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Big Bats Lift Twins Over Nationals for Junior Crown. Story by Robert Sweeting. Photos by Erica Russell.

Joe — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 20:11:32 +0000

The Duracell Nationals started out in good form in the first inning of Game 2 of the JBLN Junior Division Championships by scoring two runs with two outs. Sherman Ferguson singled sharply to center field, while Brandon Murray also lifted one to center field that was misplayed by the Twins, sending Ferguson all the way to third.

The Nationals’ David Sweeting then sent a hard-hit shot to the Twins shortstop, who couldn’t come up with the ball cleanly. An overthrow sent Sweeting to second and plated the first two runs of the game for the Nationals.

In the top of the second, Nationals pitcher Murray shut down the powerful Twins batters for the second straight inning. But Twins pitcher J’avaughn Stubbs returned the favor by blanking the young Nationals team in turn.

The Twins broke loose in the top of the third inning. Stubbs singled to centre, while Gerald Major walked and Marcus Farrington smacked a base hit to right field to bring in a run. Brandon Burrows then walked and Nicholas Alexiou connected on a sacrifice fly to center field to score another run. An error by the Nationals pitcher allowed Joemeko Culmer to get on base and another run scored. Aaron Thompson grounded out to third base for the second out, but drove in another Twins run.

The Nationals finally got out of the inning when Lynden Pindling grounded out to the pitcher, but the Twins had upped their lead to 4-2.

The Nationals pulled the score to within one run, 4-3, in the bottom of the third inning after Scott Brown reached base on an error, Hilton Bowleg popped out to left field, and Murray reached on an error. Sweeting finally drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right field, while Herman Maycock closed out the third inning for the Nationals with a fly out to center field.

The fourth inning proved to be offensively productive for the Twins as well, as they consistently shelled the Nationals pitcher for base hits. Tyrone Miller doubled to left, while Stubbs singled to right and took second on an overthrow. Farrington hit into a force out at third for the second Twins out of the inning. But the Nationals pitcher walked Burrows, Spencer Roberts, and Thompson. An Alexiou infield grounder and a Pindling hit that scooted through to right field gave the Twins the lead 8-3 after the top of the fourth inning.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

More Photos of Nationals-Royals Matchup. Courtesy Donna and Jessica Sweeting

Joe — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:26:47 +0000

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Nationals Top Royals with Thrilling Comeback. Story by Robert Sweeting

Joe — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:20:40 +0000

David Sweeting and Eugene Pratt hooked up in a pitchers’ dual for four innings Saturday, as the Duracell Nationals and Million Air Royals battled in a one-game, sudden death, loser-goes-home game.

In the top of the first inning, Sweeting retired the Royals 1-2-3, while teammate Hilton Bowleg hit a tremendous home run shot to give the Nationals the lead in the bottom of the same inning.

Sweeting again retired the Royals three-up, three-down in the top of the second and the score remained 1-0 until the top of the third, when the Royals scored a run on a fielding error to tie the score at one apiece.

Bowleg grounded out to third for the Nationals, while Sherman Ferguson walked then stole second. Next batter, Brandon Murray, struck out, but was called safe at first when the Royals catcher dropped the pitch. Ferguson moved onto third base. Sweeting’s pop up out to second allowed Ferguson to tag up at third and cross home plate to make the score 2-1 at the end of the third inning.

The Royals scored a run in the top of the fourth inning to again tie the game at 2. Murray came in to replace Sweeting on the mound, after Sweeting walked the lead off batter in the top of the fifth inning. Sweeting moved to short stop, but the Royals went on to score four runs to put them ahead 6-2, and clearly in the driver’s seat.

But Ferguson blasted a shot of his own in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Royals lead and keep Nationals’ hopes alive. Unrelenting, the Royals scored another run in the top of the sixth, making the score 7-3 and seemingly sealing the Nationals’ fate. However, as the young Nationals team has done all season long, they scratched and fought back.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Nationals managed to load the bases with Scott Brown, Corbin Abila and Dmetri Haines. With fans gathered from other fields to watch what the end of the contest, Bowleg stepped to the plate. Bases loaded and two outs, the Nationals needed four runs just to tie the game.

In what proved to be a most unlikely turn of events, and the deciding factor of the game, Bowleg crushed his second home run of the day--a grand slam--to tie the game.

Still with one out to go, the Royals decided to walk the next batter, Ferguson, who quickly stole second and third. Murray followed Ferguson at the plate, and blooped a single into left center field to bring Ferguson home and secure an 8-7 victory for the Nationals in one of the most exciting comebacks of the year.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Nationals Secure Home Field After Win Over Mets. By Robert Sweeting

Joe — Thu, 25 May 2006 22:03:50 +0000

Duracell Nationals 16

Snicker’s Mets 7

The Duracell Nationals faced the Snicker’s Mets on Wednesday, in a game to decide whether the Nationals would have home field advantage in their playoff game on Saturday against the Million Air Royals.

Nationals pitcher, Brandon Murray, gave up three runs early in the game, only to have Mets’ pitcher Dineko Bethel give one back in the bottom of the first.

The Nationals’ offense began to heat up in the second, however, as Stefano Pral and Herman Maycock recorded singles, and Brandon Murray a double. Scott Brown, Corbin Abila, and Hilton Bowleg loaded the bases on walks. David Sweeting’s deep drive to left centre field for a triple scored three runs to make the score, 7-3.

Sweeting replaced Murray on the mound in the second and retired the first three Mets hitters in short order. Pral and teammate Nathan Cartwright got on base in the top of the third inning and the Nationals’ offense caught fire again. Maycock’s hit drove in another National run, and Brown followed suit with an RBI-producing ground-out. The Mets managed another run in the bottom of the third to make the score 9-4.

Abila took over pitching duties in the fourth inning from Sweeting, and kept Mets hitters corralled for only three runs over the remaining three innings.

Bowleg led off the sixth inning for the Nationals with a walk, followed by a Sweeting double that drove in another run. Sweeting then stole third and came home on a fielding error by the Mets’ shortstop off a ball hit by Pral, to widen the Nationals’ lead.

Cartwright and Abila both followed up with walks. Sam Wrinkle recorded a base hit that drove in another run, while Bowleg walked with the bases loaded for the Nationals’ final run of the game.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Royals Shoot Down Nationals, Force Deciding Game. By Robert Sweeting

Joe — Tue, 23 May 2006 18:19:39 +0000

The Royals struck quickly off Nationals starter Corbin Abila, scoring four runs, highlighted by a big double by Nick Okpere.

Royals pitcher Okpere didn't fare much better in the bottom of the first, as the Nationals scored four runs of their own. David Sweeting and Sherman Ferguson scored on a hit by Brandon Murray, while Hilton Bowleg, Stefano Pral & Scott Brown all walked to tie the game at four.

In the second, Pratt doubled and eventually scored to make the score, 5-4.

In the fifth, the Nationals trailed 8-4. Nathan Cartwright, Herman Maycock, Sam Wrinkle, and Scott Brown got on base, and the Nationals scored two more runs, making the score, 8-6. This was the closest the Nationals would come to the lead all game.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Royals scored five more runs to end the game. The Royals victory also forced the Nationals to have to play a make up game against the Mets on Wednesday to decide second place between the Nationals.

Regardless who wins Wednesday’s game, the Royals will meet the Nationals again this Saturday in a single-game elimination contest.

The winner goes to the championship series while the loser goes home. This week is building up to be very exciting.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Nationals Fall to Royals - Photos

Joe — Mon, 22 May 2006 22:04:08 +0000

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Photos of Nationals-Cardinal. Courtesy of Robert Sweeting

Joe — Mon, 15 May 2006 23:57:46 +0000

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Nationals Crush Cardinals. Story and Photos by Robert Sweeting

Joe — Mon, 15 May 2006 23:29:31 +0000

Duracell Nationals 14
French's Cardinals 3

Brandon Murray doubled in the first inning, but was stranded on second by Cardinal pitcher Jack Cone. The Cardinals scored two runs in the bottom of the first, with the help of 2 errors by the Nationals. However, Nationals pitcher David Sweeting was able to shut the door on the Cardinals, who would only score one more run late in the game.

Sweeting and Cone locked up in a pitching dual, until the Cardinals had to replace Cone because he had pitched the maximum number of innings allowed. Sweeting was replaced on the mound by Murray in the fourth with the Nationals leading the contest, 4-2.

Murray held the lead to give Sweeting his fifth win of the season.

The Nationals blew the game wide open in the fifth, when Sweeting, Murray and Hilton Bowleg each scored twice, and Sam Wrinkle, Scott Brown, Dmetri Haines, Patrick Pratt, Herman Maycock and Stefano Pral each scored once.

Murray then put the finishing touch on by striking out the last batter to end the game.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.