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Guildford, August 15th, 2004. The Mavericks and the Dragons faced off in the first of two games of a mini series that will end the season for both clubs. Guildford took this first game in a slightly closer game than the score suggests, to move one game ahead in the race to avoid last place in the division. Next week the two teams will meet again up at Richmond, in a game re-arranged from earlier in the season. As has often been the case this season, the game was decided by the stronger pitching, with both Guildford starter, Karl Grigor and reliever, Henry Collins pitching well, and restricting the Dragons to just 8 runs on 11 hits, with 5 of the runs coming unearned in the 4th. The
Dragons had been shut down in the first with a couple of ground outs to
short and third, and a strikeout by Karl.
Guildford again left the bases loaded in the third, although this time, they did manage to cross the plate 3 times, thanks in main to Duncan Phillippo who came very close to hitting one out, but had to settle for a triple (albeit a somewhat risky one!), and extra base hits from Karl (triple) and Henry Collins (double). Admittedly the Mavericks didn't exactly help themselves, as Henry was picked of third in a run down, and Rob Shaw was thrown out at the plate.
Richmond looked to have got back into the game in the top of the 4th, as
they scored 5 times, with all the runs coming with two outs. This time
Karl let himself down, as having struck out a couple of Dragons, he
threw away a simple comebacker to the mound, and was made to pay as
Dragons 1B, Pilbrow doubled in a couple of the runs. The Mavericks were
only able to reply with one run in the 4th, as Duncan again hustled
himself home, having walked to start the inning. With Karl sutting the Dragons down in the 5th, with the aid of a close play at the plate to turn a double play, Guildford stretched their lead scoring 5 times in their half of the inning. Henry had lead off with a single, and was doubled home by Rob Shaw, before a Ben Mullard single, and an RBI double from Karl, added to the score. This was to prove the last inning for Karl, as Henry took over on the mound, and Pete Cruddas came in to play CF. With Henry throwing somewhere near 80, the Dragons still managed a couple of runs in the 6th, on a RBI double from Pilborw, and single from Hadley. The Mavericks were unable to reply, going down on 13 pitches in the 6th, and in order in the 7th. Richmond themselves faired no better in the 7th, as Henry retired the side in order.
Taking a 13-8 lead into the bottom of the 8th, after Henry had retired
the side on 7 pitches in the the top half of the inning, thanks to both
Duncan at third and Ben Mullard at first, making some good picks, the
Mavericks closed the game out on the slaughter rule, scoring 10 times.
Triples from Henry and Duncan and a 2 RBI single from Gavin Tunnell, put
the Mavericks into an 11 run lead. At this point there was some
confusion as to whether this meant the game was over, as the slaughter
rule was not something Guildford had had to think about for quite
awhile!
The slaughter rule is not perhaps the best way to end the game, and hopefully next year will see the introduction of a time limit in its place. However, with this win the Mavericks go into the final game of the season with a one game lead over the Dragons, and the first back to back wins, since the first halfof last season. Mavericks MVP: Karl Grigor |
Guildford
then opened up a 4-0 lead on an RBI single from Nick Jolly,
and
2 RBI's from Duncan Phillippo. Neither side scored in the second,
although the Mavericks left the bases loaded, and may have rued this, as
the Dragons looked to get right back in the third, scoring once, and
then loading the bases up themselves, including Ben Martin-Dye on his
return to Guildford since his off season move to Richmond, being drilled
in the back by Karl. However a fly ball to the safe hands of Rob Wheeler
in the RF, snuffed out the threat. 
So
the inning was played out, ending with the Mavericks ahead 23-8 with
extra runs coming on Pete Cruddas' 2 RBI single in his last game before
a year off working in Botswana.....the length some players will go to to
keep their batting average above .500!
