Torrington Riptides complete inaugural baseball season with a victory

The Torrington Riptides travelled to Newton Abbot on Sunday for the final two-game fixture of their first league season as a baseball team.

With the Newton Abbot Brewers having already secured a place in the post-season play-offs, and elevation to the double-A league next year, the Riptides hoped to close the season with only their second win.

Game 1 did not get off to a promising start. Although Fred Batt gave an impressive performance as pitcher, striking out nine Brewers, sloppy fielding by Torrington allowed Newton Abbot’s batters to run riot.

Matthew Vernel hit both of the day’s only two home runs in the second and fourth innings, batting in three of the Brewers’ 18 runs. Those innings also saw the only effective responses from Torrington, with hits from Matthew Relewicz and Batt driving in a run apiece, in a game that ended as an 18-2 rout.

Light rain had threatened to cancel game 2, but the weather quickly cleared and, as the clouds parted, Torrington started to look much brighter.

The Brewers’ three runs in the first inning were answered by four runs from the Riptides, Batt and Kevin Xaiver getting the crucial hits, with Batt also stealing home on a wild pitch. Big third-inning hits from Ed Willmott and Ed Keech gave Torrington an 11-4 lead.

Although Newton Abbot looked like they might make a comeback in the fourth and final inning, a catch by Keech got them the third out they needed to end the game as an 11-7 win for Torrington.

“This was our first season as a completely new club, and just putting up a full team to play every fixture is an achievement on its own,” said Torrington’s player-manager Jess Cooper.

“To get two wins, and to end the season on a win, is something to be really proud of. We’ve shown it can be done. Now we want to build on what we’ve started. Anyone in North Devon who wants to try baseball, come and join us. Don’t worry if you’ve never played before – nor had most of the Riptides a few months ago, and we just beat a team that’s about to move up to a higher league. Think what we could achieve with more players and more support.”

The Riptides have two friendlies lined up for August – at home (Great Torrington School) against the Plymouth Outlaws on the 10th, and away against the Plymouth Marauders on the 31st.

To join or sponsor the team, email Jess Cooper at torringtonriptides@gmail.com