Williamstown Wolves turned the tables on western suburbs rivals Werribee Giants in an entertaining, high-scoring 13-12 win in Baseball Victoria’s summer league division 2 at Greenwich Reserve on Sunday.
The Wolves suffered shock losses in both encounters with the Giants last summer, so they knew of the threat posed by a well-managed and enthusiastic young visiting team.
This would be another nervous outing for the Wolves, who left it late to seal their fourth victory in five starts.
PICTURE GALLERY: Williamstown Wolves v Werribee Giants
Three of those wins have come by a solitary run.
The unlikely bat of two-hit pitcher David Asp, who doubled to send the winning run home in the ninth, proved the sealer.
“It was a really good arm wrestle all day,” Wolves playing president Ryan Camov said. “They took it to us all game and we just got lucky with one or two big innings.
“Werribee had the wood on us last season, so we were happy with the win in a good tussle.”
The Wolves still have plenty of chinks in their armour.
Their pitching was horrible, though it was not helped by the windswept conditions at The Strand.
They coughed up 13 free passes – eight walks and five hit-by-pitch – but seldom did the Giants capitalise.
“It was tough conditions throwing into a head wind,” Camov, who pitched in relief, said.
“Definitely hitter-friendly conditions with a howling wind out to straight away centre field.”
Import Russell Moldenhauer’s lead-off home run in the eighth gave the Wolves the momentum they needed to go on and claim the win.
The Wolves have a target on their backs as reigning premiers, with eager teams looking to knock them off their perch.
“It’s going to be a tight division 2,” Camov said.
“I don’t think there’s any easybeats.
“The teams that were middle to bottom end last year are going to be right up there.”
