The Ghajnsielem Redcoats produced yet another fine performance earlier today to beat the reigning youth baseball league national champions, Mustangs, 14-11 in Marsa and win their fourth game from four. This was a collective performance with each of the nine players making timely contributions with the bat or with the glove to maintain the perfect start to their season.
The Ghajnsielem Redcoats produced yet another fine performance earlier today to beat the reigning youth baseball league national champions, Mustangs, 14-11 in Marsa and win their fourth game from four. This was a collective performance with each of the nine players making timely contributions with the bat or with the glove to maintain the perfect start to their season.
The first inning followed an all too familiar pattern with the first six batters all reaching base to score the maximum allowed five runs. Giulia Lateo hit a double, Jasmine Bonnici hit a triple, while Malcolm Refalo continued his hot streak hitting an inside-the-park home run. The Mustangs replied with three runs in the bottom half of the first. Both sides were retired in order in the second so that the score remained 5-3 in favour of the Redcoats.
In the top of the 3rd inning the Redcoats scored the maximum 5 runs again with Giulia Lateo and Jasmine Bonnici hitting a double and a triple respectively. Andrew Borg led off with a solo home run in the bottom of the third for the Mustangs who reduced the arrears to 10-6 in the bottom of the 3rd.
The game became very tense when the Redcoats failed to score any runs in the top of the 4th while the Mustangs scored a further 3 runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 10-9. This put pressure on the Redcoats as they knew that a one run lead going into the bottom of the 5th innings could be fatal.
Things didn’t start well for the top of the order in the final inning. Giulia Lateo fouled out to the catcher, while Malcolm Refalo grounded out to third base after Kacey Grima managed to reach base. With two out and one on and the game on the line, Estelle Scicluna hit a ground-rule double to deep centre field driving in Kacey Grima from second base cashing in a vital run and keeping the inning alive. Jasmine Bonnici continued to make solid contact with the ball and reached base on an error at second base that allowed Estelle to score from second base the second run of the inning. Further hits by Kirsty Bonnici and Ian Refalo brought home another two runs to give the Redcoats a 14-9 lead going into the last half inning of the game.
Although the Redcoats registered two quick out, first a ground ball to the pitcher, Estelle, and then a high fly ball to centre field who Gerrard Xuereb caught with much confidence, there was to be some drama before the game was over. Four consecutive base hits from the heart of the batting order resulted in two runs coming in to score for the Mustangs. However, the Redcoats were not to be denied. A strike-out for the final out of the game brought much relief, more than jubilation, for the girls and boys in red. They were deserved winners at the end as a result of the superior fielding, batting and base running.
The Ghajnsielem Redcoats will host the Blue Jays on April 13 and then the same Mustangs on April 27.
