Since publishing this article Saturday’s games were cancelled due to rain. We are expecting confirmation of the revised games schedule for Sunday.
The Herts Hawks brought the Single-A League National Championship trophy back from Farnham Park last Sunday. This weekend it’s the turn of the Herts youth teams as they go into the Under-16 and Under-13 National Baseball Championship.
HERTS KITES (U16)
The Herts U16 team has been given the toughest draw possible as they face the London Mets U16 on Saturday in the Semi-Final. Back in 2013 Herts were in exactly the same situation facing the London Mets in the Semi-Final with the odds stacked heavily against them, but they overcame the Mets in an unforgettable 6-4 win. In 2013 the name of the Herts U17 team was the Herts Harriers. This year the age groups were realigned from U17 to U16 and manager Andrew Fulford and his team have just announced that they will enter the National Baseball Championships with the team name Herts Kites, named after the bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which can be seen regularly flying over Grovehill Ballpark, the home of Herts Baseball Club.
If the Herts Kits win their semi-final on Saturday they will face either LYBL or London Sports in the final later on the same day.
U16 SCHEDULE
Saturday, 10 September 2016
9:30am, Semi-Final: Herts Kites (U16) @ London Mets (U16) (on Field 1)
11:30am, U16 Skills Competition
1:30pm, Semi-Final: London Sports (U16) @ LYBL (U16) (on Field 1)
4:30pm, Final: SF1 Winner vs SF2 Winner (on Field 1)
HERTS (U13)
The Herts U13 team also has a difficult task if they are to reach the National Final. They will face London Sports and London Mets in the qualifying round on Saturday. From the five teams in that round the team finishing last will be eliminated and the remaining four will go through to the Semi-Finals on Sunday, with the Semi-Final winners facing each other to determine the 2016 U13 National Champions.
Manager Mike Wakelam and the rest of the Herts U13 coaching staff know that this is going to be a major challenge for the team, but they know that the team is capable of beating any of the top seeds this weekend.
U13 SCHEDULE
Saturday, 10 September 2016
Qualifying Round
12:00pm Herts (U13) @ London Sports (U13) (on Field 3)
2:30pm U13 Skills Competition
4:30pm, Herts (U13) @ London Mets (U13) (on Field 3)
Sunday, 11 September 2016
9:30am, Semi Final: 4th seed @ 1st seed (on Field 2)
12:00am, Semi Final: 3rd seed @ 2nd seed (on Field 2)
3:00pm, Final: Lower seed @ Higher seed (on Field 2)
VENUE
All games will be played at the Farnham Park National Baseball and Softball Complex in Slough (Beaconsfield Road,Slough,SL2 3BP).