Words and images by Joe Gray
Richmond Flames 10 Bracknell Blazers 7
Richmond Flames 2 Bracknell Blazers 3
The RICHMOND FLAMES overcame a 6-run deficit in the final two innings to claim a 10-7 victory in game one. Ryan Bird was the winning pitcher. In the second game, BRACKNELL’s moundsman Matt Maitland quietened the FLAMES’ bats, and Phil Matthews’ 3-run homer provided all the offence that the BLAZERS needed.
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London Mets 10 Croydon Pirates 1
London Mets 22 Croydon Pirates 2 (5 innings)
In game one, the PIRATES showed signs of coming to life this season. The PIRATES’ roster was filled with a combination of raw talent and the remains of the CROYDON second team that won the second-tier title back in 2005, with many players lacking game practice. Through five innings, they trailed by just 3 runs to 1, and 2 of the METS’ scores came as a direct result of errors in the field.
CROYDON’s pitcher, Jose Sosa (pictured above), began to tire in the sixth inning having thrown too many pitches to get out of error-strewn innings earlier in the game. The METS scored 6 runs and the outcome was settled. Sosa finished with 10 strike-outs, but LONDON’s Jason Roberts picked up one more than that with 11 in a complete-game performance.
CROYDON were forced to experiment with new pitchers in game two, and the result was a 22-2 hammering in five innings. Jonathon Cramman collected his first National Baseball League victory.
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Joe Gray writes for BaseballGB and also looks after Great British top-tier statistics, Project Cobb, and the Great Britain National Team archive.
