The weather was superb and the Doncaster ground staff had their field looking fantastic as Luke Westphal of the Dragons and Andy Mann for the Demons were dealing on the mound early in the division one season opener. There was a miserly one run scored as both teams scattered the hits before the seventh inning.

Scott Moore for Melbourne batting in the one spot, hit a convincing double in the third but Westphal was too strong in his debut for the Dragons and struck out the next two. Blackmore also got on but the lefty Westphal was in control and struck out two batters in a row to end the innings. Andy Mann was dealing in the bottom of the third and sat the batters down in order to give his side another chance to bat.

Shiels came to bat with two out and two runners on base after catcher’s interference and an infield hit from Blackmore in the fourth. He hit the ball hard in the air but straight to McDonald at left field to end the top of the fourth. Westphal again used great pitching to get out of a jam.

Doncaster then sparked with the bat when Nicholas lined up the middle. O’Malley also hit hard but was caught on the fence by Limburg. Reeves shot a long double into the left corner (that was just short of a home run) to place two runners in scoring position, but that was where they stayed as Andy Mann replied by getting out of a jam himself.

Andrew Chesterton took the hill for Doncaster in the top of the fifth and faced the top of the order. Ratcliff playing his first game against his old club also relieved for Melbourne in the bottom of the dig. Adam Burton singled for the Demons as both teams got runners on but the new pitchers kept them where they were, Doncaster were still leading 1-0 after 5.

Good outfielding from Lethborg and McDonald sent Melbourne back to their dugout in the middle of the sixth to try and figure out a way to score after the pitching changes. Doncaster went down in order as Ratcliffe settled in on the  mound for the Demons. Into the seventh with the score unchanged.   

Limburg singled in the top of the seventh, then Moore walked after 1st base was left vacant via a Shiels sacrifice bunt (that was close to being called safe). Kent then doubled to right field, in what turned out to be the play of the day, to score both runs and take the lead for the first time in the game. The score stayed that way as the Dragons went into bat, still in it but losing 2-1.

Callum Lethborg took the  mound for Doncaster when Melbourne increased their lead in the top of the seventh as Blackmore led off with a solo homer to left.

Scott Moore at shortstop for Melbourne made a great diving catch to start the 8th. Nicholas (as he had done all day) provided a spark for the Dragons with a hard hit ball to the left corner and the middle of the order coming up. O’Malley got on with an error but that is where they stayed as Ratcliffe responded to the pressure and got out of it.

Lethborg started off the 9th with a strike out but Kent again hit hard to the top of the right field fence.  He got to 3rd on pass balls, but that’s where he stayed. Doncaster back at bat with all the work to do got two clutch hits from Lethborg and Carr, almost taking the game from the Demons. With bases loaded in the bottom of the last Melbourne ended it when they rolled a 4-5-6 double play to get the win.

Doncaster did well to keep Melbourne scoreless for the better part of this pressured contest. This game was fought out to the end and lost with the tieing run in scoring position. One more Dragon’s hit in the last would have told a very different story. Although the majority of the Demon’s scoring was limited to one innings Kent’s clutch hit showed that stringing hits together, the use of Shiel’s bunt and sacrifice play made all the difference in a tight game.

Doncaster face Waverley next week whilst Melbourne has their home opener against last season’s grand finalist Blackburn.

Hits Melbourne 7-Moore 1, Burton 1, Kent 2 (2RBI), Blackmore 2 (1 home run) Limburg 1. Doncaster 6- Nicholas 3, Reeves 1 (double), Lethborg 1, Scott Carr 1.

Article by Cam Gleeson