Guernsey A out to maintain winning streak
SATURDAY is the biggest day of the year for Guernsey’s top divisional softballers – particularly those challenging for a ninth straight ‘A’ title.
Beau Sejour will take its turn hosting the inter-insulars as four important games take place to decide who will pick up softball’s much-sought Upton and Muratti prizes.
The first game kicks off the Uptons, where Second Division winners Cimandis the Originals will take on Jersey’s Royals.
Originals have been largely a step above the rest this season, having won both the Second Division league and the knockout title for the division.
They have also reached two semi-finals, suffering a loss to Sluggers in the Second Division tournament, which was then won by Manor Farm Donkeys.
A similar fate beset them in the all-division semi, where they lost to NE Electric Rookies in a competition which Rookies would go onto win.
Local First Division winners KJ Simon Tomahawks then play DMS Jersey Flyers in a bid to defend their title.
Tomahawks will be looking to win this trophy for the second year in a row, having beaten Raiders in 2018, with the confidence booster of league, tournament and knockout titles behind them. They almost completed a clean sweep of the domestic game but were beaten in the All-division Knockout by NE Electric Rookies.
Jersey will come to the island with the major incentive of defending their B Team Muratti title.
The current holders, who last year beat a young Guernsey B side with an 8-7 comeback for their only inter-insular trophy last season, currently lag just one win behind in the 8-9 all-time tally of the fixture.
Guernsey will be wanting to put things right again and, as a result, extend their lead.
But all of the excitement will be around the final fixture – the A game – in the mid-afternoon.
Guernsey have been the dominant team in this fixture and will be looking to add a ninth straight title, with Jersey’s last win coming back in 2010.
Guernsey lead this fixture 11-7 in wins since the first Muratti in 2001 and a dominant away performance last year put a real mark on where both islands are at in terms of quality, with the Sarnians battering their rivals 24-6.
All games take place on the top pitch at Beau Sejour.
Division 2 Upton 10am – Cimandis the Originals (Gsy) v Royals (Jsy)
Division 1 Upton 11.45am – KJ Simon Tomahawks (Gsy) v DMS Jersey Flyers (Jsy)
Muratti B 1.45pm – Guernsey B vs Jersey B
Muratti A 3.30pm – Guernsey A vs Jersey A
