By Tara Murray
North Western Titans are hoping a positive end to 2019 will flow into this year in Baseball Victoria Summer League division 3.
Both their men’s and women’s teams finished last year with a win and are hoping that they can continue that winning form.
Titans president and men’s player Danny Haymes said their last performance showed what the men’s team could do.
“We finished off really well with a good win,” he said. “We finally beat Chelsea, after we had let a lot of games slip when we had played them.
“We played a full nine innings and we’re normally let down for one or two innings. Everyone contributed.”
The win was the Titans’ third of the season and kept their finals hopes alive. While they sit bottom, they are just two games behind fourth, with just four games separating second to last.
Haymes said the next couple of weeks would define their season.
“The next two games are vital for us to stay in finals contention,” he said.
“The next two teams are the teams we’ve beaten this year. “Hopefully we will win more games than we lose and I think we’ll be right.
“We’re looking forward to getting back on the park.”
Haymes said the side would be stronger in the back half of the season, with a number of players returning to the side which would only help the team improve.
The Titans women’s side will be looking to seal a finals berth in division 3 west.
The Titans currently sit third.
After breaking through for their first ever win in round seven, the Titans have won three further matches.
Haymes said the side is full of confidence.
“Since they got their first win, they’ve only lost one game since against Sunshine Eagles which are the team to beat.
“They aren’t that far off and they have improved. Their hitting is a lot better.
“They gelled a lot better in the games before Christmas and they are confident and training hard.”
Haymes said the women’s side can’t let the foot off the pedal in the second half of the season, with a finals spot on the line.
He said if things went right, the side could go all the way and win the title, in just their second season.
“They believe that they can win every game.” The Titans are also starting to prepare for the winter season, where they will play in the Geelong Baseball Association.
In their first year in the competition, the Titans took out the B-reserve title, having started the season in a lower grade.
Haymes said they would go up another division this year and were looking to field two teams. He said they would field a stronger team
