FAULTLESS FALCONS EXTEND WINNING STREAK

Report by Herts Baseball Newswire reporter, ROD NAGHAR

 

This Sunday's double header was played against the Windsor Bears whom the Falcons last met at the Croydon Tournament last summer which ended in a Falcons win. The game was played at Grovehill, Falcons home ground, where things got off to a wet start as the heavens unleashed a 2 hour rainstorm before play could begin. The Falcons were on a 2 win opening streak, characterised by a very strong defense but weaker offence – something Manager Jason Greenberg was looking to improve upon.
 
Starting Pitcher Nick Goetz (1-0, 3.86 ERA) took the mound for the Falcons after his win the previous week, but got off to a shaky start giving up 1 walk and 4 singles. However, the solid Falcon's infield laid to rest any Windsor hopes for an early rout, and with a strong final K from Goetz, Windsor only managed a 1 run lead.
 
Hopes were raised for a stronger Falcons offense to dispell nay-sayers that they were a purely defensive side. In the bottom of the first, those hopes were exceeded when 7 runs were scored, achieved by a combination of big hits and some Windsor infielding errors. At that point Windsor's weak infield began a trend, which progressed to be the norm by the end of the day.
 
Unfortunately, to manager Greenberg's chagrin, the Falcon's offence then reverted to type, and most of their remaining runs were achieved though Windsor errors.
 
Nevertheless, spurred on by the big early lead, Nick Goetz went on to pitch superbly, shutting out the Bears until the 5th inning where he gave up 2 back to back single home-runs. However, by that stage the score was 10-1 to the Falcons and it didn't affect his form.
 
The game ended 11-3 to the Falcons, with pitcher Peter Kikel (a promoted Hawks player) confidently closing out the final inning.
The Falcon's made no fielding errors during the game, and with an excellent Bullpen, had little to fear from the Windsor side.
 
 
The second game began where the last game ended, this time with Darrin Ward (1-0, 1.29 ERA) at the mound for the Falcons. He opened with 3ks giving up only 1 walk and 1 hit, which proved to be one of the better Windsor offensive innings.
 
A trickle of runs came from the Falcons until the 4th, where a combination of a tiring Windsor pitcher and further infield errors led to 5 runs and an 8-0 lead. The demoralised Windsor side came back the next inning with a last ditch attempt to get some runs on the board, but managed only 3 hits with no runs.
 
The game ended 10-0 to the Falcons.
 
Much praise must go to Darrin Ward who had another incredible appearance at the mound shutting out the struggling Windsor side, putting 7ks under his belt, and only giving up 2 walks the whole game.
 
Today the Falcons proved that their impressive opening wins against Essex was no fluke. Their staggering pitching staff and impenetrable defensive lineup, justifying their promotion from the 1st division yet again. With no defensive errors in either games, an impressive win followed by a shut out, no team in the AAA can possibly look forward to playing them.
 
Next week the Falcons play at home against Baseball Milton Keynes. That is the time the Falcons hope to finally dismiss the batting drought which they find themsleves in, which will undoubtedly position them as the force to be reckoned with in this years hotly contested AAA division.


GAME 1

 

Windsor Bears at Herts Falcons
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Windsor Bears 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 9 6
Herts Falcons 7 0 1 2 1 0 0 11 6 0

Herts Falcons 11, Windsor Bears 3
Herts Falcons Windsor Bears
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Lee Manning lf 4 1 1 2 Player 1 cf 4 0 0 0
Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b 4 2 3 1 Player 2 c 3 1 0 0
Andy Cornish ss 3 2 1 1 Player 3 ss 4 1 2 1
Jason Greenberg c 3 1 0 0 Player 4 3b 4 1 4 2
Peter Kikel 3b-p 2 1 1 1 Player 5 1b 4 0 1 0
Dan Kerry cf 3 1 0 1 Player 6 p 3 0 1 0
Darrin Ward 1b 2 1 0 1 Player 7 2b 3 0 0 0
Nick Goetz p-3b 1 2 0 1 Player 8 lf 2 0 1 0
Rodney Naghar rf 3 0 0 0 Player 9 rf 2 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 25 11 6 8 TEAM TOTALS 29 3 9 3

E: Player 3(3), Player 7(2), Player 4. DP: Windsor Bears 1. LOB: Herts Falcons 4,
Windsor Bears 8. 2B: Kimiyoshi Saionji(2), Andy Cornish. HR: Player 3, Player 4. SB:
Kimiyoshi Saionji(2), Nick Goetz, Player 2. CS: Lee Manning. SB: Peter Kikel.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
Nick Goetz W 6.00 8 3 3 3 4
Peter Kikel 1.00 1 0 0 0 1
Windsor Bears            
Player 6 L 6.00 6 11 5 6 5

HBP: by Player 6 (Dan Kerry). . . . . . . WP: Nick Goetz, Player 6(2). PB: Player 2.
T: 2:30. A: 50.

GAME 2

Windsor Bears at Herts Falcons
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Windsor Bears 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 4
Herts Falcons 2 1 0 5 2 10 7 0

Herts Falcons 10, Windsor Bears 0
Herts Falcons Windsor Bears
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Lee Manning 1b 4 1 1 1 Player 1 p 3 0 2 0
Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b 2 2 1 3 Player 2 c 3 0 1 0
Andy Cornish ss 3 2 2 1 Player 3 1b 2 0 1 0
Dan Kerry cf 3 1 1 0 Player 4 2b 3 0 2 0
Jason Greenberg c 3 0 1 0 Player 5 3b 2 0 0 0
Nick Goetz 3b 3 0 0 0 Player 6 ss 2 0 1 0
Darrin Ward p 0 3 0 0 Player 7 lf 2 0 1 0
Aspi Dimitrov lf 1 1 1 0 Player 8 cf 1 0 0 0
Rodney Naghar rf 3 0 0 0 Player 9 rf 2 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 22 10 7 5 TEAM TOTALS 20 0 8 0

E: Player 6(3), Player 4. LOB: Herts Falcons 6, Windsor Bears 7. 2B: Andy Cornish,
Player 2, Player 7. SB: Lee Manning(2), Kimiyoshi Saionji, Dan Kerry. CS: Player 1.
SB: Aspi Dimitrov.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
Darrin Ward W 5.00 8 0 0 2 7
Windsor Bears            
Player 1 L 4.33 7 10 6 6 1

PB: Jason Greenberg. T: 2:30. A: 50.

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