Puma’s lose by a whisker

By Gavin Staindl
A LAST-INNINGS rally fell one run-short as the depleted Springvale Pumas dropped their second Division One game in as many rounds.
The Pumas clawed back five runs in the final innings to pull within one run of Malvern but a final strikeout gave the visitors a 10-9 win and left last season’s premiers with a 0-2 start.
The Pumas have been hindered by the absence of top pitcher Risa Nakashima, the unavailability of Jade Hough who was bitten by a spider and the wait for Werribee recruit Taylor McKay who is yet to make her debut.
Relying on player/coach Simone Wearne and Australian representative Shae Lillywhite, the Pumas managed to close the gap after consecutive two-run doubles to the pair brought the margin back to one run.
Wearne was left stranded at second base as the game came to a close, although encouragingly, she pitched out her second full game since returning from knee surgery but was let down by a defence made up of fill-in players from the reserve team.
The other female Springvale Division One team, the Lions, also had a poor day defensively, conceding 13 runs in its 13-9 loss to Doncaster at K. H. Wearne Reserve.
Coach Mick Wearne said he was more concerned with getting the team structure right than worrying about the results.
“Ella Hollien and Cat Rowe both pitched and it is about getting them firing and working out our pitchers,” Wearne said. “In the context of the season the results are not that important. “We are fairly stretched at the moment for depth … we’re just going to work out what plays we want and make adjustments.
In contrast, the Division Two men are off to a 2-0 start after downing Waverley 6-2 at Wearne Reserve.
The Lions led from the front with two runs coming in the first innings and another pair in the fourth consolidating the Lions lead.
Glen Richards continued to test his arm, this time pitching six innings before Brad Hertzler came in as saver.
Last year the Springvale seniors got off to a slow start to the season, and according to Wearne it was the reason behind the Lions missing out on finals.
But a switched-on Lions team has raced to a 2-0 start and are tipped to extend that to 3-0 when they play Moorabbin next week.