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Guildford,
August 8th, 2004.
A win at last! The Mavericks finally broke into the win column in the
league, with a come from behind victory against Croydon.
The
fact that the Mavericks won by the margin they did, hides the fact that
they were trailing 19-6, in the 4th inning, and did not exactly play a
strong defense behind their pitching. That said, the outfield,
particularly Jamie Barnett and Brian Kendal
With
Karl Grigor starting on the mound, the Mavericks look liked getting out
of the first lightly, until and error in the field gave the Pirates a
second change, with which they took full advantage, scoring 4 times. No
earned runs maybe, but little consolation for Karl. This was a re-occuring
theme over the first few innings for the Mavericks, however, early on at
least, Guildford were able to respond straight away.
Croydon scored a couple of times in the second, although could have got more, but for a baserunning error by SS Steve Limn, as Castor was again involved in the run down. All afternoon Limn proved a thorn in the Mavericks side by continually getting on base, but in the second, the Mavericks were able to respond with 2 runs of their own, as Castor picked up another RBI. A 5 run third put the Pirates ahead again, although still the Maverick defense weren't helping out Karl on the mound, and this time the offense couldn't respond, as the Pirates shut them out in the bottom of the third. Karl Grigor who had been suffering with a sore throwing arm, had to come out of the game after this, to be replaced by Henry Collins. Henry brought a little more speed to the mound, but was struggling with his control walking 4 batters in the 4th. Yet again the defense contributed to the Mavericks struggles, with 3 batters reaching on errors.
Trailing 19-6, the Mavericks suddenly woke, keyed by Castor's Grand
Slam.
With Henry finding his rhythm, the Pirates were shut down in the 6th, 7th and 8th, and went into the 9th trailing by 5, as the Mavericks tacked on 4 more runs in the bottom of the eighth, on a Karl Grigor triple, and doubles by Michael Burdett and Henry Collins. Although Henry then loaded the bases with a couple of walks in the top of the ninth; a force out at the plate, followed by a couple of K's brought about with a good curve, gave the Mavericks the win that had been looking likely for the last couple of months.
Unfortunately, Guildford will now have to find a new starting 3B, with
Castor's departure, and he will be sorely missed, not only for his
talent with the bat, but his enthusiasm, both during the game and at
practice. Add to this, that Koichiro had to return to Japan earlier in
the year, and Ross Pennington has been lost for the season with a
dislocated collar bone, means that there will be some new faces starting
the last two games of the season against Richmond. |
Key
to the win was Mavericks 3B, Castor Maduro, who, playing his last game
for the Mavericks before moving to Dubai, became the first Guildford
player to hit for the cycle. In fact his 4th inning Grand Slam, left
everyone present with an everlasting memory, as not only did it clear
the LF fence about 300 ft away, it cleared it by a good 50 ft or more.
This was his second Grand Slam of the year, and followed a first inning
double. Castor then proceeded to single and finally triple his next two
times up, to hit for the cycle in his first four at bats. He drove in a
Maverick high 9 RBI's, going 5 for 6 on the day.
took
everything that came their way, and quenched a Pirates scoring threat in
the 8th, with Jamie throwing the Croydon runner out at third.
The
Mavericks tied it at 4 in their half of the first, on doubles by Michael
Burdett and Castor Maduro.
Guildford
6 times in the 4th ,and both sides crossed the plate twice in the 5th.
With a new pitcher on the mound for Croydon, the Mavericks started to
close on the Pirates lead.
5
runs in the 6th, including a double from Henry, and Castor's triple to
complete the cycle, were followed by 3 more in the 7th, as Guildford got
some breaks, with a couple of hits falling. This saw the Mavericks take
the lead for the first time, and as it turned out, for good. 
