The highly anticipated start of the BISL slo-pitch softball season got underway in Bangkok on October 25. None other than new team in town was called upon to get the ball rolling in the opening game of this, the 25th anniversary season, and Pattaya based Fraser’s Thai Tigers answered that call with pride.
The opponents of the day were the BMW team, previous multiple champions, but the Thai Tigers were not intimidated and went to the plate with confidence and the offensive player of the game, Tao Kanjanawisut, showed off his power by hitting a 2-run bomb 350ft over the fences of the new stadium at Harrow’s International School. It was naturally the first home run of the new BISL season but there was no further scoring during the first inning.
Tigers’ Top Aryarajangkool takes aim against BMW at the Harrow International School in Bangkok, Sunday, Oct. 25.
The Tigers then took to the field and played some serious defense with short-stop Top Aryarjangkool being a rock in the infield and plugging each and every hole.
After 3 innings the score was still 2-0 but at the top of the 4th the bats of the Thai Tigers decided it was time to get some support going for the stellar pitching performance of old timer Ronnie Moss. The batters responded in style and scored a further 3 runs on another HR, this time off the bat of Pipo Engchuan.
The 5th inning saw last season’s HR king, Tao, take the lead again and blast another 3 run shot into the stands, lifting the score up to 10-0. The Tigers then took their foot off the gas and BMW finally found a hole in the so far perfect defense of the Thai Tigers, scoring 1 run.
It’s not too smart though to wake up a sleeping Tiger as the bats returned and scored a quick 2 more runs which automatically took it to a 12-1 mercy victory after just 6 innings played. A first win for the new kids in town!
The second game started slow with again some great defensive plays, this time from both teams which resulted in a low scoring game going into the 6th inning with the score 4-1 in favour of the Tigers.
The very experienced and tactical grand masters of BMW then came out at the top of the 6th inning, scoring a quick 3 runs and leveling the game at 4-4 each. The Tigers seemed to have been struck by lightning and were not able to respond, resulting in the same level score after the regulation 7 innings, thus the game going into extra innings.
The Tigers were still in shock as BMW scored another 4 runs at the top of the first extra innings and many fans thought that the former champs would now prevails and take the game. Not so with this Thai Tigers team however, and with the bats putting up 4 base hits and scoring 3 runs they brought the score back to 7-8 before the Tigers recorded their first out.
‘Big Papi’ Orlando DeJesus hit another single and put the winning run on base with Pipo at the plate and runners on 1st and 2nd. Pipo did not disappoint and fired a double into the gap to win the game 9-8 after 8 innings.
If you would like to get involved in some fun baseball or softball in Pattaya, contact the Tigers’ player/head coach Dirk at dirk_brijs@yahoo. com. Alternatively you can drop by team sponsor Fraser’s Sports Bar and Restaurant and ask Stewart on how to find us. The bar can be found on Thappraya Road in Jomtien.
