As we venture into the last three rounds before Christmas the State League ladder appears to be taking predictable shape. Swans, Wanneroo, Morley  and Gosnells have started to separate themselves from the pack with South Perth, Perth and Melville looking like the only other teams that could potentially push for a finals berth. And these teams appear to be either a couple of good or bad series away from either pushing for contention or being relegated to also-rans. Vic Park, after a good start have shown they still don’t have what it takes to beat the top of the ladder teams regularly and West Stirling and Wembley have shown that despite the efforts of few they don’t have the depth to finish anywhere but in the bottom two. 

One of the highlights of the season so far has been that on any given day any team can still beat their much-fancied opponent. Perth have shown it in by beating South Perth, Melville have shown it in by beating both Swans and Morley and Vic Park have shown it by beating Wanneroo.

Another thing that is very apparent so far is the value of having a good import, particularly a pitcher. Josh Erchews from Morley and Kevin Roovers from Gosnells are the standout examples of this and it’s no surprise both of their teams are serious contenders. Both have put up consistently good performances each week and have taken a lot of pressure off their Aussie teammates. However your heart must go out to Wembley’s import pitcher Derek Feldkamp who has pitched extremely well since he arrived with little to show for it.

On to this week’s games…. Big thing to consider here, the Heat are away….

South Perth (8-8) Vs Swan Districts (12-3-1)

Unfortunately for the Cubbies things aren’t about to get any easier after just being on the receiving end of Melville’s broom. This series will provide two well fought, high quality games despite both being depleted due to their own fortune of having numerous Perth Heat squad members. And the series will come down to exactly that; who misses their Heat players less, or rather whose Heat players are more crucial to the success of their teams. When things are put into that perspective it would appear that South Perth will be the losers on that deal. The Black Ducks lose Dylan Peacock who has been their ace and shortstop Dean White. But they will be well placed to cover for both of them with Travis Kalin who can fill both of Whiteys roles as shortstop and closer and Shane Tonkin and Chris DiRoma being enough quality pitching to cover for Dylan. South Perth on the other hand lose both the Kelly brothers and Chris Goadby but more importantly they lose Andy Kyle. Although they still have enough pitching to be competitive they will miss Andy offensively and especially defensively.

Prediction: The Black Ducks will sweep but they will both be close games.

West Stirling (4-10) Vs Vic Park (6-9)

Although both of these teams have unenviable positions on the ladder, both will be keen to face each other which should result in two hard fought games. One could look at Vic Parks form coming in and say they are struggling having lost four in a row, or one could say that they have just run into two teams, Swans and Morley who are a step ahead of most other teams. Whatever way you look at it, you’d expect that the Reds will be keen to try and get back into winning form. West Stirling, having coming off of some losses themselves, albeit one which saw them get 12 hits off of Gosnells ace Roovers, will be pretty hungry too and just as keen to play Vic Park, which will make for a great contest. This will be one of those good old fashion football type games and the results will have less to do with talent and execution and more to do with passion and desire. The team who wants to win these games the most will.

Prediction: The Reds will sweep. It’s time for the Vic Park boys to step up and show that their season is far from over and they are making positive steps forward.  

Melville (8-8) Vs Wanneroo (9-4-1)

Melville is coming off a sweep of South Perth, right? So Melville must be playing pretty good baseball then, right? Must be in good form? Well suited and prepared to play Wanneroo? Should be. But they will lose to Wanneroo, twice. Why? Because that’s just the type of season Melville are going to have. That and, of course, let’s be fair and realistic how could any team replace their 2, 3, 4, 5 hitters and still expect to score enough runs to wins? Matty Caple needs to be given a bonus for coaching there, not in the form of cash but a year’s supply of headache tablets. That must be a frustrating gig.

Prediction: Wanneroo. The games will be short, sharp and to the point.  

Morley (10-5) Vs Wembley (1-14)

Well the obvious thing here is to say Morley is going to sweep easily. It’s the obvious thing to say, the smart thing and possibly the right thing. But…. Ok there is no real reason why Wembley will win except to say two things. 1. Their import has been throwing extremely well and is bound to shut a team out soon (he gave up 1 hit to Swans – according to the BWA site) and 2. THEY ARE DUE!!! They have been playing a lot better than their record shows. I know they aren’t really the most convincing reasons but hey, if I’m wrong, who really cares?

Prediction: Split, come on Magpies just score the guy some damn runs. Please!

Perth (7-9) Vs Gosnells (10-5)

Earlier in the year Perth swept Gosnells. You might remember? Remember people were saying how Gosnells were overrated and only won the minor premiership last year because of luck? Well…  Things have changed a little since then and Gosnells seem to be going along just nicely and Perth has had the sort of form that’s more accustomed to the Fremantle Dockers. So given all that has happened since they last played who will win this game? Honestly I think it comes down to two things again – I like to keep things in two’s, it’s symmetrical. Those two things? 1. Roovers factor. Until he loses a game I won’t bet against him. Kind of like the way you should always bet with the table when you are playing roulette and 2. Are Gosnells just one of those teams that’s Perth seems to have it over? I think you all know what I mean. There’s always one team that you just can’t beat or that just seems to rock up ready to play you. For Vic Park, it’s Morley. For Morley in the early 00’s it was South Perth (Might still be, who knows?) And is Perth that kind of team for Gosnells? Or am I just making it up here?

Prediction: Split. Dutchy and the other thing I made up = one each way. 

Any thoughts?

What a round of PL baseball!! Balcatta’s streak came to an end thanks to the Big Nasty being Nasty! Kalamunda are trying to play as much baseball as possible this year hoping to play 2x as many innings as any other team in the league! Rockingham were Schurmanated again and UWA handed Curtin a mercy rule all be it not as bad as the first time they met.

Eastern Hills V Carine
Eastern Hills and Big Nasty ended the Balcatta win streak and will be looking to pick up another win this week against a up and down Carine outfit. Carine finally showed that they are a decent team with big win over Rockingham lead by the Schurminator. If Carine and Eastern Hills want to get into the 4 they will have to string some wins together.

Important Notes: Both teams did themselves a favor by beating teams higher than them on the ladder. This week will be another test as both teams will have to rely on their pitching depth to get the job done. Has Carine’s offense finally woken up? Are things starting to click for Eastern Hills?

Predicition: Both teams will be on a high after their wins however I can’t see Eastern Hills 2nd and 3rd pitchers beating Carine.

Kalamunda V Curtin
Kalamunda aren’t affraid to get the most out of this season having played in a 16 and 18 inning games. Curtin although sitting 4th are only 1 game clear of Eastern Hills/Carine and with their import pitcher Adams leaving soon this will be a tough test for Curtin.

Important Notes: Although they played 18innings Kalamunda were unable to put away Kelmscott earlier having faced the same pitcher for the whole 18innings. Who will pitch for Curtin given their import threw against UWA.

Prediction: This will most likely be a close game but I will have to go with Kalamunda in this one. They have shown alot of heart throughout the season and will have the drive to win this one.

Kelmscott V Balcatta
This could have been the battle of the 2 streaks. Balcatta suffered their first loss of the season to Eastern Hills in a dominate all round display from the Big nasty. Kelmscott came pretty much as close as you can get to winning their first game of the season with a marathon against Kalamunda.

Important Notes: Will Balcatta rest their 2 main pitchers and throw their 3rd or 4th pitcher against a winless Kelmscott? It just gets tougher for Kelmscott!

Prediction: Expect Balcatta to come out firing and get yet another win on the board in convincing style!

Rockingham V UWA (game of the round)
Game of the round as UWA face off against their nemesis Rockingham. UWA have strung some wins together while Rockingham have strung losses. Rockingham though has always had the wood over UWA for the past few seasons.

Important Notes: Will UWA learn from their last game against Rockingham this season? How will Rockingham go against a quality pitcher as UWA’s import will be throwing. History shows Rockingham are unable to hit quality pitching. Were Rockingham saving Jeff to throw against UWA?

Prediction: Another tough one for the round. Rockingham always seem to get up to verse UWA and on Sunday will be no different. But with their import on the mound and UWA being a smart ball club they will keep Rockingham bats quiet and have a better approach against Jeff.

Perth (7-7) Vs Wanneroo (7-4-1)

When looking at these two teams on paper, you could argue that Perth have the goods to beat Wanneroo convincingly - twice. They have a line-up with the potential to score a lot of runs and the pitching that should give up less than they score. All of that and they have one of the most successful coaches in the history of WA baseball. And they come into this series having had great wins against South Perth and Melville, two teams who were cruising along nicely. Wanneroo on the other hand always seem to find a way to get it done. So it’s a tough choice. But having seen both teams this year, I think most people will agree with me that the prospect of facing Wanneroo is a helluva lot nicer than the thought of trying to get Moyle, Tope, Pragnell etc out.

Prediction: Perth. This is where their season starts to take shape. They’re legitimate finals contenders.

Gosnells (8-5) Vs West Stirling (4-8)

The simple equation here is this: Kevin Roovers is pitching, Gosnells will win. Simple. He’s beaten everyone else so far I can’t see West Stirling dethroning him. And Gosnells should come out with a lot to play for after being embarrassed by Morley so they will score the one run they need and The Dutchy will get the complete game W. However in game two, I think there are a few questions sneaking into the Hawks team. If West Stirling is to have any chance to win one of these games they should put Clint Knight in to go head to head with Grice or Werner. Then they have a chance to win one, which I think they will do, if they make that rotational move.

Prediction: Split. Unless Indian Man pitches against Roovers, then it will be a Gosnells sweep.  

Vic Park Belmont (6-7) Vs Morley (8-5)

After helping the Black Ducks find their form last week it doesn’t get any easier for the boys from Forster Park. Morley is coming off a convincing win against the Hawks and seems to have found the winning formula to go with all that talent. Vic Park will do all they can to try and scrap to score runs and will have to play a lot better defence than they did against Swans. But will it be enough? Maybe for one win but I doubt two. There is a rumour that Brad Reeves may have some injury and if that is the case the Reds chances of taking one of these games might have raised a good 40%.

Prediction: Split.

And while we are talking about Morley, congrats to Luke Hughes for making the 40 man for the Twins. That’s awesome to hear and well deserved. It’s great for the Morley Baseball Club, great for WA Baseball and great for Australian baseball in general. So well done champ, Respect.

South Perth (8-6) Vs Melville (6-8)

Have the wheels fallen off down Fremantle way? After looking like they were getting ready to smash everyone the Braves went on to lose two in a row to West Stirling and Perth. Which I think is a good indication of the sort of season Melville  will have. On their day they can and will beat anyone, but there will be times when they either don’t have it or just lack interest. They rely too heavily on their Heat guys and will smash teams when those guys have a great day and will lose when they are just average (which is still better than most). So what about this week’s contest then? I think they will split or possibly sweep South Perth. Why? Because, as the USA Allstar  team saw, Mitch, TK, MK & G-Balls crush good pitching. And South Perth have plenty of it.

Prediction: Melville, time to get back on track boys.

Swan Districts (10-3-1) Vs Wembley (1-12)

Sorry Wembley fans but your outlook is rather bleak this week. However, let me give you some insight into beating Swans. It’s really not too hard in theory, but almost impossible to execute. But this is what you have to do. First, you have to try and get Dean White out. Once you do that, you then get Travis Kalin out. And then… you get Ben Needle out. If you fail there its ok you just have to get Clint Balgera out. And if for some reason you can’t do that it’s ok because its only Toby Barnett who bats after Baggy. Then it’s easy from here on. This is where you move on to the likes of League hitting leader Mick Johnson, League doubles leader Kirk Peacock, the very reliable Anthony Danielle and then the easiest out in their team also known as the guy in the league whose most likely to go on a tear for the rest of the season hitting about .600 the rest of the way Daniel Johnson. Maybe not in that order but you get the point. Good luck Magpies.

Prediction: The Black Ducks, it will be as close as you’d think either.

Any thoughts?

The PL league keeps suprising with Kalamunda getting up over Carine. Balcatta took it to Rockingham, knocking around each pitcher Rockingham threw at them (hepburn and Wishart x2). UWA came away with a comfortable win out east and Curtin sitting pretty in 4th had a easy win over the winless Kelmscott.

Balcatta V Eastern Hills
Balcatta are still the team to beat after making easy work of Rockingham. Their bats have been on fire since day one and will most likely come up against the “Big Nasty” again. Eastern Hills took it to UWA for the first couple innings but were unable to create continuous scoreboard pressure.

Important Notes: Big Nasty has been simply nasty as of late in the PL and in the USA game. Will Big Nasty be the man to tame the Balcatta offense? Last time they faced off Balcatta weren’t slowed down by Big Nasty. Will Balcatta roll out their import pitcher against Eastern Hills after Mcleod has thrown 100+ pitchers the last 2 weeks.

Predicition: Even with Big Nasty on the hill Eastern Hills wont be able to produce enough offense to back their coach up. Balcatta to continue their winning streak!

Kalamunda V Kelmscott
Kalamunda are proving that they own Carine after beating them again. Both times I have said Carine will win and Kalamunda proved me wrong. Kelmscott are doing the opposite of Balcatta to maintain a balance within the league.

Important Notes: Kalamunda beat Carine again showing that first time wasn’t lucky. The question in this game is will Kalamunda have the pitching to hold down Kelmscott? Histroy shows last time these teams met Kalamunda shutout Kelmscott.

Prediction: This could be Kelmscotts first win of the season, however after last weeks form I can’t go against Kalamunda. There is something about Kalamunda!

Rockingham V Carine (Game of Round)
Rockingham were brought back down to Earth after being beaten easily by Balcatta again. Did they learn from their first game? Carine have been struggling to win when Schurman doesnt pitch, probably confirming the absence of Hookway has really hurt Carine.

Important Notes: Rockingham’s pitchers will be well rested after the game against Balcatta as all pitchers only threw a couple of innings. I would expect Jeff or Brett to line up against Carine. Will Schurman throw?

Predicition: Carine are going through an extended rough patch it seems and are coming up against a Rockingham outfit that will be keen to bounce back. Even with Schurman on the mound im going to predict a Rockingham win in a close game. This is a danger game for Rockingham though if they want to maintain 2nd spot going into their match up with UWA the following Sunday.

UWA V Curtin
UWA are back on track after a must needed win over Eastern Hills. Curtin despite my original prediction for the season keep on winning games and are sitting pretty in 4th.

Important Notes: Last time these teams met Curtin probably wished they didn’t show up as it was 34 to 6. It wont be hard for Curtin to improve on last time scores. Will Curtin throw their import against UWA? Who will UWA throw after their import threw against Eastern Hills? Can UWA offense keep the momentum from Eastern Hills?

Prediction: Although it is a match up between 3rd and 4th there is alot more separating these teams than the ladder suggest. UWA to win comfortably.

Melville (6-7) Vs Perth (5-7)

After a disappointing loss to West Stirling last week you’d think that Melville should bounce back against a feisty Perth. However I am going to go against the tide here and say that I think Perth will win. Melville have a lot of guys tied up with USA or Perth Heat commitments and judging by their loss to West Stirling last week I think there is a good chance for Perth to catch them napping. Perth found a way to beat South Perth last week in what was best described as an ugly game and they will do much of the same this week and find a way to get it done.

Prediction: Perth in a high scoring but close game.

Morley (7-5) Vs Gosnells (8-4)

On paper, by looking at the ladder, you’d expect that this would be the game of the round. Morley are coming off an impressive win last week against Wanneroo and Gosnells, well they have been beating anyone they’ve played lately. Considering this, it should lead to a close and hard fought game. Games aren’t played on paper though, they’re payed on grass. Gosnells’ bubble is due to burst and with Kevin Roovers spot in the rotation used last week and Ben Grice probably being used with the Heat, Morley should be able to account for anything else Gosnells has to offer.

Prediction: The Eagles will win comfortably.

Vic Park Belmont (6-6) Vs Swan Districts (9-3-1)

To beat the Black Ducks the Reds will simply need to score more runs than them. It sounds so easy. But whether they can do that is another question. Swans are still sitting on top of the ladder even though their recent form hasn’t been as good as their hot start. And the Reds are back to .500 ball after accounting for Wembley in a close game. I think this game will come down to one thing; offence. Will the Reds be able to bring the bats out against Shane Tonkin? And will the heart of Swans order; Needle, Balgera etc (etc, etc, etc, etc) get back to their hitting best?

Prediction: I am tipping the Black Ducks. The Reds will put up a good effort but won’t have enough to beat the league leaders.

Wanneroo (7-4-1) Vs West Stirling (4-8)

Wanneroo should win and should win easily. They are higher on the ladder, have more quality players and a more experienced coaching staff. But I am going out on a limb here and predicting West Stirling to win. I don’t really have any method or formula as to how or why, but I think they are finally beginning to realise they can win some games and that belief will be enough. Last week they did the little things right, good pitching, solid defence and timely hitting and I think they can do it again and have the upset game of the round.  

Prediction: Indians, like I said, for no apparent reason.

Wembley (1-11) Vs South Perth (7-5)

Wembley, lead by their coach Mike Sherwood and AA pitcher Derek Feldkamp played a very solid game against Vic Park last week and were unlucky not to get the win. If they continue to play solid baseball and have good pitching they will win a few games. However, I don’t think it will be this one against the Cubbies. South Perth will be very anxious to get back into winning form after last weeks disappointing loss and should be able to score enough runs against Warwick Corbett to do it. With the majority of their rotation being in the Perth Heat squad, they may have to throw their All Australian Under 19 representative Warwick Saupold. I bet a lot of teams would love to have that problem.

Prediction: The Cubbies, it will be closer than you’d think though.

Any thoughts?

Another exciting round has past with Balcatta proving they are the team to beat sweeping UWA. Rockingham took 2 from Kalamunda but not with ease! Big Nasty was nasty as always and handed Kelmscott another loss. Carine continue to struggle to put wins on the board without Schurman leading the way on the mound. So lets look to round 8 match ups

Balcatta V Rockingham (Game of the Round)
Balcatta will be celebrating their 30th year anniversary against long time rival Rockingham. UWA may have found a weakness in Balcatta’s armour during Sundays game but as always a good team will find a way to win and thats what Balcatta did. Rockingham won easy in the first game against Kalamunda and then went into Sundays game thinking it would be an easy game and only just won in the end. This will be a true test for Rockingham to see where they stand in the competition.

Important Notes: Rockingham were mercy ruled last time these teams met. Obviously Rockingham has been saving Jeff Wishart for the matchup as he didnt start in either of the games against Kalamunda. Balcatta will roll out their import in what should be a great pitching contest. Will Rockingham be able to give Jeff the offensive and defensive help he will need for this game against Balcatta?

Prediction: Balcatta will keep on rolling and win on their 30th Anniversary celebration. Rockingham won’t be able to match Balcatta’s offense. Balcatta by 6

Carine V Kalamunda
Carine coming off a shock loss in my mind will be keen to get a win back. Kalamunda have had a rough journey of late and would like nothing more to grab a win for all their close games over the last few weeks.

Important Notes: Kalamunda caused an upset when these teams first played this season. Schurman will be back on the hill. Can Kalamunda mount enough offense against Schurman? Who will throw for Kalamunda? Which Carine team will show up…the switched on or asleep team?

Predicition: Schurman knows to keep in touch with the 4 he will have to lead by example again. Im expecting Schurman to come out and throw one of his best games of the season and the rest of the team will follow. Carine by 8

Eastern Hills V UWA
Eastern Hills made easy work of Kelmscott and would like to keep the momentum going into their game against UWA. UWA after a poor showing against Rockingham and Thursday night against Balcatta came out a different team against Balcatta on Sunday and will be looking to keep that kind of hustle and intensity going this week.

Important Notes: Last time these guys played UWA won by mercy. Who will throw for Eastern Hills? Eastern Hills have struggled against quality pitching, will they be able to mount offense against UWA’s import pitcher. UWA offense and import pitcher will be keen to get back on track.

Prediction: UWA will get back into the winners circle after 3 straight losses. UWA by 9

Kelmscott V Curtin
Kelmscott were unable to shake Big Nasty and are still looking for that first win of the season. Curtin in my minds caused an upset with a win over Carine when boths teams main pitchers were unable to throw.

Important Notes: Curtin should roll out their import against Kelmscott. Kelmscott are a fastball hitting team and could take a liking to Curtins import that struggles with control at times. Even with their import going this is a danger game for Curtin as out at the “dog kennel” anything can happen. Can Kelmscott grab that first win?

Prediction: This will be a close game with Curtin just getting over Kelmscott. Maybe next week Kelmscott against Kalamunda for that first win! Curtin by 3

Morley (6-5) Vs Wanneroo (7-3-1)

After being swept by Melville last week a win on Sunday will be very important for the Eagles. And although Wanneroo don’t have the bats that Melville do they are coming off a series where they won and drew against the top placed Black Ducks. This game shapes up to be a very close one. I wouldn’t be surprised to see only a small handful of runs scored in this game as both teams will have very solid pitching.  

Prediction: Winning form is good form. The Giants in a close one.

South Perth (7-5) Vs Perth (6-6)

What do Melville, Wanneroo & Gosnells have in common? Answer: They all went on to win some big games after playing Vic Park. South Perth will be no different. Their bats came alive against the Reds last week which is a scary thought for every other team in the league. With their always-strong pitching, the last thing you want is to face South Perth, while they are swinging the bats well. Good luck to the guys from Perth. Oh and to add to the fun, Mark Kelly is home and will be fired up after his tryout in Japan didn’t go as planned.

Prediction: The Cubbies will win comfortably.

Swan Districts (9-2-1) Vs Gosnells (7-4)

In their last four games the Black Ducks have 1 win, 2 losses and 1 draw. Granted they were against quality teams Wanneroo and Melville, but you have to wonder if some complacency has crept into the camp? This weekend’s game will be good test for them. Gosnells on the other hand come into this game on a 3 game winning streak so will have a bit of confidence leading in. Ryan McCulloch seems to have ended his slow start to the season with a big game on the weekend and he will need another big game and a few friends if the Hawks are to beat Swans.

Prediction: I am tipping the Black Ducks. They have too much class and will be hungry to get back on the winners board.

Wembley (1-10) Vs Vic Park Belmont (5-6)

Before being smashed by the Cubbies last week, The Reds had been making a habit of losing by one run. They will be keen to put an end to their losing streak and bottom placed Wembley should be the timely opportunity to do it. However, they will get a rude shock if they think they can just rock up and win. Wembley should see this as an opportunity to get another win also, as Vic Park come into this game having gone from 2nd to 8^th on the ladder in a matter of four games.

Prediction: The Reds should win but unless they show up ready to play, don’t be surprised to see an upset.

West Stirling (2-9) Vs Melville Braves (6-6)

West Stirling will need an absolute masterpiece by Clint Knight, backed up by some great defence and a dozen lucky hops and balls hit into the sun if they are to beat Melville. That, or an uninterested Melville team. Or both. In other words, it would take something pretty spectacular to win. Not because they are a bad team, but because as each game passes Melville are proving that they are a very very dangerous team. They also have added an import to their arsenal who early reports suggest is lights out. So good luck Indians.

Prediction: The Braves, it will be over quickly.

Any thoughts?

Well what a week it was in the Provincial League! UWA lost their first game to a solid Rockingham outfit. Carine got back in the winners circle off a great pitching performance by Schurman. Curtin managed to stay in touch with the 4 with a win over Kalamunda and Balcatta still undefeated made easy work of Kelmscott.

Rockingham V Kalamunda (Thursday Night and Sunday)
Rockingham came to play against UWA and came away with an impressive win. Can they back it up against Kalamunda. Kalamunda have found wins hard to come by since their great start to the season.

Important Notes: Kalamunda’s pitching depth may be tested over the 2 game series. WIll Kalamunda be able to score against either Wishart? Will Ryan Scott throw again?

Predicition: Rockingham will keep rolling with 2 wins over Kalamunda

UWA V Balcatta (Thursday Night and Sunday - Games of the Round)
Well UWA were brought back to earth after their first loss of the season to Rockingham on the weekend. The Balcatta boys are still rolling and are undefeated on top of the ladder. This is an important series which could set up each team for a top 2 spot.

Important Notes: UWA’s pitching depth will be tested against Balcatta. Will there be an import pitcher match up on Thursday night or Sunday? Who’s offense is better?

Predicition: Will be an interesting series to say the least. UWA need to win to stay in touch with the top 2 as a series loss will see them drop to 3 games behind first place. Balcatta will be fighting to have a 3 game gap between 1st and 2nd. Series split!

Curtin V Carine
Carine finally had everything going at once and made easy work of Eastern Hills. Curtin even with a shortage on numbers have managed to pick up a few wins and stay in touch with the 4.

Important Notes: Who will pitch for both Curtin and Carine after their import pitchers pitched last weekend? Who has the stronger offense?

Prediction: Carine have more pitching depth so they will be able to back up last weeks performance against Eastern Hills.

Kelmscott V Eastern Hills
Eastern Hills coming off being shut down by Schurman will be keen to pick up their offense which has hurt them all year. Kelmscott may just run into their first win this week if Big Nasty doesnt pitch

Important Notes: Will Big Nasty throw? Will Eastern Hills have the offense to back up their pitcher if it isnt Big Nasty? Kelmscott will have to win one sooner or later dont they….?

Prediction: If Big Nasty throws Eastern Hills will win, however if Eastern Hills think they can beat Kelmscott without their star pitcher they could just hand Kelmscott their first win of the season.

What an interesting round of baseball last week was. 2 pitches throw 400+ pitches between them, Balcatta make easy work of a struggling Carine. UWA did what was expected against Kelmscott. Rockingham were too strong for Curtin.

Balcatta (5-0) V Kelmscott (0-7)
Have to feel bad for teams who have just played UWA because that means they have to face Balcatta. Balcatta still sit undefeated at the top of the ladder with UWA while Kelmscott are still looking for that first win.

Important Notes: Are Kelmscott really that bad? How much will Balcatta win by? How long will the game go for?

Predicition: Balcatta by atleast 20

Carine (2-4) v Eastern Hills (2-4)
After a 16 inning marrathon Eastern Hills will face a Carine outfit which has been labeled as disgraceful by some on the blogs community. Carine need to grab a win here to get back on the right track.

Important Notes: Can Eastern Hills create some offense against Schurman? Eastern Hills pitching rotation should be nicely rested minus of course big nasty! Will Carine make any moves between their PL and lower grades to mix things up? Have Carine had 2 off weeks or is that where they are at when matched against UWA and Balcatta?

Predicition: Schurman should take the ball for Carine and lead by example. Eastern Hills will struggle to score runs against Schurman. Carine will bounce back strong. They are a top 4 side and will show it this weekend! Eastern Hills will struggle to win without big nasty on the hill.

Kalamunda (2-3) V Curtin (3-3)
From top to bottom Kalamunda were looking the goods but have now lost 3 in a row. They will however be looking to bounce back against Curtin who at the moment are a top 4 team believe it or not. Curtin struggling with numbers recently will be looking to grab a win if possible to stay in the 4.

Important Notes: *Spoiler Alert* Im just going to throw it out there but I don’t think Ryan Scott will be throwing for Kalamunda this week. Curtin should role out their import pitcher Adams who has a bit of pop and could trouble the Kalamunda lineup. Who will throw 16 innings this week for Kalamunda?

Prediction: This is a hard call as this game could go either way. Curtin have the better offense and with Adams on the mound I will have to back them to win in a close one. Possible extras again??

UWA (6-0) V Rockingham (4-3) (Game of the Round)
If my memory is correct UWA havent beaten Rockingham since well…..since I can’t remember. Will the streak for Rockingham continue against a new look UWA? UWA are undefeated and coming off 2 solid wins and Rockingham picked up 2 wins against Curtin.

Important Notes: Brett threw last week suggesting that UWA will face off against Jeff. Rockingham will look to him to throw against their strong left handed batters. Jeff will have to be firing to stop UWA and can Jeff go the distance to keep UWA’s offense down all game? Who will be in relief if he can’t? Will Rockingham’s defense be good enough to back up Jeff? Who’s pitching for UWA Torpy, Barrell or Pascoe?

Predicition: The streak will end. UWA will be keen to go into the Balcatta series with a strong win against a good pitcher!

Thoughts?

Gosnells (6-4) Vs Wembley (1-9)

Following two hard fought wins against Vic Park, Gosnells will be licking their lips to play Wembley who sit in an unenviable position at 1-9 after the first ten games. Wembley’s disappointing season won’t get any easier as Gosnells should account for them quite comfortably. Gosnells import pitcher Kevin Roovers continues to rack up the wins and will be tough to beat and Benn Grice should get his second consecutive win after a solid outing against the Reds. Wembley will probably be without Ben Risinger who was ejected last week, especially since apparently players and coaches are not able to defend against ejections and are given a week no matter how big or small the discretion.

 Prediction: I don’t think Wembley will fare well here.  Gosnells to sweep.

Melville (4-6) Vs Morley (6-3)

The Braves host Morley this weekend in what should be two very competitive games. Melville proved last week that they can be contenders when they did what no other team has been able to and took a win from the Black Ducks. The middle of Melville’s line up is as good as anyone’s and it will be a big challenge for Morley’s pitchers to get by them without too much damage. However, once they get past the big bats of the Kennelly brothers, Mitch Graham and G-Balls Scorer, the remaining Melville line-up shouldn’t pose too much of a threat. Morley, coming off a sweep of Perth (proving that this blogger doesn’t know much, I tipped them to get swept) will go into this weekend with a lot of confidence.  Their import pitcher comes off a good complete game win and will be looking to add to his win tally and Brad Reeves, coming off a 1-hitter against Perth, is always hard to beat. And let’s not forget they have a few big bats of their own. This is a hard one to pick.

Prediction: The safe thing to do would call a split. But, I’m going to be bold here: Morley to sweep. I think the bats of Melville will be good for one win against most teams, but not Morley.

Wanneroo (6-3) Vs Swan Districts (9-1)

The first placed Black Ducks take on the number 2 Giants in the games of the round. Last week the Black Ducks proved that they have human beings playing for them and are capable of making mistakes. After outhitting Melville 11-4 last week, you must figure the 3 errors they made played a part in their loss. But don’t expect to see that again. They will be looking to bounce back immediately and will look forward to the challenge of beating last year’s grand finalists, Wanneroo. Wanneroo’s 2 wins against Wembley may give them some false confidence as playing Swans will be a totally different story.

Prediction: I am tipping the Black Ducks to sweep. They have way too many ways to beat you. They also have a new pitcher landing this week who will bolster their already-impressive rotation.  

Perth (4-6) Vs West Stirling (2-7)

Perth, who have been disappointing the last couple of weeks, have run into the lowly Indians at the right time and should be back to .500 ball after this weekend. After being 1-hit by Brad Reeves, expect the Perth bats to come alive in a big way against the much lesser pitching from West Stirling. Clint Knight will give another honest performance but won’t be able to win without a good defence behind him. Although quite a young team, I think Perth are genuine contenders and this weekend’s games will be a big series for them.

Prediction: Perth to sweep. They have to get their season back on track and this is a great opportunity to do it.

Vic Park Belmont (5-4) Vs South Perth (5-5)

Expect to see two hard fought games if you travel to Grayden Oval this week. The Reds were brought back down to earth by Gosnells last week who beat them at their own game of good pitching, defence and timely hitting. But look for them to continue on as they have all season and give a good honest and hard fought effort against the South’s. South Perth coming off two wins against West Stirling will go into the double header with a lot of confidence. They seem to have their season back on track after some tough games early on and will be looking to keep on their winning ways. A big factor in the two games will be the pitching and Vic Park may have been handed a lifeline here as Mark Kelly travels to Japan for a Major League tryout. I think these two teams are very even with the South’s having some lost experience with the retirements of Brett Walters, Jason Hewitt and the Clayton Barnes and The Reds having gained some experience in the form of Pro catcher Whitney Pierce and Canadian third baseman Chris Duhamel.

Prediction: The Reds will get back on the winners board, but only once. Split.

But that’s just one man’s opinion, what do you think?

 

On a separate note, congratulations to Travis Kalin, Joe Hughes and Dave Rusin for their Talking baseball show on SportFM 91.3. For anyone who hasn’t caught it yet, make sure you tune in Wednesdays from 6.00pm for a great listen.