Favourites jump first hurdle in AA South playoffs

True to form, the top four seeded teams in AA South, who all earned home advantage, progressed through the first stages of the 2012 playoffs as the Guildford Mavericks continued their unbeaten season. It sets up a hugely intriguing final weekend of post-season action before the National Baseball Championships on 25-27 August at Herts’ Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead.

Daws Hill Spitfires at Guildford Mavericks

Daws Hill 4, Guildford 12

In their regular season match-up, the Mavericks just about maintained their unbeaten record with an extra-innings victory in Daws Hill. With Guildford at home to the Spitfires there were fewer dramas and the visitors wouldn’t prove to be the thorn in the side of the top seeded team in AA South.

Following up from their combined no-hitter the previous week, Tetsuro Shinkawa and Owen Hazelby moved to one side as John Kristensen, the third Maverick-ateer, took the ball and pitched Guildford towards their seventeenth competitive success this season.

He gave up a run and the impetus was with the visitors. Jeff Stolz was asked to throw for the Spitfires, who would have been confident in maintaining their advantage.

And they did. Two blanks from Stolz and a second run in the top of the third were against the form book but not the run of play as the Mavericks were a little reckless in defence. However, the hosts answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, starting when GB 23U Kyle Dooley (3-4) doubled for the seventh time this season and finished with Kristensen (also 3-4 on the day) driving in the leading run.

It was the boost the All Star needed. He wouldn’t allow a run over the next four innings, pitching out of a mini-jam in the fifth, while his bats lit up the outfield with five runs in the sixth to move into a dominant position. A bunt during the onslaught was fielded by Andy Christiansen, but the Spitfires’ All Star catcher – sprawling on the floor having collected the ball – was hurdled successfully by James Shaw as he put in a bid to be selected for the Rio Olympics!

The Spitfires got their tails up and started on the comeback trail. Scoring twice off of Kristensen was enough for the Mavericks to replace their starter with Tetsuro Shinkawa. The former NBL hurler closed out the game without further damage, consigning Stolz to a complete-game loss with eight strikeouts and ending Daws Hill’s debut season.

Christiansen led the Spitfires with two doubles and threw out four baserunners, but his heroics weren’t enough as the visitors couldn’t muster that all-important victory. Thom Doggett and Shinkawa also had multi-hit games for the hosts to boost their offence.

Guildford manager Matt Bruce, who had two hits in the game, said: “This was no easy win. They played us tough as expected and we didn’t play particularly well early on. We responded well and were able to put some rallies together late to come away with the win, which was huge.

“I think we may have been a little nervous to start the game. Having gone unbeaten in the regular season we had it all to lose and Daws Hill all to win. Now that the first one is in the book I think it takes a lot of pressure off of us moving forward.” 

Spitfires GM Callum Barwick said simply: “The team fought hard and the Club is proud of everyone for a great first season.”

London Mammoths at Poole Piranhas

London 1, Poole 11

The Mammoths travelled to Poole full of voice but found the Piranhas’ Shannon Hall ready for action as the side from Dorset recorded their second mercy rule win over the London side this summer, and only the third the Mammoths have endured in their debut season.

With Poole’s ace firing rockets, the Mammoths were up against it from the start. Hall would eventually fan 13 over seven innings, allowing just a solitary run from Yves Schwartzbart. Phil Rimmer started for the Mammoths and despite going five innings, he was struggling after the first having given up six in that opening frame. Manager Matt Cartwright threw an inning in relief for a couple of runs, but it was inevitably in vain.

Hall got a sterling work out from his offence, who clubbed together to smack 15 hits including three home runs, one each from Juan Miguel Ortega, Alberto Ortega and All Star Carlos Velazco. In response only Sean Bennett’s double for the Mammoths made the Piranhas’ outfielders shuffle.

The Mammoths were disappointed not to give a fair account of themselves and their record this season suggested they would have done rather better, but the three hour commute matched to Poole’s dominance over the final stretch of the season was revealed in the final score.

Cartwright said: “We put up a good battle today but Poole were simply too good for us. Shannon Hall pitched a fantastic game as he always does. He’s far too good for AA and at this level, if you have a pitcher who should be pitching in the NBL, you are always going to be tough to beat.

“It’s a disappointing way to end the season but if you want to win it you have to go through the best and we simply aren’t quite at the level of Poole and Guildford. For a first year team we have to be very satisfied overall and for those of us running the team (Yves Schwarzbart, Sam Green and me) it’s been the most enjoyable year of baseball we’ve had.

Southampton Mustangs II at Herts Hawks

Southampton 4, Herts 28

Although Southampton had a long way to travel and were facing a tough opponent, few would have foreseen the relative ease at which the Hawks were able to breeze past the Mustangs II on Sunday at Grovehill Ballpark.

However, Herts didn’t have it all their own way. Nick Russell couldn’t find the form that has led the Hawks’ pitching this season, and two walks and a couple of hits had his side three runs down against a Southampton side eager to stretch the legs, and their batting statistics, following the big journey from the coast.

That three run lead would evaporate in the bottom of the first frame, though, following an epic seven-run onslaught led by co-manager Andy Cornish’s two-run dinger through power alley on the left hand side. Russell settled into his stride, allowing just one more over the next six frames, while his offence continued to press home their advantage with six runs in each of the third and fifth, five in the fourth and four in the sixth as they powered to their biggest win of the 2012 campaign.

Without All-Stars Dave Wrigley and Edgar Simbajohn, the Mustangs II were always likely to struggle. Ben Hyde and Blake Finney made valiant attempts from the mound, but lacking the regular starters who had got them to the playoffs would make progress difficult in their debut season at this level.

Jamie Duncombe, Doug Sutherland and Phil Johnson each had a couple of rips for the visitors, but All Star Louis Hare, Rod Naghar and co-manager Greg Bochan each had multi-hit games for the Hawks in response. Catcher Andrew Fulford continued his fine form with a 4-4, 6RBI match which include a home run and he fell just a triple short of the cycle. Bochan and Jon Lewys each drove in four to supplement the fine offensive display.

Hawks co-manager, Andy Cornish, said: “I think that today we played well. We still have a lot to do, and every game is now a cup game. We look forward to playing in the next round and I really think that we can build on today’s batting performance, and give any team a tough game”.

Croydon Pirates III at Sidewinders (Finsbury Park)

Croydon 13, Sidewinders 13 (Croydon suffered an injury in the sixth inning, causing a forfeit on having no one to substitute in)

Starting with the bear nine, Croydon made the short journey across the Thames to take on the Sidewinders in Finsbury Park, starting a little later than scheduled due to another match taking place at the ground. That delayed start time would prove telling in the end.

To the surprise, perhaps, of the Sidewinders, and certainly to much of the rest of the league based on the two teams’ form this season, the Pirates III matched their hosts step for step; The previous meeting this season had seen a mercy rule victory for the Pool B champions.

Croydon manager Frank Kurcharski took the pitching duties again, and although he was far from lights-out, he did enough to give his side a fighting chance of causing an upset, including picking up 6 Ks. His effort was backed by Mark Watson and Carlos Rodriguez, who each had three hits.

Eisuke Suzuki and Yasutomo Sasaki had multiple doubles for the Sidewinders as they earned their way back into the game following a slow start. Without their usual aces, they turned to Glen Page, Hajime Urata and Koichi Arakaki to put in some shifts on the mound.

Though the lead changed hands at various times, heading into what would ultimately be the final inning, the scores were tied at 13-apiece.

Croydon already knew they would be down to 8 in the bottom of the sixth as work commitments took hold. What they didn’t anticipate was Steve Cook getting injured running to first; his pulled hamstring was too severe for him to continue at any position and, going down to seven and subsequently needing to concede two automatic outs as well as losing a couple of fielders, the Pirates III attempt to plunder a victory was over.

Kurcharski concluded the season by saying: “It was a very exciting and competitive game. I am very proud of my Pirates – especially the way we came back in the fourth and fifth innings. We never gave up and I really thought we had a chance to win the game. But we have suffered too many injuries during the season that ultimately forced us to forfeit this game. We wish all the best to the Sidewinders.”

Sidewinders Captain Suzuki said: “Our ace pitchers could not play at the weekend, so we had to have several pitchers, Glen, Hajime and Koichi, with short innnings. Their performance at the mound was absolutely fine, however, we had many mistakes in the fields. So we focused on hitting and running after the 2nd inning. Tomoya, Masashi and Mac had smash hits to gain some momentum as well. It was a pretty close game and pity that Pirates III could not carry on after the injury.”

Next week’s preview

Herts Hawks at Guildford Mavericks

Sidewinders at Poole Piranhas

With the top four seeds progressing into the last stage of the playoffs before the NBCs, both the Poole Piranhas and Guildford Mavericks have the chance to go one better than last season, where they were both knocked out by the Latin Boys, who were then runners-up in the AA National Championships to the Bolton Robots of Doom.

While the seedings are in their favour – both the Mavericks and Piranhas have home draws – their opponents have shown their pedigree time and again. In fact, the one team to beat either of these sides all season is the Sidewinders, where All Star Tadaaki Sakurai outpitched fellow ace and Pool A-pick Shannon Hall through nine innings to shut down the potent Poole batters.

“It looks like that will be a pitching duel for the ages,” said Mammoths manager Matt Cartwright of the potential match-up between Poole and the Sidewinders, as Pool B’s best pitcher is set to return.

Herts will feel that with the biggest win of their season coming in the playoffs, they have the momentum to cause some damage to Guildford’s charge, but in overcoming a tough and spritely Spitfires side, the Mavericks will still back themselves to win. Few around the country would bet against them continuing their unbeaten run. Home advantage could well be the only separating factor in the matches, with the visitors’ travels clocking up a combined 160 miles before a ball has been thrown, but only stiff legs in the first few frames are likely to make any difference, and even that is pure speculation!