Kings Ace Falcons
The Oxford Kings baseball club responded to its first challenge of the season by pummeling the Bushey Falcons 19-4 Sunday afternoon.
The game was ended after the seventh inning, owing to the "10-run slaughter rule." The rule forces a team losing by ten runs or more to concede the game after the seventh inning.
The Oxford effort was highlighted by a strong six-inning performance from starting pitcher Masaharu Egawa. Combining with reliever Peter Naumann, the Kings pitchers allowed nine hits over seven innings, while striking out nine and walking only one. Egawa struck out the side in the second inning.
The Kings offense came alive in a fourteen-run outburst in the top of the third inning. Eighteen Oxford batters came to the plate, shelling the Falcons' Dominic Black for twelve hits while drawing two walks.
Egawa, third baseman Richard Johnston, and catcher Alex Carey came up with the big hits of the inning. Each went to bat with runners at second and third, and each cleared the basepaths ahead of him. Egawa belted the 3-and-1 pitch to left field for a single, Johnston grounded a single through the infield, and Carey ripped a triple to deep right field. Each went on to score.
The Falcons' only serious threat came in the fifth inning. With two outs, Bushey rallied for five straight hits, scoring three. Egawa ended the inning by striking out Louis Pino on three pitches, while runners remained on first and third.
The game was the Kings' first of the British Baseball Federation's (Division 1) 2001 season. The strong all-around performance seemed to support the belief around the league that Oxford is the team to beat this year.
After the game Egawa was designated "Man of the Match" by the squad. He received a packet of M&M's sweets for the honour.
Oxford will meet the Enfield-based Sidewinders this Sunday at Enfield.
24th May 2001