Eagles soar in the wet
Berkeley Eagles will play Wests Cardinals for the 2008 Illawarra Baseball League first grade premiership following their hard fought 3-0 win over Dapto Chiefs in the preliminary final played on Sunday at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley.
The finals went ahead on the No. 2 Field at the Berkeley venue after the wet conditions on Saturday forced the fixtures to be called off despite two venue changes.
Eagles win over Chiefs produced another one of the classic contests these teams have produced for over 25 years.
Tight defence backing top class pitching saw neither team able to break through for over five innings. The deadlock was eventually broken in the bottom of the sixth where three runs were scored by Eagles and these runs would be the only runs scored in the balance of the game.
Unfortunately for Chiefs there were three walks issued in this inning and all were converted, the first on Kaine Abbott’s one out single up the middle and the other two on Chris Piano’s hit into leftfield.
Both teams registered four hits, no hitter gaining multiple hits.
Eagles starting pitcher Chris Morgan came away as the game winning pitcher hurling 8 innings and conceding no earned runs on four hits. Jarrett Commane closed the game with one hitless inning. For Chiefs, Aaron Wirth was impressive with one hit conceded in four innings and reliever Jonathan Hall allowed three earned runs on four hits while striking out a creditable eight. Hall struckout the side in the first innings he pitched.
Eagles entry into the season decider will be the ninth consecutive appearance for the twelve times winners. It will be their fifth straight against Cardinals who have taken out the flag 25 times in their 60 years.
In some very close results in lower grade finals Cardinals came home strongly scoring three runs in their final batting inning to defeat minor premier Bulli Pirates 5-4 in the second grade game and Berkeley Eagles got up 4-3 over Shellharbour Warriors to qualify for the third grade decider.
Results from the preliminary finals
Major League - Sunday, September 7.
First Grade
BERKELEY EAGLES 3 Runs (4 hits, 1 error)
def.
DAPTO CHIEFS 0 Runs (4 hits, 1 error)
Second Grade
WESTS CARDINALS 5 Runs (8 hits, 1 error) d. BULLI PIRATES 4 Runs (10 hits, 0 errors)
Third Grade
BERKELEY EAGLES 4 Runs (8 hits, 4 errors) d. SHELLHBR WARRIORS 3Runs (8 hits, 1error) Minor League - Sunday, September 7.
Fourth Grade
WESTS CARDINALS 13 Runs (10 hits, 3 errors) d. DAPTO PANTHERS (5) 9 Runs (11 hits, 6 errors)
Fifth Grade
KIAMA BRAVES 11 Runs (16 hits, 1 error) d. S’HBR WARRIORS 6 Runs (14 hits, 5 errors)
Grand final schedule
Major League Grand Finals Saturday September 13, 2008 at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley.
FIRST GRADE (1.45pm - nine innings) - Game One of best of three games series
WESTS CARDINALS v. BERKELEY EAGLES
SECOND GRADE (1.30am - 1.30pm) - BERKELEY EAGLES v. WESTS CARDINALS
THIRD GRADE (9.15am - 11.15am) - BULLI PIRATES v. BERKELEY EAGLES
Sunday, September 14, 2008 at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley
Major League Grand Final
FIRST GRADE (1.45pm - nine innings) - Game Two of best of three games series
WESTS CARDINALS v. BERKELEY EAGLES Minor League Grand Finals
FOURTH GRADE (11.30am – 1.30pm)
BULLI PIRATES v. WESTS CARDINALS
FIFTH GRADE (9.15am - 11.15am)
DAPTO PANTHERS (4) v. KIAMA BRAVES South Coast Sport, Health and Leisure Expo 2008
Date: Friday 3 - Saturday 4 October 2008
Venue: Kiama Leisure Centre - Havilah Place, Kiama
For more information contact Megan Hutchison: 02 4232 0472 or email meganh@kiama.nsw.gov.au
The inaugural South Coast Sport, Health and Leisure Expo will be held at the Kiama Leisure Centre on the evening of Friday 3 October and during the day on Saturday 4 October 2008. The Expo will be the exciting “kick off” event for a week-long celebration called the South Coast Spring into Sport Festival. The Expo will showcase the wide variety of sport, health and leisure products and services available on the South Coast.
Participate or volunteer in the world’s largest multi-sport event
The Sydney 2009 World Masters Games (10-18 October 2009) is just over a year away and the Organising Committee has begun recruiting volunteers.
Find out more about the games and how you can get involved: http://www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/features/swm_volunteers.asp
Prepare for the junior cricket season in the October holidays
School Holiday Clinics for junior cricketers will be running on Bradman Oval, Bowral from 10am to 3pm, Wednesday October 1, Thursday October 2 and Friday October 3. The clinics are for girls and boys aged 8 – 16.
Participants can take part for one day or three to prepare for a big season. Any team or school that registers eleven players, one player is FREE.
Everyone who has registered by the closing date (September 24) will go into a draw for a Cricket Kit, valued at $280.(Batting pads, gloves, thigh pad, protector, willow Bat and Sommers kit bag).
For further information: Phone Rick McCarthy on 0248 617788 or mob: 0408670812
Spring holiday camps for kids in October
NSW Sport and Recreation's action-packed kids' holiday camps are run by experienced and well-qualified instructors. Young people learn social living skills, experience challenging activities, develop self-esteem and make new friends. They also have great fun and won’t have a moment to spare!
http://www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/kidscamps/
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