by Joe Gray
The LONDON METS swept the BRACKNELL BLAZERS, while the RICHMOND FLAMES took two off the CROYDON PIRATES, as the joint league leaders both maintained their perfect records.
The game of the day was undoubtedly the opener of the double-header at RICHMOND, a 2-0 victory for the FLAMES. The home team’s two runs came from their first two batters of the day, who got on base by virtue of a seven-pitch walk and a six-pitch walk, respectively. Ryan Bird drove both in with a one-out double, but after that Jared Uys, the Pirates’ pitcher, found a groove. He retired the last 14 batters without giving up a hit or a walk.
Brad Crinion, the FLAMES’ starter, entered the final inning with no hits or walks against his name, but Ty Touchstone’s leadoff double and a walk from Evan Donovan brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs. Kieran Clackett grounded out to end the game, however, giving Crinion a shutout.
The FLAMES won the second game of the double-header 9-4, on eleven hits, with Cody Cain going 3-4 including a three-run homer.
Over at BRACKNELL, the METS’ two victories were more comfortable. The first was a 16-3 win, which included two home runs from LONDON’s Mark Rigby. BRACKNELL’s runs came via a two-run double from Michael Trask and a Phillip Matthews home run. Brian Essery picked up his second win in two starts, going five innings, while Henry Collins took the loss for Bracknell.
The second win was by a margin of 26-0, with Alex Pike and Alex Malihoudis both hitting home runs for the METS. Troy Kantor took the win, his second in two starts, while Josh Chetwynd threw the final inning to complete the shutout. BRACKNELL’s scheduled starter, Matt Maitland, was injured during the pre-game warm-up, so Trask started on the hill.
The LONDON METS will host the RICHMOND FLAMES this Sunday in what looks set to be an intriguing double-header. At Roundshaw, the CROYDON PIRATES face the BRACKNELL BLAZERS, with both teams hoping to post their first wins of the season.
| Time | Home | Visitor | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, April 27 2008 | ||||
 |
12:00 | Richmond Flames | Croydon Pirates | 02:00 (6) |
|
12:00 | Bracknell Blazers | London Mets | 03:16 (6) |
|
14:30 | Richmond Flames | Croydon Pirates | 09:04 (6) |
|
14:30 | Bracknell Blazers | London Mets | 00:26 (5) |
Complete Results
Standings NL South
| # | Team | W | L | R+ | R- | .pct | GB | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London Mets | 23 | 1 | 239 | 53 | .958 | 0 | W2 |
| 2 | Richmond Flames | 15 | 9 | 165 | 131 | .625 | 8 | W1 |
| 3 | Croydon Pirates | 5 | 19 | 113 | 178 | .208 | 18 | W1 |
| 4 | Bracknell Blazers | 5 | 19 | 101 | 256 | .208 | 18 | L1 |
Standings NL North
| # | Team | W | L | R+ | R- | .pct | GB | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester Eagles | 20 | 2 | 176 | 68 | .909 | 0 | W16 |
| 2 | Menwith Hill Patriots | 12 | 8 | 139 | 72 | .600 | 7 | W4 |
| 3 | Liverpool Trojans | 2 | 20 | 55 | 179 | .090 | 18 | L19 |
