The Rain did not stop the Homecoming Party for the Chesapeake Bayhawks
The weather forecast for Annapolis, Maryland on Saturday June 2, predicted 90% chance of storms. Despite such extreme predictions, the Chesapeake Bayhawks got lucky with a light rain; the party went on as planned.
Chesapeake hosted the Ohio Machine for their first home game since the home opener, on April 21. The fans packed the parking lot with tailgates in anticipation for a hopeful home win.
The game started hot and heavy, with players sweating within two minutes due to the extreme humidity. Bayhawk Colin Heacock was the first to strike, then also scored the second goal within five minutes apart. Josh Byrne tacked on goal number three, Ian MacKay scored twice, and Myles Jones rounded out the seven goals scored in the first quarter. Bayhawks 7 – Machine 2.
To start the second quarter, Byrne was at it again with his second goal of the night. Ryan Tucker, Steele Stanwick, added to the total, to bring the halftime score Bayhawks 10 – Machine 2.
Bayhawks usual goalie Brian Phipps is out on the Injured Reserve list, so Niko Amato was in the net for the night. Amato allowed two goals in the first half, and zero in the third quarter. In fact, 14 minutes 7 seconds passed without a goal, in the third. Chesapeake’s Stanwick found Matt Abbott to end the drought. That was the lone goal of the third quarter. Bayhawks 11 – Machine 2
Despite resilient efforts, the Machine got the best of Amato in the fourth quarter. The Machine attacked, in just 53 seconds of the start of the fourth with their third goal of the night. On a man-up opportunity, Bayhawks Jones netted goal number 12 for the Bayhawks just as the time of the man-up opportunity expired. Heacock collected the hattrick, with lucky number 13 for the Bayhawks.
Lucky 13? Maybe not… The Machine then scored on Amato, with five unanswered goals. Luckily, that was it for the damange. The final score: Bayhawks 13 – Machine 8.
The Bayhawks will be away on June 9, playing at Ohio Machine. Yes, back-to-back duels.
You can catch the Bayhawks back at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium on June 16, when they take on the Atlanta Blaze.
