THE Sale Rangers will begin their Latrobe Valley baseball season at Traralgon this Sunday.
Both teams will be looking get their first win of the season at Kevin Lythgo Park.
The Redsox lost their round one match to reigning premier Churchill 9-2.
With the very capable starter Mat Prior on the hill, the Braves began a little slowly with bats but held their own in the field.
A hit and a walk to Traralgon set up Owen Godenzi with a big double hit to centre right field bought in two runs to put the Redsox on the board and give them the lead. The lower order of Churchill’s batting line-up took on the pitching of Brad Adams and started putting the hits together and driving in runs on the top of a couple of uncharacteristic errors from the Redsox defence.
With Prior finding his groove and the Braves giving up nothing in defence, the Redsox could not trouble the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. Defensive highlights for the game were two double plays and the relief job of Tristan Pinkster to finish off the game.
The Braves were well-served with Prior, Pinkster and Bellerby among the best, while for the Redsox, Adams, Spiteri and Goodman stood up.
The Braves will this Sunday hit the road to play the other round one winner Moe-Newborough
Against Morwell the Dodgers’ bats scored consistently from the start of the match against the pitching of Martin Kennedy and Lachlan Banks to lead 8-0 after three innings. The Cougars rarely got a runner on base thanks to the excellent pitching of Tony Luke and his support fielding.
Morwell was able to score two runs, however the Dodgers’ consistency with the blade throughout the match from top to bottom of their order saw their final score rocket to 18 when time was called on the match.
A highlight of the game was both teams’ capability to roll multiple double plays through their infield as a sign of the sharp work going on with the gloves.
Morwell has the bye in round two.
