The Bellingen Brewers B grade squad led from start to finish on Saturday against the Coffs Harbour Allstars, cruising to a well-earned 9:4 win.
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Bellingen jumped in front with five runs in the top of the first inning with the help of three Allstars errors. Coffs Harbour then loaded the bases with none out, but Brewers pitcher Paul Holding struck out the next three batters to keep the Allstars off the scoreboard.
Bellingen tacked on another run in the second inning to lead 6:0, but Coffs Harbour answered with three runs in their turn at bat to cut the Brewers lead to 6:3. Bellingen hit back with three more runs to restore their six-run lead. The Allstars could manage just one run in reply and Bellingen batted out the remaining time.
Holding pitching another strong game for the Brewers, as well as tallying two hits, two walks and two runs scored. Braiden Spalding, in his first game back with the Brewers after returning to the area from Sydney, and Callum Rayner, each also scored twice for Bellingen.
The game was not without controversy, with one Allstars player removed from the game after protesting a called third strike, and another confusing play that saw Bellingen return to bat after a mistaken third out call was reversed.
The strangeness spilled over to the A grade game that followed. Playing with six of their A grade starting line-up unavailable, a Bellingen player was abruptly ejected from the game after what appeared to be an innocent misunderstanding, then a second player was ejected for questioning that action.
With the Brewers reduced to just seven players, the game was declared a forfeit to Coffs Harbour, but the teams proceeded to play out the game as a "friendly" encounter. While the result was not recorded, Bellingen was on top for the first time this season in A grade at the conclusion of the game.
The Bellingen B grade squad is now undefeated so far this season against both Coffs Harbour and Sawtell, but are winless against the Woolgoolga Bluesox. They get another crack at the Bluesox this Saturday at Stadium Drive.