Reliable Berwick City servant Shaun Fahy not only scored a run on the weekend, but also relieved Jude Power of his pitching duties in the eighth inning against Port Melbourne at Murphy Reserve on Sunday. Picture: Marc McGowan.By Marc McGowan
TWO poor innings cost the Berwick City Cougars a third-straight Baseball Victoria Division Three victory at Murphy Reserve on Sunday.
In-form Cougars starting pitcher Jude Power conceded three runs in a wayward opening inning before an error-riddled seventh sealed the team’s 7-3 defeat to the Port Melbourne Mariners.
The result follows a pair of successes at Cyril Molyneux Reserve the previous weekend and was Berwick City’s seventh loss in 10 matches this season.
The Mariners added another run in the third inning, but the Cougars had pegged the margin back to 4-3 entering the seventh.
With Power still on the mound, Port Melbourne went on the attack and Berwick City playing coach Wayne Porter’s fielding mistake allowed the Mariners to extend their lead.
But worse was to come for the Cougars when Josh Graham misjudged a flyball in the windy conditions, permitting two more Port Melbourne batters to cross the plate.
Power finished the inning before jack of all trades Shaun Fahy, who had already helped his club by scoring a run, took over in the eighth.
While the Mariners failed to add to their tally, Berwick City could not do so either, and the game was over when it was shut out in the top of the ninth.
Porter was disappointed that his youthful side could not capitalise on another winnable game.
“It was one of those ones where we were hitting the ball hard and everybody was doing something at the plate, but they were all going straight to the fielders,” he said.
“We had those walks (that Power gave up) in the first inning and you can’t defend walks.
“You can’t catch or throw people out on walks and then someone gets a scratchy hit and gets a few runs in.
“Those late errors really hurt us.”
The Cougars will look to get back on the winners’ list when they host Footscray at Cyril Molyneux Reserve from 3.30pm on Saturday.
