Premiership glory for junior Rangers

It was a weekend of mixed emotions for the Wangaratta Rangers, with heartbreak for A grade and C grade Black, but plenty of reasons to celebrate as the club's under 15s captured a grand final victory and both B grade Black and C grade Orange booked their places in their respective grand finals. Under 15 claim silverware The under 15s produced the weekend's biggest result, finishing their season in spectacular fashion with a 7-2 grand final victory over Albury Bears. Kazu Anderson-Ohata delivered a superb performance on the mound, throwing a gem to keep the Bears' hitters under pressure throughout the championship game. With Anderson-Ohata controlling the game from the mound, the Rangers' bats went to work and produced the runs needed to secure the premiership. Riley Coyne came up with two important hits at crucial moments, while Jack Dean drove in two runs. Lillie Brockwell also contributed a safe hit, Anderson-Ohata added two hits of his own and Charlie Smedley drove in a run. The victory caps an outstanding season for the Rangers’ under 15 program and gives the club some silverware to celebrate as the senior finals continue. A grade heartbreak after 12-inning thriller The A grade Rangers suffered one of the toughest losses of the season, going down 4-3 to Albury Bears Gold after a marathon 12-inning semi-final at Targoora Park. The Rangers appeared destined to force the game beyond the 12th inning, but Brendan Simmons singled to drive in the winning run and send Albury through. Wangaratta opened the scoring in the first inning after Josh Wells drew a walk which brought a runner home. Albury levelled the game in the fourth before taking a 2-1 lead in the sixth. The Rangers refused to surrender - Nathan Pool singled in the bottom of the ninth to level the scores at 2-2, only for Albury to regain the advantage in the 10th. Once again, Wangaratta responded, with Sam McPherson hitting a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3-3. Neither side could break the deadlock until the top of the 12th, when Simmons delivered the decisive hit. Tanner Godenzi was outstanding on the mound, throwing six innings and allowing five hits and two runs while striking out seven. Pool and Wells each collected two hits, while Pool, Wells and McPherson each drove in a run. The defeat brings the A grade season to an end, but the Rangers can look back on another strong campaign and an entertaining finals series. The game also marked a significant milestone for Nathan Pool, who played his 400th game for the Wangaratta Rangers, an incredible achievement and a testament to his longstanding contribution to the club. B grade Black into the grand final There was plenty of good news in B grade, with Rangers Black bouncing back from their heavy opening finals loss to defeat Warriors White 8-3 and secure their place in the grand final. After Wodonga scored first, the Rangers turned the game around in the bottom of the first, scoring five runs without recording a hit. Excellent discipline at the plate proved decisive, with Daniel Wells drawing a walk with the bases loaded to bring home two runs. Wangaratta added two more runs in the third inning and never looked back. Heath French started on the mound and delivered a strong performance, striking out nine across four innings. Jason Jonker then provided a scoreless inning of relief. The Rangers' patience was again a major factor, drawing an impressive 11 walks, while six stolen bases added further pressure to the Warriors' defence. The win sets up a grand final clash with the Porepunkah Panthers this Sunday, giving Rangers Black the opportunity to turn a difficult start to the finals into a championship. C grade Orange earns grand final berth Rangers Orange C grade will also play for a premiership after defeating Albury Bears 9-4. Albury opened the scoring, but Wangaratta responded in the second inning through Mark Sianda before taking control in the third. Alex Corral doubled to help give the Rangers the lead before Matt Sanders contributed with a groundout that brought another run home. The decisive moment came in the fourth inning when Wangaratta scored five runs on two hits to move ahead 9-4. Darcy Sanders delivered with the bat and led the Rangers with two RBIs, while Sianda was particularly impressive, collecting two hits from two at bats. The Rangers were once again devastating on the bases, stealing 15 bases throughout the game. Sanders also started on the mound, allowing just one hit over four innings while striking out three. Rangers Orange now face Porepunkah in the C grade grand final this Sunday, with a premiership on the line. Black C grade's season over Rangers Black C grade's season came to an end after they were defeated 11-6 by Porepunkah Panthers. The Rangers made a terrific start, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 5-1 lead. Ryan Brockwell delivered the big blow with a three run double, putting Wangaratta firmly in control. Unfortunately, the Panthers produced a huge seven-run third inning to turn the game around and take an 11-5 lead. Brockwell, Oscar Maiden and Isaac Maiden each collected a hit, while the Rangers continued their aggressive approach on the bases with eight stolen bases. Despite the result, Black C grade can be proud of the effort they have put into the season.

Premiership glory for junior Rangers

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