GUERNSEY have won the slowpitch ‘Muratti’ for the first time since 2002. The Sarnians took an emphatic 17-9 victory over Jersey on Beau Sejour’s top diamond on Sunday afternoon. The result also meant that Guernsey took a clean sweep over the weekend as they also won the B ‘Muratti’ and both ‘Uptons’.

The greens looked the better unit throughout the match.

‘Absolutely delighted,’ said Guernsey captain Sally Le Noury.

‘It’s five years we’ve not won it. It’s always been a bit of a bugbear because we introduced the game to Jersey and it’s been embarrassing that we’ve not won it.

‘We’ve got a mixture of youth and experience which is difficult to have in softball because not many youngsters have come through. We’ve been really up for it.’

Guernsey also featured island and Bels footballer Dave Rihoy and his younger brother, John, who both starred with the bat and in the field.

‘Beating Jersey is always good,’ said Dave.

‘It’s the first time for a few years. Normally we struggle with the bat but we started well today.

‘That’s been the problem the last few years. They’ve batted and we’ve not.’

Jersey got off to a good start in the first innings as they picked up two runs that included Graeme Ferguson smacking a home run.

But Guernsey bettered that when they came to bat for the first time as Le Noury hit a home run to bring in Glen Cortez as well as herself and then Ean Sarahs crossed the home plate thanks to a hit by catcher Bobbi Odoli.

After the visitors could not add to their total in their second innings, the greens notched up two more runs as Jussie Smith brought in John Rihoy and then Cortez made it all the way round after successfully avoiding a tagging between third and fourth base. Another fruitless innings from the Caesareans thanks to some top notch Guernsey fielding was followed by one of the greens’ best sessions with the bat as they bagged four runs in the third innings.

A real smacker from John Rihoy led to three Guernsey runners getting home as a hit from Sarahs allowed Rihoy in to make the score 9-2. Another shutout for Jersey and more runs for Guernsey in the fourth as Dave Rihoy with a big clout over centre field got him, Sarahs and Liz Kerr over the home plate.

In the fifth innings, Jersey got their first runs since the first as Ferguson, Andrea Roe and captain Peter Warrell both brought themselves and others in to take the score to 12-7.

Another home run from Cortez stretched the home side’s lead again which was matched by Dan d’Oliveria when the right centre midfielder managed to get Sharon McGrath home at the top of the sixth. But the greens responded to smack four more in their sixth innings as Kerr came in along with Dave Rihoy thanks to his hit into the right field.

Third baseman Ben Youlton also came to the party to see himself and Odoli home. With the score 17-8, Jersey now had a mountain to climb in their last innings to avoid defeat.

Another lusty blow from Ferguson clawed one back but it was never going to be enough.

‘Of course we’re disappointed but on the day they were the better team,’ said Warrell afterwards.

‘They looked slicker in the field and they batted a bit better than us. We’ll get it back next year when they come over to us.’

The B Muratti was slightly closer as Guernsey won 19-14. Legdraggers won the Division One ‘Upton’ on Saturday as they crushed Jersey champions Optimus Storm 39-2 and this was matched by Blue Sox as they got the better of Funseekers Cubs 11-4 in the Division Two version.