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Vic Aces trump South Australia

Posted on December 22, 2008, 11:11am

The Victorian Aces confirmed their standing on top of the Australian Baseball Federation’s Claxton Shield ladder with a clean sweep of all three matches against South Australia in Mount Gambier at the weekend.

As part of the 75th diamond anniversary of Australian baseball’s most famous trophy, the Claxton Shield in its new format of a five state domestic competition, matches are being taken to all parts of the country.

Over the course of three days, Victoria and South Australia contested three highly competitive games at the Blue Lake Sports Park before an estimated crowd of more than 1000.

Victoria however took all three games, albeit going to a 10th innings in Friday night’s 3 – 2 result.

It was a different story on Saturday night, when the mercy rule was evoked after the end of the seventh innings when Victoria led 12 – 0.

And on Sunday afternoon under a blistering hot sun, the Aces came back from a 1 – 2 deficit at the bottom of the fifth innings, to run out comfortable 9 – 3 winners and confirm their status as the 2008-09 Claxton Shield premiership favourites.

Victoria is now holding an 8 – 2 win-loss record and will meet its nearest challenger, Perth Heat in a potential grand final preview early in the New Year.

SA meanwhile, is left floundering on the bottom of the table with a 0 – 7 scoreline and a tough schedule ahead of it.

From January 2 – 4, SA will host a triple header against Perth Heat, which is currently second on the ladder with a 7 – 3 record.

To round out the 2008-09 roster, SA will then travel to Blacktown and Manly to play the NSW Patriots from January 9 – 11 and then further north to Brisbane to play the Queensland Rams from January 16 – 18/

An official statement from the host organisers at the weekend — the Mount Gambier Baseball League — said “The series was played in great spirit with hardly a harsh word said which is a credit to the players discipline especially in light of six batters being hit with pitched balls in the final game.”

That however may be argued with the temper tantrum of SA coach Ron Harvey who confronted the referee at the end of Sunday’s first innings and roared for him to “Get his head out of his …”

An obviously frustrated Harvey told the referee he “was sick of some of the decisions over the weekend.”

With that, Harvey stormed back to the dug-out, whilst the official in question calmly took his place in readiness for the start of the second innings.

MGBL president Mr David Chuck took time to thank his hard working committee and many volunteers who helped to make the Claxton Shield Carnival a success.

Some of the committee included David Kay (secretary), Sid Hosking (treasurer), Karen Chuck and Lynne O’Dine (canteen and bar managers), Sean Horrigan (grounds manager).

“We (MGBL) would also like to thank the City of Mount Gambier Council and Richard Sturgess and the staff at Coates Hire and all our sponsors for their support,” Mr Chuck said.

Another highlight from the weekend was the appearance of former Mount Gambier baseballer Michael Ewart as one of the South Australian pitchers.

Ewart won last season’s Capps Medal for best and fairest in the South Australian Baseball League roster and is emerging as an integral player in the State team.

ROD MORRIS

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