Sunshine Eagles coach Earl Byrne has urged his players to be ruthless if they want automatic promotion to Baseball Victoria’s top flight.
The Eagles went into the Christmas holidays with a two-game lead over the rest of the competition and in pole position for the minor premiership, which carries the added bonus of automatic promotion.
They returned to the diamond on Saturday to batter St Kilda 12-0 at Barclay Reserve and improve their season’s record to 15-1.
“Our aim at the start of the season was to make finals and reassess from there,” Byrne told Star Weekly.
“We’re going to make it at this stage unless something goes horribly wrong, so now the goal is to try and finish on top because that guarantees us going back up to first division, whether we win the title or not.”
The Eagles have assembled a quality team with a view to making it an unforgettable year. Opposition sides can expect no mercy.
Canadian import Jaret Chatwood has delivered as promised. The multi-position player has excelled in all areas, be it at shortstop or third base, in the batter’s box or on the mound. Chatwood leads the Eagles in runs scored.
Rory Meddick has been cornerstone of the pitching, now recording up to 100 pitches a game.
Veteran Matthew Davis has been the other dominant hitter; Shannon Hornstra’s versatility in the field has been invaluable; and new recruit Lewis Weldon, ex-Werribee Giants, has settled in well as catcher.
The Eagles will face Springvale in four days with the first coming on the road on Sunday and the return match at the Melbourne Ball Park in a Wednesday mid-week fixture.
