Big day for debutants as new teams win at NBCs
Four of the eight finalists on Sunday were teams newly established this season, and there were some surprises in store for those who have only used previous form to determine who should succeed.
Saturday
NBL
The Lakenheath Diamondbacks hit two early home runs to lead the Southampton Mustangs in the first semi-final, but both teams seemed to collapse from there and fielding and pitching became difficult as the game wore on. However, after a five-run rally in the top of the ninth gave the Mustangs a lead, the Diamondbacks’ patience loaded the bases as walks were distributed, and a walk-off single drove in the winning run to send the US Air Force team to the final.
Similar dramatics took place in the second semi-final. The Richmond Flames led 3-0 over the Southern Nationals after two innings on the back of big home runs, and they retained a 5-2 lead going into the top of the seventh frame. But with the Flames’ ace Robbie Unsell struggling with fatigue, his replacements couldn’t find the strike zone with the same regularity. The Nationals outrageously scored 16 runs in two and a third innings, conceding only one in reply, to shock the tournament’s old boys and make the final on Sunday.
AAA
The Essex Redbacks raced to a 6-0 lead after two innings, but a combination of walks, wild pitches and errors allowed the Liverpool Trojans back in. The Trojans sent ace Martin Godsall to the mound – they were using Rob Vondy to save Godsall’s arm for Sunday – and he proceeded to shut down the Redbacks, while the bats knocked in five more over the course of the next five innings to establish a strong lead. It was one they wouldn’t relinquish and the Trojans made like they’d done all season: won.
The Oxford Kings had replaced the Halton Jaguars, who couldn’t make the NBCs due to the date change, as the next best-placed team, and set about trying to reclaim their title. They had fudged their way to this stage through good fortune and hard work, and outrageously came up against a weakened Bristol Badgers side. The Badgers had looked like world-beaters through the early stages of the season, but had managed only six games since the London Tournament and lost half of them. The Kings took full advantage and won through to set up the second consecutive Kings-Trojans AAA Final.
Sunday
Single-A
I missed all of this match, but the Cambridge Royals, like the Trojans, made sure they won as they’d done all year. And it wasn’t even a close one – 14-4 the score over the Birmingham Maple Leafs. The Royals became the first of the National Champions on the day.
AAA
The Liverpool Trojans came out all guns blasting and Martin Godsall was able to pitch another seven innings en route to an 11-1 thumping of the Oxford Kings, righting the wrongs of last season’s narrow defeat to the same opponents. “This one’s for Normal Wells,” claimed first baseman Ian Blease, recognising the great work and dedication that Trojans’ stalwart Wells had given to the club.
NBL
After all the hype coming into the game, including the playing of the national anthems of the UK and USA, a moments silence to remember the events of September 11th 2001 and the ceremonial first pitch from a member of the Hertfordshire Fire Department, the game was slow in getting going.
The Nationals were the only side to have swept the Diamondbacks on the field this year, but at 2-1 to Lakenheath going into the fourth inning it looked as though it’d be close. However, a series of walks, wild pitches and errors gave the Nationals two big rallies over the next two frames, and they were able to end the game inside regulation time to pick up the National Baseball League title in their first season.
AA
The Latin Boys and Bolton Robots of Doom played out the most interesting match of the championship, much as I’d predicted they would when assessing playoff potential earlier in the year. They traded blows throughout the first six innings, with Bolton edging ahead 6-5 in the top of the seventh. And when the hard-hitting, hard-playing, hard-supported Latin Boys found themselves three runs down in the bottom of the ninth everyone thought this game was over.
But they rallied for three as Zak O’Boyle struggled a little on the mound, and the game went to extra innings (although on scoring the tying run the Latin Boys’ own tannoy system started playing some samba, much to the annoyance of the umpires and Bolton players).
Bolton, well supported by the Liverpool Trojans showing solidarity to their northern allies, came out for four runs in the top of the tenth as a fielding error allowed three to score, and then one more on a sac fly, before the inning ended. And the Boys were due to start the comeback.
An easy out was followed by a hit batter – Jay Sherlock had replaced O’Boyle – before the batter was caught stealing. But a hit preceded another hit batter, this one met with a lot of angry outbursts from the coaching staff and led to a bench-clearing from both teams, until a walk made the bases loaded.
A wild pitch, a late start from the runner at third, a great throw from the catcher and a perfect tag from Sherlock ended the Boys’ resistance, and as disappointed with the decision as they were, the Latin Boys had done well to get this far in their debut season. It was the loudest cheer of the afternoon and two of the three titles that could have gone north of Hemel Hempstead had done.
It was a great event and well supported by the baseball community. The Youth NBCs take place this weekend and if the atmosphere is anywhere near the same as the senior’s championships then it’ll be a heck of time in Richmond. More on that later this week.
