Cougars step up

By Marc McGowan
THE Berwick City Cougars outlasted fellow finals contender Williamstown 6-5 in a seesawing battle at Cyril Molyneux Reserve on Sunday.
Jude Power pitched all nine innings in a sterling performance, but Shaun Fahy was the hero after knocking in Tim Moon to break a 5-5 deadlock in the eighth frame.
The Cougars looked a long way off collecting the points when they fell 3-0 behind in the fourth inning.
Power was struggling to find the strike zone – resulting in a series of walks to start the match – and Berwick City’s offence could not get out of first gear.
Fourteen-year-old Adam Silva produced the hosts’ first hit at the bottom of the fourth frame and the comeback took place in the fifth.
Teenagers Jack Spears and Jake McLardy managed to get on base before a Tim Moon single scored Spears for the Cougars’ first run.
Young Williamstown starting pitcher Jason Lester began to crumble and the first of four walks for the inning delivered Berwick City’s second score.
Catcher Jordan Camov then conceded two runs – giving the Cougars the lead in the process – with a wild throw to first base in search of the final out.
Lester’s fourth walk loaded the bases, but he finally got out of the frame when veteran Ian Frost grounded out.
Wolves playing coach David Simpson finally relieved Lester of his duties when another walk allowed McLardy to score in the sixth.
Simpson took over and managed to finish the inning, despite a far-from-intimidating arsenal of pitches.
Power was proving equally as impressive, seemingly having few troubles steaming through the Williamstown line-up.
But the Wolves, facing a 5-3 deficit, rose from the canvas in the eighth.
They produced the two tying runs – the second on a bunt – to put the pressure back on Berwick City.
Moon kicked off the Cougars’ turn at the plate with a single, but was soon involved in some drama.
He managed to steal second base on one play before attempting to find the same route to third base and striking trouble.
Moon should have been thrown out, but miraculously survived in a dive back to second base.
Fahy then cleared the infield in his at-bat to send Moon home and leave the visitors with a simple task in the ninth – score or the game was over.
But Williamstown’s hitters could not produce the goods, handing Berwick City its ninth win of the summer.
Cougars playing coach Wayne Porter was thrilled with the triumph, which sealed their three-game season series against the Wolves.
“They weren’t really doing too much (when they were leading) … I sort of knew if we stayed close something would happen for us,” he said.
“We really wanted to win that first game back. It keeps us going and just keeps building confidence within everybody.”
Berwick City faces St Kilda at Tom O’Halloran Field on Sunday from 4pm.