Cougars day of drama

By Gavin Staindl
EJECTIONS, extra innings and a walk-off hit all culminated in a 9-8 Melbourne victory over the Berwick Cougars at Surrey Park on the weekend.
The Cougars hit out early and by the fifth inning held an 8-1 lead but an emotional rush sparked by a Melbourne ejection ignited passion back into both camps but it was Melbourne who capitalised on the emotion.
Cougar first baseman Mark Surtees had set himself for a pop-out catch on the first base line when the soon-to-be ejected Melbourne runner barrelled into the 16-year old.
“If the Melbourne bloke was any bigger it would have broken ribs,” coach Wayne Porter said.
“I ran from centre field to tell the bloke what I thought… everyone got fired up and I hoped the whole thing would unite the boys,” Porter said.
But instead, it was Melbourne who rallied behind the incident.
By the ninth innings, Melbourne trailed by three runs but managed to score early in the innings then score two runs off an in-field home run that sent the game to extra innings.
In the bottom of the twelfth inning the fait of Berwick was sealed when the Cougars could not force the ground out on two separate bunts.
The missed chances left Melbourne with the bases loaded and none out and the home team proceeded to hit the required single for the walk-off victory.
“We just had people falling to pieces… It was disappointing but the break could not have come at a better time.
“We will regroup and play better baseball next year,” Porter vowed.
The Cougars will return to the diamond against Footscray on 17 January.
MEANWHILE, Springvale/Berwick has all but cemented a place in the Division One women’s finals after they beat Malvern 4-2 at Cyril Molyneux Reserve on Saturday.
The signs were ominous early for the Cougars as the first batter for Malvern hit a ground ball to left field that was misfielded and as a result, the hit that should have been a single ended up being an in-field home run.
But when star import pitcher Risa Nakashima is on the mound the chance of turning many hits is rare and Malvern only managed one further hit for the rest of the game.
Nakashima gave up only two walks and pitched eight strike-outs on her way to a well-deserved win.
Coach Simone Wearne is content with where her team is heading into the final five rounds.
“We have pretty much secured a place in the finals and anything from there is a bonus,” Wearne said.