Game of several halves
It would have been very intriguing to predict what would happen in Saturdays opening salvo in the Belfast Northstars' season against the Ashbourne Giants; especially when the answer was so simple.
Everything.
Pitching of various standards, errors, lead changes, offensive outbursts, playing through injuries, breakout performances and web gem defensive efforts. Just another day in Baseball Ireland.
The Giants showed why (again) they continue to stride forward into the league's elite and the Northstars equally showed why they will not easily hand back their league title. Coach Sean Shackley took the ball himself in the first game and never let it be said that having a game under your belt isnt a massive advantage. The Stars came out trying to knock the rust off their bats but a solid outing by the Ashbourne starter saw eight strikeouts in the first three innings on the Belfast side, a rarity for such a high powered offense.
Inspired by the performance on the hill, the Giants exploded for six runs in the fourth inning and another four in the fifth. This would prove to be a wake-up call for Shackley's team and they would mount a fightback in the seventh, including a run for returning Northstar Calvin Phillips but it was too little too late in this tilt and the Stars took the loss, 12-7 the final.
In an occurrence oddly reminiscent of last year's playoffs, a solid performance by Ashbourne proved to be enough to wake a sleeping dragon in the following game. Seven runs plated in the first two innings of game two, including one from Steven Rogan who's performance at the plate and at first base on the day drew praise from his teammates and two each from Casper Coffie (who turned his ankle baserunning in the first game and caught the entire second), pitcher Gord Cuthbert and Melvin Woods which included a home run over the right field fence as well as what will be described from here on in as the 'Woods shift'; a David Ortiz-style fielding rearrangement showing the majority of the Ashbourne fielders taking up position in the centre and right field areas of the diamond.
The Stars may have been concerned that they had played their hand too early, only scoring once in the next two innings, Coffie driving in Woods in the fourth; but resilience and the ability to score runs in bunches have been key factors in delivering a championship to Belfast.
Every Northstar scored in the fifth with a competent mix of hitting, taking advantage of errors and showing solid plate discipline to stretch their lead out to 18 runs. With a mercy rule decision looming, the Giants showed phenomenal heart driving in four runs to keep the game alive. With one more run scored by second baseman John McKee in the last the Stars had only to close the door in the seventh to finish off Ashbourne but the Giants had one more charge left in them. A couple of errors by Belfast and some exceptionally placed hits in the Northstar outfield saw the home side pull the score back to 27-17 before the final out was recorded.
A worn out Belfast team made the trip home taking heart in the fact help is incoming and that last year started 1-1 as well – but that didn't work out too badly.
