Stars book in to 2014 playoffs

For the second straight season, both strings of the Belfast Northstars will be competing in the Baseball Ireland postseason; although it was a bit closer for the A team than they would have liked.

The A squad dropped the first game of the unprecedented triple header at Henry Jones field on Sunday 15-5 to the Greystones Mariners with Mark Smith squaring off against Jack Farrell in a battle of the young aces. Fighting control issues from the off, Smith struggled and would fail to meet his own usual high standards and would leave the game in the sixth inning, leaving Gord Cuthbert on the wrong end of a 9-0 scoreline. Farrell meanwhile would turn in a quality start (6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K). The Stars would rally behind their veteran pitcher, plating five runs in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by a crushing two-run home run by Melvin Woods to a deep part of the Hank.

Despite the shot, the Stars would go into the eighth inning 13-5 down. Colin Woods would get the chance to stretch his arm out; the Mariners would add on another couple of runs to close the match out 15-5 to secure themselves third place in the league table. The result, which dropped the Northstars to a 6-9 record, also meant that these two teams will see each other again in the first round of the playoffs on the 6th of September. The Stars will welcome back Jon Carter and Joel Binkley who were unavailable this weekend.

With the A team finished for the day, Jose Santos would lead the B team into action against the Shankill Black Sox.

In a reversal from last week’s clash against the West Clare Dolphins, Darwin Sanchez would pitch to son Klebier in the first game. The combination would work to great effect with Sanchez Sr having a better than average day on the hill (6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 K) and combining with Klebier and Santos for four runs, five hits and six RBI. A nine-run fourth inning as well as basestealing aplenty from this speedy Northstars side saw an 11-3 victory in the first game of the double header.

No respite for the Black Sox as they had to face down Melvin Woods in the second game. The big southpaw was his at his flamethrowing best and, despite combating a sore throwing arm, his velocity would prove too much for the Shankill team, striking out ten and allowing only two earned runs. Woods would help his own cause again by sending another ball out of the park in the bottom of the first inning.

Facing a rookie catcher and with speed to burn, Santos would give the green light up and down the lineup and with Sanchez, shortstop David Mundarain and outfielders Stuart Fraser and Sean McMahon taking regular shifts in the team, Northstars stealing bases should be a common sight in future seasons.

The second game would be underpinned by exceptional defence by Belfast with debutant Stephen Hunter’s running grab in right field and Chris Stange proving to be a rock at first base the highlights on the day.

Consistent hitting again by the Northstars would drive them to an 11-2 victory which would be good enough for second in the league with an enviable 13-3 record. It means that the Stars will have to face down the 15-1 Dublin Hurricanes in the first round. They will hope that the momentum gained this weekend will carry them through against a powerful Canes team on the14th of September.