Doncaster vs Geelong – 30/11
An unfortunate sequence of events in the ninth inning cost the Doncaster Dragons dearly as they fell 4-3 against Geelong at Deep Creek on Saturday.
After Dan McGrath and Matt Josselyn combined to pitch eight shutout innings, the Dragons entered the ninth leading 2-0. But a walk, a pair of infield dribblers, plus a hit on a controversial fair-or-foul call, allowed the Baycats to take the lead.
McGrath pitched the first three innings, allowing just three hits and no walks while striking out three. Josselyn was brilliant through five innings before running into trouble in his sixth. His final line was six innings, six hits, three walks and zero earned runs.
“Dan and Matt were great,” coach Brendan McDonald said. “They made pitches when they needed to and put us in a position to win.”
Josselyn also was the best-performed hitter on the day, with two of Doncaster’s five hits.
In gloomy conditions with rain seemingly threatening to fall at any time, the game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Aimon Dowling was hit by a pitch and raced around the bases to score on Josselyn’s double.
In the seventh inning, consecutive singles by Dowling, Josselyn and Rolando Curiel added another run.
After the eventful top of the ninth, Doncaster trailed by two. Curiel’s groundout scored Luke Utting, but the tying run was left on third base as the game ended.
“We weren’t perfect but we played hard all day and the guys deserved to win,” McDonald said.
Doncaster’s next game is at Werribee on Tuesday, starting at 6.15pm.
Doncaster v Berwick – Mid Week 26/11
One big swing of the bat was enough to propel Berwick to a 6-2 victory over Doncaster on Tuesday night.
A grand slam by Berwick shortstop Jarrod Belbin, a former minor-league player in the Seattle Mariners system, highlighted a five-run second inning for the home team.
Doncaster starting pitcher Matt Josselyn gave up that home run but was otherwise solid in three innings of work. Relievers Derek Medlin and Billy Findlay combined to allow only one run.
“Credit to Berwick, they came out swinging the bats pretty well and got the big hit at the right time,” coach Brendan McDonald said.
“Matty battled for us and was a strike away from getting out of that inning relatively unscathed but he (Belbin) got a pitch to hit and didn’t miss.”
Berwick import Taylor Perrett allowed only three hits, which came consecutively in the fifth inning.
McDonald, shortstop Rolando Curiel and second baseman Nic Unland all singled, which led to both Doncaster runs.
Doncaster Baseball Club 