The Doncaster Dragons did a lot of things right but still came up empty in a high-standard game against Geelong at Deep Creek.

The Dragons played perfect defence and collected 11 hits, but ended up on the wrong end of a 9-5 scoreline.

Facing experienced Geelong pitcher Sam Gibbons, a former professional in the Minnesota Twins organisation, the Dragons were by no means intimidated. Leadoff batter Brendan McDonald scored the first run of the game after hitting a double and advancing on groundouts by Brian Chen and Jean Alvarado.

They doubled their lead in the third inning when Luke Utting singled, advanced on an error and scored on Chen’s RBI groundout. 

Starting pitcher Fraser Boyd was outstanding through the first three innings, but the Geelong bats came alive in the middle innings, and the visitors took the lead for good in the fifth. John Britton came on with bases loaded and nobody out, and did a terrific job to prevent further damage.

Trailing 9-2 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Dragons would not go down quietly. McDonald was hit by a pitch, Alvarado and Nic Unland walked, and a run scored on a wild pitch. Then Takumi Tanaka doubled to drive in two more runs, but that was the end of the scoring.

Catcher Dakota Gibson also had a solid game for the Dragons, going 3 for 5 and throwing out a would-be base stealer. 

Doncaster will look to bounce back when they travel to Sandringham next Saturday.