Vetra and Essex Arrows Split - Mets win on NBL Opening Day
Waltham Abbey played host to the first BBF National Baseball League fixture of the 2024 Season which saw Essex Arrows and BC Vetra split their double header.
The Arrows lost the first game 12-5 but took revenge over their visitors with a 12-2 victory in the second game of the series.
BC Vetra, based in Saltford, Bristol, returned to the NBL after a season-long absence.
They have already won more fixtures against the Arrows this season than they did in the 2022 season, when they lost all five league fixtures against them, and finished the season in fifth place out of seven.
Essex Arrows would have been the favourites entering this series having won 80% of their NBL regular season fixtures last year but were put to the sword in game one by a lethal Vetra offence.
Shortstop Mattia Papini recorded the first hit, and later, run of the NBL season having been driven in on a ground ball out from centre-fielder Vil Katinas.
The unrelenting Vetra attack caused nightmares for Arrows pitchers Jose Pimentel and German Obando who gave up 11 runs over the five innings they pitched between them.
Third-baseman Miguel Sánchez was the standout of the BC Vetra line up securing the most runs and hits, three, of any player in the game.
The second game of the series was a complete turnaround from the first.
It was the Arrows' turn to score 12 runs in just five innings to end the game on the mercy rule..
Batters Adonis Jose Gálvez Rodríguez and Angel Perez scored half of those runs with three each. Rodríguez also recorded a massive five RBIs.
Arrows Manager Eduardo Rodrigues said: “It was good to have the team back on the field for opening day”
“We saw two very good games of baseball, we split the double header against Vetra.
“We are looking to work even harder to stay in the winning path.”
BC Vetra and Essex Arrows both return to league action in a fortnight, with the latter hosting league debutants Bournemouth Bears, whilst the former will travel to London to face 2023 NBL champions London Mets.
Mets Walk Off Bruins in Enfield
Reigning National Baseball League champions London Mets opened their 2024 league season against Sheffield Bruins in Enfield with a walkoff 3-2 victory.
London Mets last played Sheffield Bruins in the 2023 playoff semi-final and defeated them 11-0 on their way to winning their their seventh consecutive NBL title in 2023 making them clear favourites when Bruins travelled to London for their league opener.
Sheffield Bruins made it tough for the reigning champions in the first game of their title-defending season with the scores tied 2-2 heading into the last inning.
The leadoff hitter at the bottom of the seventh inning, Rich Minford, walked to first base and advanced to second via a Jamie Dix single to left centre.
Second baseman Angel Tejeda’s single to left centre was enough to drive in Minford to score the winning run for the Mets.
In this low-scoring affair, both teams’ pitchers performed well, allowing opponents only two scoring innings out of a possible seven.
London Mets pitcher Ryan McLaughlin was the standout pitcher of the day. He only allowed two hits and no earned runs in a total of five innings pitched. McLaughlin threw 50 strikes in 70 pitches and struck out six Bruins batters.
Sheffield Bruins relief pitcher Keanu Stoltz struck out one more than McLaughlin for the most whiffs of any pitcher in the game.
The Bruins Keanu Stoltz in action on Sunday when he struck out seven Mets
Stoltz pitched five and one-third innings, throwing 101 pitches, with 58 of them being strikes. He allowed only one run from four hits.
Despite the defeat, Bruins manager Charlie Batho praised his team’s effort: “It was an incredible performance today despite the less than ideal planning and preparation.
“Gutted for the group to not walk away with a deserved win, but there are plenty of positives to take into week two.”
The Mets’ Ryan McLaughlin knows there is work to be done if the team is defend its title.
“Despite a slow start offensively, we found a way to hang on for the win behind solid pitching and defense,” he said. “It’s early in the season so there’s going to be an adjustment period, but we expect to play much sharper baseball in two weeks when we face off against Vetra.”
Sheffield Bruins will once again make the trip down to London next Sunday to face the London Capitals in their home season opener, whilst the London Mets enjoy an extra week’s break before they play host to BC Vetra.
Box scores and play by play can be found here
Credits:
Story by BBF’s Michael Thomas
Arrows and Vetra photos by Joe Anderson
Mets and Bruins photographs by Jody Demay-Davies
