The Herts Falcons and the Herts Hawks may not have achieved what they set out to do, but there were many positives to be taken from another memorable London Tournament. On Day One the Falcons managed to win convincingly against Northampton and the Great Britain Cadets. This put them on top of their First Round Group. The French team, Saints, manage dot do the same and they both found themselves not only with the same win-loss record but with exactly the same run difference of +23. Rather than opting for the toss of a coin the organisers decided to use Saturday Night’s Home Run Derby contest as a tie-breaker. The three French sluggers put up 4 home runs on the board, which seemed to be beyond the reach of the three Falcons representatives, Kimiyoshi Saionji, Darrin Ward and Dan Kerry who had hit two home runs earlier in the day. But Darrin Ward had different ideas in mind. The ball was exploding off his 20-year old bat. He matched the 4 home runs hit by the French team and that took the contest to a sudden death final round. The Saints and the Falcons picked their best home run hitters, Alex and Darrin, respectively and once again Darrin produced a masterful performance with another 4 home runs. This was a tense moment for the large crowd which had gathered on field 1, and especially for the on-looking Saints and Falcons players. At stake was not only first place finish in the First Round Group, but also the coveted 11am game start on Sunday. For the losers the dreaded 9am game start which would mean that the traditional Saturday’ Night Out for the players may have to be drastically scaled-down, if that is at all possible.
With the Herts contingent heckling every swing , Alex managed to hit 3 big home runs but that was not enough and so the Falcons went on to clinch top spot in the rgoup.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, the excitement of Day One seemed to take all the energy out of the team and Day Two ended in disappointment with two heavy losses to the National League Croydon Pirates and the Great Britain Junior Team which is preparing for its European Championships qualifying campaign.
It was down to the Herts Hawks to keep Hertfordshire hopes of silverware alive. They picked up a win in their first game on Saturday against the Brentwood Stags but lost to the hosts in game 2. This meant that on Day Two the Hawks were to battle in the Frank Brady Trophy bracket of the Tournament. They won 6-1 against the AAA Badgers from Bristol to set up a decider against the Medway Mariners. With the time-limit looming, the Mariners had a 3-2 lead. With 2 out the Hawks loaded the bases, but it wasn’t to be. The Hawks ended the tournament with a very respectful record of 2 wins and 2 losses and with their Home Run Derby representative, Louis Hare, hitting a long home run out of the park in the Home Run Derby Contest.
With the venue’s four fields positioned so close to each other there was a worrying moment for everyone connected with Herts Baseball Club as a foul ball from Field 3 hit 14-year old Herts prospect, Luis Goncalves, on the back of the head. Medical reports have confirmed that there is no serious damage which is good news for the club with the league season heading into its final two months. Hawks Manager, Carlos Casal, sustained a wrist injury in a defensive play and the club is awaiting news.
SATURDAY'S BOX SCORES
| Herts Falcons at Northampton | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
| Herts Falcons | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 2 |
| Northampton | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Herts Falcons 14, Northampton 4 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herts Falcons | Northampton | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Andy Cornish lf-cf | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Player 1 p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Greenberg 3b | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Player 2 c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan Kerry cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Player 3 1b | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| (t4) Aspi Dimitrov p | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Player 4 2b | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Player 5 3b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Marty Cullen 1b | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | Player 6 ss | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Darrin Ward dh-rf | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Player 7 lf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Greg Bochan rf-lf | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Player 8 cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kal Dimitrov c | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Player 9 rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Manning ss | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 27 | 14 | 13 | 9 | TEAM TOTALS | 18 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| E: Lee Manning(2), Player 5, Player 9. LOB: Northampton 3, Herts Falcons 6. 2B: Player 5. SB: Jason Greenberg(2), Marty Cullen(2), Dan Kerry, Aspi Dimitrov, Kimiyoshi Saionji, Player 3(3), Player 4, Player 6, Player 7. SF: Kimiyoshi Saionji, Player 9. |
| Herts Falcons | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Aspi Dimitrov W | 5.00 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Northampton | ||||||
| Player 1 L | 4.67 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 4 | 1 |
| HBP: by Aspi Dimitrov (Player 3). , by Player 1 (Kimiyoshi Saionji). . , by Player 1 (Jason Greenberg). . WP: Aspi Dimitrov(2), Player 1(2). T: 1:45. A: 0. |
| GB Cadets at Herts Falcons | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
| GB Cadets | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Herts Falcons | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 11 | 1 |
| Herts Falcons 16, GB Cadets 3 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herts Falcons | GB Cadets | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Andy Cornish c | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | Player 1 p | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jason Greenberg 3b | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | Player 2 c | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan Kerry cf | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | Player 3 1b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Kimiyoshi Saionji dh | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Player 4 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Manning 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Player 5 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Luis Goncalves ss | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Player 6 ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darrin Ward 1b | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Player 7 lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Bochan lf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Player 8 cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aspi Dimitrov rf | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Player 9 rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marty Cullen p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 23 | 16 | 11 | 16 | TEAM TOTALS | 15 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| E: Luis Goncalves. LOB: Herts Falcons 4, GB Cadets 5. 2B: Andy Cornish. 3B: Dan Kerry. HR: Dan Kerry. SB: Dan Kerry(2), Jason Greenberg, Andy Cornish, Kimiyoshi Saionji, Luis Goncalves, Aspi Dimitrov, Player 1(2), Player 2(2). |
| Herts Falcons | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Marty Cullen W | 4.00 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| GB Cadets | ||||||
| Player 1 L | 4.00 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 3 |
| HBP: by Marty Cullen (Player 8). . WP: Marty Cullen, Player 1(3). T: 1:45. A: 0. |
| Bristol Badgers at Herts Hawks | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E |
| Bristol Badgers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Herts Hawks | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Herts Hawks 6, Bristol Badgers 1 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herts Hawks | Bristol Badgers | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Luis Goncalves ss | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Player 1 p | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Carlos Casal 3b | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Player 2 c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| John Oliver 1b | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Player 3 1b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Louis Hare p | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Player 4 2b | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dave Westfallen c | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Player 5 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kal Dimitrov cf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Player 6 ss | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Humberto Goncalves 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Player 7 lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Kikel lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Player 8 cf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ilya Dimitrov rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Player 9 rf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 20 | 6 | 5 | 3 | TEAM TOTALS | 19 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| E: Ilya Dimitrov, Player 5. LOB: Bristol Badgers 4, Herts Hawks 7. 2B: Luis Goncalves. 3B: Player 3. SB: Dave Westfallen(2), Luis Goncalves, Kal Dimitrov, Player 4(4), Player 1. |
| Herts Hawks | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Louis Hare W | 5.33 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| Bristol Badgers | ||||||
| Player 1 L | 4.67 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| HBP: by Player 1 (Jake Kikel). . PB: Player 2(4). T: 1:40. A: 0. |
| Croydon Pirates at Herts Falcons | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | R | H | E |
| Croydon Pirates | 5 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 18 | 0 |
| Herts Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| Croydon Pirates 23, Herts Falcons 0 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croydon Pirates | Herts Falcons | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Player 6 ss | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | Luis Goncalves ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 8 cf | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | Andy Cornish 3b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Player 7 lf | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 5 3b | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | Dan Kerry cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 1 p | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | Darrin Ward p | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 3 1b | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Marty Cullen 1b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 4 2b | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Greg Bochan rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 9 rf | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Aspi Dimitrov lf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Player 2 c | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Lee Manning c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 34 | 23 | 18 | 17 | TEAM TOTALS | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| E: Marty Cullen(3), Lee Manning(2), Luis Goncalves(2), Dan Kerry, Kimiyoshi Saionji. LOB: Herts Falcons 1, Croydon Pirates 4. 2B: Player 6, Player 1, Player 4. HR: Player 8, Player 7. SB: Player 7, Player 6, Player 9, Andy Cornish. |
| Croydon Pirates | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Player 1 W | 4.00 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Herts Falcons | ||||||
| Darrin Ward L | 4.00 | 18 | 23 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| HBP: by Darrin Ward (Player 9). . . WP: Darrin Ward. PB: Lee Manning(4). T: 1:40. A: 0. |
| Herts Hawks at Medway Mariners | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E |
| Herts Hawks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Medway Mariners | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| Medway Mariners 5, Herts Hawks 2 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medway Mariners | Herts Hawks | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Player 1 p | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Luis Goncalves ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 2 c | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | (b4) Andy Cornish ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 3 1b | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | Carlos Casal 3b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Player 4 2b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | John Oliver p | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 5 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Louis Hare 1b | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Player 6 ss | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Dave Westfallen c | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Player 7 lf | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Kal Dimitrov rf-2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Player 8 cf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Humberto Goncalves 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 9 rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | (b4) Ilya Dimitrov rf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jake Kikel lf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Dave Hamilton cf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 25 | 5 | 8 | 3 | TEAM TOTALS | 26 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| E: Player 6, Player 5, Dave Westfallen, Andy Cornish. LOB: Herts Hawks 7, Medway Mariners 8. 2B: Dave Hamilton. SB: Player 2(2), Player 7, Jake Kikel. SB: Player 8. |
| Medway Mariners | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Player 1 W | 6.00 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Herts Hawks | ||||||
| John Oliver L | 6.00 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| WP: Player 1. PB: Player 2, Dave Westfallen. T: 1:40. A: 0. |