17th August 2008

NBC 4 - Mapleleafs 9

NBC 5 - Mapleleafs 9

The Bucks faced league rivals Birmingham Mapleleafs in their final meeting of the 2008 season on Sunday. The weather was a little unsettled as game one got underway, but became brighter as the game progressed. The leafs started South African pitcher Alf Swart for this game, and he had a good few crisp innings, mainly throwing strikes and staying effective against the Bucks bats.

The game was evenly matched, Bucks Lithuanian pitcher Marius Urbanavicius also holding the Leafs bats steady, and the score remained as close as 4-3 up until the 5th inning, when the Leafs capitalised on defensive errors given away by the Bucks, and they took their tally up.

The Bucks could not bring it back with the bats, and the game ended 9 - 4 Leafs.

Game two saw Bucks newcomer, American Mike Ott start on the hill. Mike was a little unsettled in the early innings, but he hung tough and made the Leafs bats work for their runs. This game was almost a carbon copy of the first, staying very close throughout until defensive errors again cost the Bucks, and the Leafs jumped out into a lead. The Bucks never gave up and fought back to bring the score to 9 - 5, but the bottom of the seventh saw the Leafs close out to take the victory.

Some very good baseball played in very good spirits, NBC wish the Leafs every success in Croydon at the final four.

Net week sees the Bucks take on the Blue Sox for their last meeting of 2008. First pitch is at 12.00 at Woughton on the Green, MK.