A LATE rally allowed defending premiers Redsox Heat to open its 2009 Cairns Baseball League campaign with an 11-7 victory over clubmates Heat B at Trinity Beach on Sunday.

Redsox Heat trailed 5-0 early in the match before a Brett Roneberg hit to the outfield, coupled with a Heat B fielding
error, enabled him to run three batters home and get the defending champions rolling.

Redsox Heat skipper Ritchie Mounsey said his side had been lucky to escape with the win.

"It was fantastic the way the other Heat team started, I think it’s going to be a good battle this year," he said.

"We made some very basic errors."

Mounsey said under-16 players Jack Wall, Mick Ward and Jordan Fulton were all given the chance to impress in the top grade and he looked forward to watching their development throughout the season.

He said Roneberg had also pitched well unchanged for the victors but did not
receive the support in the field that he should have.

Heat B skipper Col Baira also lamented errors which he said cost his side a win.

"There were about three errors which let them get away from us," he said. "I think we surprised (Redsox Heat) with our start but they pegged us back. If we had’ve kept our heads we might’ve got the win."

Baira said Chris Shankar and Luke Millham led his side’s batting performance with Sam Thompson strong on the pitcher’s mound. "Sam pitched very well, it was just that his fielders let him down late in the game," he said.

Meanwhile, in the B-grade intra-club clash between Cubs A and Cubs B, Cubs A batter Matt Anthony unleashed a grand slam hit to pile on four runs in the final innings in his side’s 16-4 victory.

Cubs A welcomed the return of experienced pitcher Greg Wicks who took control of the match as it progressed but was set upon by the young Cubs 2 batters, including an impressive Andrew Nelson.

Also in B grade, Shogun Black beat Reds 4-3, while in the Masters, Reds pipped Stingers 13-11.

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