Games Summary

The Hamilton Thunderbird Baseball Club opened it's 57th year in Hamilton as the second oldest professional (semi pro) sports team in the city, second only to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, North America's oldest professional football club.

In keeping with that, and being assisted by Hamilton's 2007 Calder Cup champion Hamilton Bulldogs's mascot, Bruiser, the Thunderbirds threw themselves into a new season with the assistance of Bill Tait, a member of the 1978 Hamilton Cardinals Intercounty champions, Danny McManus, Coach/Scout and Stripes from the Tiger-Cats, along with Hamilton city councilor, Tom Jackson.

Game Summary                                                                                         

Hamilton Thunderbirds, with a lineup featuring 6 Juniors in starting positions, held defending Intercounty Baseball League champion London Majors to a 4-2 victory today in Hamilton's Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.

The loss was the 2nd of the season for the Thunderbirds while the Majors earned a hard-fought 2nd campaign win.  The Majors started to build a picket fence with solo runs in the opening 2 innings, but the spirited Hamilton squad replied with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 2nd.  The score remained tied until the top of the 5th when the Majors added a solo run to take the lead.  They added an insurance marker in the top of the 7th.

The Thunderbirds next action is at home this Friday (May 15) against the Brantford Red Sox at 7:30 pm before traveling to London's Labatt memorial Park for a game with the Majors at 1 pm next Sunday (May 17)

Mike Mitro pitched 5 strong innings for the win, allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks for the Majors.  Craig Bate pitched the final 4 allowing 1 hit and a walk while retiring 8 more batters on strikes for a combined 14 strikeouts for the save.

Jess Bechard, Chris Chambers & Masa Inoue had 2 hits apiece for the Majors, including a double each.  Steve Black singled and scored a run for Hamilton with Mike Gottschalk adding a RBI single.  London stranded 13 batters on base while Hamilton left 4 runners.

Hamilton starter Ryan Noak (Junior) went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs - 2 earned - on 7 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks.  Noak was replace in turn by Kurt Saunders, Eric Cronsberry, Bill Langford and Kyle Pegg.  Saunders gave up 2 hits while Pegg was responsible for the other.

Game Summary  Josh McCurdy & Lee Delfino each went 2 for 5 to lead the Brantford Red Sox to a 42 win over the Hamilton Thunderbirds in the lone Intercounty Baseball leauge tonight at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.Kyle Kotchie ws the winning pitcher for Brantford in relief of starter, Jake Eliopoulos, who has caught the eye of several Major League scouts.  Kotchie went 2 innings giving up 1 hit while walking 2 &  striking out 3 after Eliopoulos pitched the fist 4 innings, allowing only 2 hits & had 8 strikeouts & only 1 walk.  John Ogiltree came on in relief in the 7th, pitching 3 innings, allowing 2 run on 2 hits to earn the save.

"Basically, we are in a holding pattern until our college players start coming back from school; almost all of them should be back by the start of next week.  Saporsantos is back now, & Anthony Carlo will be back & pitching Friday night.  For now, we are still playing 5 or 6 Juniors in every game." said General Manager Larry Wood.

Hamilton reliever, Aaron Prodeus took the loss in relief of starter Kyle Pegg.  Prodeus gave up 2 runs on 3 hits with 2 strikeouts.  Pegg went 4 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits & 2 walks while also striking out 3.  Steve Black pitched 3 innings to finish up for Hamilton.

Tim Hebner had a double for Hamilton at the plate.  John Saporsantos scored the Thunderbirds opeing run in the 4th inning on a wild pitch.  He walked twice, was hit by a pitch & stole a base.

Game Summary

Veteran starter Doug Chrysler allowed 9 runs, eight earned on 11 hits through 3 2/3 innings, striking out 2 & walking 2 to take the loss.  Pegg pitched 2 more innings & Saporsantos took over for the final 2 allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits while striking out 3 batters.

Pete Lawrence had 2 hits for Hamilton with Matt Upper & Matt Loughridge adding singles.  Kyle Piwowarczyk & Vince Burke had 4 hits apiece for London & drove in 2 runs.

Mjors starter Josh Palmer went 5 innings for the win, allowing 2 hits with 7 strikeouts & 4 walks.  Craid Bate followed with 3 hittless innings or relief, striking out 3 & Alan Cattrysse pitched the 9th to complet the 4 hit shoutoutt

Game Summary

.

Game Summary

Game Summary

Game Summary

Game Summary