Arrows are shot down (From Braintree and Witham Times)

Arrows are shot down

4:43pm Tuesday 3rd June 2008 in Sport

Braintree Rays completed the double over Essex Arrows after winning 9-5 at their new temporary home field at King George V Playing Fields.

The Arrows took an early lead as Braintree failed to answer their two runs in the first inning.

But Braintree clawed two runs back in the second inning to go into the third level at 2-2.

Essex again scored but strong offence from Shane Macro, Marcus Gooday, Rudy Moss and Andrea Perticati saw Braintree Rays end the inning in a 5-3 lead.

Essex managed to again get a run in the fourth inning to keep in close contact with the small Braintree lead.

But the Rays retaliated with two runs as Dan Grimwood, Trevor Pudney and Wesley Seymour led the offence again.

Braintree were disappointed to leave three runners on base, a stronger lead sorely missed.

As the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings came up, Essex failed to score.

The defence of Braintree, in particular the superb pitching of Wesley Seymour, took its toll.

The fifth inning saw Seymour only throw five pitches for the three outs.

The highlight of the sixth inning was an excellent foul ball catch on the run by catcher Marcus Gooday.

He had earlier replaced an injured Barry Barnard.

On the offence, Braintree managed to steal two quick runs off Essex to further lengthen their lead.

One run was slightly contentious as Seymour stole home, forcing a baulk off Essex's pitcher.

By the top of the ninth inning Essex were trailing 9-4.

They found themselves in a position where they had to equal Braintree to extend into a tenth inning.

However, Seymour surrendered only one run, as Braintree secured victory.

Braintree face the Old Timers again at Enfield this weekend.