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Royals win: Bombers force third game
 After just one year back in Division Two, Sandringham has qualified for promotion by sweeping Bonbeach in two games of its Grand Final Series, while Essendon smashed Blackburn by ten to force the Division One championship into a third game on Sunday, starting at 2.00 PM at Melbourne Ballpark....
DIVISION ONE GRAND FINAL: GAME TWO
ESSENDON 14 defeated BLACKBURN 4 (Grand Final series goes to Game Three)
After dropping Game One of the series, Essendon appeared under the pump when the Orioles hit back from a one-run deficit to take the lead in the third.
From that point it was all downhill for the birds, as the Bomber offence put it to starter Grant Irving with three in the fourth and a massive fifth innings that produced a six-spot and set up a mercy rule result.
While Irving looked like getting through the fourth with no damage done, the Bombers conjured up a late rally that exploited a couple of Blackburn defensive errors as Scott McIntyre and Russell Spear both hit safely in run-scoring situations.
Stroking the ball with authority, the Bombers scored two on McIntyre’s single in the fifth before loading the bases with switch-hitter Jarryd Rogers at the plate, spelling the end for Irving.
Driving the ball hard and deep into centrefield off the first pitch he saw from reliever Jesse Gavin, Rogers tripled – for another three – and himself scored on a sacrifice fly by Spear that blew out the lead to an unassailable 10-2.
Although the Orioles hit back with two in the top of seven, Essendon was in understandably merciless mood, plating another couple before playing some effective short ball that enabled catcher Tristan McDonald to wrap the game up in seven with his two-run scoring double into rightfield.
Going the complete game for the Bombers, Dean McIntyre gave up eight hits and issued a few passes, but his side was never going to let this one slip as brother Scott (three hits, three RBIs), leftfielder Spear (three and three) and first sacker Rogers (one and four) did serious damage with the stick.
For the Orioles, lead-off David Tierney collected three knocks for an offence that had minimal production through the lower order.
Game Three is scheduled to start at 2.00 on Sunday 25 March, with Greg Wiltshire slated to start for the Bombers and John Hussey expected to go to the hill for Blackburn – despite rumours of soreness.
BLACKBURN 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 (4)
ESSENDON 1 0 0 3 6 0 4 (14)
Hits.
Blackburn: D.Tierney 3, R.Berg, A.Tierney, R.Booth, C.Bumpstead, G.Irving
Essendon: S.McIntyre 3, R.Spear 3, T.McDonald 2, J.Rogers, T.Dicker, T.Sullivan
RBIs.
Blackburn: A.Tierney, R.Booth, C.Bumpstead
Essendon: J.Rogers 4, S.McIntyre 3, S.Spear 3, R.McDonald 2, T.Dicker
Pitching,
Blackburn: G.Irving 4.1 inn, 8 H, 3 Ks, 6 BB, 6 ER
J.Gavin 1.2 inn, 1 H, 0 K, 3 BB, 3 ER
R.Phillips 0.1 inn, 2 H, 0 K, 1 BB, 2 ER
Essendon: D.McIntyre 7 inn, 8 H, 7 Ks, 4 BB, 4 ER
 DIVISION TWO GRAND FINAL: GAME TWO
SANDRINGHAM 10 defeated BONBEACH 6 (Sandringham wins Grand Final series)
The Jays jumped all over Sandringham starter Matthew Holmes in a blistering second innings that yielded five runs, only to see the lead whittled away immediately before the Royals pressed to a mid-game lead that proved too much for the Bonbeach outfit.
Scoring in five consecutive innings, the Sandy offence was on fire, collecting seventeen hits and applying enormous pressure with an aggressive running game in support of middle reliever Ryan Campbell and then Jason Ganek, who had a superb outing in pitching four scoreless digs while collecting three hits for his club.
Former Rustler Anton Cevec had a terrific game with three hits and an RBI, rightfielder Jock Allen did real damage with three hits and a couple of ribbies, while David Armstrong and Rob Anthony were among others who joined in the hit parade for the Royals.
With his side held to eight scattered hits, Luke Howell had no counter to the barrage, although Ricky Howell was able to apply the clamps and give his side some hope through the later innings.
As Sandringham Manager Daniel McGrath pointed out in his acceptance speech after the game, these clubs have met in a string of finals games over the past seven years – with mixed degrees of success. This time around, it was the Royals who were able to ride some wonderful late-season form to take the championship and qualify for a return to Division One.
“We’ll be going back up a little earlier than we anticipated,” McGrath said, “but the club has worked really hard on rebuilding and this result shows what can be done when you have people all working together in the best interests of the club.”
“They have a lot of experience in their club and Bonbeach always gives us tough competition,” he said.
“I’m very proud of the way our young players – and some older club people – were able to stand up today and give us a very pleasing result.”
Baseball Victoria commends both clubs on making the Grand Final series.
Congratulations to Sandringham on going though its post-season undefeated and securing an early return to Division One.
BONBEACH 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 (6)
SANDRINGHAM 0 4 1 1 2 2 0 0 X (10)
Hits.
Bonbeach: R.Webber, B.Laux, T.Pinkster, A.Webber, B.Kelly, M.Prior, R.Howell, L.Hornstra
Sandringham: A.Cevec 3, J.Ganek 3, J.Allen 3, D.Housden 2, R.Anthony 2, D.Armstrong 2, B.Dicker, R.Morris
RBI.
Bonbeach: T.Pinkster, R.Howell
Sandringham: J.Allen 2, R.Morris 2, D.Armstrong 2, A.Cevec, D.Housden, J.Ganek, R.Anthony
Pitching.
Bonbeach: L.Howell 5.2 inn, 16 H, 2 Ks, 0 BB, 1 HPB, 10 ER
R.Howell 2.1 inn, 1 H, 2 Ks, 0 BB, 0 ER
Sandringham: M.Holmes 2 inn, 4 H, 1 K, 3 HPB, 5 ER
R.Campbell 3 inn, 2 H, 1 K, 3 BB, 1 ER
J.Ganek 4 inn, 2 H, 1 K, 1 BB, 0 ER
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