The MAVBBL was in full swing this past weekend and featured some of the power clubs sweeping their opponents as we get towards July.  The New York Gothams took care of business winning two against the Neshanock, the Elkton Eclipse took a pair from Mechanicsburg, the Brooklyn Atlantics won both against the Resolutes and the Talbot Fair Plays swept the Diamond States including a white wash.

Gothams Take Pair From Flemington

Our first match began with the Gotham BBC at the bat. Collector lead off with a 2 base hit and came home on Scratch’s two base hit. In the bottom of the 1^st frame, the Gotham BBC held the Neshanock to 0 aces. For the next 4 innings, this is how the two teams played out the match. The Gotham BBC scoring aces and the Gotham BBC holding the Neshanock to none.

 In the 5^th frame, the Gotham BBC allowed an ace. However, our 2^nd base tender Sleepy made sure that was the only ace we allowed. With Neshanock on 1^st and 2^nd base, Sleepy gobbled up the ground ball tagged the runner going from 1^st to 2^nd and deftly threw to 1^st base to force the striker our. Two hands in 1 play, Huzzah! By the end of the 5^th frame the Gotham BBC had a commanding lead of 13-1.

 The Gotham BBC scored 5 more aces and allowed 3 more. The final score was Gotham BBC 18 Neshanock 4.  It started very differently than the first one when the Neshanock scored 9 aces through a combination of well placed strikes, sloppy fielding and Bugs’ inability to pitch into the new strike zone (or get the proper call). The Gotham BBC responded to the 9 aces with one of their own. Collector walked, stole 2^ndbase and Oates hit him home with a 3 base hit. Unfortunately he was left there.

 In the 2^nd frame, the Gotham BBC pulled off a nice 2 out in one play, when Scratch made a nice diving catch and instigated a successful run down between 1^st and 2^nd. This play held the Neshanock to 2 aces. In the bottom of the 2^nd frame, the Gotham BBC batted around scoring 6 aces and Monk had a 3 base hit.

 In the 3^rd frame, Hanky hit a 1 base hit and then got caught stealing. The striker, Bugs, hit a screeching line drive that was surely was going to be a 3 base hit, unfortunately for him, the dejected Hanky was still strolling off the field and the ball hit Hanky! The umpire called it a dead ball and Bugs proceeded to pop up to the pitcher.

 In the 4^th frame, with Weed’s adept base coaching, the Gotham BBC batted around twice. Collector, Monk and Stacks each scored twice. Feeling bad for the Neshanock and wanting to put an end to the drubbing, Scratch decided to get himself out by trying to steal 4^th base. He succeeded. This was one of the most productive innings the team has ever had. By the end of the 4^th frame the score was Gotham BBC 22 Neshanock 12.

 In the 5^th frame the striker Sleepy assisted with an ace. With Monk on 3^rd base, the pitcher pitched the ball. Sleepy let the ball hit him on the head and Monk scampered home!  In the 6^th frame, with the Neshanock threatening with runners on all the bases, the striker hit a screeching line drive to 3^rd base. With instant reaction, Stacks caught the ball, ending the Neshanock threat.  With both teams hot and tired, the match was called at the end of the 7^th frame with the final score Gotham BBC 28 Neshanock 17.

ELKTON TAKES TWO FROM MECHANCISBURG

In Westminster, Maryland at the Corbitt’s Charge event, over 300 fans crammed in to the old high school grounds to see Mechanicsburg and Elkton meet up for the first time ever.  The Eclipse scored 3 in the first frame followed by 1 ace for the Mechanicsburg Nine.  In a game that was closer than the score indicated, the Elkton nine won 15-6 after scoring some extra runs in the late innings to insure the victory.  After a generous meal where both clubs ate along side of soldiers from both sides of the conflict, the two clubs met again for the nightcap of the twilight double header.  The same results though insued as the Elkton club won again 10-6.

BROOKLYN DOWNS ELIZABETH

The Atlantic welcomed the Elizabeth Resolutes of New Jersey to the Islip Grange in Sayville by challenging them to a pair of matches.  Not only were the locals entertained by live period music and knowledgeable displays of base ball history, but they were treated to two thrilling matches played to the rules of 1864 and 1870.
 
While the local farmers market provided fresh produce, it was the Atlantic bats which did the producing this day, taking the 1864 game by the score of 17-6.  Toothpick led the Atlantic bats with 3 hits and aces, while the rest of the Atlantic battery of Shakespeare, Dreambucket, Flash, Wildhorse, Willy Mo and Butcher each had 2 hits and 2 aces a piece.  The cranks in attendance were treated to some fine defensive work in the first inning, as Elizabeth baserunners were eliminated consecutively on a caught stealing attempt and a hidden ball trick on Rookie Secondbaseman Marlin.  Wildhorse continued his excellent pitching regimen and came out the winning pitcher.
 
With a change in umpires and rules, the Elizabeth club fared no better in the second match as the Atlantic scored 9 aces in the bottom of the first frame on the way to a 21 run rout.  Again, Toothpick flexed his batting pedigree and had 5 hits, while Dreambucket and Wildhorse had 3 hits each.  In this even handed attack, every Atlantic in uniform scored at least one ace.  Shakespeare showed his prowess in delivering the sphere in an underhanded manner and held the Elizabeth club to a season low 3 aces scored.