Honours even in Dublin for Northstars
After the dust settled this weekend, the Belfast Northstars arrived home carrying a .500 record, having split their initial games against the Shankill Black Sox and the Greystones Mariners.
In the first, Shackley handed the ball to reigning Northstars Most Valuable Player, Melvin Woods. The big lefty appeared to show mid-season form straightaway, holding the Black Sox offense to a single run over five innings – Woods was well supported with six of the first eight Northstars batters finding their way home. The game would settle down for the visitors after that initial burst, but they were far enough ahead to allow Woods to stand down in favour of brother Colin. A late comeback by the Black Sox would reignite the Stars bats, supporting their pitcher with another 5 runs in the last two innings, including a first run for rookie Mike McConville. The score would finish 15-6, giving Sean Shackley his first coaching win.
Shackley would take the hill himself in the second game of the day against the Greystones Mariners – unfortunately the pop had left the bats of the visitors, despite Melvin Woods being driven home by Mark Smith in the first.
That would be the last plated run for a while for the Stars with the Mariners gradually pulling away, scoring one in the second, adding two in the fourth and another three in the sixth. To the credit of the men from Belfast, they would not go quietly into that good night with Jason Scott leading off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, being pushed round by a double from Shackley and finally driven home by centre fielder Sean McMahon.
Melvin Woods would raise hopes with a 2-RBI triple but unfortunately the Mariners defense held, stopping the comeback at 5-4 and sending the Belfast Northstars home having opened the Baseball Ireland season 1-1. The Stars are on the road again on Saturday as they travel to the International Baseball Centre in Ashbourne to take on the Giants – hopefully there will be lessons learned from opening day.
