Bennett Pitcher Perfect In Denying Flame
Illawarra Mercury
Monday October 20, 2003
ILLAWARRA Flame's best performance of the Sydney Major League season wasn't quite good enough to get the better of Baulkham Hills Kookaburras at Fred Finch Park yesterday.
The reigning champions prevailed 2-1 in a nine-inning classic which could have gone either way.
The Kookaburras may have comfortably beaten Illawarra in game one of their round six clash on Wednesday, but they didn't have it as easy yesterday, with the home side easily matching it with the best team in the competition.
Baulkham Hills took the lead in the top of the second after a Flame error at first base allowed lead-off hitter Neil Douglas to make first base.
Douglas was then advanced by designated hitter Scott Downey before being batted in by a one-out double from centre-fielder Mark Barrowcliff.
The Flame were quick to reply and levelled proceedings at the bottom of the second when player-coach Andrew Coad hit a two-out double which was batted in by a Brad Drain single.
With Coad playing catcher for the second successive game and opting not to use a designated hitter, Drain was called on to fill the No9 batting spot, which he did admirably.
In a match dominated by pitching, Baulkham Hills' offence finally clicked into gear and they scored the winning run in the top of the sixth.
Their lead-off hitter Gavin Fingleton singled and was advanced by 2003 Helms Award winner Craig Lewis, before reaching home base following a ground out by Douglas.
The Flame had a big opportunity to level proceedings in the next inning when Stephen Beck and Josh Dean were walked by relief pitcher David Thorne.
Illawarra's Beck was caught just short trying to steal third base and even though Ben Shepherd was also walked, the home side were unable to convert Dean or Shepherd.
The Flame had a final opportunity to score in the bottom of the ninth but again failed to convert when lead-off hitter Mitchell Thompson singled.
Drain had perhaps his best pitching game for the club this season, striking out three batters and giving up only six hits in six innings.
Flame relief pitcher Andrew Ferris was also very good, giving up only one hit in his three innings of work.
But, without doubt, the best player on the park was Baulkham Hills pitcher Matthew Bennett.
The left-hander had 11 strike outs, including striking out the team twice in his six innings, which is quite a rare feat.
Flame's Mark Spears (two from three at bats) was the only hitter in the game to register multiple hits. It proved a disastrous weekend for Illawarra, with second-grade losing 7-0, third-grade being hammered 22-2 and under 18s suffering a 19-4 loss.
© 2003 Illawarra Mercury