by Namur Angels, www.namur-angels.be
The Namur Angels stay atop league standings after a solid victory over the host Mortsel Stars on Thursday afternoon. The Angels (8-3) got a tremendous pitching performance from Belgium native Nicolas Migeot on their way to a 5-1 win. Migeot through the first six innings of the contest, giving up no runs on three hits, walked seven, and struck out five. Despite the unusual high count of walks, Migeot kept the Stars hitters off balance all day using his fastball and off speed pitches extremely efficiently.
There was no score for either team for the first two innings of play. However, the Angels scratched the first run across the board in the top of the third when Greg Van Sickler hit a one out line drive single to center field. After stealing second base, right fielder Jake Hummel was unable to advance Van Sickler on a fly ball to center. However, with two outs and a runner at second, designated hitter Vincent King dropped a line drive single into right center to plate Van Sickler. Namur scored an inning later after center fielder Thomas Vandenabeele reached first base safely on a fielder’s choice. With the first pitch to catcher Tom Gerard, Vandenabeele took off for second. The throw from the catcher one-hopped the shortstop and trickled into center field, allowing Vandenabeele to advance to third. Without dropping a step, Vandenabeele was rounding third and the ball was bobbled again in center field, so he took off for home and crossed for the Angels second run.
The Angels led 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh before things would turn controversial in the bottom of the inning. Pitcher Kevin Desmedt, who came on for Migeot to start the seventh, walked the first two batters of the inning. A passed ball then advanced both runners into scoring position. With no outs and runners at first and second, center fielder Nguyen Boulet Diaz hit a single through the left side to plate one run. With runners at first and third and no outs, first baseman Steve De Saedeleer hit a fly ball to left field deep enough for the runner at third, Cedric Van Desompele, to tag. The throw in from left was not in time and it appeared that the Stars had tied the ball game. However, an appeal was made by Namur to third base, and the field umpire dictated that Van Desompele left too early and was called out. Desmedt then struck out the next batter to end the threat.
The Angels added three more insurance runs, two in the eighth and one in the ninth, to seal their eighth victory of the season. In the eighth, Tom Gerard came through with a two out bases loaded single down the first base line to plate Vincent King and Jerome Sana. In the ninth, Van Sickler led off with a triple and scored the next at bat on a Hummel sacrifice fly to center. Desmedt finished the final three innings of work, giving up the lone Stars run on three hits, walked three, and struck out four.
Van Sickler finished the day 2-5 with a triple and two runs scored. King and Sana were also 2-5, with King driving in a run.