Falcons vs Nats this Sunday – get ready for the storm

The Herts Falcons and Harlow Nationals have proven to be two of the top teams in the country in the previous two seasons.  This year both teams find themselves slightly off the pace with a winning percentage of less than .500, but results in the last few weeks suggest that they are mounting a major challenge to get into the postseason playoffs.

Last week the Nationals took a win against the high-flying Essex Arrows to deprive them of the top spot for now.  The Falcons did the same against the league-leading Southampton Mustangs and then swept the Pirates to move into fifth place in the standings.

Herts-vs-Harlow clashes always keep fans on the edge of their seats (photo by Richard Lee richardleephotography.org)

The rivalry between the Falcons and Nationals goes back to 2011 when a group of Herts members left the Hertfordshire club to found the Harlow Nationals.  They have dominated the NBL since then, winning the championship in all of the last three seasons since their inaugural year in 2011. Both teams know that they need to put a good run of wins starting this Sunday if they are going to qualify for the postseason this year.

The doubleheader begins at 12pm, this Sunday, 22 June, at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. Admission is free.

 

HERTS

FALCONS

HARLOW NATIONALS

CLUB FACTS

1996

Year founded

2011

2

Adult baseball diamonds

1

0

Youth baseball diamonds

0

0

Softball diamonds

0

NUMBER OF BBF LEAGUE TEAMS

1

National Baseball League (NBL)

1

1

AAA League

0

1

AA League

0

1

A League

0

2

U17 League

0

2

U12 League

0

8

Total

1

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (Runner-up in brackets)

0 (1)

NBL

3 (0)

1 (0)

AAA League

0 (0)

0 (1)

AA League

0 (0)

0 (0)

A League

0 (0)

0 (1)

U17 League

0 (0)

1 (1)

U14 League

0 (0)

2 (4)

Total

3 (0)

NBL 2014 SEASON

4-6

Wins-Losses

5-7

5th

League position

4th

W2

Current streak

W1

7.80 (2nd)

Runs scored per game

5.17 (5th)

10.20 (7th)

Runs allowed per game

6.08 (3rd)

.357 (1st)

Batting average

.249 (6th)

.556 (1st)

Slugging average

.331 (6th)

8 (1st)

Home runs

0 (7th)

8.12 (7th)

ERA

6.12 (6th)

22 (4th)

Fielding Errors

22 (4th)