San Juan Garitas at Sheffield Mountain Hares (5th to 8th June, 2059)
Team Profile: San Juan Garitas
Established: 2055
Banners: none
Playoff appearances: none
Last season: 15th
This season’s record: 24-36
The Garitas joined the WBL as part of the same expansion as the Hares in 2055, and similarly have yet to make the playoffs. In fact, they’re yet to finish above 12th in their division, something that their sluggish start to this season doesn’t look like changing.
Game 1
SP: Yushua bin Saqr
The Hares toppled to a 6-2 defeat in this night game in Sheffield. Liu-liang Huang was the game-changer, going 2 for 4 with a home run, as well as getting hit by a pitch. His 3-run homer off a bin Saqr fastball in the top of the 6th gave the Garitas a 4-2 lead, and they never looked back. There wasn’t much to shout about for the Hares, other than a Rutz home run in the 2nd.
Player of the game: Liu-liang Huang
Game 2
SP: Giobbe Marinello
Marinello kicked things off nicely for the Hares, giving up only 1 run in his 5 innings as the Hares eased to a 6-1 win over San Juan in game 2. The Hares lineup managed 8 hits, the most impressive of which were a Morales home run in the 6th and Schilchegger’s 2 run double at the bottom of the 7th, the latter of which put the Hares up 4-1.
Player of the game: Giobbe Marinello
Game 3
SP: Eskinder Ali
Game 3 of the series was another 2-way game for Eskinder Ali, and so the stands were packed. He put in a superb pitching performance yet again, giving up no runs in 5 innings, as he sits on a ridiculous ERA of 0.83. On the batting side he was less impressive, going 0 for 3 and a walk. Fortunately the rest of the lineup was on form, with home runs from Sergio Rutz, Kolya Saetgaliev and Adam Koehler all helping the Hares to a commanding 6-1 win.
Player of the game: Eskinder Ali
Game 4
SP: Alois Herzog
The Hares dominated game 4 to take the series with a 10-2 win as they hit a seamingly endless strew of home runs, much to the delight of the crowd. Bin Jameel hit two home runs, while there were also dingers from Graham, Saetgaeliev and Morales as Herzog went deep, giving up only 2 runs in 7 innings in a fine win.
Player of the game: Abdul Karim bin Jameel
The Hares now sit in 3rd with a 36-24 record.
Next we'll take a look at Hares player stats after the opening 60 games.