Brian Morgan reporting from Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead as Herts Hawks sweep Brighton.
Game one saw crafty veteran Darrin Ward take the hill throwing a solid complete game for the victory. His command of the zone and mix of pitches left many Redhawks guessing. Solid defence for all but one inning helped the effort.
Great work in the outfield from Antony Lavender, Mike Cresswell and Josh Morgan tracking down the balls from the heart of the order. Equally solid was a mix of utility players in the infield of Charlie Mayhew, Giuseppe Basilea, Jon Lewys and Brian Morgan. Andy Cornish was behind the dish keeping everything in front and the runners not wanting to test his arm.
Hawks bats were alive with a mix of singles and doubles to score 11 runs. Big hits from Jon, Andy and Darrin led the charge. Game one ended with a rough inning making the final score of 11-8 much closer than the rest of the contest.
In game two lefty ace Charlie Mayhew took his turn working through the Brighton batting order. Impressive speed and knee buckling movement on the ball held the visitors to only 6 runs. Several key strikeouts made the work for the defence easy.
Hawks veteran Manager Mike Cresswell made limited defensive changes in game two and that proved to be a key decision. Key defensive plays by Giuseppe, Jon and Charlie on the mound kept the visitors frustrated.
Strong hitting again in game two from the Hawks order and aggressive base running by Josh and Antony sealed the victory early, 16-6. Overall the team played very well together in both games and showed resilience when it was needed. A great start to the new season extending their unbeaten run to four games. The Hawks go on the road next Sunday, 12 May, away at the Richmond Dragons. Game starts at 12pm.