By Gavin Staindl
THE Springvale Lions’ selection panel will be afforded the unusual luxury of having a large pool of players to select from ahead of Sunday’s match against Moorabbin.
Lions coach Mick Wearne is expecting the return of “seven or eight” first level players to join the side that went 1-1 from the week’s double header against Mulgrave.
Typically known for its make-shift approach to game day selections, the Lions will nearly be at full strength as it looks to stay in touch with the Division Two frontrunners.
But the selection of players is not going to be a straight forward process.
After receiving his first call-up into the seniors for the year, left outfielder Rowan Hall was best-on for the Lions who narrowly lost to Mulgrave 5-6 at Wearne Reserve on Sunday.
Hall registered two hits and drove in three runs and will be considered unlucky if he is told to make way for returning starters Scott Baillie, Rob Hogan and Tim Hanson, who are available for this week’s match.
But like any selector will tell you, Wearne says having too many players to choose from is a good problem to have.
One player who is likely to be retained is Lucas Price who made his first start for the Lions in nearly two months on Thursday night after arriving back from an overseas holiday.
After touching down around lunchtime on Thursday, Price was in a Lions uniform and walking out to home plate only hours later – not that jetlag or lack of practice appeared to have hindered his ability to hit a baseball.
After watching his side give up four runs in the first innings, Price took it upon himself to get the Lions back in the contest.
Two doubles and four RBI’s later, Price had set Springvale up for a memorable comeback and in the ninth innings the Lions piled on three runs to walk off 6-5 victors.
