Stars shine in second clash

BASEBALL: OLDHAM North Stars recovered from defeat in the first of a double-header against Manchester Torrent at Royton and Crompton School to win the second clash.

A shaky start to game one allowed Manchester five runs after a couple of errors and two base-on-balls were given up in the first innings.

Starting Pitcher Denzel Schrader came back to strike out the next two batters and solid defensive fielding allowed just three additional runs over the next four innings.

Catcher Bill Urwin and shortstop Martin Doyle were influential in the field, with the latter making a spectacular backward-diving catch.

Offensively, the Stars' bats failed to ignite throughout the first game as only three runs crossed the plate in the first six innings.

But signs of life were apparent in the seventh as they began to demonstrate plate discipline and Oldham managed to notch another three runs, only to lose the contest 14-6.

In the second match Liam Fraser crushed a two-run homerun followed directly by another long-shot courtesy of Marcel Alayon who would render a repeat performance in the fifth.

Manchester’s relief pitcher opted to issue him a free pass in the sixth with an intentional walk.

The Stars' defense tightened up to support the hitting onslaught by serving four scoreless innings to Torrent despite only one strike-out by Oldham pitcher Chris Reed.

With the score 10-2 to Oldham, their resilient opponents fought back with four runs in the seventh but Reed kept his nerve and the Stars clinched a 10-6 triumph.