by Joe Gray
The LONDON METS swept the BRACKNELL BLAZERS and the RICHMOND FLAMES took both games off the CROYDON PIRATES, meaning that the FLAMES stay two games back of the National League South-leading LONDON side. Both teams were made to work hard in the opening games of their double-headers, with the METS winning 6-2 and the FLAMES 6-4, but their second games were more comfortable victories, with respective scorelines of 11-1 and 14-4.
Brian Essery and Troy Kantor both picked up their fifth wins of the season from the mound for the METS, while Ryan Bird and Brad Crinion were the winning FLAMES throwers.
Three players each hit two home runs on the day: Maikel Azcuy of CROYDON, Ryan Trask of BRACKNELL, and Grant Delzoppo of RICHMOND. Delzoppo’s blasts were a three-run shot and a grand slam, and he finished with eight RBI across two games. Crinion also had a successful day with the bat for RICHMOND, stroking a three-run double and a two-run double to match Delzoppo’s five RBI in game two.
Azcuy, Delzoppo, and Trask are now joint-leaders of the home run category in the National League South, with each having three to his name. For an article looking in more detail at the home run race, see: http://www.baseballgb.co.uk/?p=445.
This weekend sees the METS travel to RICHMOND. LONDON will be hoping to extend their lead in the division to four games, but they are well aware that a sweep by RICHMOND would see the margin wiped out. A joint CROYDON/BRACKNELL side will play the GB Juniors as part of the youth team’s preparation for the European Qualifier Championships on July 26 to August 3 2008, in Eskilstuna, Sweden.
All games involving National League North teams were postponed on a weekend of bad weather in that region of the country. This Sunday, the MANCHESTER EAGLES are scheduled to travel to MENWITH HILL to face the PATRIOTS in a two-game series rearranged from 27 April.