“From the Diamond” Round 15
State league Division One | 27TH January 2025
RANGERS COME FROM NOWHERE
Gawler Rangers produced one of the upsets of the season, storming home with two late, two-out rallies to defeat ladder leaders Adelaide 6–3 at Plympton in Division One baseball.
Everything appeared to be going to plan for the Angels early. They held a 2–0 advantage after single runs in the third and fifth innings, with Ty Forney and Max Tracey both crossing the plate following disciplined offensive pressure.
Trailing heading into the sixth, Gawler ignited dramatically. After two quick outs, Zak Heintze-Unger singled, before Aidan Prokopec tripled, Raph Pelletier doubled and Brad Przibilla added another two-bagger to flip the game in the space of minutes and give the Rangers a 3–2 lead.
The momentum didn’t stop there. In the seventh, Gawler struck again with two out, piling on three more runs through RBI hits from Heintze-Unger, Prokopec and Pelletier to open a commanding 6–2 advantage. Adelaide managed one late run but couldn’t recover. Ethan Badcock claimed the win in relief, while Ian Heck took the loss despite a strong strikeout count.
GRAY MAKES IT TWO STRAIGHTS
Kensington pitcher Adam Gray continued a remarkable run, throwing his second consecutive no-hitter in a dominant 10–0, five-inning mercy-rule victory over Sturt at Erindale.
Gray struck out 13 of the 17 batters he faced, allowing just two baserunners in another flawless performance. Kensington broke the deadlock in the second inning before erupting for eight runs in the third, highlighted by home runs from Lucas Scott and Michael Bishop. The Cardinals sealed the result in the fifth to cap another statement win.
ONE BIG INNING DOES IT FOR RAMS
Henley & Grange proved patience pays off, scoring all 10 of their runs in a massive fifth inning to overpower Port Adelaide 10–1 at Semaphore.
After trailing 1–0 through four innings, the Rams exploded with a mix of discipline and power, aided by walks, hit batters and key hits from Wilson Lee and Jose Paula. Jordy Grose went the distance on the mound, conceding just three hits to secure the win.
SENATORS BREAK AWAY LATE
Woodville overcame an early challenge from Goodwood, using a decisive six-run fifth inning to claim an 8–2 victory at Findon.
Locked at 2–2 midway through the contest, the Senators capitalised on free passes and timely hitting from Jose Pimentel and company to put the game beyond doubt. Jamison Hill delivered a complete-game performance, striking out seven across six innings.
PITCHING DUEL AT PAYNEHAM
East Torrens edged Golden Grove Central Districts 1–0 in a classic pitchers’ duel, with Connor Yeatman throwing six innings of one-hit baseball before Aiden Lucas closed the door in the seventh.
The game’s only run came in the first inning when Carter Powell stole second and scored on Harry Deliyannis’ single, proving enough in a tightly contested affair.
EAGLES POWER PAST TIGERS
West Torrens flexed their offensive muscle with three home runs in an emphatic 8–0 win over Glenelg at Glenelg.
James McFarlane led off the game with a home run, setting the tone early. Oscar Weber and Jacob Scott also went deep as the Eagles built their lead steadily. Strong pitching from Jarod Large and Joel Chapman ensured Glenelg never threatened.
SOUTHERN SHUTS OUT NORTH
Southern Districts produced two defining rallies to secure an 8–0 shutout win over Northern Districts at Christie Downs.
A four-run second inning laid the foundation before Riley Moore’s three-run home run extended the margin. Consistent hitting throughout the lineup and disciplined pitching sealed a comprehensive result.
Division One Results – Round 15
• West Torrens def Glenelg 8–0
• Southern Districts def Northern Districts 8–0
• Gawler Rangers def Adelaide 6–3
• Kensington def Sturt 10–0
• Henley & Grange def Port Adelaide 10–1
• East Torrens def GGCD 1–0
• Woodville def Goodwood 8–2
Women’s League Division 1 | 25TH January
Adelaide 7 – Glenelg 7
For successive games, Glenelg has defended two-out, bases-loaded situations in the final inning this time holding Adelaide to a 7–7 tie.
Complete games on the mound were delivered by Kylie Lok and Lilly Dal Corobbo for a combined 8 innings and 10 earned runs.
Glenelg's Georgia Kaluza – pictured – took two walks, stole two bases, and hit a double (4). For Adelaide, Sophie Fuchs went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and brought in the tying run.
Both teams created base-running pressure with 12 steals to Adelaide and 8 for Glenelg. Glenelg has lost just once in their past six games, while Adelaide has struggled, recording only a single win in January.
Southern Districts 6 – Sturt 6
In a quirky coincidence, Southern Districts and Sturt also shared the points in a 6–6 tie, snapping two-game losing streaks for both clubs.
The Saints rallied from three down in their last inning to draw level, but the Hawks’ defence held firm with three strikeouts, stopping the potential go-ahead run at second.
Mabel Parr-Gahan and Lucy Davis pitched complete games for Southern Districts, combining for six strikeouts and eight earned runs. Sturt’s Georgia Davis recorded three hits, lifting her season batting average to .643. For the Hawks, rookie Jorja Hooper improved her average to .519 with 11 RBIs.
The result sees Southern Districts retain fourth seed in the finals race, with Sturt only 2.5 games behind with five rounds remaining.
State League Article by: Robert Laidlaw
Photos courtesy of Paul Taeuber