SMH logo by @20_range, NSS logo by @txranger - I know the 'A' needs changing to an N...
The Hares headed to Mauritania for their first series of 2058 to head off against the Sand Sox. Added as part of the same expansion as our beloved Hares, the Sand Sox are also still looking for their first playoff appearance.
Stats are presented underneath each game as thumbnails, click to view each one. I just didn't want massive tables taking up all my posts, but happy to change approach if people would prefer it presented differently
Game 1
Things started off well for the Hares as Jeff McBurrows floated a 2-run home-run to deep-left field following a walk from bin Jameel. Unfortunately 4 singles in a row and some good base-running from Chien Danh meant the Sand Sox tied things up immediately after. McBurrows put the Hares ahead again at the top of the 3rd with another home run, but Marinello continued to struggle and gave up three singles and a double, in a 3 run inning that put the Hares down 5-3.
The Hares brought in right-hander Evan Shepherd in the fifth inning, and at the top of the 6th the Hares tied things up with a Jason Portman single with the bases loaded, but that’s where the positives ended. With a combination of endless singles as our pitching continued to struggle, good base running, and a Kamarupa Visvanathan 2-run homer, the Sand Sox took the game 10-5.
Game 2
Rafael Guzman put in a very solid start, recovering from giving up 2 runs in the first inning to holding the Sand Sox to no runs for the next 5. The bullpen then shut out the remaining 3 innings. Unfortunately, the Mountain Hares offence was not on form at all, hitting only a few singles spread across the innings in a manner that they were never a threat. Sand Sox starter Dumadi Kartodirdjo never looked in any trouble and we lost 2-0.
Game 3
Leftie Yushua bin Saqr wasn’t helped by our fielding when the Sox went 1-0 up in the first inning, but he did manage to limit the damage leaving two runners on base. Gildun Chatuluku of the Sox made bin Saqr pay for a lead-off walk in the second with a double, making the score 2-0 as the Hares offense failed to get going. Superstar signing Willie Perez gave the travelling fans something to cheer about in the top of the fourth with a 409 foot home run to centre-field, straight into the giant sandpit the Sox have there, his first home-run for the club, and we all hope the first of many. Unfortunately Chienh Danh continued to be our nemesis and smashed a double at close to 100mph at the bottom of the 8th which pitcher Christos Budd could only watch fly past him into centre field, letting Leon Gomez run two bases to home to give a final score of 3 - 1 to the Sand Sox as they completed an opening sweep of the Hares.
Quick thoughts
0-3, not the best start for sure - but there are some positives here. McBurrows and Perez are off to good starts, there’s some promising starting pitching too, we just need a decent pitching performance to align with a good batting one and I’m sure we can get that first win. Fielding has been a bit of a mess, but hopefully that improves as the team plays together more. It's too early to talk about player's season stats, or our place in the standings at this point, but I'll start doing that from the third series or so.
Next up - we're at home against the Warsaw Kings