Muskets up in thriller

Josh Roberts' all-round skills helped deliver his team from the jaws of defeat against Indians at Tivoli yesterday.

Sarah Harvey

IPSWICH Musketeers are renowned for leaving it late but this was ridiculous.

Needing to win both games at the weekend to retain a chance of progressing to the Greater Brisbane Baseball Premier League, the Muskets did so by the barest of margins.

On Friday they beat Wests 12-11 and produced an even greater escape against Indians at Tivoli yesterday.

At the top of the eighth innings, trailing 3-2, Musketeers right fielder Josh Robert went back for a catch only to drop it over the fence for a home run and 4-2 deficit.

The home team got one back in the bottom of the eighth but it was the Indians leading 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth with one Musketeer out and bases loaded when Roberts gained redemption, hitting one deep to right centre field for a 5-3 win.

“We needed one run to tie so I was just tying to get a fly ball – something deep enough to get our runner on third home,” Roberts said. “The breeze got it and it fell nicely.”

The Musketeers have a reputation for starting the season poorly but finishing strongly when the pressure is on to make finals.

With the competition structured differently this year – the top eight sides after this weekend progressing to the Premier League, the next seven playing the Pacific League – the Musketeers have had to pull out the stops a little earlier.

They almost didn’t.

Depending on other results yesterday they may have made it through in eighth position or face a playoff.

“That’s how we play,” Roberts said.

“We’ve been like that for years.

“In the big situations we usually step up.”

It was the Muskets’ first double winning weekend this season and it couldn’t have been more timely.

“We just manufactured more runs,” Roberts said.

“We probably had a better approach at the plate, trying to drive up the middle rather than pull it. I don’t know why we switched it on now.

“We usually come good around Christmas time. We just had to do it a bit earlier this year.”

Roberts, who also pitched the opening seven innings for three runs, praised team-mates Steven Bayliss and Andrew Campbell for their hitting, which kept the home team in the game.

Dean Jones pitched on Friday night for a change as his work commitments no longer prevent him playing Fridays.

“It worked so we might try and keep it,” Roberts said.