The race to finals is on for Harcher State League with Wanneroo, Braves, Morley, and Victoria Park Belmont making up the top four heading into March.
Check out GameChanger recaps below and stay tuned to BWA Facebook and Instagram for more updates.
Victoria Park Belmont 5, Perth 2
Victoria Park Belmont were victorious against Perth 5-2 on Tuesday at Empire Ballpark. Reds opened the scoring in the bottom of the third thanks to two singles, including a 2-RBI base hit by Scott Combs.
Perth scored two runs in the top of the fifth on a home run to right field by Ronald (Ronnie) Sweeny.
Mathew Martin earned the win for Vic Park. The starting pitcher allowed six hits and two runs over six innings, striking out five and walking one. Josh Paull pitched one inning of zero-run ball in relief, allowing one hit with two strikeouts and two walks.
Ethan Oliphant took the loss for Perth after throwing four innings, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out two and walking four.
Sean Garratt and Curtis Bacon each collected two hits for Reds as Combs and Bacon batted in two runs apiece. Jack Smalpage led the team with two out of six walks.
Benjamin Nesbit set the tone at the top of the lineup, leading Perth with two hits in four at-bats. First baseman Sweeny had two runs batted in on a 1-for-3 day.
Perth didn’t make any errors in the field as Sweeny had the most chances with six.
South Perth Souths 3, Carine Cats 2
South Perth Souths took Thursday’s game in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 walk-off victory over Carine Cats at Empire Ballpark. South Perth was down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Brett Walters singled, scoring two runs.
Both teams were strong on the bump. South Perth pitchers struck out 11 batters while Carine sat down eight.
Carine opened the scoring in the fourth after Conor Lourey doubled, scoring one run.
South Perth captured a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh after Jaxon Limpus took a bases-loaded walk and Walters hit a 2-RBI single.
Joseph Ranford earned the win for South Perth. The reliever gave up one hit and zero runs over two innings, striking out four and walking one.
Cas Silber took the loss for Carine, going two-thirds of an inning with two runs on two hits, striking out one and walking two.
Jai Hewitt started on the hill for South Perth. He gave up three hits and two runs over five innings, striking out seven and walking four.
Carine starter Jordan Power allowed two hits and one run over six innings, striking out seven and walking three.
Kobe Foster went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead South Perth in hits while Walters had two runs batted in on a 1-for-3 day.
South Perth turned one double play in an error-free game as Oliver McMahon had the most fielding chances with 11.
Tarrant Reimers, Carlos Salas, Jack Angeloff, and Lourey each collected one hit for Carine. Lourey led Carine with one run batted in as the infielder went 1-for-2 on the day.
It’s Carine vs. Vic Park on Sunday 3 March as South Perth plays Rockingham and Perth.
Braves 2, Wanneroo Giants 1
Both teams were strong on the mound on Friday, but Braves defeated Wanneroo Giants 2-1. Todd Hatcher started the game for Braves and recorded 13 outs.
Wanneroo scored first on Ben King’s single in the fourth, although Josh Kennelly helped Braves tie it at one in the top of the sixth on a fielder’s choice.
Braves didn’t take the lead until later in the game. It was tied at one in the top of the seventh when a passed ball scored one run.
Hatcher started the game for Braves, giving up three hits and one run over four and one-third innings with six strikeouts and two walks.
Wanneroo starter Jay Bullingham allowed four hits and zero runs over four innings, striking out one and walking none.
Tucker Smith and Daniel Schmidt each came on in relief for Braves and shut down Wanneroo.
Geoff Kerr led Braves with three hits in three at-bats. Kennelly led Braves with one run batted in as the infielder went 1-for-3 on the day.
King, Courtney Jones, and Nicholas Riley each collected one hit for Wanneroo. King went 1-for-3 at the plate as the right-handed hitter led the team with one run batted in.
Wanneroo has a Wednesday matchup vs. Morley while Braves host Eagles on Sunday 3 March.
Perth 8, Gosnells Hawks 4
Perth topped Gosnells Hawks 8-4 on Friday at Empire Ballpark. Perth opened the scoring in the bottom of the first on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Edgar Mundarain.
A single by Jalen McGee extended the Perth lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
Perth added to their early lead in the bottom of the third after Kaine Newham singled and Benjamin Nesbit walked, each scoring one run.
Brian (Tanner) Jessen-Dalton earned the win for Perth. He gave up one hit in four scoreless innings with four strikeouts and three walks.
Hall took the loss for Gosnells, going two-thirds of an inning with two runs (one earned) on zero hits and three walks.
Jordano Vivona tossed one and one-third innings of zero-run ball for Perth in relief. The righty allowed zero hits, striking out one and walking one.
Newham, Austin Moyle, Ronald (Ronnie) Sweeny, Nesbit, and McGee each collected one hit for Perth. McGee went 1-for-3 at the plate as the infielder led the team with two runs batted in. Vivona took two of Perth’s seven walks.
David Burgess, Louis Scaramella, Robin Adamson, and Lee Wisby each collected one hit for Gosnells. Luke Houston provided pop in the middle of the lineup, leading Gosnells with two runs batted in.
Jamie White had three out of six walks total for Gosnells while the defense turned one double play in the game.
Perth plays against Gosnells this Thursday before a Sunday square-off with South Perth.
Wanneroo Giants 18, Rockingham Rams 2
Ben King collected three hits in five at-bats as Wanneroo Giants defeated Rockingham Rams 18-2 on Sunday at Hourglass Reserve. King hit three doubles across the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings.
Wanneroo got on board in the top of the second inning after Daniel Stephenson and Owen Pilcher drew bases-loaded walks before Nicholas Riley hit a 2-RBI single.
Wanneroo scored six runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning. King doubled, scoring a run, Jacob Santich singled, scoring another, and Dawson Summers brought home two runners on a sacrifice fly. Riley doubled to score a run and another runner came home on a wild pitch.
Frazer Brice started the game for Wanneroo. The right-handed pitcher gave up seven hits and two runs over seven innings, striking out three and walking one.
Rockingham starter Vinnie Tarantola gave up 10 hits and 10 runs over four innings, striking out four and walking nine.
Wanneroo tallied 19 hits in the game as Santich led the team with four hits in five at-bats. Courtney Jones and Byron Armstrong both had multiple hits while Stephenson took five of the team’s 14 walks.
Darryl Artis set the tone at the top of the lineup, leading Rockingham with three hits in four at-bats. Joshua Diggins and David Nichols each drove in a run as Lachlan Cahill went 2-for-3.
Both teams turned one double play in the game.
Next up for Wanneroo is a game against Morley Eagles on Wednesday while Rockingham plays at South Perth and Gosnells this Saturday and Sunday.
South Perth Souths 4, Victoria Park Belmont 0
South Perth Souths defeated Victoria Park Belmont 4-0 on Sunday at Forster Park as two pitchers combined to throw a shutout. Brett Walters and Kobe Foster each pitched for South Perth, with Walters striking out Ryan Boyer to close down the game.
Adam Barbarich collected three hits in four at-bats with a single in the third inning and doubles in the fifth and ninth.
South Perth got on board in the top of the ninth thanks to Barbarich’s double and an error, each scoring two runs.
Foster opened the game for South Perth, giving up two hits over eight scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and three walks. Walters threw one inning of scoreless ball in relief with no hits or walks and one strikeout.
Mizuki Akatsuka started on the hill for Vic Park. He allowed three hits and zero runs over four innings, striking out six and walking three.
South Perth accumulated nine hits in the game with two double plays for the defense.
Cody Van Der Graaf and William Truscott were a force together in the lineup with one hit apiece for Vic Park.
South Perth plays at home on Friday against Rockingham in their next game while Vic Park and UWA Magpies face off.
Morley Eagles 6, Swan Districts Swans 0
Morley Eagles defeated Swan Districts Swans 6-0 on Sunday at Crimea Park as three pitchers combined to throw a shutout.
Brendan Sing, Kieren Hall, and Troy Cruz each pitched for Morley. Sing induced a groundout from Boston Foot to get the last out.
Cruz struck out 14 batters on the day, giving up three hits and zero runs across seven innings with one walk.
Morley was first on the board with a sacrifice fly by Luke Hughes to score a run in the fourth.
Morley added five runs on five hits in the bottom of the seventh inning. Dillian Clarkson induced Jesse Williams to hit into a fielder’s choice but one run scored. Mitch Power and George Calverley followed up with 2-RBI singles.
Cameron Liss took the loss for Swan Districts. He threw six innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits, striking out six and walking six.
Sing and Hall each threw shutout innings for Morley in relief.
Eagles collected nine hits in the game as Matt Dixon went 2-for-2 and Calverley and Power had 2 RBIs apiece. Morley’s strong eye at the plate resulted in nine walks, with two each for Alex Hall, Kieran Chapman, and Dixon.
Morley was sure-handed in the field and didn’t commit a single error as Hall made the most plays with 16.
Brody Clarkson went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Swan Districts in hits.
Morley will travel to Wanneroo for their next game on Wednesday while Swan Districts visit UWA Magpies for a Sunday matchup.
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