Baseball Review // Bristol Greeners @ Bristol Shock, May 14th 2024, Muzzy Field, Bristol CT (GHTBL/CTL)

Additional photos can be found in a Facebook album here :::

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1479973212732895&type=3

For the second year in a row, Quentin and I attended the Battle of Bristol as the Bristol Greeners (GHTBL) took on the Bristol Shock (CTL).   Though there aren't a lot of other themes to go by, having these interleague games is always fun and I wish they happened more often.   Both the CTL and GHTBL have an Orioles team, why not have them play against each other?  Or just have the two championship teams from the past season versus each other.  If nothing else, it gives the team some practice before the season starts.

Last year's game ended in a tie but this year the Bristol Shock took a definitive 5-2 win over the Greeners.   Though there was a first inning homerun by the Bristol Shock's first baseman (number 50) most of the game was decided in the fourth inning.   A series of walks which leads to runs being walked in was what really became the downfall of the Greeners.   In the fourth inning, four runs were given up and that just seemed to be something they couldn't overcome.   Had one run walked in and the Shock went up 2-0, then the Greeners changed pitchers, it might have been a different game.

But this game did have frequent changes of players because it was an exhibition.   If this was the GHTBL Playoffs then I would hope the Greeners would have made a pitching change sooner in the fourth, but when you're just trying to come together as a team again, face a new season and give players a chance, you're not as worried about the win or loss.   This was, after all, a charity game.

This Spring time has felt like Summer and it hit 80 degrees during this game.  Muzzy Field always provides shade though and a breeze came through to keep things nice.  While the Bristol Greeners have added some new faces to their roster, it seems as if the Bristol Shock has as well.  It would be nice to one day come to this game and have one (or both) of these teams be the defending champions of their league, but for now the game will just have to keep being played based on good will.  

The GHTBL can be found on the web here ::: https://ghtbl.org/

The CTL can be found on the web here ::: https://www.ctlbaseball.com/