By ADEM SARICAOGLU
SUNDAY was a day full of missed opportunities for the Newport Rams in Division One Summer League baseball.
The newly promoted Rams were given a tough ask for their second outing back in the top division, forced to hit the road to take on reigning premier, Essendon.
However, right up to the very death in the ninth inning, Newport had its chance to claim a major scalp.
The Rams were 5-2 up and just one out away from an unlikely victory, but the home team rallied to score the four runs required for victory.
Newport coach Grant Weir remained upbeat after the game.
“We didn’t make any errors, they got three hits in a row, and that’s it,” Weir said.
“There was also a walk in there somewhere along the line but look, it was just a tough loss.”
Weir went on to explain his side’s failure to take advantage of its dominance right throughout the day.
“As I said to the guys after the game, we shouldn’t have got into that situation,” Weir said.
“It shouldn’t have been 5-2 in the ninth. It should’ve been probably 7-2, maybe 8-2, instead.
“We had bases loaded one out a couple of times and didn’t score.
“We scored three of our five runs off a Troy Malthouse double in the fourth with bases loaded, that scored three and then we scrounged another two.”
Griffin Weir was good on the mound for the Rams before import Travis Bass took over pitching duties in the sixth.
“Griffin had done a great job coming out of the game after five and then for pretty much the next three and one third, maybe two thirds of an inning, Travis Bass was good,” Weir said.
“He just got a bit tired toward the end and Essendon being Essendon, well, that’s why they’re the premiers.
“They’ve got a really good hitting line-up and they got the job done.”
The 1-1 Rams have enjoyed an impressive start to the season, but Weir insists there is room for improvement.
“There’s plenty to improve on, but I think we’ve got the guys to do it,” Weir said.
“Apart from not getting the win (against Essendon), I’m pretty satisfied with the way the season’s started.”
