The Dodgers came out of the first weekend of Otago softball this year with an unbeaten record after contrasting wins at Ellis Park.
The Central Otago Panthers were unable to field a team at the weekend, which left the other three sides to play against each other once over three games.
Two of the matches were tight affairs, with the Dodgers downing the Cardinals 3-2 and the Saints getting home over the Cardinals 5-4.
However, the Dodgers took the Saints apart 18-2 courtesy of a flurry of runs at the top of the third and fourth innings and the mercy rule was invoked at the bottom of the fourth innings.
A four-run spurt from the Dodgers at the top of the third innings to give them an 8-0 lead meant multiple changes to the Dodgers line-up when they went out to field at the bottom of the third innings.
But the replacements did nothing to stem the flow in the fourth innings with 10 runs scored. Matt Watts and Logan Herbert both touched home plate twice as the Dodgers almost went through their batting line-up twice during the demolition job.
The job was much tougher for the Dodgers against the Cardinals, although they once again got off to a good start when Nelson Yorston hit a home run off the first pitch of the game.
Cam Watts, who had hit a triple from third in the order, then scored off a throwing error to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead, which they maintained until the bottom of the second innings when Glenn Forrester scored from third base on a wild pitch to bring the score back to 2-1.
The Dodgers added a third at the top of the third before Forrester again scored - this time from first base - in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of a Jacob Wedlock RBI.
The score remained at 3-2 through to the sixth and final inning. The Cardinals had two runners on base, but Forrester was forced out at third to end the game.
The Saints recovered from the first-game pummelling to hold on 5-4 against the Cardinals.
A two-run homer from pitcher Morgan King got the Saints off to a great start, before a single from Christian Amos got Mitch Finnie and Lyall Scott home to even the score at 2-2.
Hamish Lewis, who had got on base through a walk, then scored for the Cardinals at the bottom of the second innings from third base on a wild pitch to give the Cardinals the lead.
However, a three-run innings in the third - with Morgan King, Michael Crowley and Connor O'Neill all touching home - gave the Saints the momentum going into the fourth innings.
Jacob Wedlock replaced Grant Phillips as pitcher on offence at the bottom of the fourth, and put in a good stint at the plate in the last two innings, conceding just one walk and retiring the six other batters he pitched to, but the Cardinals could not make up the deficit, giving the Saints the win.
