Loss a hard lesson for Berwick

By Gavin Staindl
DESPITE two towering home runs from Berwick’s Adam Silva, Preston walked off 9-8 winners after reeling in a six-run deficit at La Trobe Uni playing fields.
Silva went deep twice in the game for a total of five runs but poor defence robbed Berwick of their first Division Two win for the season.
Berwick pitcher Matt Rossman was again in fine form as Berwick took an early 8-2 lead.
Nathan Cook replaced Rossman after six innings but gave up six runs through five innings as scores remained level until the 11th inning when a throwing error gave Preston the win.
With runners at first and third and scores locked at 8-8, catcher Sam Beasley attempted to throw out the runner at third base but his throw landed at the bootlaces of Shaun Fahy who missed the catch.
Berwick coach Mick Poole could only watch as the ball bounded into the outfield and the runner scored the walk off win.
But for the young Berwick side that last year won only seven of its 26 games, winning is still a thing that must be learned.
“If you take Tim Moon out of the equation, our average age is just above 19. So we have a lot of young kids compared to the guys (Preston) well established in Division Two,” Poole said.
“Learning to win is the last piece of the puzzle.
“They still have their L-plates on and that is by self-admission but we’re getting 30 or 40 to training every week and you can tell they really want to learn,” Poole said.
Berwick plays a night match this Thursday before returning home to play Port Melbourne on Sunday.