Teenager Andrew Hemmes threw four scoreless innings in the Berwick City Cougars’ 13-3 demolition of Footscray at Cyril Molyneux Reserve on Saturday. 27566By Marc McGowan
THERE was never any real doubt about the result of Saturday’s Division Three bout between the finals-bound Berwick City Cougars and winless Footscray.
And that was before the teams took to the diamond.
The Cougars slapped six runs past the Bulldogs in the opening inning before ultimately demolishing the visitors 13-3 in a game brought to a merciful end in the seventh inning.
The victory was not enough to launch Berwick City to the top of the standings after ladder-leader Springvale ended a two-match slide with a 14-3 success over Port Melbourne on the same day.
But the easy triumph ensured the Cougars held onto second place and entered their maiden Division Three finals series with plenty of confidence.
Berwick City speedster Jake McLardy started the rot with an in-the-park home run in the Cougars’ first at-plate.
Footscray pitcher Dean Hayhow gave up a second homer in the first frame to Adam Silva and was pulled from the contest after Shaun Fahy cleared the cones at the start of the second.
Nathan Horsburgh replaced Hayhow on the mound and managed to stem the flow somewhat, but conceded a further three runs in the inning as the Cougars grabbed a 10-0 lead.
Sixteen-year-old Berwick City hurler Andrew Hemmes, on the other hand, was having few issues with the Bulldog line-up.
Hemmes scattered just one hit and three walks over four scoreless frames in a mature display.
There was a slight lull in proceedings until Cougars playing-coach Wayne Porter’s double scored Tim Moon, McLardy and Fahy to stretch the margin to 13 in the fourth inning.
Porter finished with five RBIs for the day.
Fahy relieved Hemmes in the fifth frame and did a good job until a sloppy seventh inning.
He gave up three runs with a walk and four hits before Porter tagged Hayhow for the final out.
Fourteen-year-old state junior representative Jesse Gavin and Fahy’s 14-year-old son, Matthew ‘Chilly’ Chilcott, made their senior debuts against Footscray.
Porter was pleased to end the home-and-away season with a 15th win from 21 starts.
“I was pretty nervous today because I knew we had to win and because of the Chelsea game when we fell over,” he said.
“The only thing I was worried about was that they’d pay more attention to what was going on outside the ground (the Ladies’ Day festivities) than what’s going on in here.”
Porter said pitching would be the key in the finals and that everything would be a bonus from here on out for his young squad.
“The only series we’ve lost to a top-four side was Preston and they were two one-run games, so we’re as confident as anyone,” he said.
Berwick City locks horns with Springvale at Keysborough’s K.H. Wearne Reserve on Sunday from 1.30pm.
The winner goes through to the grand final, while the loser meets the victor of Williamstown and Preston in the preliminary final.
