HAWKS TAKE TWO FROM THAMES VALLEY BISONS

Report from Herts Baseball Newswire Correspondent, KAL DIMITROV

 

The Herts Hawks visited picturesque Berkshire during one of the hottest days of the season for a double header between the two bottom teams in the AA Division.  Both teams were keen to perform and move away from last place where they were tied at the start of play.

 

In the first game, Herts starter Pete Kikel had a tough first inning, not helped by some defensive lapses, allowing the Bisons to score 4 in the bottom of the first. However, after the first inning Herts did not let in another run for the next five innings, while steadily catching up and subsequently increasing their lead. Kikel was able to shut down the bats, and the defense suddenly woke up with third baseman Wiley, short stop Casal and the tag team of Wakelam and stand-in manager Bochan at second base all participating in the fun. However, the outstanding play was a catch by the Bison’s centerfielder, who made ground as if chased by the bridesmaids at a shotgun wedding, and robbed Mike Wakelam of a sure double in the right-centerfield gap.  With the score 11:4 for the Hawks in the bottom of the 7th, both the pitcher and the defense lost focus slightly, allowing the Bisons to score 4 runs, but were able to settle down and get the outs for the win.

 

The second game was to provide a more competitive beginning, with both teams moving in lockstep.  The Hawks started with Greg Bochan on the mound, and as the break between the games was not sufficient, he had to utilize a couple of innings to finish his warm up. However, after allowing 4 runs, he settled down and was able to unleash his wide variety of pitches, changing speeds and hitting the locations that the catcher Dave Westfallen was cannily giving.  In the meantime, the Herts bats were successfully silenced by the Thames Valley pitcher who was able to put the batters off balance with the massive speed difference between his fastball and curveball.  The main reason for the hitting drought, however, was the Bisons’ third baseman, who appeared to be just about everywhere, taking away surefire hits and once making a diving catch to deprive Carlos Casal of a line drive hit that was a frozen rope along the third base line and would have surely been a double.  In the fifth, however, with the score very close, the Hawks bats suddenly woke up and were able to adjust to the pitching of Thames Valley. Aided by some sloppy defensive plays by the home team, the Hawks ended up with eight runs scored in that inning. Thames Valley scored another run in the seventh but were unable to shut down the Hawks, who came out with a comfortable win.

 


GAME 1


Herts Hawks at Thames Valley Bisons
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Herts Hawks 2 1 2 0 4 0 2 11 8 7
Thames Valley Bisons 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 8 7 6

Herts Hawks 11, Thames Valley Bisons 8
Herts Hawks Thames Valley Bisons
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Mike Wakelam cf-2b 3 0 0 1 Player 1 cf 2 1 1 0
Greg Bochan 2b 3 0 0 0 Player 2 3b 4 1 1 0
(t4) Paul Auchterlounie c 2 0 0 0 Player 3 1b 3 2 0 0
Carlos Casal ss 3 3 1 0 Player 4 p 3 2 2 2
Dave Westfallen 1b 4 2 1 0 Player 5 lf 3 1 0 0
Peter Kikel p 4 2 2 0 Player 6 c 4 0 0 0
Kal Dimitrov c-cf 2 2 1 1 Player 7 ss 4 1 2 3
Matt Johnston lf 4 2 2 1 Player 8 rf 3 0 0 0
Chris Wylie 3b 3 0 1 1 (t7) Sub 1 rf 1 0 1 1
Liam Green rf 3 0 0 0 Player 9 2b 2 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 31 11 8 4 TEAM TOTALS 29 8 7 6

E: Carlos Casal(2), Chris Wylie(2), Dave Westfallen, Peter Kikel, Liam Green, Player
2(2), Player 3(2), Player 4, Player 6. LOB: Thames Valley Bisons 6, Herts Hawks 6.
2B: Chris Wylie, Peter Kikel, Player 4, Player 1. SB: Matt Johnston(2), Peter Kikel,
Carlos Casal, Liam Green, Kal Dimitrov, Player 4(2), Player 1, Player 6, Player 7.
CS: Chris Wylie. SF: Mike Wakelam.

Herts Hawks IP H R ER BB SO
Peter Kikel W 7.00 7 8 5 5 6
Thames Valley Bisons            
Player 4 L 7.00 8 11 2 5 5

HBP: by Player 4 (Kal Dimitrov). . , by Peter Kikel (Player 9). . . . Balk: Player 4.
T: 2:30. A: 0.


GAME 2


Herts Hawks at Thames Valley Bisons
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Herts Hawks 0 0 0 0 2 6 3 11 15 2
Thames Valley Bisons 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 5 8 2

Herts Hawks 11, Thames Valley Bisons 5
Herts Hawks Thames Valley Bisons
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Paul Auchterlounie cf 3 0 0 0 Player 1 p-cf 4 0 1 1
(b5) Kal Dimitrov cf 1 0 1 0 Player 2 c 4 1 1 0
Greg Bochan p 4 1 1 0 Player 3 cf-ss 2 1 0 0
Carlos Casal ss 4 2 2 0 Player 4 ss-3b 4 1 1 1
Dave Westfallen c 3 2 1 0 Player 5 lf 4 0 1 1
Peter Kikel 2b 3 0 2 1 Player 6 3b-p 3 0 1 0
David Baird 1b 4 2 2 1 Player 7 1b 2 1 1 0
Matt Johnston lf 4 2 2 0 Player 8 2b 2 0 1 0
Chris Wylie 3b 1 0 0 0 Player 9 rf 3 1 1 0
(b3) Mike Wakelam 3b 3 2 3 3 (t7) Sub 1 rf 0 0 0 0
Liam Green rf 3 0 1 0
TEAM TOTALS 33 11 15 5 TEAM TOTALS 28 5 8 3

E: Carlos Casal, Liam Green, Player 4, Player 8. LOB: Herts Hawks 3, Thames Valley
Bisons 6. 2B: Mike Wakelam(2), Liam Green, Peter Kikel, David Baird, Carlos Casal,
Kal Dimitrov, Player 4, Player 2. SB: David Baird(2), Carlos Casal(2), Matt
Johnston(2), Mike Wakelam, Player 2, Player 3, Player 1.

Herts Hawks IP H R ER BB SO
Greg Bochan W 7.00 8 5 2 4 3
Thames Valley Bisons            
Player 1 L 6.00 11 8 7 1 3
Player 6 1.00 4 3 3 1 2

PB: Dave Westfallen, Player 2(3). T: 2:30. A: 0.

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