On Saturday the Shoalhaven Mariners 2nd grade travel to Hector Harvey Park, Dapto, to take on the Dapto Panthers.
Being the away team the Mariners were up to bat first and made the most of it, batting through the line-up scoring 5 runs. A forgettable inning for the Panthers who errored 3 times as new pitcher Tim O’Donnell walked two and hit one.
In the bottom of the 1st inning Mariners pitcher Kieran Harris took to the mound for just the 2nd time this season. Harris was up for the challenge of facing the Panthers who are a good hitting line-up. The Panthers came out firing, bagging 3 runs on 5 hits as Harris struck out 2 and picked off for the third out. Mariners were at it again in the top of the 2nd inning able to add one more run to the tally. Sam De Meyer crossing after 2 stolen bases and a Kieran Harris RBI.
Harris was able to reset in bottom of the second inning where he pitched well and kept the Panthers scoreless.
In the top of the 3rd inning the Panthers decided to make a pitching change to lefty Jay Turk. Turk dominated the Mariners hitters through the next three innings, keeping them scoreless. The Mariners only had 2 safe hits for the game in their worst showing of the season so far. Singles went to Andrew Provest in the fourth inning and Kieran Harris in the fifth inning.
The Panthers, who were down 3 by the bottom of third continued on their hitting ways, managing to score again in Harris’s third and last inning of work.
Mariners, still ahead by 2, were hopeful for the win after relief pitcher Brenton McMahon held the Panthers scoreless in the bottom of the 4th inning and needed just 3 outs to secure the victory in the bottom of the fifth.
The Panthers had other ideas and continued to hit the baseball well, adding a run with 2 out. Knowing he needed to make something happen Panthers baserunner Josh Leonard stole second base and then set out to steal third the very next pitch. Mariners catcher Dan Kelly wasn’t having that and tried to throw Josh out at third to end the game. Kelly’s throw ended up in left field and the Panthers were able to tie the game up at 6-6. The game was ended in a tie as Mariners secured the final out of the game.
Mariners will enjoy a week off for the Queen’s birthday long weekend and return home to Ison Park in 2 weeks to play The Northern Pirates.
[columns]
[column size=”third” last=”no”]
[/column]
[column size=”third” last=”no”]
[/column]
[column size=”third” last=”yes”]
[/column]
[/columns]
[columns]
[column size=”third” last=”no”]
[/column]
[column size=”third” last=”no”]
[/column]
[column size=”third” last=”yes”]
[/column]
[/columns]