Guildford, June 27th 2005.  The Mavericks and the Bucs met in a rematch of the game just 4 weeks earlier, where the Bucs had handed Guildford their worst loss of the season. However, with a stronger line-up in the filed, plus home advantage, the Mavericks were looking to at redress at least part of that scoreline. With summer finally appearing to have taken hold the strong hitting Bucs, took advantage of the hard, quick surface, to rack up 5 runs in the first inning, off Maverick starter Owen Hazelby. Again errors reared their ugly head, and as a sign of things to come, a couple in the first lead to an extra couple of unearned runs against Owen.

This time it didn't take long for the Mavericks to get on the scoreboard, as a Jamie Barnett single scored Rob Shaw who had lead off with a walk, but Marty Poulter was thrown out at home with none out, trying to score on Ally Carr's ground ball, and two fly balls later, the Bucs had got out of the inning, with just a single run conceded.

This was all the opportunity Brighton needed, as they doubled their tally on 5 singles and a couple of errors, particularly allowing runners to advance, when the play was all but over. However, two strike outs from Owen, kept the Brighton lead down to single figures.

The Mavericks then appeared to make a game of it in the second, as Buc starter Cull, still struggling to find his rhythm, walked the first four batters to score Guildfords second run. An RBI single from Jamie Barnett, and a 2 RBI single from Ally Carr, scored 3 more runs, and then Owen helped himself, driving in Jamie with a single to left field. With two runners on, and still just one out, the Maverick inning ended as abruptly as the first, when Julius Miller grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Trailing 10-6, this was to prove as close as the Mavericks got. An inning later and it was 18-6, as 8 runs crossed in the third all with two outs, and after the Mavs had missed a chance to end the inning on an infield ground ball. But as previously this season, that misdemeanour was severely punished. Despite the errors, Duncan Phillippo at 3B, was making the batters earn their hits, throwing out a couple.

The Mavericks couldn't score in the 3rd, and the Bucs, despite a lead off double, scored just the two runs in the 4th, as the Guildford defense tightened, notably a good catch from Marty Poulter in RF, and Ally Carr, nicely putting out a runner at 1B. However although still in the game at this point, the Mavericks imploded in the 5th, as Brighton ace, Cull was getting better, whilst Owen reached the 150 pitch mark. However, yet again, 2 outs, and 2 errors, before any runner at reached second, meant the Mavericks turned what should have been a 1,2,3 inning, into a 7 run inning for the Bucs. Brian Kendal came in to relieve Owen for his pitching debut with the Mavs, and finally

ended the inning, as he got Carl Smith to ground out.

Brighton scored 8 more in the 6th and 5 in the 7th as Brian and Tom Sheridan Snr tried to stem the flow, butby this time, the game was already decided in Brighton's favour, and it was obvious that the Mavericks were going through the motions. 1,2,3 6th and 7th innings for the Mavs really summed up the day, but again, it had been the errors in the field that had cost them dear.

Highlights were Jamie Barnett as usual, who went 3-5, and Owen Hazelby, who was 2-3 and pitched a strong game. Duncan Phillippo, Marty Poulter and Ally Carr (once he had his sunglasses on!) all made good plays in the field, and Heather behind the plate, as always, let nothing pass.

Next week brings the Mavericks a change to avenge a earlier defeat at the hands of the Croydon Pirates, which is the last Div1 game before the London Tournament, and then a bye week.

Maverick MVP: Owen Hazelby