Berwick City Cougars teenager Adam Silva produced two eye-catching performances for his side last week. 24190 Picture: Marc McGowan By Marc McGowan
BERWICK City’s hitters came to life last week in two landslide victories over Williamstown and Footscray.
The Cougars trumped Williamstown 11-3 at Melbourne Ball Park last Thursday before thumping winless Footscray 21-4 at Cyril Molyneux Reserve on Sunday.
Berwick City’s four wins and two losses have it sitting in third place on the Division Three ladder.
Left-handed pitcher Martin Kennedy threw six impressive innings against Williamstown – giving up just one earned run – as the Cougars’ hitters gave a preview of what was to come on the weekend.
The match was also 14-year-old shortstop Adam Silva’s senior debut and he wasted no time introducing himself to his older rivals.
Fellow left-hander Matthew Kennedy, who is in the 40-man Victorian under-18 squad, took the mound against Footscray and, other than a few control problems, was similarly impressive as his namesake.
Designated hitter Shaun Fahy, playing-coach Wayne Porter and Paul Quinn all scored in the first inning before Bulldogs’ pitcher Dustin Curnow recorded an out.
Curnow escaped without further damage to the scoreboard and Footscray reduced the deficit to 3-2 at the top of the second inning.
But the game was as good as over after Berwick City’s second trip to the plate.
The hosts piled on six runs and then matched that total in the third inning to blow the scores out to 15-2.
Nathan Horsburgh replaced Curnow midway through the third, but the move made little difference before the umpire called the mercy rule in the seventh inning.
Fahy, who will miss the next three weeks due to back surgery, was the star with the bat.
He scored three times and knocked in five runs, including an in-the-park homer in the third inning.
Speedster Jake McLardy (one run, three RBIs), catcher Ian Frost (three runs, two RBIs) and Silva (one run, two RBIs) also impressed.
Porter was delighted with the dual triumphs, but did not want to get carried away.
“We had a good week, but, as I said the other week, we’re going to be hot and cold – that’s just the way it is with a lot of young kids,” he said.
“One week doesn’t make a season, but it’s always better to have more wins than losses.”
Porter believes debutant Silva has a bright future in the game.
“He’s already a seasoned hitter. He hangs back on everything and if you throw a fast ball at him he has very quick hands,” he said.
“He’s probably got threeout of the five tools you needto be ‘anything’ – he hitsfor power, can hit for average and he catches the ball pretty well.”
The Cougars face Williamstown again on Sunday, this time at Greenwich Reserve, Williamstown, from 3.30pm.
