The opening games of the 2021 season lived up to all expectations. With all games being played at Targoora Park Wangaratta the place was a buzz on a perfect May day.

UNDER 15's

The Wangaratta Rangers hosted Porepunkah with Tanner Godenzi and Ollie Chambers going head to head on the mound for their respective teams. Great fielding and pitching from both sides had the scores at 0-0 at the end of the first inning. The Panthers put a score on the board first when Alan Grasser, Chambers & Mason Anders scored on some great offensive hitting. The Rangers were quick to answer back as Seth Godenzi, Lucas Sexton, Campbell Hobbs, Jaxon Chilcott and Oscar Maiden all drew walks before scoring. The score was 5-3 going into the 3rd inning when Sexton took the mound for the Rangers. Lachlan Rosser drew a walk and was quick to steal second before he was doubled off by a quick thinking play my Mikayla Jonker at Short Stop. Grasser, Chambers and Skippen then drew walks and were driven in by a great hit from Ethan Edwards scoring 4 runs for the Panthers. The last roll of the dice for the Rangers saw Asha Hardman and Ryan Brockwell on base with some discipline in the batters box. Liam Quinton held his nerve on the mound for Porepunkah and they came through with a triple play to end the game and take the win 7-5. Both Chambers and Quinton picked up 2 strikeouts each.

The Albury Bears were the home team against the Wodonga Warriors and were sent chasing the leather in the first as all 7 batters scored. Liam Cathie, Janie Chatten, Austin Clear, Mary Fellows, Angus Weal, Aiden Ludbrook and Baylin Ford all managed to get on base safely before they took the field. Ethan Simmons led off with a Hit By Pitch then stole 2nd before he was driven in by Grace Castello to get the Bears on the board. Sophie Berry led off for the Warriors in the second with a walk, before Cathie, Weal and Fellows recorded safe hits scoring another runs. Albury bounced back through walks to Noah Boyd, Jordan Daniel, Bailey Emery and Jai Parfitt and a great hit from Immanuel Thomas to end the 2nd inning 12-6. Boyd took the mound for the Bears and allowed the Warriors to score only one run in their final inning giving his side a chance to tie up the game in the last. It wasn't to be as the Warrior defence held tight rolling a great double play to end the match on a high. The end score being 13-6 Warriors way.