The second matchup between the Ravens and Raptors saw many of the Ravens hitting for the fences.

Game One

Game One saw Wei-Chieh Wang take the mound as the starting pitcher, hoping for his 6th win this season. The Ravens were driven through the early innings by their rapid pitching and solid defence.

Slugging champion Zak Beller stepped up to the plate for his 4th at-bat of the game, and with two doubles and a triple already under his belt, he was ready to go again. An at-bat filled with foul balls and wild pitches meant Beller had to be careful with what he chose to swing at, but when the perfect ball fell through the zone, all he had to do was unleash the bat. The Raptors left fielder was left sprinting for the fences, desperate to throw the ball back to the infield before Beller could reach third, but to no avail. He took his place on third base once more, only a short distance from home plate, and his cheering team. “Triple No.2 and Hit No.4 for Zak Beller”

The Game ended a 19-8 victory for the Ravens, a fantastic display of hitting and fielding, especially by the undisputed Player of the Day, Zak Beller.

Game Two

Nic Goetz walked up and took his place on the mound as game two’s starting pitcher. With his fingers gripped firmly around the baseball and his eyes focused on the glove of catcher Hunter Devine, he was ready. The inning saw strike after strike, batter after batter, and ended with all three outs credited to Goetz.

Rookie right-fielder Jack Page lead game two in hits after hitting the ball past the infielders in both corners, allowing himself to reach first base easily. Last years rookie Henry Bell also hit to the outfield on his second double of the day. His early swing of the bat squeezed the ball straight down the left field line, narrowly avoiding the Raptors third-baseman and giving him the time to round the bag and stand up safely into second base.

Sonam Lama showed incredible patience and plate vision after tallying up six walks across the two games. He made the most out these oppurtunities, making his way around the bases and bringing in runs for the team four of those times.

The Game ended a 13-6 victory for the Ravens, their 15th consecutive win.

The Ravens are facing the Essex Redbacks next on the 20th of August, their final game at Basing Hill.

A late-day start for the Ravens meant Basing Hill had already seen plenty of action, but there was more to come.

Game One

Hang Li stepped up to the plate for his first at-bat of the day, and after taking three straight balls, with a walk looking likely, a sudden swing of the bat saw the ball soar over the left fielder and land beyond the fence. He rounded the bases as cheers and celebration waited for him at home plate. “2-Run HOME RUN for the Ravens”

As a new inning begun, starting pitcher Nic Goetz returned to the mound, and with his lightning fastball, he sat down three of the Raptors in quick succession. “1, 2, 3 inning for the Ravens”

With the Ravens returning to bat, third baseman Greg Bochan stepped forward and took his position in the batter’s box. With two baserunners waiting to be batted in, Bochan delivered a powerful line drive double to left centre to achieve just that, his second double of the game. “2-Run double No. 2 for Greg Bochan”

With his foot by the base and glove pointed at the batter, first baseman Hang Li was ready for the play ahead. No sooner than the sound of the crack of the bat echoed through the infield, the sound of the snap of his glove replaced it. The batter had hit the ball directly into his glove, and with a diving effort to tag up, the baserunner was unable to beat the force out. “Bang-Bang double play for the Ravens”

The game ended in the 4th inning at 12-0, a Shutout for ERA Extraordinaire Nic Goetz, his 3rd of the season.

Game Two

With another win under their belt, and starting pitcher Wei-Chieh Wang warming up, the Ravens were ready to face the Raptors on the field once again.

The Raptors’ offensive effort had the Ravens looking to the sky, as two consecutive flyouts to both; the pitcher, Wei-Chieh Wang, and the centre fielder, Henry Bell, took the Ravens two steps closer to ending the inning. “Flyout to 1, Flyout to 8”

The bottom of the inning saw the Ravens capitalise on the walks they were given, as base hits from the top of the order and a double by Ravens second baseman Gilberto Medina brought in those on the bases. “Ravens bring in 5 to end the inning.”

With a nine-run deficit, the Raptors needed to give the final inning their all. Two singles by the starting batters provided the Raptors with prime runners in scoring position, who rounded the final bases shortly afterwards due to a throwing error by the Ravens. But ultimately, after some well-fielded groundouts, the Ravens got out of the inning to end the game as another win.

The game ended 13-8, marking a 5th win for Wei-Chieh Wang and a 13th consecutive win for the Ravens.

The Ravens and the Raptors will face off again on the 13th of August, at Grovehill Ballpark.