Springvale Pumas’ pitcher Risa Nakashima was back to her best as she led her side to a 5-2 win over rivals Springvale Lions. 60682
By Gavin Staindl
THE SPRINGVALE Lions, who two weeks ago were staring at a blown chance to play Division Two finals, remarkably remain in touch of the top four after back-to-back wins last week.
Carrying an extensive casualty list into the double-header, the Lions smashed Ormond on Thursday night, 21-0, before edging out Footscray in the 11th innings on Saturday and keeping its finals hopes alive.
With one round remaining Springvale still needs to win next week and rely on Bonbeach losing to Sunshine, but the Lions’ lifeless season was revived after Berwick lost its third-straight game on Saturday, giving rise for another team to sneak into fourth position.
Coach Mick Wearne pitched the shut-out match on Thursday night as the injured Lions cruised to an easy 21-0 win at Melbourne Ball Park.
Because of the extensive list of injuries plaguing the Lions, Wearne was forced to pitch his first game in the seniors since 2009.
The veteran, who still pitches in the lower divisions, threw the shut-out as the Lions moved to sixth on the ladder.
The Lions then advanced to fifth after Tim Hanson and Rob Novotny both doubled in the 11th innings to give the Lions a walk-off victory over Footscray at Wearne Reserve on Saturday.
Up until then it was a pitching duel between Melbourne Aces recruit David Miller and the Lions’ Scott Baillie, who both threw the entire game.
For the first time since returning from Christmas, Baillie showed no signs of the arm injury that has prevented him from lengthier spells on the mound.
According to Wearne, Baillie threw approximately 140 pitches over the 11 innings, leading the Lions to back-to-back wins for the first time this year.
“The boys have been playing pretty good defence,” Wearne said.
“For the first time in a while (on Thursday night), we started scoring at will.
“It was one of those games where everything goes right,” he said.
And despite beating Footscray, Division Two’s worst team, by only one run, Wearne said he was just happy to get the win.
“They have a pretty good pitcher (in Miller) who has got much better since playing with the Aces.
“I didn’t expect any more or any less, so I’m not really worried about the score,” Wearne said.
In the Women’s Division One, the Springvale Puma’s secured a top two finish by beating the Lions in the first of two Springvale derbies.
The Lions needed to win both derbies to snatch second place but the 5-2 win to the Puma’s at Wearne Reserve ensured the Puma’s would retain second place.
It was a worrying sign for opposing Division One sides as Puma’s pitcher Risa Nakashima began to hit her straps.
Nakashima has been in dodgy form this year but on Saturday she was “hard to hit” according to Lions’ coach Wearne.
While next week’s match up will be used as a testing ground for the younger Lions, the Puma’s will be out to knock Doncaster from first position with a win on Saturday.
