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West City demolish Cola, post 33 runs in double header
TE ATATU - Gordon Niemann gave it a push, then Robbie Turner slammed the door on Cola Yeh’s hopes of splitting the double header on Sunday.
The Wildcats pitchers kept Reilly and Abner quiet in a 12-2 and 21-1 victories on Sunday afternoon, that kept West City undefeated in the Summer Series, in the run towards the National Club Championships in February.
“Anytime you win a double header it’s good,” Martin Williams said. “But to sweep Cola Yeh the way we did, it was impressive. It was great that we could keep up the intensity over the two games.”
The Wildcats got their sweep in a double-header series that will be remembered most for birthday boy Gareth Shaw’s triple in his first at bat in Game 2.
Daniel Bradley missed the cycle by a homer, Barry Roman had three hits and two RBIs and the Wildcats didn’t need another Cola Yeh fielding blunder to sweep their double header Summer Series opponent for a second straight season.
Turner struck out four batters over the 5 inning mercy shortened Game 2, as the Wildcats continued their dominant baseball in the Summer Series, before they take on arch rival Howick over the next four games.
Reilly and Abner were a combined 2 for 8 with a late RBI for Cola Yeh, who never recharged after the opening game where the team went down 12-2. Counting the Spring Series, Cola Yeh is 0-12 in the 2009/2010 season.
“For some reason, our offense, we couldn’t get anything going,” Reilly said. “We had some good at-bats here or there but as far as stringing anything together we had a hard time.”
Niemann, backing up after eight innings against the Angels last Sunday, shut down Cola Yeh on six hits over six and a third innings. After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the first, second and third inning he was replaced in the seventh by Turner.
“I just tried to make the pitches that I knew I was capable of throwing,” Niemann said.
Roman, only 7 for 24 in the Spring Shield season amid suggestions by manager Ken Sommers that he was trying too hard, went 5-7 on the day with six RBIs.
“I was just trying to be more aggressive,” Roman said. “Anything on the plate, I was ready for.”
Sommers, who went 0-4 in the first game, brought his big boy bat to the second game, jumping on the pitcher going 3-5 with three doubles.
“To show up now and contribute and be a main guy, it’s nice to come through,” Sommers said.
The Wildcats are 4-0 against Cola Yeh through Spring and Summer seasons.
Bradley, the Wildcats’ leadoff man, scored six runs and was 5 for 7 in the double header with one RBI. Matt Mills was 3 for 7 with three RBIs.
Niemann struck out eight in six and 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on six hits in Game 1.
Cola Yeh totalled three runs over the two games, their per game season average, falling to 0-12 in the Auckland Premier League under coach Cola Yeh.
