Match Reports
Seniors Rd 17
15 February 2010
Firsts - ESSENDON 11 defeated UPWEY 7
Essendon led for most of an entertaining contest against Upwey, who kept challenging but were not able to contain a Bomber offence that was sparked by Josh Davies (with two home runs and five RBIs) and Aaron Sayers (with a three-run scoring triple).
With Upwey starting Lucas Unland and Essendon going with Casey Jones, both clubs traded runs for the first few, with the scores deadlocked at 2-2 going into the bottom of four.
In one of a handful of pivotal moments in the game, Aaron Sayers tripled for the Bombers – with bags loaded – as his side surged to a 6-2 lead.
Josh Davies welcomed Adrian Rice to the hill with a solo homer over left-centre in the fifth, followed by another blast – this time a three run shot – in the seventh.
While Essendon conceded three unearned runs and changed players around in defence, they were always in reasonable control behind their pitching rotation of Jones (three innings for two hits and one run), Kyle Bedford (three innings for four hits and a run), Ross Hipke (two innings for two hits and three runs) and Russell Spear (one innings for two hits and two runs).
Justin Swanton collected three hits for Upwey and Peter Schroeders two, with Brad Harman, Mitch Ayres, Leon Rice, Oxworth and Farrelly all chiming in to keep the Tigers in the contest.
Unland went four for the Tigers (six runs on seven hits), Adrian Rice tossed three in the middle for three hits and four runs, while Luke Farrelly finished out the last dig for one run against a dangerous Essendon offence.
Josh Davies collected three hits (including the two home runs) to continue his stellar recent form, Brett Tamburrino had three knocks, Scott McIntyre two, Russell Spear two, while the Sayers triple was a decisive blow for the home side.
Essendon meets Waverley in a Thursday blockbuster (Altona, early) before its away meeting with Blackburn on Sunday. Upwey is away to Malvern on Wednesday (6.00 PM start) and away to Geelong on Saturday.
Kingsley Collins - BV
