By Tara Murray
North Western Titans need to continue to improve if they are to match it with the top sides in the Baseball Victoria Summer League division 3.
Coach Danny Hymes said while the Titans had only won two games after 11 rounds, they had improved on their debut season.
“We’ve improved a lot, but it’s just not showing,” he said.
“We are more competitive in a lot of areas. We need to learn from our mistakes.
“Baseball has improved across the competition … It’s the basic elements of baseball that they are doing better than us.”
Hymes said there were a couple of areas that have been the difference between them and other sides.
He said sometimes it’s just one innings that proves to be the difference, while other times it’s about timing.
“We have to execute better and once we get that right, we’ll be right,” he said.
“We need to string some hits together. Against Chelsea Dolphins we felt like we had more hits than them and everyone got a hit. But other teams aren’t leaving people on bases like we are.”
Hymes said not having a full side available had hurt them at times, because they don’t have as much depth as other clubs.
He’s hoping things will improve on that front in the new year.
“We’ve picked up some players in the last few weeks and they will play after Christmas,” he said.
“They will strengthen the first grade side. They’re three players who have played in a higher grade.
“We’ll finally have a bit more depth.”
Hymes said one of the positives this season had been the development of younger players, Nathan Ayiaq and Kyle Hodgetts.
Both are still teenagers and learning the game.
“They are both starting to shine,” he said. “They’ve started to show more poise and are feeling bit more confident.”
The Titans final game before the Christmas break was against Pakenham Pumas after Star Weekly went to print.
