LA GRANDE MARE GIANTS drew first blood over NRG Rangers when they beat their great rivals 8-1 in the men’s fast-pitch league. But the season had got off to a bad start for Giants, the defending champions, when they had to forfeit their opening match against Plough Inn Titans as they could not raise a side.
‘We had 11 signed on and a couple were ill and other people were off the island,’ said captain Curt Taylor.
‘We had only seven and you can’t field fewer than eight.
‘But it was a solid performance against Rangers. It got our first game nerves out of the way.
‘Everyone did a job and you can’t complain. Hopefully it will continue.’
Rangers got off to a flyer in the match on the Beau Sejour top diamond when they loaded the bases in their first innings. But they failed to capitalise and did not register a run.
It was not until the third inning that they scored their solitary one after Marco Silvestri got on board following a throwing by Giants’ short stop Junior Berboda.
Silvestri was able to advance to third on a Marc Rihoy bunt and then came home on a sacrifice fly by catcher Paul Vaudin.
In the four innings that followed, accurate and consistent pitching from Taylor saw Rangers send 13 more batters to the plate, of whom only two were able to reach first base.
While Rangers were struggling with the bat, it was a different story for Giants as Taylor scored twice, as did Paul White, while Berboda, Jose Villanueva, Dane Le Page and Matt Kershaw each scored once.
But Giants’ second baseman Villanueva was denied a sure home run by a Silvestri catch at left field in the fifth innings. Great Britain player Silvestri had to back-track and make a good turn to retain the ball in his glove for the out.
Stand-in catcher Karl Taylor was also denied a homer after a solid hit to centre-left field was gathered by John Rihoy Jr who relayed to Vaudin waiting at the plate for the tag via short stop Glen Cortez.
Rangers had enjoyed a more fruitful time in their first match of the new campaign when they got the better of Slattery Decor Sluggers 11-9.
It was a close-run game to start the new season.
Rangers’ pitcher Marc Rihoy had a slow start and struggled to find the strike zone in the first three innings.
But the reds’ first out of the season was a magnificent triple play.
Cortez took the catch at short stop, threw the ball to Crittell who took the out on first as the runner had left the base. Crittell then threw to catcher Vaudin who tagged at the home plate.
In slow-pitch Division One, Tornados won their opening game of the season, beating Condor Ferries 15-12.
Last season’s Division Two champions NRG Rangers crashed to a 22-7 defeat in their first match in the top flight against Triton Legdraggers, who also got the better of Tornados 10-7.
Division Two favourites Stonecraft Blue Sox lived up to their reputation by stepping over newly relegated Core Focus Rookies 19-2.
In Division Three, Pentagon Pumas started the season in great form by beating Mercator 30-11 and then Specsavers 20-13 thanks to an impressive four home runs from their captain, island football star Matt Warren.
Former Division Two outfit Northern Trust also got past Specsavers 21-3 and then newcomers Credit Suisse Stormers 20-11. Stormers also lost to Pumas 19-1.
Mercator tasted success over Specsavers as well, with the score 28-6.
Article posted on 11th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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