Belmore Stingers drop first game of the Huron County Fastball League season
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
With an 8-7 defeat at the hands of the Milverton Millwrights - just their third win of the year - the dream of a perfect season for the Belmore Stingers is over as the team drops to a record of 13-1.
The teams clashed in Milverton on Thursday, Aug. 1 and it was the home team that prevailed after Belmore made it through the first two thirds of the season without losing a game.
Of course, the Stingers are still well ahead in the Huron County Fastball League standings with their 13-1 record and 26 points, trailed by the second-place Wingham Hitmen and their record of 8-4 and 16 points.
Three teams follow with 14 points each - the Brussels Bangers (7-5), the Brussels Tigers (7-6) and the Monkton Muskrats (7-4). The Elmira U20 team is in sole possession of sixth place with a record of 6-6-1 and 13 points, followed by the seventh-place Goderich Grizzlies with their record of 6-7 and 12 points.
The Mitchell Mets (5-5) and Sebringville Sting (5-3) are next in the standings with 10 points each, followed by the Walton Brewers in 10th place with a record of 4-9-1 and nine points.
The Fullarton A’s (3-10), king-slaying Milverton Millwrights (3-7) and Wroxeter Rippers (3-10) then round out the standings, each with six points. Currently, the Rippers, with their 0-5 record, is the only team without a win on the road yet this season.
Just before the long weekend, the Brussels Bangers were scheduled to host the Sebringville Sting on Aug. 2, but that game was postponed and will be made up at a later date.
On Aug. 1, as mentioned, Milverton beat the undefeated Belmore Stingers by a score of 8-7, while the Goderich Grizzlies beat the Brussels Tigers in Brussels on July 31 by a score of 6-1.
One day earlier, the Brussels Bangers beat the Walton Brewers by a score of 11-1 in Walton and on July 28, the Belmore Stingers beat the Wroxeter Rippers in Wroxeter by a score of 12-4.
Looking ahead, the Belmore Stingers will be in Brussels to play the Bangers tonight, Aug. 9, the same night the Fullarton A’s are due to play the Hitmen in Wingham. The Sebringville Sting were scheduled to play the Monkton Muskrats that night as well, but that game has been postponed and will be played at a later date.
On Aug. 10, the Milverton Millwrights will host a two-team double-header, first playing the Monkton Muskrats and then the Wroxeter Rippers. Then, on Sunday, the Goderich Grizzlies will head to Wroxeter to play the Rippers and the Fullarton A’s will host the Mitchell Mets.
On Aug. 13, the Goderich Grizzlies will travel to Fullarton to play the A’s. There are then three games on the schedule for Aug. 14. The Milverton Millwrights will play Elmira in Linwood, the Wingham Hitmen will host the Monkton Muskrats and the Brussels Tigers will head to Mitchell to play the Mets.
On Aug. 16, Monkton will be in Brussels to play the Bangers and Elmira will be in Wingham to play the Hitmen. Then, on Sunday, Aug. 18, the Wingham Hitmen will host the Sebringville Sting and the Brussels Bangers will host Elmira.
On Aug. 6, the Wingham Hitmen were scheduled to play the Sting in Sebringville, a game originally scheduled for July 21, and the Wroxeter Rippers were due to play the Grizzlies in Goderich, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.
On Aug. 7, the Walton Brewers were scheduled to play the Hitmen in Wingham and Elmira was due to be in Mitchell to play the Mets. The next night, the Brussels Tigers were scheduled to play the Milverton Millwrights in Milverton, but scores for all of those games were unavailable at press time.