Baseball: Rams take premiership

The Rockingham Rams took out the Provincial League minor premiership with wins on Thursday and Sunday.

Thursday night was a pitching duel, with the red-hot Benn Grice striking out 13 Carine hitters and giving up just two hits through seven innings pitched.

While the Carine pitcher gave up just three hits, it was walks and hit by pitches that in the end handed Rockingham a 4-0 win.

Best with the bat were Tyler Keeping and Nick Hilleard.

Sunday’s game was against Willetton, with Rams’ pitcher Jeff Wishart in cruise control on the mound.

An 11-run third innings broke the game open for the Rams, who cruised to a 13-0 win. Wishart struck out eight hitters through his seven innings of work.

Best with the bat was catcher Jared Dunlop with three hits, including a pair of home runs.

Finishing minor premiers gives the Rams a second chance in the finals as they take on Balcatta at home in the semi-final this Sunday.

With the minor premiership already sewn up, it was a chance for the Reserves 1 side to get some work in before they begin their campaign.

Andrew Hepburn again started on the mound, but struggled early, allowing three runs to cross in his two innings pitched.

Ryan Pribicevich was called in and stopped the runs as the Rams’ bats went about turning the deficit around.

Solid fourth, fifth and sixth innings saw theRamsscore a total of nine runs, which helped finish the game early with a mercy rule 13-3 win.

Best with the bat was player-coach Mike Thompson, with two hits and three runs batted in.

The Reserves 2 side suffered their second loss in a rowgoing down 11-8 to Willetton.

The loss didn’t affect their finals standings, with the side finishing in third spot.

They will host an elimination final against UWA on Sunday.

An 18-1 demolition of Willetton meant the Reserves 3 side also won their minor premiership and will now take on UWA this Sunday in the semifinal.