Essendon came in leading the 3 game series 1-0 after winning Game 1 15-7
Russell Spear looked sharp when he started the game for Essendon as he dispensed with the first 2 batters in order. However, Blackburn settled when Booth walked and Rogers doubled off 2 strikes, Hunter then drew another walk to put 2 out pressure on the Dons. Singles from Bookluck, Dicker and Maurer woke the crowd early with great team batting and Blackburn scored 3 runs. A tight play at the plate saw Bookluck tagged out to end the innings and a sigh of relief from the Essendon camp.
Hussey was pitching straight for the Orioles to begin the game but Essendon were throwing the bats as well. Sullivan doubled in the 2nd, Davies grounded out to advance him and Cruz scored him from 3rd on a sac fly, textbook batting from the Bombers.
Brett Tamburrino singled then showed his pace when he scored from 1st on a double by Peter Stokes. Josh Davies showed he had come to play when he batted in Stokes but Hunter (who had just stepped into the dish for Blackburn) threw him out trying to steal 2nd. At the end of the 4th the scores were tied at 3 all, then the pitchers settled and scattered the hits until the 10th.
Blackburn looked like they had weathered the storm when Ryan Booth homered to right field to break the pitching stranglehold in the 11th. That was the end of a great day out for Spear who left the mound after 136 pitches and most notably 11 strike outs which is more than 1 an innings. Kyle Bedford came in and saw out the 11th to send the Essendon batters on a mission to even it up.
Hussey also departed the mound for Blackburn after the 9th having thrown 116 pitches and matching Spear with 11 strikeouts, pitching just doesn’t get any better than this in Division 1. Adam Bright took the mound to see if he could protect the 1 run lead and force the series into a 3rd game on Sunday. However the Essendon batters were too good, Tamburrino and Stokes singled then Dean McIntyre pinch hitted and bunted safely to load the bases. Josh Davies showed his class when he singled to centre to score the tying and winning runs.
Essendon came into this series having won their last 2 games by 10 and 19 runs respectively. They were the favourites and were always going to be hard to stop. Blackburn worked their rotations on the mound and in the batter’s box but in the end they couldn’t match them. Both teams had players who have had played in the ABL and worn the national uniform, it just seemed that Essendon had more of them. Bookluck for Blackburn did well with the bat in this series and the previous one a great job for an under 18 player, Hussey and Bright also showed their class on the mound but it was the combination of Tamburrino, Stokes and Davies that did the damage with the bat for Essendon.
Russell Spear and John Hussey were all class on the mound with 11 strikeouts each and minimal walks. They forced the batters to play it their way in a high pressure and skilled game. Both true leaders for their clubs.
Congratulations to the Essendon Baseball Club, Baseball Victoria, Division 1 Champions 3 years in a row. Report by Cam Glesson on behalf of Baseball Victoria
Standing : Ben Capasso , Dean McIntyre, Michael Lo Monaco, Luke Smart, Michael Pollock, Ryan Andrews, James Coster, Coach Bubbie Buzachero, Ass-Coach Stuart Chinn, Martin Coster, Christian Caminitti, Darby Sexton, Michael Brewster, Bat Boy William Kline-Marantelli, Jesse Collins, Ass-Coach Peter Dihm
Standing: Michael Formisano, Darren Pollock, Gareth Formisano, Christopher (Kit) Larkin, Jared Cruz, Adrian Kelly, Tim Sullivan, Ass-Coach Jason Rogers, Scorer Jenny Roger.
Kneeling: Coach Steve Lehmann, Brett Stillman, Hayden Gardner, Nathan Rogers, Paul Jones.