Berwick City veteran Ian Frost assumed the coaching reins for Sunday’s contest, leading his team to a credible effort against Springvale.By Marc McGowan
THE Berwick City Cougars turned in arguably their best performance of the year to push three-time reigning champion Springvale to the brink at K.H. Wearne Field on Sunday.
But a wild pitch from Cougar pitcher Jude Power in the ninth inning handed the Lions an 8-7 Baseball Victoria Division Three victory.
It was still an impressive afternoon by Berwick City and Power, however, as they took it right up to the might of Springvale.
Teenager Martin Kennedy, making his return to the top side, started on the mound for the Cougars and was punished from the outset.
The Lions, who are yet to taste defeat in 2007, plundered three runs off Kennedy in the first inning and added another in the next to banish the youngster to the bullpen.
In contrast, Springvale’s Glen Richards, who played in the minor leagues for the Atlanta Braves, was blowing Berwick City’s batters away.
But if the Lions thought it was going to be another routine fixture, they had another think coming.
Power was inserted into the game in the third inning and the momentum changed; and even the Cougar offence kicked into gear.
The lead was gradually whittled back to one in the seventh dig before Berwick City levelled the ledger in the eighth against Lions relief pitcher Rob Hogan.
Springvale grabbed the ascendancy again on its turn at the plate in the eighth, but the youthful Cougars were not done.
An error by the Lions’ catcher allowed Berwick City to square the clash once again to leave the match in Springvale’s hands at the bottom of the ninth.
Despite a stellar effort, Power ultimately wound up the villain as his wild pitch allowed the Lions’ Matthew Pallant to walk over the winning run.
Ian Frost, who stood in as playing coach for the unavailable Wayne Porter, named Shaun Fahy, Luke Hornstra and Davis Long as the Cougars’ stand-outs.
“I looked after the team during the day, but the senior guys really stood up and kept the momentum going,” Frost said.
“All I had to do was let the guys play ball and they played at an exceptionally high standard.
“We were within one out of going to an extra inning and (potentially) a couple of outs from winning the game, but that’s baseball.”
Berwick City hosts Preston at Cyril Molyneux Reserve from 3.30pm on Sunday.
