THE charge towards the Melbourne Winter Baseball League finals is heating up and the Mitchell Majors have brought a flamethrower, snaring a 13-run win on the weekend to put the rest of the league on notice.
The A3-grade side took on Greensborough at Broadford’s Minnitt Park with the opportunity to rocket themselves up the ladder with a win and some favourable results.
But things looked troubling early as the visiting Burras put the first three runs of the game on the board before the Majors even had a chance to answer back.
Heavy rain plagued the first couple of innings, making it hard for star pitcher Eden Hardy to produce his best work. However as conditions improved, so did his pitching.
Through the next five innings he only allowed two runs while the Majors’ batting lineup went to work.
Catcher Tom Flannery and coach Lachlan Ruyter were at their aggressive best as usual, but it was the return to form from Will Gurnett that really got the home side up and about.
Gurnett smashed a flyball triple to left field on the first pitch he faced to get his day started, and followed it up with two singles later on to round out his best performance for the year.
He was supported well by the rest of the batting lineup, who piled on the runs consistently, highlighted by a five-run second inning.
Another 10 runs across the following three innings blew the lead out to 13 and Hardy capped off the game with three outs in three pitches to end the sixth inning, sealing a comprehensive victory.
There were jubilant scenes for the A4-grade team who notched their first official win of the season following a win-by-forfeit last week.
Lead-off batter Chris Kubisch hit a single to right field in the fifth inning which scored two runs and gave the Majors the lead, and they held their nerve to secure the final three outs to steal an 8-7 win.
It was by far their best team performance of the year, and will give them plenty of confidence in the weeks to come.
The Majors, now sitting in fourth on the A3-grade ladder, will head to Melbourne University this Saturday in a season-defining matchup with just six rounds left and one game separating first and fifth.