Doncaster 4, Sandringham 0
A dramatic ninth-inning rally – highlighted by a three-run double by Jean Alvarado – gave the Doncaster Dragons their first win of the season in a high-standard game at Sandringham on Saturday.
After two one-run losses against powerhouse clubs, the Dragons came up against a young Sandringham team on their home turf.
The game was a classic pitchers’ duel, with the score locked at 0-0 after eight innings.
Doncaster starting pitcher Dan McGrath did not allow a run in five innings of work, giving up just two hits and six walks, with six strikeouts. But Sandringham starter Tane Graham and reliever Brandon Elton combined for eight shutout innings to maintain the deadlock.
The Dragons finally broke the scoring drought in the ninth. Hits to Dakota Gibson and Nic Unland, plus a walk to Brian Chen, loaded the bases for Alvarado, whose double to left field scored all three runners. As a bonus, Alvarado then scored on a wild pitch to give his team a 4-0 lead.
“We made their pitchers work all day and had a lot of good at-bats,” coach Brendan McDonald said.
“We had at least one baserunner in eight of the nine innings and finally strung a few hits together at the end.
“Papi (Alvarado) is a great guy to have up in that spot and he came through for us.”
Any chance of the Royals making a late comeback were quickly snuffed out by Doncaster reliever Matt Josselyn, who continued his stellar early-season form with a 1-2-3 final inning.
Josselyn finished with seven strikeouts from four innings pitched, allowing just one hit and no walks.
“Matt was excellent for us again. He was in complete control,” McDonald said.
“Dan gave us five solid innings and put us in a position to win.
“It’ll be great having him back with us later in the year but in the meantime we’re excited to see him and Lewy (fellow home-grown pitcher Lewis Thorpe) represent Australia at next month’s Premier12.”
The Dragons will look to get their first home win of the young season when they host Newport next Saturday at 4pm.
Photos
Visit https://fieldsportmedia.mypixieset.com/Baseball-Summer-2024/ for a selection of Dragons photos from October.
Doncaster Baseball Club 