NEWPORT Rams fired the first shot of the summer in their Hobsons Bay rivalry with Williamstown Wolves in the Baseball Victoria division 2.
The youth-driven Rams edged out the more mature Wolves 7-6 in a derby cliffhanger at Greenwich Reserve on Saturday.
In a game where the lead changed six times, the Rams had to fight back from a one-run deficit at the top of the ninth to claim a victory that’s massive in the context of the season.
They took the lead on a two-run single from youngster Zac Seipolt and defended it stoutly, with Griffin Weir taking an outfield catch for the 27th and decisive out.
Rams assistant coach Gavin Young told the Weekly his side had its back against the wall and came through with flying colours.
“It was good to see our young group step up against a mature baseball team.
“It would’ve been easy for our boys to be intimidated with quality players in Matthew Lawman, Scot Malthouse and Liam Vicary-Lovegrove missing, but they weren’t.”
This game was built up as a potential grand-final preview and it did not disappoint.
It had it all: quality pitching, production in the batter’s box, top-shelf fielding and variable weather conditions that made it unpredictable for all involved.
Starting pitchers Weir (Rams) and veteran David Asp (Wolves) toiled hard without a clear winner.
The run production was there for both line-ups too, the Rams edging the hits 12-10 in what in hindsight was the telling statistic in a close game.
Wolves playing president Ryan Camov finished with three hits, but so did Jordan Young for the Rams.
It was tit-for-tat all game.
For the Rams, it came down to reliever Cameron McNish and how the under-18 state representative would handle the pressure of such a big occasion.
McNish entered with his side in deficit and left three innings later as the winning pitcher.
“For a 17-year-old to come up against one of the top sides and pick up his first win, it was a great effort,” Young said.
“He just stuck to his game plan, threw strikes and we backed him up defensively.”
Young described the win as emotional for all. He said the post-game reaction of Rams coach Grant Weir told a thousand words.
“He’s normally pretty subdued, but he was fist-pumping and jumping around after the game. That’s how big a win it was for us.”
Camov was putting the result into perspective for the Wolves. The teams played a cracking game and sit equal first with a 9-2 record.
It could be argued that the Rams had more riding on the result as they were a game behind their neighbours.
“It was a good game of baseball, backwards and forwards all game,” he said.
“We’re not reading too much into the result.”
The Wolves will be involved in Super Saturday action for a second week when they entertain Springvale, while the Rams’ next assignment is on Sunday week against Moorabbin.
CLICK HERE for our picture gallery of the big clash.
SCOREBOARD
Division 2
Firsts: Williamstown 6 Newport 7
Seconds: Williamstown 8 Newport 6
Thirds: Newport 10 Williamstown 2
Fourths: Newport 6 Fitzroy 11; Williamstown 8 St Kilda 25
Division 3
Firsts: Footscray 26 Cheltenham 4
Seconds: Footscray 31 Cheltenham 1
