Guildford Mavericks 1
 Bournemouth Sharks 17

Bournemouth, 15^th April 2004 As season openers go (if you don't include last weeks complete washout against Windsor), there have been worse. At least the weather was hot, but unfortunately the Mavericks bats were stone cold. Although Koichiro and Nick Jolly led off with back to back hits, which should have included an RBI double for Nick, if Koichiro hadn't decided to steal third before the pitcher began his wind-up (!), the rest of the line-up didn't manage a single base hit between them…..for the rest of the game! In fact after those two lead-off hits, only Koichiro reached base again, and scored the only Maverick run of the game by stealing third (this time successfully!) and coming home on the error by the third baseman.

Admittedly, both Rob Shaw (making his Maverick debut) and Castor, were put in a hole in a couple of at bats, with some low pitches called for strikes, but this sort of thing tends to even itself out over the course of the season, and in no way can this be attributed to the Mavericks demise. In fact if anything, Lawrence the Sharks starting pitcher, got stronger as the game went on, striking out 10 in total.

The Sharks were also more predatory on the infield, not making an error on any balls hit into play, and taking what chances game their way in the outfield. The Mavericks outfield on the other hand were kept much more busy, but still managed to track down every fly ball, and even turned a double play in 5th Inning. Rob Wheeler caught a fly ball in shallow right field, and his relayed throw to the plate was in time for Heather to nail Tricket the Bournemouth right fielder on the play at the plate. Despite a hard hit, and being upended by the runner, Heather held on, in what was definitely the Mavericks play of the day.

The fact that the Mavericks failed to capitalise on their chances in the first inning, meant that the runs the Sharks scored in the bottom half of the inning, gave them the lead  for good. In fact Bournemouth scored steadily throughout the game, only being shut out in the 5th, without ever needing to really blow the game open with a huge inning. On this form, the Sharks should be in the mix at the end of the season, whilst the Mavericks are going to have to get their bats going, in order to put some pressure on the opposing pitchers, and take a bit off their own. Next week Southampton travel to Guildford, in what will now be the Mavericks home opener.