Punkah no match for reigning champs

THE Sunday baseball match between the visiting North Albury Bears A team and the Porepunkah Panthers went the way it was expected to go.

The defending A grade champions showed the mental and physical gap that is between them and the reigning B grade premiers.

The 19-1 score line reflected the 15 safe hits North Albury obtained - six for extra bases - and the nine bases on balls they received, and saw them score at least two runs in each innings.

However, there were a number of positives that did come out of the game for the Panthers.

In the batting box, and facing two of the NEBA starting pitchers in inter-association play, the Panthers only struck out four times, but recorded five walks - indicating their developing skill of picking the right pitch to swing at.

James Hughes again led the team with another stellar performance.

His first two plate appearances resulted in single base hits back over second base - the first to bring in James Rogers for the only Panthers run.

Dave Dobie also liked the centrefield position, flying out to the deep in the first innings, but landing a shallower one in the third innings.

Paul Meddings was another in the groove - slicing the third pitch he faced in his second at bat to leftfield, and accepting the two walks thrown to him.

Michael Sullivan was also walked twice in the game.

In the field, the error difference wasn’t great, two by the visitors and four by the locals, with all of them being made in the first three innings.

Dobie played his first base with his usual confidence, and was involved in eight assisted outs, while he affected two further outs himself.

The highlight of the field was the double play turned by third baseman Rob Nichol, who fielded a ground ball and played his base for the force out and then threw a bullet strike across the diamond to Dobie before the batter could get to first base.

Coach Heath Anders again performed the catching duties, and further observed his two young developing pitchers.

Steven Pack was the starter, going three innings for seven hits, one strikeout, four walks, one hit batter, two wild pitches and 10 runs scored in his 77 deliveries (41 for strikes), while Michael Sullivan threw two innings for six hits, four walks, six wild pitches and seven runs scored in his 55 pitches (24 for strikes).

The training sessions at the College Stadium on Thursday nights, starting at 7 pm, will enable these areas to be reinforced.

Thanks are given to Cam Barker for doing the umpiring duties, and Jack Hughes for his culinary skills at the barbecue and canteen.

Details Bears A 19 runs, two errors and 15 safe hits.

Porepunkah one run, four errors and four safe hits (J Hughes 2, D Dobie, P Meddings 1 ea).

This week, the Panthers are back on the road, off to Gayview Park to play the revamped Wodonga side in the 2.15pm match.