The Jayhawks have some of the finest baseball players in Malta, including brothers Keith and Nicky Bartolo and Marlon Borg. For this doubleheader in Gozo, the Jayhawks utilized the Patriots’ Clint Grima. The Redcoats were fortified by a host of ex-Gozo Tornadoes stars including Charles E. Attard, Josef Vella, Steven Galea, Jeff Tabone and Shaun Chircop.
The Redcoats played their first ever competitive senior game on the 14th of April 2013 when they took on the Jayhawks of Mellieha in a doubleheader at the Gozo Stadium in a M.A.B.S. National Softball League. The Redcoats split the doubleheader, but made a winning debut when they beat the Jayhawks 3-2 in the opener.
The Jayhawks have some of the finest baseball players in Malta, including brothers Keith and Nicky Bartolo and Marlon Borg. For this doubleheader in Gozo, the Jayhawks utilized the Patriots’ Clint Grima. Playing for the Jayhawks there were also two Mellieħa Curves players, Melivia Axisa and Rena Vella.
The Redcoats were fortified by a host of ex-Gozo Tornadoes stars including Charles E. Attard, Josef Vella, Steven Galea, Jeff Tabone and Shaun Chircop. The rest of the team were players who were making their first appearance in official competition in baseball or softball including current Għajnsielem F.C. defender Jonathan Grech and marathon runner Anthony Grech. The Redcoats also had on the team two of their finest prospects, youth team members Massimo Mallia and Armando Xuereb.
Luke Sant, a youth team player for the Grand Slammers, pitched for the Jayhawks, Loreto Scicluna, ex-football player, and a member of the Redcoats’ youths coaching staff, pitched for the Redcoats. Both pitchers put in a quality start, which is reflected in the uncharacteristically low score. Steven Galea drove in two runs and Joseph Scicluna drove in another one. Josef Vella was outstanding at first base. Jeff Tabone was dominant at shortstop. Keith Bartolo and David Borg drove in the Jayhawks’ two runs.
The Jayhawks bounced back from the narrow loss in game one of the doubleheader against the Redcoats with an offensive display that included home runs from Keith Bartolo and Clint Grima.
Interestingly, eight innings were logged in this game instead of the required seven due to a counting error that was not picked up by the two sides. This was the second game that was sportingly played without an umpire.
Once again Josef Vella was excellent at first base combining with his infielders on a season high nine putouts mostly following comebackers to pitcher Loreto Scicluna, who in turn registered a season high six assists. The Redcoats’ bats came to life in a losing cause. Jeff Tabone, in particular, had a good game with the bat, going 3 for 4 with a home run , two RBIs and three runs scored. Steven Galea and Joseph Scicluna also had three hit games.
The game was a tight affair until the late innings, when the Redcoats could not quite mount a comeback due to the Jayhawks’ ability to keep adding runs. The Redcoats loaded the bases in their final at-bat with nobody out and brought the winning run to the plate. Jonathan Grech, however, grounded into a double play and Loreto Scicluna took a third strike called by the Jayhawks’ catcher!
