Blackjacks streak falls as Tonbridge rain on Haverhill’s parade The Haverhill Blackjacks suffered their first regular season defeat on Sunday, as Tonbridge left the grey skies of Suffolk with a well deserved win. In between thunderous showers, Tonbridge took control of an error strewn game, leaving Haverhill still one game away from securing their playoff berth, and the dreams of an unbeaten season washed away. Under stormy clouds that threatened to scupper the ball game before first pitch, it may be argued that the Blackjacks were in need of assistance from above as they battled against their age old foe. Errors. In a match defining 1st inning, the Blackjacks welcomed back Daniel Becking, who took to the mound. After recording two quick outs with no runs scored, Becking was in fine form. Unfortunately, this good start was as brief as the sunshine, and it wasn’t long before Tonbridge had managed to notch 10 runs, a lead that proved to be insurmountable over the 9 innings. This excellent start was supported by a fine 1-2-3 inning by Tonbridge’s ace Nutt, who sat down Haverhill’s top order with aplomb. The Blackjacks played positively in the 2nd inning, with Becking responding with his own 1-2-3 inning, and Haverhill scoring 5 runs of their own to half the lead, Chris Loades and Alan Symons driving in Blake Broekhove and Steven Phillips. Lyn Wood and Ryan Harris both earned a walk, with Rob Wood also reaching, before all crossed home to earn the Blackjacks vital runs. The 3rd inning saw Tonbridge add insurance to their lead as the weather continued to make the conditions difficult. Becking was unable to keep the Tonbridge bats at bay for a second straight inning, and some good hitting saw the first four batters score. Again, poor fielding from Haverhill contributed to their downfall. Phillips scored his second of a four run game when Loades hit a line drive to left field, but Nutt was able to stifle the usually hot Blackjacks bats, leaving Tonbridge ahead 14-6. In the 4th inning, Becking blanked Tonbridge, and in the bottom of the inning scored the first of his 4 run game. Rob Wood recorded an RBI as Symons plated for the first of his three runs. Harris earned a walk before scoring his second run of the game, and the Blackjacks again found themselves 5 runs down. The momentum shift was plain to see, and it was now the Blackjacks that looked like they could pull off another come-from-behind win. This was further helped when Nutt was unable to continue pitching for the away side. By the end of the 5th inning, Haverhill had closed the gap to 2 runs after scoring another 3 to Tonbridge’s zero. The score was 14-12 and the game was perfectly poised. The Blackjacks were now calling on the baseball Gods to keep the inevitable rain at bay! The 6th inning saw Tonbridge and Haverhill trade blow for blow, as silly errors from both teams saw each score 3 runs. Errors on offence for Haverhill saw the smart base running that has been key to their success this year, seemingly abandoning them. Entering the 7th inning and Tonbridge still led 17-15, and this was as close as the home side would come to atoning for their poor start. Tonbridge added a further pair to a solitary score from Loades, leaving the score at 19-16. Coach Steve Esdale made a pitching change in the 8th inning that saw Phillips take the hill, and Broekhove deputising with catching duties. This change didn’t prove to be the mastermind of previous weeks, as Tonbridge were able to add a further 4 runs following more errors and wild pitches. The Blackjacks responded with two runs of their own, however they proved to be the last runs the home side would score in this tense game. Tonbridge added 2 further insurance runs in the ninth, before Tonbridge closed out the game, taking a hard fought and well deserved victory, 25-18. The Blackjacks were outplayed both sides of the ball, and it is the errors in the early innings that cost them dear. Tonbridge played the conditions with more confidence, and their ability and graft suggests they are a better side than their 5 and 4 record boasts. Tonbridge capitalised on a bad day at the office for the Haverhill Blackjacks, but were by no means fortunate for their win. Haverhill were brought back down to earth after being up on ‘Cloud nine’ with their unbeaten start now over. This loss should act as a stark reminder of the fine margins in this league, and hopefully keep any complacency at bay. The Haverhill Blackjacks are away against the Brentwood Bucks @ Clements Park, Pastoral Way, Brentwood on Sunday 20th July 2014. First pitch midday. Come on down and cheer on your local team.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:49:05 +0000
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