Category: Adult Leagues

Hawks vs Londoners – Playoff Quarter-Final preview.

Hawks vs Londoners – Playoff Quarter-Final preview.

We are now counting the hours until the Herts Hawks and Herts Londoners play in the Single-A League Playoff Quarter-Final this Sunday, 4 September.

The last time a Herts baseball team qualified for the BBF postseason playoffs at any league level was 2019. This may not sound like a very long time ago but for a club of the size of Herts with five teams competing in the various league tiers of British baseball, this feels like an eternity.

The format and seeding meant that the two Herts teams were drawn to play against each other. Herts fans would have preferred to see the two teams meet much later in the postseason, but they will have to accept that one team will be eliminated on Sunday.

Herts teams have met in the postseason only once in the club’s history. That was in 2016 when the Herts Hawks eliminated the Herts Raptors once again in the Single-A league quarter-final, pictured above.

This year the Hawks (20-5) dominated their division and secured their playoff place a few weeks before the end of the season, while the Londoners had to grind out results and go through a nail-biting experience right down to the last games of the season which saw them finish above the reigning national champions, the London Mustangs, only thanks to a better head-to-head run differential as they both ended the season with identical records of 18 wins and 8 losses.

Some would argue that the Hawks have the advantage as the Londoners must be physically and emotionally drained from that intense race. Others may say that this gives the Londoners an advantage as they are going into the game firing on all cylinders.

Both teams have many pitching options so it is difficult to predict the starting pitchers. For the Hawks, player-manager Ken Pike seems like the obvious choice having pitched the highest number of innings this year, but they also have Declan Carlean, Harry McMenamin and Luis Martins who have all been effective on the mound this season.

Andrew Slater has been the starting pitcher for the Londoners in 10 of their regular season games followed by Nic Goetz (7) and Greg Bochan (6).

Offensively, the Londoners have their big hitter, Gilberto Medina, who is the league’s joint home run leader with 3 as well as some very consistent hitters like Cory English (BA .750), Simon Langton (.700) and Kenny Liao (.691).

Danny Preston and Todd Neville have shown home run power this season and there are a number of other hitters with impressive batting averages like Paul le Guillou (.636), Harry McMenamin (.625) and Jack O’Brien (.529) but the one batter who the Londoners have painful memories of is Anthony Lavender who hit 3 triples when the two teams met in May. The Hawks won those two games 14-9 and 12-11.

The Hawks also have history on their side having appeared in the Postseason before – in Single-A (2015 and 2016) and Double-A (2017 and 2018) lifting the Single-A national championship trophy in 2016 (pictured above).  This was one of only three national championships for Herts teams over the club’s 26-year history.  The Herts Londoners were formed in 2019 and this will be their first postseason appearance.

Admission to the game is free.  Fans are advised to bring their own chairs or other seating as currently there is no spectator seating at Grovehill Ballpark. Fans who are not able to watch the game in person, can follow the play by play live on the BBF website.

BBF confirms the change of venue and date of the playoff clash between the Hawks and Londoners

BBF confirms the change of venue and date of the playoff clash between the Hawks and Londoners

The British Baseball Federation has approved the joint application of the Herts Hawks and the Herts Londoners to move the Single-A League Playoff Quarter-Final game between the two teams from Williams Field in Kent to Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead.

The date of the game has also been changed and it will now be played on Sunday, 4 September 2022, with a first pitch at 12pm.

The plate umpire will be Chris Goldsmith. The base umpire will be confirmed in due course.

Admission to the game is free.  Fans are advised to bring their own chairs or other seating as currently there is no spectator seating at Grovehill Ballpark.

Two Herts baseball teams to face each other in the Playoffs

Two Herts baseball teams to face each other in the Playoffs

The British Baseball Federation (BBF) has announced the Playoff matchups confirming that the Herts Hawks and Herts Londoners will face each other in the quarter-finals of the BBF Single-A League Playoffs.

Single-A (South Central B)

PosTeamWLPctGB
12050.8000
214120.5386.5
312140.4628.5
312140.4628.5
51250.03819.5

The Hawks have dominated their division and booked their place several weeks ago.  The Londoners played their final games of the regular season on 14 August and at that point they were almost certain of a place in the Playoffs regardless of what the reigning Single-A League National Champions, the London Mustangs, did in their remaining games by virtue of a better run differential in the direct games between the two teams.

However, the Herts team had to wait until last Sunday’s round of games involving other teams as there was a scenario where the Mustangs could overtake them due to a peculiarity in the tie-break rules. The Herts Londoners have a better record than the Mustangs in a two-way tie between them, but a worse record than the Mustangs in a three-way tie which would have occurred if the Bracknell Inferno had lost to the London Minotaurs leaving the Inferno, the Londoners and the Mustangs with identical win-loss records of 18 wins and 8 losses.

Herts fans had to endure a tense afternoon on Sunday waiting for game updates as the Minotaurs put up a real fight against the Bracknell Inferno but the division leaders came back late in the game to win it which confirmed Herts Londoners’ place in the Playoffs.

Single-A (South Central A)

PosTeamWLPctGB
12060.7690
21880.6922
21880.6922
47180.28012.5
57190.26913

The Playoff matchups were determined based on the seeding of the teams in the regular season league standings which paired the Herts Hawks and Herts Londoners against each other. The higher seeds are designated as the home teams.

Formosa Islanders (6th seed) @ Tonbridge Wildcats (1st seed)
Herts Londoners (5th seed) @ Herts Hawks (2nd seed)
Kent Mariners (4th seed) @ Bracknell Inferno (3rd seed)

All three games were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 3 September, at the home of the Kent Buccaneers in Hadlow, Kent.

In view of the two Herts teams being drawn to play against each other and given the cost of living crisis which players and fans are facing at the moment, last night Herts Baseball Club submitted an application to the BBF to move the game to Grovehill Ballpark in Hertfordshire and avoid Herts players and fans spending hundreds of pounds on fuel.  The application also requests the game to be moved from the Saturday to the Sunday, 4 September, to avoid a clash with youth baseball events.

The club is awaiting BBF’s decision and will keep supporters updated when a confirmation is received.

Dingers and drama on derby day

Dingers and drama on derby day

The Herts Eagles and Herts Londoners faced each other at Basing Hill Ballpark in their final games of the regular season. Stakes are always high in a club derby, but these were crucial games for the home side, the Londoners, if they were to keep alive their playoff hopes. The visitors were keen to play the spoiler! Here are your two game reports, one from each side.

GAME 1

By Kumail Jaffer

The Eagles may have been out of the playoff race, but they were keen to finish strong after a season hampered by player absences and injuries.

And as much as the two teams were friends off the diamond, they had enjoyed some feisty affairs on it. Sunday was no different.

The Londoners quickly showed why they boast an impressive record. Andrew Slater and his infamous curveballs (or are they just junk-balls?) frustrated the Eagles early on, and he retired the first NINE batters he faced.

Eddie Wang, Kenny Liao, Hunter Devine and Zak Beller all came home in the first inning, while a solid single from Greg Bochan allowed Sonam Lama to cross the plate in the third.

Kumail Jaffer at bat

The Eagles’ strength this year has been their offense – with good hitting and quick base-running throughout the order, their firepower has often made up for occasional errors in the field and on the mound.

But no runs through the first three innings meant that, despite a good shift from starting pitcher Saira Smith, they were 5 behind going into the fourth.

The bats suddenly threatened to get going, however, with Thomas Hill, Kumail Jaffer and Taysir Barakat all getting hits to bring home the Eagles’ first run.

But the Londoners showed their experience, with hit machine Kenny Liao, Lama and Beller driving in more runners.

The Eagles tried to rally as Neil Chilton doubled to score Michael Green, but Slater continued to bamboozle the batters and eventually secured the 8-2 win for the Londoners.

GAME 2

By Rob Jones

Giving up a leadoff home run is not how you want to start a game which you have to win. But that’s exactly what Londoners did as hard-throwing ace Nic Goetz took on the Eagles’ slugger Mike Wakelam.

With one loud crack of the bat, a fastball was launched over the left field fence.

Mike Wakelam is greeted at home plate

But a couple of fly-outs and a strikeout nullified any further threat, and Wakelam was not able to have the same impact when he stepped on to the mound to pitch. Walks and steals put runners in good position, and 2 runs scored before Jack Page drove in 2 more with a single to centre field.

Things were looking good for the Londoners, but with two out and two men on, Wakelam came up to bat again in the top of the second. And, yes, you can guess what happened. Three run homer. Tied game. 4-4.

But the home side were able to nose back in front and stay there for good. Kenny Liao delivered again to drive in Eddie Wang, while Liao and Sony Lama came home on wild pitches.

This was a game full of oddities. One runner who could have scored on a wild pick off at third accidentally blocked the ball, denying him an easy run. Another runner was out at third when a hot shot ground ball which deflected off the third baseman ricocheted straight to the shortstop as he moved towards the base, and he got there to apply the tag.

And it was one of these quirks which finally sealed the Eagles doom in the top of the third. They had loaded the bases with just one out, and threatened to rally back. Neil Chilton then worked a walk to bring home a run.

But the Londoners manager Matt Bell called time and, armed with his iPad, pointed out that Chilton shouldn’t have been batting at all. He was out of turn.

That meant that the scheduled batter Brad Charalambous was automatically called out, the run was taken off the board, and Chilton had to return to the plate to go again. This time he flied out and the inning was over.

Wakelam had started firing on all cylinders now with his pitching, but it was too late. Goetz was matching him and he polished off the Eagles in the fifth with a fly-out, a groundout and — for emphasis — his fourth strikeout. It ended 7-5.

Players have started registering for the 2022 Hunlock Series

Players have started registering for the 2022 Hunlock Series

The 2022 BBF regular season will be coming to an end this weekend but, whether your team makes it to the Playoffs or not, arguably the best part of the season is still to come.

Every year, just when the MLB season enters its most exciting stage, players come to the ballpark for a competition in memory of Herts Baseball Club’s number 36, the late Kyle Hunlock.

SERIES FORMAT

This is the sixteenth year of the Hunlock Series. In its inaugural year in 2006 two teams were involved, the Falcons and the Hawks. The format of the competition has evolved since then. The club has over 120 registered adult players this year and a good number of new players are expected to register to play in the Series. As players sign up over the next few weeks we will know how many teams will enter the Series this year.

SCHEDULE

It will be played over three Sundays on 2, 9 and 16 October. This is later than in previous years due to BBF adult and youth postseason playoffs being played over all four weekends of September.  If Herts adult teams are eliminated in the early rounds of the Playoffs one of the Hunlock Series game days may be moved to 18 September.

VENUES

Games will be played at both Grovehill Ballpark and Basing Hill Ballpark.

WHO CAN PLAY?
Any players aged 14 and over on 31 December 2022 are eligible to play in the Hunlock Series.

THE DRAFT

As in previous years, the teams will be selected by the team managers during the Hunlock Series Draft. Who will be the first round picks? How will Single-A league players and newcomers perform alongside NBL and Triple-A players?

Over the years we have seen how decisions made during the Draft can shape the outcome of the Series before a pitch has been thrown. The managers will have to make carefully calculated decisions if they are to put together a team which can compete for the Hunlock Series title, otherwise they face miserable few weeks.

With all of the club’s managers and coaching staff observing these games, players who have been pushing for promotion to a higher league team will have the perfect opportunity during the Hunlock Series to make a claim to play on the bigger stage in 2023.

NEW PLAYERS

The club has also received enquiries from many potential new members over the last few weeks and this event is the ideal opportunity for them to come and play and help them decide whether to join the club for the 2023 season. .

HOW TO REGISTER

All Hunlock Series players will be drafted into teams. To be eligible for the Draft you will need to update your availability for ALL the Hunlock Series dates in the online Clubhouse by Tuesday, 6 September. If you miss the deadline or the first one or two weeks of games, don’t worry. You will still be eligible to play but will have to be assigned as a free agent after the Draft.

If you already have a Clubhouse account you can update availability by logging on with your existing username and password. Click here to go to the Clubhouse.

If you do not have a Clubhouse account but wish to play in the Hunlock Series, please register here and select “Play Hunlock Series” in the membership category list. After registering you can log on and mark your availability.

To be eligible to play in the Hunlock Series, players must be 14 years of age or above on 31 December 2022.

ENTRY FEE
2022 Herts club members do not have to pay an entry fee as the Hunlock Series is part of their membership package. If you don’t have a Hunlock Series team shirt, you can buy one before your first game. The cost is expected to be around £8. You can also exchange a team shirt if you are drafted in a different colour team.

New players or players from other clubs can play by paying the £18 entry fee which includes a free Hunlock Series shirt of the team which has drafted them.

ENQUIRIES FROM NEW PLAYERS

For more details about playing in the Hunlock Series, contact us.

Derby drama as Eagles and Londoners face off

Derby drama as Eagles and Londoners face off

HERTS Eagles pulled off a stunning comeback win in the opening game of their home double-header against division leaders and club rivals Herts Londoners.

The two sides – once compared to AC and Inter Milan due to their ground sharing arrangement – eventually split the double header in the July heatwave, with the Londoners roaring back in a dominant second tie.

In the spirit of unity, this report has been co-authored by a member of each roster.

GAME 1 by Kumail Jaffer

THE EAGLES flew back from 9-1 down to chalk up a well-earned 12-11 win at Basing Hill.

The Londoners, who have been swatting aside other Single A teams with ease, looked like giving the plucky Eagles similar treatment.

Kumail Jaffer at bat (file photo)

Although Jamie Lang-Richards was pitching well on the mound, the veteran batters kept finding the gaps in the field, and scored nine runs in the first two innings.

The Eagles sole reply came from Kumail Jaffer, who whacked a ground-rule double before stealing two bases to come home.

But the Eagles, still hunting a .500 record, were never going to give up.

Mo Abdule singled, classics expert and cramp-stricken Dowan Bellerose drew a walk before Peter Wilson loaded the bases.

It was down to Evan Robbins and Jaffer to bring the boys home, before Lang-Richards returned the favour to put the Eagles right back in the game.

A motivated Eagles side tightened it up, limited the Londoners to just two runs, including a powerful hit by Rob Jones. They matched it up again in the bottom of the inning, with Tom Hill and Wilson bringing home the batters.

Eagles speed on the bases

It was down to Lang-Richards to continue his assured dealing on the mound. Two scoreless innings sandwiched a three-run effort from the Londoners to tie up the game.

But Greg Bochan was pitching with a vengeance, and picked up two quick outs – the Eagles were already suiting up for extra innings when Robins turned up at the plate.

A powerful hit out to centre-field saw a triple come through, leaving Jaffer with the responsibility of bringing home the bacon.

But controversy struck. The Londoners gave him the Barry Bonds treatment and intentionally walked the leadoff hitter.

Lang-Richards, to complete a well-rounded performance, took one strike before hammering the next pitch to centre-field for the crucial RBI single.

And as Robins crossed home plate, the Eagles celebrated. This was a top team they had not only gone toe-to-toe against, but edged out a tough win.

Was the sweep on?

GAME 2 by Rob Jones

Losing is never fun, and losing to a walkoff hit can be a gut-punch. But the Londoners were quick to strike back.

The opening exchanges of Game 2 indicated that the Londoners were perhaps going to assert their dominance. They racked up the maximum 5 runs in the first frame, with Sonam Lama and Norman Peng among those with hits.

Derby drama as Eagles and Londoners face off

Londoners had their enigmatic slowball ace Andrew Slater on the mound, and he sat down the Eagles in order in the bottom of the first. Then the visitors scored 5 more. So far, so tidy.

But with 2 outs in the third, and one man on from a walk, the Eagles got a sniff of an opportunity and they took it. Dowan Bellerose reached on a throwing error, and his team followed it up with 4 straight singles.

The Londoners responded, capitalising on walks issued by the Eagles tiring pitching staff. In sapping heat, Kenny Liao and Simon Langton continued their hot hitting, and the visitors took advantage of a depleted Eagles bullpen.

After 3 innings it was 14-5 but a scoreless top of the fourth again indicated that the Eagles would not roll over. A wide throw allowed their leadoff man aboard in the bottom half of the frame, and soon the bases were loaded. Another five runs came across.

The last of them was driven in by Jaffer, after substitute first baseman Rob Jones saw the ball fly from his glove as he attempted to tag the approaching batter-runner. The call was out, but then overturned to safe, so the run scored. Was there to be more controversy? Fortunately, the hot weather did not fray tempers.

It did further deplete the Eagles ranks, though, when Bellerose finally succumbed to cramp. Catching two games in such heat took its toll, and the Londoners were able to finally crack the game open and lock down the win.

A fly-out, a pop-out and then a ground-out — with the tag securely applied – ended the game. 21-10 was the score, and Slater took a complete game victory.

These games had been moved forward in the day to avoid the worst of the heat. The temperature probably still influenced play, with some unusual errors, and a see-saw scoreline. But honours ended even and both sides now move forward to their next challenges.

They meet again in August.

Eagles downed by Minotaurs

Eagles downed by Minotaurs

by Kumail Jaffer

SHORT on numbers but high on chutzpah, the Eagles flew into Finsbury Park on Sunday aiming to wrestle themselves back into the Playoff hunt.


The Minotaurs were an interesting proposition – it was a team that the Eagles had got the better of last season, but an improving side who were playing on their own, slightly misshaped home turf.

Game 1


With upcoming star Alex Trautman on the mound, it was no wonder things started so smoothly for the visitors.
The young Herts pitcher dealt four devastating innings – the perfect Fathers’ Day gift for Max, who was egging him on from 1B.


Eagles downed by Minotaurs
The Trautmans in action (file photo)

But on a small field, any semblance of contact can result in extra-base hits and, despite a great effort from Tom Hill behind the plate, an inevitable couple of runs also squeaked through from base-stealers.
Regardless, it was a solid defensive effort from the Eagles, who limited the Minotaurs to just three runs in the first three innings. 


Things also looked great on the offensive end. Appearing in just his second game of the season, Eagles veteran Kumail Jaffer went 3-4 as leadoff hitter, picking up an RBI alongside Hill, the senior Trautman and captain Saira Smith.


In a particularly impressive show of spirit, the visitors battled back in the top of the 5th while 7-4 down – and were unlucky not to defend their narrow lead going into the bottom of the final inning. Minotaurs walked off with a 9-8 win.

Kumail Jaffer at bat earlier in 2022

Game 2


On-loan Londoner Jack Page – who fully embraced the Eagles ‘chant’ – did his best to make sure morale stayed high going into the second game. 
The team knew that going 1-1 on the road against a well-stocked outfit wouldn’t be the worst result to take home – but they needed to dig deep.


Unfortunately, the home pitcher didn’t quite have the same idea. Though he walked six batters, clutch strikeouts at crucial times limited the Eagles’ momentum early on and stranded runners on base. And in a flash, it was 8-0 to the Minotaurs going into the bottom of the third.


It was time for the Eagles’ offence to spark, and the defence to lock it down to give the batters another shot. Some clever pitching from Smith and young Prime Mencias limited the hosts to a single run in the third, meaning the Eagles needed nine to extend the game.


And to their credit, they put the Minotaurs under real pressure. After loading the bases with just one out, two disciplined walks from Mencias and Jaffer brought home a couple of easy runs before Hill drove in another.

But it just wasn’t meant to be. This one ended 9-3. The Eagles shall fly again.

Coach Monte Brooks is coming back to the UK to work with Herts players

Coach Monte Brooks is coming back to the UK to work with Herts players

In June 2019 the head coach of The Master’s University baseball team, Monte Brooks, was a special guest of Herts Baseball Club and Herts players had the unique opportunity of being coached by him.

He will be coming back to the UK and he will once again be working with the Herts adult and youth teams at the club’s two branches in Hemel Hempstead and in London. The two events which he will be taking part in are:

  • 6pm, Wednesday, 1 June, Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead
  • 6pm, Thursday, 2 June, Basing Hill Ballpark, London

Brooks has just completed his 26th season as head coach of The Master’s University baseball team in the USA. He is the program’s all-time leader in wins with a record of 790-535. He has led the Mustangs to four NAIA World Series appearances (2000, 2013, 2016, 2017) and three regular-season GSAC titles.

As a player, Brooks was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1987 with whom he spent four seasons in the minor leagues and later coached in the Padres organisation before his appointment with Master’s University.

Players who have developed through The Master’s University have gone on to be drafted by MLB clubs. One of them is Conner Menez (pictured above) who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Shortly after Coach Brooks’ visit to London in 2019, Menez made his MLB debut for the Giants where he played until last year. This season he was signed by the Chicago Cubs and with rumours going around that the 2023 MLB London Series will feature the Chicago Cubs and the St Louis Cardinals, Herts fans may have the opportunity to see Menez in action at the London Stadium.

Coach Brooks’ area of expertise is working with hitters and infielders so his visit to the club is a fantastic opportunity for players from the various Herts teams.

The sessions are open to all current Herts members as well as new players who are considering joining the club. If you are not a current club member and wish to take part in one of these sessions, please contact us.

Saira Smith is the new Eagles manager

Saira Smith is the new Eagles manager

Saira Smith has been appointed as the new Herts Eagles manager and has also been co-opted to the club’s executive board.

She joined the Eagles as a player at the start of the 2021 season and quickly established herself as a key member of the team.  Smith is originally from Australia where she has played baseball extensively. She will be able to count on assistant coaches Jamie Lang-Richards, Mike Wakelam and Tom Hill who will be part of the team’s coaching staff.

The team had a win-loss percentage of .370 last season and it will be interesting to see if they can improve on that this season. The team caused an upset when they picked up two wins away at the reigning Single-A national champions, the London Mustangs, on Opening Day. That was followed by two losses against a strong Bracknell Inferno team.

Next up for them this Sunday is a trip to the Herts Hawks who are one of the early pace-setters in the Single-A league after winning their last three games.

Herts Cardinals to make BBF league debut this Sunday. Interview with Manager Brian Dearing.

Herts Cardinals to make BBF league debut this Sunday. Interview with Manager Brian Dearing.

The wait is over for the newest team in the Herts Baseball family, the Herts Cardinals. They will play their first ever BBF league game this Sunday, May 1st. Their Triple-A league campaign starts on the road at the Bournemouth Bears (4-2).

Bournemouth Bears vs Herts Cardinals

Ferndowne Leisure Centre
Triple-A

As we build-up to the team’s season opener, we had a chance to chat with Cardinals player-manager, Brian Dearing.

Q: Welcome to Herts Baseball Club.  After a number of years playing elsewhere in British baseball, how are you feeling about the new start?

A: I feel very good about move to Herts, the club has been incredibly welcoming and supportive. I’ve heard it over and over from members of the team, they feel at home already and we can’t thank Herts enough for everything they have done to make our transition a success.

Q: As several players from last year’s London Mammoths roster have joined, the Herts Cardinals roster already seems to have strong foundations.  What are your expectations for this year? Do you think the team can hit the ground running and be involved in the Triple-A playoff race in their first season?

A: First, I would say my main goal this year is to make sure our club transition is a complete success for the players, I believe our team is possibly the strongest it has ever been. Our entire roster moved to Herts, and we have had some tremendous ball players participate in our try-outs. We have already hit the ground running, and feel confident that we will be a competitive and fun team to play in 2022.

Q: Herts fans are excited about the Basing Hill Ballpark project and the club is currently raising funds for the second phase. Whether in MLB, NFL or the Premier League, clubs get enormous injection of energy when they move into their new home.  Basing Hill cannot compare to those enormous sports venues but do you think that there could be a similar effect for Herts players?

A: I can only speak to the Cardinals, but we are both moving venues and clubs. I think that we’ve got a huge injection of energy. The team is very motivated right now to train, improve, be competitive, and win a championship (or make a playoff run). 2022 is going to be a lot of fun.

Q: If everything goes to plan, the ballpark is scheduled to open in May and as a result the Herts Cardinals have to play their first few league games away from home.  Would this have an effect on the team’s plans?

A: We are really excited to play on the newly renovated Basing Hill field, and the BBF has very helpfully organized around the construction timeline so there is no effect on the team.

Q: When you moved from America you spent some time playing for the Edinburgh Cannons. Our players and fans might not be very familiar with the Scottish League and would be curious to learn how baseball in Scotland compares to the British baseball leagues.

A: Scottish Baseball is a blast, and is run by some great characters. There is only one “level”, so there is huge diversity on each team in terms of baseball ability and knowledge, which is fun and challenging! Overall, they’ve got a lot of dedicated players, and good access to equipment. I never expected that when I moved to the UK from the USA!

Q: You experienced baseball both in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Are there elements that are very effective in growing the game in the US which British clubs should put greater emphasis on?

A: I think an emphasis on high quality fields, and access to practice facilities, would bring a greater level of seriousness to the game. I think also that there are so many baseball-player transplants in London that just don’t know they could play baseball in London or the UK, so ways to market our club and federation would be a great start.

Q: Finally, do you have a message for Herts baseball fans ahead of the 2022 season?

A: We look forward to meeting you and enjoying the new Basing Hill facility together!