Daniel Betreen and his Berwick City Cougars team-mates struggled at the plate against Springvale’s master pitcher Glen Richards. 23822– Marc McGowan
THE Berwick City Cougars’ up-and-down season continued on Sunday when local rival Springvale torched them 18-1 at Cyril Molyneux Reserve.
Mark Gibbens scored the Cougars’ sole run in the first inning of the Baseball Victoria Division Three clash, with the Lions outclassing the hosts from the start.
Berwick City’s hitters only twice managed to get past second base for the day.
Pitcher Jude Power’s and lead-off hitter Shaun Fahy’s absences did not help the Cougars’ cause against last year’s grand finalist.
Super slinger Glen Richards started on the mound for Springvale, and Berwick City’s young hitters struggled to make contact with his imposing arsenal.
Veteran slugger Rob Hogan, who also smacked a monster homer and went five-for-five at the plate, relieved Richards of his duties for the sixth inning to complete the massacre.
The Lions scored seven runs off 16-year-old Martin Kennedy’s four innings before fellow teenager Daniel Betreen replaced him and endured a similar horror afternoon.
Kennedy was actually supposed to start the fifth inning but the two hurlers misunderstood playing coach Wayne Porter’s instructions and Betreen took the ball instead.
Betreen eventually conceded 11 runs from three innings before the mercy rule – when one team achieves at least a 10-run lead after seven innings – brought an early end to the contest.
Porter was disappointed with the result but conceded his inexperienced side would have bad days.
“I said to them after the game that in five years’ time they’ll be in a different place to where they are now and they’ve got to be patient and keep trying to be better,” he said.
“They haven’t even started hitting their straps and a lot of them won’t start for 10 years and they’ve got to learn what they can now.
“The score line was not flattering, but I’ve been around long enough to know where we’re headed.”
The Cougars take on third-placed Preston, which has two wins from its three matches, at Cyril Molyneux Reserve on Sunday from 3.30pm.
