change in the seventh inning and brought on youngster Tarkyn Morale, then Millicent/Federals went crazy with the bat to score a whopping seven runs to blow the game out of control.
South tried hard to gain some much-needed runs and respect in the last at bat with another three runs, but Millicent/Federals claimed a strong 12-6 victory.
It was a huge performance from Pink, with four safe hits, while teammates Alex Pearson, Anthony Mutton and Tom Winkley all had two hits each.
For South, Bruce Morale had two hits and Hamilton tried hard on the mound and also picked himself up a hit.
Millicent/Federals will take on a rampaging Centrals at Bolton Reserve on Saturday while South will try to bounce back against arch rival Tigers in the main game Saturday at Blue Lake Sports Park.
Meanwhile the round kicked off on Friday night under lights as Centrals faced on an undermanned Tigers in front of a packed crowd at Blue Lake Sports Park.
A big weekend was on the cards for Centrals as they celebrated their 90th year milestone and the past champions of Centrals would want nothing less then a victory over a fierce rival in Tigers.
Coach Dylan Chuck took the ball on the hill for Centrals while stand-in Tigers coach Hayden Jones went for the tall option in Brayden Morton.
A tight affair across the start saw Tigers score early in the first inning thanks to hits from Tyler Horrigan and Riley Rolph, which bought home Jones to make it the dream start for the orange and black.
Centrals bounced back in the second inning to bring home two runs thanks to hits from Alex Ridding and Koby Chant and the game was set up for a real showdown.
Centrals again turned on the heat in the third inning bringing home another two runs thanks to hits from again Koby Chant, Alex Ridding and Zeb Chant.
Suddenly Tigers were nervous and a change beckoned on the hill but Jones stuck with Morton.
Tigers bounced back to score two runs in the fourth thanks to Garth Ransom picking up his second hit in as many bats.
Halfway down and the score sat Centrals four, Tigers three and a sniff of an upset was in the air.
Centrals all-but ended that chance of an upset in the bottom of the fourth to put three more across the plate and Jones was forced to make a change, going to the mound himself .
Tigers scored two more runs in the seventh and were back with a possible shot at an upset thanks again to Ransom with hit number three, a double to Horrigan, then the man of the hour Brodie Foster on his return to the team saw him slap a triple and an eerie silence fell over the crowd.
Dylan Chuck finally found bat-on-ball to end his hit-less streak for the season with a double in the eighth inning.
Ransom picked up hit number four in the ninth inning but unfortunately that was all it would be for the Tigers boys and Centrals hung on to win a tight 7-5 contest.
Big performances from Centrals saw Dylan Chuck throw nine innings and finish with ten strikeouts, Ridding had three hits and Chant with two, while for Tigers, Ransom had four safe hits and Foster three in his return to the diamond.
Results: Centrals 7 d Tigers 5. Safe hits – Centrals: A. Ridding 3, K. Chant 2, Z. Chant 1, D. Chuck 1, K. McLean 1, B. Braithwaite 1, E. Chuck 1; Tigers: G. Ransom 4, B. Foster 3, T. Horrigan 2, R. Rolph 1, B. Morton 1.
Millicent/Federals 12 d South 6. Safe hits – South: B. Morale 2, D. Hamilton 1, J. Balshaw 1, D. Joyce 1; Millicent/Federals: D. Pink 4, A. Mutton 2, E. Cushion 2, T. Winkley 2, A. Pearson 2, H. Thomas 2, J. Johnson 1, J. Hateley 1.
