Game 1: Belfast Brawlers vs. Castleknock Wildcats.

It was a strong Belfast team that took up their bats in Limerick for the first time any Belfast team was represented at the Irish Open Softball Trophy. In the first inning, they quickly took to the field after getting two home, Chris and Terry. The wildcats sporting their playboy bunny outfits did their best to distract the Brawlers, and it worked as they let 8 runs through. However it all turned around as Maarten, the pitcher, made one bunny strike out, one magnificent catch by Terry and great team play by Terry and Aisling on 2nd base, brought a close to the first inning.  With 3 quick outs on both teams the second inning passed uneventfully. The third inning again saw Maarten’s pitching shine as he made the Wildcats heavy hitter strike out. A great team work with Terry and Carrie at first saw the second out, whilst again Aisling got the third out stopping a slide into second. The third inning saw a slippery bat release from Terry making the bunnies run everywhere for cover. Nicky flew into 1st whilst two bunnies bounce around looking for the ball but the bunnies make up for it by creating a double getting Stevie and Nicky out. However, Chris, Carrie and Terry all got home bringing the score to 10-6 in favour of the wildcats. Although it was a shaky start in the first inning once the Brawlers found their feet, their defence was tight and their team spirit was high!

Game 2: Belfast Brawlers vs. Reservoir Dogs.

This game also doubled as our round 1 Plate game from the ISA cup/plate/bowl. 

As the weather turned for the worse the Brawlers battled the rain, wind, mud and Dogs.  In the first inning with all bases loaded, Terry hit a whopper into the outfield bringing Carrie, Connor and Lauren all home.  Go Coach!  With the Brawlers in the field, 2 of the Reservoir dogs managed to get home. There was a close out on first with great fielding from Nick but the ball just arrived a second too slow in Carrie’s glove. An excellent catch by Connor closed that inning.  The 2nd inning saw no scoring by the Brawlers but a good eye by Karen got her to first base. Out in the field, Stevie caught a great fly ball as catcher, Nick at 3rd base caught a lovely ball right off the bat and Connor closed the inning with an excellent tag on 3rd.  The 3rd inning saw Connor batting Carrie home, with some great hits from Terry and Lauren.  With the Brawlers back on the field Lauren grabbed a great ball from the air getting the first batter to the plate out.  Maarten and Carrie’s team work created a double closing the inning with a 4-6 score to the reservoir dogs. In the fourth inning, Nicky got to first on a great hit, but two quick outs and one more home by the dogs saw another loss for the Brawlers but a respectable score (4-7) against this division 2 team.

Game 3: Belfast Brawlers vs. Beachers

The Brawlers won the toss, taking the field first. Terry and Lauren got a great out on first base, and a catch by Terry as pitcher bringing the Brawlers to Bat with the Beachers up by one. Terry hit getting to first, with Aisling’s keen eye bringing her to 1st base and Terry to 2nd on a walk. Maarten then stood up to the plate and with a glint in his eye he hit a whopper into the outfield, getting Terry home and Aisling to third, while he sauntered to first. The inning ended on a 1-1 tie. The second inning saw a shut out on both sides with Chris shining in LF, Etain and Maarten bringing an out on 2nd base and Terry causing a Beacher to strike out. The third inning saw the Beachers break away to a 7-1 lead but they were shut down by Laurens catch, Stevie getting the runner on third out, and Terry getting a runner on 1st out.  In the fourth and fifth innings we again kept the Beachers to a no score, with Terry tagging a runner to 2nd, the Maarten and Terry tag team getting an out on 2nd and Maarten swiping the ball out of the air. Aisling had a great hit getting Terry to 2nd but unfortunately had to sacrifice herself.  In the fifth inning, Chris got another hit to him in LF and, Etain & Lauren got the batter out at 1st. With many innings of shut outs the Brawlers lost by 7-1 but only one inning saw the Beachers on top, so again our spirits were high as we prepared to battle against a division 1 team.

Game 4: Belfast Brawlers vs. Blazers.

No comment was the general feeling for the first four innings. The first inning saw 2 quick outs by Nick as catcher and Maarten supplying the cut off and out on 3rd, but the Blazers then got seven home making our stomachs flip. The 2nd inning saw an outstanding catch by Chris close the inning after another few Blazers passing home plate. Great hits by Charmaine ‘Sluggar’ Blake and Damo ‘Weener’ McHugh saw them making it onto 2nd and 1st base.  Damo made the 3rd inning pass without the Blazers passing home by some great catches in right field. Malachy was the only one to get to base in the 3rd inning finding himself on 2nd. The fourth inning was again a shut out for the Blazzers; the tag team of Terry and Chris got an out on 3rd. Quick hands by Maarten and Carrie got the out on first, while Chris did his usual in the field plucking the ball from the air.  With an 11-0 score, the Brawlers took up their bats for their last attempt to battle the Blazers, but as their team name suggests they are fighters. Connor took to the plate and in speedy Gonzalez style took himself to 1st. Then Carrie with a weak bat to third managed to get Connor and herself safely to the next bases, but an overthrow from the blazers brought them to 2nd and 3rd base. Then Coach Terry took to plate with the Brawlers on edge wanting to get home at least once against this division one team after a great battle and two innings of shut outs on both sides. Terry’s hit brings him sliding into first, Connor home and Carrie scrambling around second as the mud gets the better of her but she reaches safely to the base. Next Maarten takes the plate but his experienced eye brings on a walk and Carrie strolls home. Charmaine then takes his lead and walks to first, with Maarten on 2nd and Terry on third. Karen seeing the pitcher getting tired, takes her walk bringing Terry home. The game ends with the Brawlers terrific fight bringing them to an 11- 3 loss but they put up a big fight in the last innings. A victory is in the air!

Game 5: Belfast Brawlers vs. Galway Hookers.

Connor and Maarten bring Carrie home on some great hits but the Galway bunch got 4 passed home plate. Nick and Carrie both take some nice catches closing the inning. The second inning was a shut out on both sides. Stevie took to the plate in the third inning and got a great hit but was tagged out on 2nd as he didn’t return to the base. Nachos, one of the Hookers managed to tag Karen out in a bit too friendly way… Nachos, get your hands of Karen! Damo had a lovely hit getting on base. But the third inning passed with a 7-1 score to Galway. With the Hookers up to 10 and the Brawlers holding 1 Carrie bats Chris home but gets caught out while running home on Connors bat and gets out ending the game in 10-2….

Game 6: Belfast Brawlers vs. Cork Convicts.

With 5 games down the tired Brawlers take to the field for the last game of the day digging deep for that last bit of energy.  The Brawlers take to bat after only letting 1 Convict home, and some great pitching by Connor. Chris gets to 2nd on a walk, Carrie gets to first and Chris to 3rd then Connor stands up getting Chris and Carrie home. Connor gets home on Terry and Karen’s hits whilst they get themselves onto base and Nick brings Terry home on a slide. 4-1 to the Brawlers and they can smell that victory… The second and third inning saw a shut out on both sides and there was a very spirited support on the sidelines for the Brawlers. The fourth inning saw 2 runs for the convicts and Nick coming home by his, Charmaine’s and Malachy’s batting skills. 5-3. The Brawlers defensive techniques see a shut out for the Convicts, whilst Connor gets home. 6-3. So the Brawlers take to the field nervous flying everywhere….but it all goes wrong Connor suffers a knee injury putting him out of the game and after some confusion of what team Stevie is on he fills the gap in the field. But with some rather one sided umpiring…and some sloppy play 5 convicts slip home and the game is over ending in a 8-6 loss for the Belfast Brawlers…that win was so near. But our spirit wasn’t to be defeated as we skipped around the field to do our cool down lead by our fearless leader whilst even the premier teams looked on in horror!
Day 2: Are they serious? Can these sore muscles really move again!

Game 7: Belfast Brawlers vs. UL55

So day 2 of the Brawlers first competition and its some tired bodies that rolled on to the field. But after a great night in the Stables and with Stevie’s new bat at hand the Brawlers go out fighting. But wow! These guys can hit, and for the first time our outfielders are put to the test. But Maarten catches a ball right off the bat and Nick’s steady arm flings the ball to Carrie getting the out on 1st. With 3 quick outs, the first inning ends at 3-0 to UL55.  Our defence is great in the second inning but their heavy hitting gets 2 home. Chris in left field finds the ball coming his way and plucks it out of the air. Stevie finds his feet on the home plate and pulls off a double play 5-0. In the third inning we don’t score but Malachy and Damien both get themselves on base and Stevie’s wonder bat gives him a great hit but a UL55 catches it with ease.  Our defence however creates a shut-out with Maarten pitching two out and Nick getting an out on 3rd.  The fourth inning sees all hell break loose and they score 6 home bringing the score to 11-0. Lauren takes to bat and the Brawlers true spirit fights back. Lauren gets to first, Terry follows behind moving her on to 2nd.  Third up to bat, the pitcher gets the better of Carrie with a strike out. Maarten comes out brawling and knocks one right out in Left field bringing Lauren and Terry flying home…and the Brawlers have woken up. The last inning sees the Brawlers pull a trick out of their Schrader caps, surprising everyone (including themselves). With 1st and 2nd loaded, the batter gets up to bat, the umpire calls an infield fly - batter is out, but Maarten fumbles, the runner on 1st takes off and Maarten tags the runner from 1st and… oh my! he throws it home to Stevie who tags the runner from 3rd out. Phew! Was that really a triple play from a rookie team!!! So another loss at 11-2 but the triple play is what we’ll remember!

Game 8: Belfast Brawlers vs. Galway Hookers.

So again we draw the Galway Hookers to play. After their win against us the day before are hopes aren’t too high but as the Brawlers are still buzzing from the triple play so who knows!  Nick is up to bat first with one whopper but he underestimates their skills and tries for one base too many.  Carrie and Chris are next up and get on base with Charmaine bringing Carrie home. Next up Terry brings Chris and Charmaine home. 3-0. Connor brings Terry home and himself to 3rd. The inning ends with a strike out by Maarten, Chris catching his usual ball at left field, and Carrie getting the out on 1st. 4-1. But the Brawlers have learnt their lesson; it ain’t over till the fat lady sings. Stevie hits a whopper getting to 3rd, that bat is good. But the bottom of the inning ends with no score for the Brawlers. With all the action on first Maarten and Carrie get 2 outs and Stevie as catcher gets the third out by a clean throw to Carrie on 1st. The third inning sees three quick outs for the brawlers, Maarten closes the top of the inning with some good pitching and a great out. But the Galway Hookers get 2 home 4-3. The fourth inning sees some great batting with Maarten and Stevie getting home and no scoring by the Galway bunch as the tag team Maarten and Carrie get two outs on 1st and Maarten does his thing on the pitchers plate. In the fifth, Terry and Nicky get on base, and Connor and Lauren get home on Maarten and Aislings batting. Nachos (remember him) get your hands off Charmaine!! That man has something for our female players. The score is 8-3 going into the top of the fifth but one Galway Hooker slips by and all Brawler breaths are held, but Maarten and Terry save the day with some great saves. IT’S A WIN!!!!!!!!!!! 8-4 and the Belfast Brawlers take home a win.  Did everyone hear! We were the happy bunch!

Game 9: Belfast Brawlers v’s Oddsox MegaMix

No comment! This division 1 team certainly got the better of us.  The star of the show had to be Etain who in the first tagged out the runner on 2nd closing the inning and who ran home on Maarten’s hit, scoring the only run of the game for the Brawlers.  But its always from losing that you learn and we did create two shut outs in the 3rd and 4th innings, but their more aggressive style of running the bases made them the better team. Next time Oddsox… next time.
 

All in all a fantastic weekend, the Brawlers made sure that nobody could forget that there was a softball team from Belfast in the IOST this year. After 2 days of playing it was a bunch of real softball players that returned tired and weary from Limerick to Belfast. Only 4 months since a completely raw bunch of people started training and learnt the game, resulting in a win at their first competition. Thanks to all for the great weekend!!

Go Brawlers!!!!