Boneo B2 catcher Aidan Rusden puts in this back-breaking effort to take a foul ball catch and help his side knock off the Pakenham Pumas B2 10-2. 86652 Picture: JARROD POTTER
By JARROD POTTER
THE Pakenham Pumas took another step towards their first B1 premiership with a 6-2 victory over Boneo advancing them straight through to the last match of the season.
The Pumas were led by Ricky Wheeler, whose masterful pitching display – 95 pitches with the two runs given up on fielder errors – helped get Pakenham into its first grand final in the top division of the Dandenong Baseball Association.
Pumas coach Travis Hough said Stew Brunton was also impressive, making a number of diving plays on third base to halt Boneo’s scoring, and the team’s hitting was equally amazing.
“Pretty much everybody for the team hit really well,” Hough said.
“Two runs in the second innings and four in the fifth and we did all the little things to get the runners in and home.”
The win maintains Pakenham’s unbeaten home record this season.
Dandenong and Boneo play off to decide Pakenham’s opponent in the grand final, to be held at Dingley Baseball Club on Saturday 15 October at 2pm.
The ones will be the only Pumas side featuring in the final match after Boneo soundly beat the twos 10-2.
Jay Mazurek pitched excellently and made a couple of crucial hits while Greg McCormack hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth to keep Pakenham in the match.
Boneo stepped into high gear after that, knocking out the Pumas and their chances of defending their B2 championship victory from last season.
“The twos just got beaten by a better team on the day and that puts them out of the finals,” Hough said.
“They had a fairly successful season – there was probably a bit better competition than last year when we won the flag and a couple of teams moved up and became a bit better than us.
“We still could’ve beaten anyone on our day but we didn’t have it on the weekend.”
