PHOTOS: FNC Baseball teams came out swinging

A REFUSE to lose attitude and a gutsy performance were the highlights of a match-up between Marist Brothers and Workers.

A ‘NEVER say die’ approach was instrumental to Marist Brothers when they came out swinging against a seemingly impenetrable Workers at the Far North Coast Baseball’s Major-league game on Saturday.

According to FNCB spokeswoman Emily Clark, Brothers late rally in the bottom of the seventh sent the game into extra innings and with confidence they took the game in the bottom of the eighth for their fourth straight win in season 2020.

“Workers 1-0 lead early in the first inning saw their tally rise in the fourth, fifth and seventh giving them a 4-0 lead heading into their final three defensive outs, before Brothers capitalised on loaded bases at the bottom of the seventh inning,” she said.

“Singles to Nathan Bezrouchko, Chris Cooke, Kodey Wilford and a fielder’s choice for Matt Buckley off pitcher Seth McClelland, made it tough task for bullpen pitcher, Noah Worgan.”

A single to Jeremy Sexton and double to Jake Youngberry tied the game, requiring extra innings, where Workers began the eighth with a runner on first and second.

Clark said McClelland first in the box, was given the sign to bunt, made three unsuccessful attempts, before Oakley McMahon and Alex Battese failed scoring a runner.

“With Brothers pressure leading into the bottom of the eighth, Cooke stood tall in a full count to take a walk to first, before Wilford hit a single to centrefield for a walk-off win,” she said.

Brothers second-baseman, Youngberry was ecstatic.

“It was great to see the boys really dig deep and fight back against a tough Workers side in the last couple of innings,” he said.

“Workers took it to us for most of the game but the fire our guys showed in the closing stages of the game really showed us what we are capable of.”

Workers manager and second-base Dan Clark said his young team needed more experience dealing with high pressure.

“We are showing some promising signs, taking a four-run lead in a game that was mostly a ‘battle of the pitchers’ for the first six innings,” he said.

“I’m sure we’ll take a lot of experience from this game, reassess for next week and hopefully come out swinging against Redbirds on Saturday.”

Workers McClelland was brilliant on the mound, striking out six, while Jason Caught was the only batter to have multiple hits in the game with two singles, while Jake Muscat and Damian Santin were dominant for Brothers.

Although only striking out two each limited the number of hits Workers got on base, Sam Langley and Wilford both recorded two singles for their side with the bat, while Youngberry made the games only extra base hit.

Clark said in the FNC Junior League competition, during the Norths v Redbirds game on Saturday morning, Riley Cooper was affective on the hill for Norths, striking out six batters.

And Hamish Weekes was instrumental in his sides 15-2 win, hitting two triples and four runs batted in.

CENTRE CATCH: Redbirds player Sam Davis taking a catch at centrefield during a Far North Coast Baseball junior league game. Photo: Ashleigh Bromell

Although going down, Sam Davis’ glove was handy in the field for Redbirds, taking two outstanding catches at centrefield.

Results

Major-league

Brothers def Workers: 5-4

Redbirds def Norths: 7-1

Div 1

Workers def Brothers: 10-4

Redbirds def Ballina: 10-7

Div 2

Bears def Redbirds: 24-3

Pirates def Rangers: 20-9

Div 3

Norths def Casino: 8-3

Workers def Brothers: 16-6

Under 20s

Workers def Redbirds: 2-1

Senior League

Norths def Workers: 6-0

Junior League

Norths def Redbirds: 15-2

Workers def Brothers: 17-0