Round 6 - ETPBC - Div 5

Well yesterday was always going to be frustrating for me, the previous week whilst being subbed back in the game for Scoop who just did his hamstring - I also did mine whilst stealing 2nd...

So, hamstring feels ok however not wanting to risk it I let Robbo know just to keep me as an emergency should anyone else get injured.

Number 1 rule of me and sport, god I hate watching. Even though I was happy to sit and do the team thing - part of me wanted to jump out and get back in my old position..

But I must be ageing because I was content not to be stupid and risk injuring further, earlier years I would have done just that...

Anyway, our Div 5 troops headed out for a rare away game out at Golden Grove, spirits earlier in the week were high as our form has been good however both Matt and Robbo could see the team that came today was not themselves mentally.

Raply started on the mound and to be honest I thought he pitched a bloody good game, the strike zone was extremely tough and not what we're used too. Errors played alot also with the mind of the team as Robbo pointed out after the game - Golden Grove took 6 runs by our fielding errors....

Our boys started with the bats quite confidently however were unable to capitalise and get some early runs on the board, something we have struggled with this year - get out and put a teams morale down early... We ended up leaving runners in scoring positions which would soon cost us.

Golden Grove came out and hit, although there weren't many impressive hits, mostly bloopers and bleeders, they still recorded hits and were able to get out to a massive lead in the first inning 7-0...

Ralphy, already getting frustrated by the small strike zone continued through for another inning. Like I said, he didn't pitch bad at all but was very frustrated he wasn't being rewarded with the strikes he was working hard for.

2nd Inning was similar to the first, Red Sox failed to get the hits that we needed and again leaving runners in scoring position, Golden Grove on the other hand came out and nailed another 3 or 4 on the scoreboard making it a 10-1 ball game..

Matty came in to take over from Ralphy and pitched well considering he hasn't pitched for some time and he's still not 100% after the calf injury. He too found the strike zone tough but worked hard to keep Glden Grove at check.

That was the majority of the runs we really saw of Golden Grove in the end as they comfortably ran out winners 13-3.

Unfortunately for positives, the boys will all agree there wasn't many yesterday, errors and not getting runs in cost us badly.

I felt for the boys and it was super hard being there and not helping out, best I could do was support from the bench and try and use as much voice as possible.

So, training Wednesday and we need to focus on a bit of fielding but also using the bat, might need to maybe thing of using runners to simulate runners in scoring position...

Next week is a big challenge, Glenelg at home, a very tough game.