Upset on the Cards, but leaders survived

ILLAWARRA BASEBALL LEAGUE

FRANK BOOTH

BULLI Pirates came within a whisker of the Illawarra Baseball League upset of the season, pushing competition leaders Wests Cardinals all the way before losing 7-6 at Cringila Community Park.

The Pirates led 6-nil after three innings and 6-3 going into the bottom of the ninth before the Cards scored four runs for a thrilling victory.

Three Cardinals' errors in the third did not help the efforts of starting pitcher Blake Handley, who returned from the Australian Provincial tour two days earlier.

He was relieved by Jamie Simon, who pitched six hitless innings while striking out five Pirates batters.

The Cards' offence then clicked into gear, notching two runs in the fifth before Josh Dean's second solo home run of the season, in the eighth.

Wests found the four runs needed to win in the final inning thanks to a Pirates defence that made two errors, which allowed three unearned runs.

Ben Gibson pitched a complete game for Pirates allowing ten hits and three earned runs. Cardinals outhit Pirates 10-2, with Ben Warner and Lee Vlasoff registering two hits each for Cardinals.

Dapto scored a regulation win over Kiama, 7-3, at Gainsborough Oval on Saturday.

The Chiefs won despite being outhit 11-6 by the Braves and making two errors to the hosts' three.

The Braves held a 3-2 lead after three innings before Dapto fired up with two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh for a 7-3 lead.

Pitcher Tim Inglis secured the win, allowing three earned runs despite conceding eleven hits.

Kiama's starter Brendan Armstrong contained the opposition to five hits and four earned runs while reliever Doug Ineson backed up with two earned runs on one hit in 2.2 innings.

For the home team David Barlow, Shaun Crowther and Brett Single all registered two hits and Brett Morrissey was the only Chiefs hitter to do likewise. Both teams left ten runners on base.

Bulli and Kiama met on Sunday in a deferred round eight game and the Pirates scored a 4-3 victory.

The lead changed before Pirates ran in two in the seventh for the 4-3 score. Pirates outhit Braves 9-4, Brad Drain, Al Michaelis and Asa Schuster each gaining two hits.

In Saturday's round 13 matches Berkeley Eagles play Dapto Chiefs at Eagles Field, Kiama and Bulli Pirates play at Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow.

Wests play Mariners in second grade. Eagles and Chiefs back up to play their deferred round 8 fixtures at Eagles Field on Sunday. First grade games start at 2.15pm.