Latest Game Report

Comebacks Twice as Nice as 'Stars Take Two.

The Belfast Northstars established their possible play off credentials by taking two games of a double header from the defending league chamions, the Dublin Spartans.

Game one was a solid victory on the back of a pitching master class from Gordon Cuthbert. The first inning started as the game was to go on, with Cuthbert setting the side down in order,striking out two, and getting a ground ball for the final out in the top half of the inning.

The Northstars were slow to get started themselves, as a strike out each from lead off man Mark Smith, and slugger Colin Powers sandwiched a pop up by Sean Gottschalk, as the side was retired in order.
Onto the second inning where the Spartans got a break through. Cuthbert was pitching effectively, getting the plays he needed, but a throwing error from aging catcher John Want, on a sacrifice bunt enabled the first run of the game to score. A further error in the inning enabled the Spartans to double their advantage.

An unfortunate tradition of the Belfast Northstars is to drop their heads following similar situations that occured in the top half of the second inning, and it seemed that this would continue. Other than a single a piece from John Want, and left fielder Conor Dawson, the Northstars again went down quietly in their half of the inning.

Gordon Cuthbert did all he could to keep his team in the game, keeping the next two innings scoreless, getting some help from his defense. This seemed to lift the Northstars, setting them up for their next inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Northstars would get all the runs they would need.
The Spartans would become the masters of their own downfall. Right Fielder Sean Gottschalk got on through a bunt, and was able to score through a mixture of wild pitches and fielding errors by the Spartans. This would be the case through out the inning as the Northstars continued to put the ball in play, and capitalise on the Spartans weak fielding. When the dust settled at the end of the inning another three Northstars had crossed the plate. This would be all the scoring for the Belfast club.

The Spartans would eek out another run early in the fifth, but two outstanding diving plays by Northstars short stop, Mark Smith, slammed the door. Cuthbert carried on the way He had for most of the game, setting the Spartans down quietly to gain his first win of the season.

Onto the second game, and it started the same as game one, with the pitchers dominating early giving up very little until the fourth and fifth innings.
The Northstars took an early lead when Colin powers crossed the plate on the back of a double by Gordon Cuthbert.The Spartans managed to scratch out one run early on, but Belfast pitcher Sean Shackley pretty much shut down the Spartans giving up one further run until the fifth inning.

The Belfast boys added runs far more consistently than game one, scoring a run in the third, and three in the fourth. Onto the Spartans fifth inning. This is when the game began to unravel for The Northstars pitcher. After shutting the Spartans down for four innings, Northsatrs pitcher Sean Shackley seemed to loose the strike zone. Then through a mixture of walks and hit batters, the Spartans were able to rally and post a seven spot on the 'Stars to take a 9-5 lead.

As mentioned earlier, past Northstars teams would have caved in and the game would be over, but bouyed with the confidence of the game one win, the Northstars took to the task and began to accumulate runs. Pulling two back in the sixth, the Northstars went into the top of the seventh having to get two runs to have the chance to take the game into extra innings. With some timely hitting and walks the Northstars were able to get the runs needed to extend the game.

Strong pitching from the bullpen in the form of Conor Dawson, and great defence shut the Spartans down in the bottom of the seventh. So onto extra innings. Conor Dawson lead off the inning with a hit but was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. He was followed by Jose Santos. Santos made contact, and due to a throwing error from the Spartans third baseman, he was able ot get on base. After a further walk, and another error Santos was able to cross home plate with the go ahead run.
Onto the bottom of the eighth. Dawson was still pitching well, getting a ground ball for the first out. But an error enabled the Spartans to get the tying run on. This wasn't to matter as on the next pitch Dawson was able to get another ground ball, and the Northstars turned their second double play of the game to end the eighth and give the Northstars their second victory of the day.



V Dublin Spartans, 22-5-10, Game 1.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Dublin Spartans
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
3
3
3
Belfast Northstars
0
0
0
4
0
0
X
4
3
5

Winning Pitcher:#13 G. Cuthbert
Losing Pitcher:

Northstars HR:None
Visitor HR: None

V Dublin Spartans, 22-5-10, Game 2.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Dublin Spartans
1
0
0
1
7
0
0
0
9
10
5
Belfast Northstars
1
0
1
3
0
2
2
X
10
10
7

Winning Pitcher:#19 C.Dawson
Losing Pitcher:

Northstars HR: None
Visitor HR: None

Box Scores (Games 1+2)
Belfast Northstars

Batting Stats.
Player Name
GP
AB
R
H
1B
2B
3B
HR
RBI
K
BB
HBP
SB
CS
BA%
OBP%
SLG%
#11 M. Smith
2
7
1
2
2
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
.286
.286
.286
#27 S. Gottschalk
2
7
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
.143
.250
.143
#22 C. Powers
2
6
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
.000
.143
.000
#13 G. Cuthbert
2
6
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
.167
.167
.333
#6 J. Want
2
5
3
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
.400
.571
.400
#19 C. Dawson
1
3
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
.333
.333
.333
#34 S. Shackley
2
5
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
.200
.200
.200
#25 J. Santos
2
5
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
.000
.000
#10 P. Cathaway
2
6
1
2
2
0
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
0
.333
.333
.333
#32 A. Downey
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
.000
.000
#20 D. Coyle
1
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
.000
.000
.000
#15 S. Golden
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
.000
.500
.000

Pitching Stats.
Player Name
IP
R
ER
H
BB
SO
HB
SV
WP
#13 G. Cuthbert (Game 1)
7
9
9
13
2
2
0
-
0
#34 S. Shackley (Game 2)
7
9
9
13
2
2
0
-
0
#19 C. Dawson (Game 2)
7
9
9
13
2
2
0
-
0