Unearned Runs Beat The Flame
Illawarra Mercury
Monday November 28, 2005
ERRORS proved costly for the Illawarra Flame, who went down 7-4 to the Baulkham Hills Kookaburras in their Sydney Major League baseball under 18 years game at Fred Finch Park on Saturday.
The Flame were outhit 9-3 and made five errors that allowed Baulkham Hills four unearned runs, while the Kookaburras kept a clean sheet.Illawarra pitchers Matthew Sneddon and Josh Doyle both had excellent games.Sneddon pitched the first three innings for three hits and one earned run before Doyle threw the next four innings and allowed six hits and two earned runs.He was the home team's best hitter, with two from four.Doyle batted two runners in during the first inning and had a single in the sixth.The other hit came from Aaron Griffin, who had an RBI single in the sixth.Jason Mitchell's walk in this inning batted in Doyle.All four Illawarra runs were earned.Baulkham Hills starting pitcher Tim Atherton pitched four innings for one hit and one earned run.Relief pitcher Aaron Merritt allowed one hit and two earned runs in 1.2 innings.Closing pitcher Joel Palmer allowed one hit and one earned run in his 1.1 innings.Atherton also featured in Baulkham Hills' offensive stats by registering three hits from as many bats; Chris Fox and Darren Fletcher supported with two from four apiece.The loss was the first in three games for Illawarra.The grade fixtures between Illawarra and Baulkham Hills set down for Fred Finch Park yesterday were washed out and will not be replayed.There will be a one-week break in the competition to allow for the SML All Star Game at Blacktown Olympic Park on Saturday. The Flame women's game against the Star at Blacktown Olympic Park on Friday was washed out.
© 2005 Illawarra Mercury