THINGS are really starting to click for the Mitchell Majors, knocking off Ringwood 19-4 in the Melbourne Winter Baseball League A3-grade at the weekend.
After putting 13 runs on last-placed Watsonia last week, the Majors wasted no time in continuing their big hitting by scoring five times in the first innings against the struggling Saints.
They followed it up with another two runs in the second, but Ringwood was still within striking distance midway through the top of the third innings with the score sitting at 7-4 and the Majors already two-out.
Deacon McPhail and Tom Flannery both hit triples to right field in quick succession to stretch the margin back out to seven, and pitcher Steve Bertucci followed it up on the mound to keep the Saints from answering back.
A further three runs in the fourth and five in the fifth solidified the biggest victory of the Majors’ season and moved them to third on the ladder.
Flannery ended the game with four hits and five runs-batted-in (RBIs), and was a home run away from ‘hitting for the cycle’, a rarity even at the top levels of baseball.
His teammates stood up with the bat too, each making it on base and all but Ben Harkom recording a hit.
McPhail, Lachlan Ruyter and Stuart Partridge all recorded multiple RBIs for the game, while Harkom’s watchful eye led to three walks for the second-baseman.
Bertucci pitched for the first time this season and showed how deep the Majors’ pitching stocks are.
He gave up just four runs and struck-out two of the Saints’ batters, making his way through the game impressively without allowing any walks.
His craft and accuracy will be crucial going forward when the speed reliant pitchers find themselves out of form or in need of a rest.
On the offensive side of the game, the Majors have now scored 64 times through six rounds, over a dozen more than the second best offensive team Greenhills Montmorency.
Meanwhile the story is very different for the A4-grade side who will have to continue their hunt for a first win this season after going down to the Saints 12-3.
Baseball returns to Minnitt Park this Saturday with Footscray coming to town. It will be a great test for the Majors who have put aside some tight early season losses to prove to the A3-grade they are one to watch as the season rolls on.