Formidable Islanders too hot for Richmond
Connare Field, Richmond, Sunday 19th June 2022
By Alvin Michael | alvinmichael.com | @AlvinMicWrites
Records and statistics don’t always tell the whole story, and sometimes they can be quite deceiving. This past weekend pitted Richmond Dukes (5-3) against Formosa Islanders (2-6). You’d be forgiven for assuming this match up would be a lob-sided affair - early division contender Vs also-ran - based solely on their respective win-loss records. The reality was anything but. Formosa proved to be worthy and formidable opponents, winning both games of an exciting doubleheader, and bridging the gap to the teams above them in the British Baseball Federation Single A South Central-B division.
Islanders were the official home team despite the games being played at Connare Field (Richmond’s home field). The first game of the doubleheader was a showcase event for British baseball - solid pitching performances, backed up by sturdy defence, and quality hitting from both teams, that culminated in a dramatic late inning comeback by Richmond, only for Formosa to walk-off victorious.
The first few innings were evenly contested. Both sides making hard contact at the plate and putting runners on base. But any big momentum generated was quickly stopped in its tracks by superb defending. Richmond turning a quick double play to get out of the 1st inning, that was paralleled by Formosa in the 1st and also in the 2nd.
Islanders drew first blood scoring a couple of runs early on, and despite threatening to extend their lead, Dukes made crucial outs to stay within touching distance. But Islanders kept the pressure on, tacking on more runs in the 4th to establish a 6-0 lead by the end of the 5th.
Richmond bats had been quiet by and large. Although they were making good contact and hitting the baseball hard, they were not converting any of those hits into runs. They desperately needed to wake up and get hot. And wake up they did. Led off at the top of the order by CF Evan Burke with a double to centre field, Dukes loaded the bases in quick succession. Back-to-back RBI hits from P James Guerra and 2B Alvin Michael drove in five runs and turned the pressure back on Formosa.
If they felt any pressure, they certainly didn’t show it as they came back out and extended their lead again to 10-5 going into the final inning, highlighted by a two RBI single from 2B Hsuan Kuo Yi. As the official home side, Formosa wouldn’t need to bat again if they could hold onto their lead. But this Richmond team has been dogged, tenacious, and clutch all season long when down to their final three outs. Those characteristics were on display yet again. They dug in, walked the bases loaded, scored four runs on bases loaded walks, and added another run to tie the game 10-10.
Into the bottom of the last, Richmond bravely tried to hold on to send the game into the extras, but Formosa had other ideas. Two huge swings of the bat off back-to back pitches, first a double to left centre field by CF Payton Liao, followed by a single up the middle from SS Hang Li, and just like that, the game was over.
Game 2 was a blow out. Formosa jumped on Richmond starting pitcher Leo Sakai-James, scoring heavily in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd innings, and Richmond didn’t have an answer for it. They showed spurts of power - doubles by Michael in the 1st and CF Gaston Farina in the 4th - but for the most part they spluttered through the innings, stranding a total of 9 runners on base.
If it were not for some incredible defensive plays, the score line could have been much worse. The pick of the bunch came in the 2nd inning - an early contender for defensive play of the year by RF Callum Watts. Formosa RF Sam Chen launched a fly ball that seemed destined to fall into right centre field. But Watts was on it in a flash, getting a great early read on the flight. Ranging to his right, he ran the ball down, reaching across himself and dove to snag the ball on the back hand, tumbling and rolling into a graceful finish. The sensational play saved one run and stole, what would have been, a certain triple from Chen to end the inning.
Still, Formosa were on fire, and not even the automatic sprinkler system turning on repeatedly in the middle of the 2nd and 3rd innings could dowse their performance. C Eric Ferng drove in three RBI off two hits and SS Peng Yu Yang (.677 / 1.097 / 1.764) finished the game 3-4, with a double and two RBI. After adding another five runs in the 4th, Formosa took a commanding 15-4 lead into the top of the fifth and final inning. This time they held on to their lead without conceding a run. Relief pitcher Peng Yu Yang induced the Dukes’ batters into weak groundouts to close out the game.
Formosa are now just one game back to Richmond and three behind London Minotaurs who currently occupy the second playoff spot in South Central-B. They face off against each other again in the reverse fixture this Sunday at Flood Field, Richmond. Formosa probably go in to this weekend as slight favourites and will look to extend their win streak to five. Richmond will be reeling after their fourth loss in a row, and will be desperate to end this skid with a couple of wins. Anything less than two wins would be a massive setback for their playoff aspirations.