LAKERS AND HORNETS REACH MK INDOOR LEAGUE FINAL
The first-ever Milton Keynes Indoor Softball League will take place between the Willow Lakers and Homerun Hornets after the conclusion of an exciting winter season.
The Lakers won just two games in the outdoor season, but have adapted well to the fast-paced indoor version. Veteran pitcher Adam Bee has led them to four impressive wins – his best performance since the 1956 season when Milton Keynes didn’t even exist. Nikita Shkurko has led a well-drilled team which topped the table – a fact mentioned on a regular basis in the pub by Paul Severn.
Joining them in the final are the Hornets – the reigning outdoor champions. Outfielder Chris Flynn leads the entire league in homeruns and will be a danger in the final. He is expected to be wearing a three-foot-long glove in the final to stop the Lakers’ Richie Murray from stealing his title! Also on the homerun board is Club Treasurer Robyn Hillyard, who has demoralised her opponent pitchers by hitting them around Radcliffe School sports hall and then charging them a fiver for the privilege.
The other teams in the league have also played their part in a great season and will also be involved in play offs for the final placings. The Northants Centurions have brought some big hitting and some talented new players to the league, while the Towcester Tigers also came close again to making the final clocking up three wins.
The surprise package were Team Mystery. At the start of the season, nobody knew who they were or what they were doing in the league, but they stayed in contention until their last game. New players such as Eddy Verbeek and James Bradley have impressed, while Leah Holmes has made the best injury recovery since Lazarus, leading the female homerun table.
It’s been a tough season for outdoor finalists Double D’s who have suffered from some heartbreaking grand slams which have denied them victories. However, with Sophie Shkurko returning from injury and new players such as Shoshana-Toli Dzialoszynski joining the squad, the future looks bright.
The final takes place on Tuesday, 21st March at The Radcliffe School (MK12 5BT) and promises to be another great occasion. Will the boundless enthusiasm of the Lakers’ Jake Clarke win the day? Or will it be Chris Borah’s tactical excel spreadsheet? Be there to find out!
Hornets V Team Mystery. Photo credit: Victoria Bone