London Capitals, 11 – Herts Falcons, 9
In a game where forfeit (and consequently the dashing of any playoff berth hopes) looked likely, the Herts Falcons battled adversity all day long in the Father’s Day matchup with the London Capitals.
Author: Matt Bell
Falcons pick up much needed win
Herts Falcons, 9 – Brighton Jets, 8
After a run of poor performances from the Herts NBL side, things finally came together on the one-game road trip to Brighton this past Sunday. Defensively, an area where the Falcons have struggled greatly in recent weeks, the team was near flawless, with particularly strong performances from Andrew Fulford behind the dish, Jamie Warren in centerfield, and Moises Vasquez at third. The pitching staff too, looked to be revitalized in the one-game, 9 inning format.
Herts Falcons sweep on Opening Day
Jarrod Pretorius marked his Herts Falcons debut with a home run (photo by Richard Lee richardleephotography.org)
by Cris Hiche, Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead
As the saying in sports goes, a new season brings new hope! Herts Falcons were looking for this after a challenging 2016 season. Their addition of Jarrod Pretorius, Miguel Hector, and the return of Cris Hiche were a good improvement. Furthermore the youngsters were a year older, stronger, and with a year experience in the NBL under their belts. This had the fans bullish for this season. But all is fine on paper but this Sunday was the opportunity to test the team against a strong, young Brighton Jets team.
Harry O’Brien and Matt Gilbert were the starting pitchers for the Jets and Falcons respectively on a pleasant day conducive to a good game of baseball. Matt took the mound and looked poised for a great start by getting ahead 1-2 to leadoff Jacob Dean. However Jacob was able to square a pitch inside to send it over the fence and put their team quickly ahead. Oh no! Fans were already thinking this might be a very looooooong season ahead. However Matt Gilbert was able to finish the inning with only one run on the scoreboard. Now he was hoping his teammates would pick him up…and they did by scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st. With the score 2-1 for the Falcons, the 2nd and top of the 3rd inning went scoreless. In the bottom of the 3rd, Cris Hiche put the first big smiles for the fans by connecting a 2-run homer and putting the Falcons 4-1 ahead. Meanwhile, fans were starting to enjoy some fine pitching by Matt as he was controlling batters with wicked control, crucial K’s, and when needed some great plays like John Blose in left field with a diving catch near the left side fence risking his body to catch the ball. The offense was slowly increasing the gap, including a bomb by Jarrod Pretorius to leave the score 7-1 in the bottom of the 5th. By the end of the game, Falcons celebrated their 1st victory of the year with a final score of 8-1. Everybody played very well both defensively and offensively. Generally, the home runs take the spotlight but the player of the match needs to be Matt Gilbert who pitched a gem not seen in many years in British baseball. Complete game, 2 hits allowed, 7K, and using only 107 pitches to do the job!! That’s a challenge for any pitcher to beat this year!
The 2nd game was a different story. Young starting pitcher Will Zucker started for the Falcons and quickly allowing some walks and the Jets capitalising with some key hits. Will Zucker was struggling with his command and although post-match interviews has him quoted as “It just wasn’t my day…”, sources tell us he was suffering from a hand injury which would have certainly affected his performance. Regardless, the Jets took advantage and were 5 runs ahead by the middle of the 1st inning. Manager Lee Manning had to even bring Jarrod to finish the inning. It was now going to be a long day for the bullpen. On the other hand, Jacob Dean started the 2nd game for the Jets and after 3 innings he had allowed only 1 run. Brighton was playing a sound game and it was almost a flip from the 1st game. Both teams playing well but Brighton capitalising the little advantages given by Herts and in the 4th they scored another one to make it 6-1 in the middle of the 4th. But then Herts got a lucky break when Jacob Dean developed some sort of cramp which sidelined him from the game. The Jets had to use their bullpen with Dan Whitton taking the mound. He was also doing well but soon the Jets went to relief pitcher Connor O’Shaughnessy. With Connor’s fastball a few mph slower than Dan and Jacob, the Falcons hitters were able to make adjustments at the plate and start to put the ball in play. Timely hits, some lucky bounces, and a great “See-ya-later” by Darren Meintjes meant putting 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th and 6 in the bottom of the 5th. That offensive punch put the Falcons ahead 9-6 changed the whole momentum of the game. The Falcons added some insurance runs in the bottom of the 6th with the final score of 11-6 for the Falcons. Worthy mentions for Miguel Hector who went 2-2, 3R, and Moises Vasquez with some nice defensive gems and starting the 1st double play of the season. However the player of the match goes to Darren Meintjes who went 2-5,HR,3RBI at the plate and pitched 5IP, 1R, 6K. Outstanding performance!
The Falcons will be tested this upcoming weekend when travelling to Southampton to face the reigning champions Mustangs who split their first two games against the London Mets.
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Depleted Falcons regress from run of good form
On a day where the Falcons could barely cobble together a 9-man side, Herts limped to a 10-4 loss against the first place London Mets.
Injuries to Conner Brown (tricep), Darren Meintjes (finger) and the absences of shortstop Louis Hare, second basemen Ian McCann and Moises Vasquez, and catcher Phil Clark meant that the Falcons were far from full strength.
Above: With regular catchers Conner Brown and Phil Clark sidelined due to injury and family commitments, Manager Lee Manning was forced to don the ‘tools of ignorance’ for Sunday’s game against the Mets.
So there the Falcons found themselves, down 5 starters, facing the NBL’s premier team. The only potential saving grace? The schedule. Sunday would be a single 7-inning game matchup, and in baseball, especially 7-inning baseball, anything can happen.
The game started very promising with Mets starter Maxwell Tyler issuing leadoff walks to both Brown (playing as the designated hitter) and John Blose, before a 2-RBI single from Tyler Badenhorst broke open the scoring.
The lead however didn’t last long. In the bottom of 1st the Mets’ bats rallied for a barrage of 4 runs against the Falcons’ starter Zack Longboy. Throughout the game Longboy, who has pitched well in recent weeks, struggled to find his normal command on his fastball, forcing him to rely almost exclusively on his knuckleball. Although this kept hitters off balance from the 2nd-5th innings (1 earned run), it did lead to costly walks for Longboy.
After the 1st, Tyler settled down and carved up the Falcons lineup, going the next four innings without a run crossing the plate. After a smattering of runs (earned and unearned) across the middle innings, Tyler exited the game in the 5th with his team up 9-2.
Replacing him was Mets reliever Elijah Hackney-Rose, a familiar face for some Herts players who had played with him for Great Britain youth teams. And maybe this familiarity helped the Falcons as Brown (a catcher for Hackney-Rose on the GB side) opened with a hard hit single and the frame ended with 2 more Herts runs having crossed the plate.
However, the score wouldn’t get much closer than 9-4 as London rallied to score another run off of Longboy in the 6th drawing the game to its final score of 10-4. The result ends what has been a run of good form that the Falcons have put up against their recent opponents (splitting the last two doubleheaders), however Manning is confident that, with a full squad, the Falcons can stay competitive even against top teams like London.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Filling in With the rash of injuries and absences plaguing the Falcons, two players rostered in lower levels of the organization were called on to perform on Sunday. Aspi Dimitrov (who had been on brief hiatus) returned with consistent play in centerfield and even picked up a single in his last at-bat. Single A player Rodney Naghar also made an impact, showing good glove work at first base and hitting a double to left field.
Tak-ing off The Falcons bid farewell to one of their more consistent performers on Sunday as the beloved Takaya Miki played in his final NBL game before leaving for a university placement in Japan. Miki has been a defensive stopper for Herts this year, consistently filling a corner outfield spot, and his bat had heated up in recent weeks. He will be greatly missed by his teammates and Manager who wish only the best for him and his future.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Falcons have a two-game home stand on July 31st against the 2nd place Southampton Mustangs (21-3). First pitch for Game 1 is at 12 PM and Game 2 is scheduled to begin at 3 PM
Falcons pick up another win
Facing the 4th place Essex Arrows, the Herts Falcons split the double header, picking up another win against a playoff caliber team.
Game 1 featured the Arrows’ hard throwing righty who – excluding a walk to leadoff man John Blose who later scored – was pretty much untouchable. Racking up a high strike out total, the righty no-hit the Falcons through 4 innings before being relieved. For the Falcons, Zack Longboy took the mound, going the distance and holding the Arrows to a total of two hits.
The two hits however came at costly times for Herts as the Arrows’ hot hitting lefty Dustin Rowland doubled home two runs in the bottom of the 5th with one of the few hard hit balls by either team all game. The two runs erased a one run Falcons lead, drawing the scoreline to 4-3 Arrows.
Over the next two frames, the Herts bats stayed quiet while the Arrows tacked on another run to win the pitchers duel by a final score of 5-3.
Above: John Blose (#91) racked up gaudy walk totals with exceptional plate discipline and ignited the Falcons’ offense.
As the temperature reached a steamy high of 29 degrees, the bats on both teams also heated up, the scoring opening up in Game 2.
Tyler Badenhorst got the call for Herts, while the Arrows started righty Jamie Gregory who has struggled on the mound this season.
The scoring was early and often as the Arrows picked up three runs in the 1st before Herts came back with five in the 2nd. After 4 innings of work however, Badenhorst who had competed hard on the mound all day, went down with a right elbow injury (status yet to be confirmed). Matt Gilbert took over on the mound working out of a jam and preserving a two run lead for Herts.
In the Herts’ half of the 6th, Gilbert doubled with the bases loaded bringing home three runs and stretching the lead to 10-4. Gilbert’s three RBI knock would come to loom large as the game wore on.
In the bottom of the 6th, the Arrows rallied for 6 runs off of Gilbert, tying the game. The majority of these runs came with two outs as the Herts fielders struggled to put away the final out of the inning.
Despite the Arrow’s momentum, the Falcon’s rallied in the 7th picking up two runs on a line drive single to left by Blose after a beautifully executed sac bunt by Takaya Miki to move the runners into scoring position. The clutch hit stretched the Herts’ lead to 12-10 with three outs to go.
Longboy came on to close out the game and, after a lead off walk, retired 3 batters in a row to earn the save and secure a 12-10 Falcons win (their fourth of the season).
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED:
Fill in skipper Matt Gilbert took over the player-manager duties on Sunday with Manager Lee Manning out of the country on holiday. However, despite the extra responsibilities of Manager, Gilbert still came up big for the Falcons at the plate, his three run double arguably the most important hit of the entire double header.
Blose’s patience John Blose displayed impressive plate discipline throughout the day, drawing three walks, and continuously going deep into the count. His approach also manifested itself in hard contact throughout the day (whenever he wasn’t taking a base on balls). Blose also made a fantastic play on defense to end Game 2 – ranging to his right to catch a soft liner before pivoting and making an off balance perfect-strike throw to first base to pick up the double play.
Injury bug strikes The Falcons were forced to use every player they had as Ian McCann exited the game with a leg injury in the 4th, Badenhorst went down with elbow trouble and also exited in the 4th, and Louis Hare came up limp with a groin strain in the 5th. Unfortunately Hare had to stay in the Game as Herts had no further substitutes available, hobbling his way on one leg to a few more plays a first base and even scoring a run.
WHAT’S NEXT
On Sunday July 24th, the Falcons will take on the 1st place London Mets (20-2) at Finsbury Park. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM.
Herts Single A teams both gunning for Farnham
Herts’ two single-A teams look set for the playoffs after a huge 26-11 5th inning mercy rule win by the Raptors over pool-rivals Essex cemented a place in the playoffs for them as a Wildcard, with the Hawks likely to top their group or at worst finish as top wildcard thanks to their unbeaten season so far.
The Raptors v Essex game started as a close run affair over the first couple of innings, with both teams trading blows and errors were a plenty on both sides thanks in part to the harsh sun playing havoc with concentration. A huge swarm of bees even made an appearance briefly halting play at one stage, but by the third inning a gap started to open up that just kept expanding leaving Herts in the driving seat. When relief pitcher Simon Langton came up and closed down the Essex side, Herts were left with the task of getting 6 runs to force a Mercy rule. A couple runs plated in the normal fashion before the bases were loaded. Up stepped the mighty…home run machine…no wait…it was Mike. Mike Cresswell. Pitcher. Fast runner. Manager. Good Bloke. Many things, all positive, but not a home run hitter. Surely no walk off grand slam this time round.
The last time the Herts Raptors qualified for the postseason playoffs was in 2013 and they certainly enjoyed clinching it with a bottle of champagne.
Well, not in the traditional sense, but a might good whallop of the ball sent it clean over the infield and through the gap in the outfield (helped by the fact that their outfield was down to two people due to injuries….previously caused by Mike throwing a ball at a girl…twice.) The runners on second and third scored easily. The runner on first had a good jump….and a mis-throw from outfield meant that the ever speedy Mike Cresswell rounded third and landed home for the kind of finish that bookies would happily give you 5000-1 odds on…but as Leicester football club showed us earlier this year, the unlikeliest scenarios can come true. Mike duly walked off as winning pitcher, winning HR hitter, and man of match. And got drenched in icy water by his team mates for the effort.
For the Hawks the picture is a bit clearer. They are currently showing as a half game back in their group on wins alone, but they are unbeaten and have taken three games off their nearest rivals, the Monarchs. Monarchs have three games left to play but the Hawks have six due to a number of teams having been unable to muster a side during the season. So when the final games are played, and dependant on whether the several games that have been no-shows from the opposition are added to the tally (unless they are able to be rescheduled) then the Hawks will be hoping to comfortably top their group. Either way they are certain to at least be wildcards, so would at worst face an extra playoff game. The main question is likely to be whether the Hawks or the similarly unbeaten Tonbridge Wildcats slip up at any point which would determine top seed. If both sides finish unbeaten, then Tonbridge is currently in pole position to take the top spot having played one game less but scored 3 more runs over the course of the season.
The hope for the club will now be hoping for a good wildcard round and ties working out to that the two sides avoid each other in the semi-finals with a potentially juicy tie on Farnham Park’s main diamond on Sunday 4th September. Whatever happens now, Herts as a club can be proud of the achievements of their two single-A teams, but both the Raptors and the Hawks will surely have the ultimate prize in their sights, and who knows…perhaps they will meet at the grandest of stages in British Baseball.
Falcons playing spoiler, pick up win
On Sunday’s triple-header affair at Grovehill Ballpark, it was almost as if the weather was tied to the Falcons emotions.
The day started (early) with intermittent rain in the morning as the Falcons took on the 5th place Brighton Jets. Tyler Badenhorst was on the mound for the for the Falcons, facing Jamie Ratcliff of the Jets. After two rain delays, a particularly strong bout of rain forced the umpires to call the game with Jets in the lead. The minimum number of innings (4) had been played however, and the Jets walked away with a 5-1 victory.
After a long break, which saw the London Capitals defeat the Jets, the sun returned just in time for the Falcons second game of the day. With the sun there also came a boost in morale: just one week previous, the Falcons had played two tough games against the Capitals and only narrowly lost them both.
Above: As the weather improved, so too did the Falcon’s performance.
Zack Longboy started on the mound for the Falcons, throwing a complete game and picking up the 10-8 win. The Herts bats looked alive as the team peppered hits off of London’s starter Maxime Flayol and relief pitcher Yusuke Ueno.
Herts led, albeit by a tight margin, for most of the game even stretching the lead to 3 runs in the 5th inning. A late home run gave the struggling Capitals a glimmer of hope, but leading 10-8, Herts Manager Lee Manning left Longboy out to finish the game and the Falcons shut the door.
The 10-8 victory over the 3rd place London Capitals marks the Falcons’ third win of the year, moving them into 6th place and ahead of the South London Pirates. While it is mathematically improbable that the Falcons could sneak into the playoffs, over the next six weeks they will be playing the role of spoiler as they match up against the NBL’s top dogs.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Zack Longboy’s dual threat performance When asked for his player of the game, Manager Manning lauded Zack Longboy’s performance both on the mound and at the plate. He went “5 for 6 [at the plate] and pitched beautifully, working his way out of jams like a seasoned pro,” Manning said. “He gets better every time [and] I have the joy of watching him play.” His performance against the Capitals was Longboy’s first career complete game in the NBL and second career win. And, of his five hits, two came with the bases loaded.
More debuts Two more players made their Falcons debut on Sunday. Ian McCann played second base and came on in relief of Badenhorst in Game 1. In Game 2, Aaron Witter, a 14-year-old regular for the Herts Raptors, also got a cup of coffee with the NBL squad as he came off the bench to play right field. Witter’s experience is indicative of the fact that “Herts project youth is starting to pay off,” as Manning said, after the game. “The Capitals are a great team and our youngest player (14-year-old Aaron Witter) got the final out.” (Witter secured a fly ball to end the game.)
Execution, execution, execution Three critical runs of the 10 that the Falcon’s scored came via the suicide squeeze – Manning deploying an aggressive style with runners on third base. Although prior to Sunday, Louis Hare had never laid down a bunt in game, two of these squeezes involved him on the bunting end. A fourth squeeze was also put into motion, although a pick play to third by the Capitals pitcher left Matt Gilbert to improvise. When the dust cleared Gilbert had scored, leaving many rushing to check the record books on the oldest player to ever steal home.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Interference? Late in Game 2, a Capital’s runner scrambled from second to third, dislodging the Falcon’s shortstop in the process. As Louis Hare was in the process of fielding a ground ball, the runner was called out for interference, ending the inning. The Capital’s first base coach reacted strongly to the call, getting in the umpires face and causing a loud confrontation. Subsequently, the player was ejected and play continued without further interruption.
WHAT’S NEXT
On Sunday July 17th, the Falcons will take on the 4th place Essex Arrows (12-12) at Town Mead Ballpark. First pitch for Game 1 is 12:00 PM and Game 2 is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM.
A day of debuts
Strong pitching performances by two players making their Falcons debut propelled the Herts NBL squad to one of their finer performances in what has been an up and down 2016. Although the team lost both games of the doubleheader, the first 12-10 (in 9 innings) and the second 5-3 (in 7 innings), Manager Lee Manning was left very impressed with the team.
“Today was some of the best baseball we played all season,” Manning said after the two tough away games against the 3rd place London Capitals, lauding in particular the debuts of Tyler Badenhorst out of South Africa who pitched 3 1/3 innings in Game 1 and Matt Corran (pictured) a former cricket player, who came on in relief of Badenhorst.
Both pitchers showed plus velocity on their fastballs, with Badenhorst also showcasing a polished arsenal of plus off speed pitches including a knuckleball and forkball.
Above: Matt Corran, who has played baseball for less than a year, was impressive on the mound in his NBL debut.
In support of Badehorst and Corran, the Falcons also looked impressive at the plate with clutch run-scoring hits and great at-bats especially with two strikes. In the end however, a key factor in the loss was the Capital’s ability to control the running game as London’s pitcher-catcher battery limited Herts to only one stolen base.
In Game 2, the Falcons hitter’s provided much of the same, grinding out tough at bats, although facing the NBL’s official ERA leader in Justin Harris, the hits were harder to come by.
On the other side of the ball, Louis Hare proved especially pivotal with his defense, coming up time and again with big defensive plays in support of Zack Longboy’s 6 innings on the mound in Game 2.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Louis Hare’s Defense Early in Game 2, Hare knocked down one of the hardest hit ground balls of the day, taking the ball off his Adam’s apple, before recovering and flipping the ball to the second basemen to complete the play and preserve the Falcon’s early lead.
This play exemplified the excellent work Hare put in at shortstop throughout the day, providing stability at a position where the club has lacked this year. “[Hare] was amazing and fielded everything cleanly,” Manning said. “He gave our defense a much improved look and most importantly, stopped the errors in that position which has killed us this year.”
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Balk? The tight, competitive nature of both games was evident in other ways as well, including a few lengthy stoppages to discuss the rule book with the umpire crew. One particular moment of controversy surrounded a balk call late in the Game 1 – Corran stopping his delivery mid-motion after the Capital’s cleanup hitter appeared to step backwards out of the box. After much deliberation the balk call was upheld leading to the Capitals scoring a critical run to take the lead.
WHAT’S NEXT
Next Sunday July 10th, the Falcons will host two different teams at Grovehill Ballpark. First pitch for Game 1 against the 5th place Brighton Jets (7-12) is 10:30 AM and Game 2, against the 3rd place London Capitals (15-7), is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM.
Herts Falcons announce the acquisition of the 2012 NBL best pitcher
Pitcher Robbie Almanzar facing Falcons slugger Ryan Bird in game 6 of the 2012 National Championship Final
The Herts Falcons have announced the signing of left-handed pitcher Robbie Almanzar.
Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Almanzar is entering his fourth season in the National Baseball League, having spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Harlow Nationals followed by a brief spell with the Essex Arrows last year.
In his NBL debut season he burst onto the scene scooping the Most Valuable Pitcher Award after a remarkable debut season. He led all of the key pitching categories including Most Wins (9 wins 0 losses), Most Strike-Outs (52), Best ERA 3.36, Best WHIP (1.17) and Most Innings Pitched (72).
|
TEAM |
SEASON |
W |
L |
ERA |
CG |
IP |
SO |
SO/9IP |
|
Harlow Nationals |
2012 |
9 |
0 |
3.36 |
8 |
75 |
52 |
6.2 |
|
Harlow Nationals |
2013 |
1 |
4 |
6.75 |
2 |
29 1/3 |
18 |
5.5 |
|
Essex Arrows |
2014 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2/3 |
0 |
0 |
Source: Project COBB
Herts fans remember him well after he broke their hearts in game 6 of the National Baseball League Championship Final. He won that game 6-3.
Robbie Almanzar (left) trying to get to first base in the 2013 National Championship Semi-Final (photo by Richard Lee)
He added to Herts Falcons’ misery a year later when the two teams met again in the playoffs, this time in the National Semi-Final. The game finished 9-8 with Almanzar once again pitching a complete game to claim the win.
Although NBL fans mostly recognise him for his pitching achievements, he has impressive batting stats with career batting average of .281, slugging average of .378, including one home run, which was a grand slam against the Essex Redbacks in May 2013.
|
TEAM |
SEASON |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BA |
OBA |
SLA |
PA/SO |
|
Harlow Nationals |
2012 |
24 |
1 |
10 |
6 |
0.338 |
0.44 |
0.463 |
12.1 |
|
Harlow Nationals |
2013 |
14 |
0 |
5 |
6 |
0.216 |
0.32 |
0.275 |
15.3 |
|
Essex Arrows |
2014 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
This news is a major boost for Herts ahead of the new season. With 2014 NBL Most Valuable Batter and Most valuable Pitcher, Abel Salas, making the move to the USA, the Falcons were desperate to add to their roster. The additions of Maikel Azcuy and Robbie Almanzar are two major acquisitions which have put the team straight back in the NBL race.
Falcons fans are expected to see both new signings make their Spring Training debuts when the Herts Spring League commences later this month.
By Daniel Levitt @DanielLevitt32
Herts Baseball appoints new Communications Director
Herts Baseball Club has continued to strengthen its front office ahead of the 2015 season with the appointment of James Dwyer as Communications Director and board member.
James has a strong background in journalism, marketing and communications and will bring these skills to the club to help develop existing links with local and national media, as well as communications within the club and the wider baseball community across the country.
James combines his skills and experience in communications with a passion for baseball and particular focus on growing the popularity of the game in the UK.
On his appointment, James said: “I am delighted to be joining one of the country’s most successful baseball clubs and look forward to seeing further growth and development throughout next season and beyond. As baseball becomes more popular in the UK and more people express an interest in playing, clubs such as Herts Baseball face an exciting opportunity to increase the number of people involved and be at the forefront of developing the game. Combine that with the fact that Herts is one of the most successful clubs in the country and the future looks incredibly bright and hopeful – and I am thrilled to be part of it.”
Club President Aspi Dimitrov said: “In 2014 we managed to maintain our position as one of the leading clubs in British baseball when it comes to media coverage. We did this despite the fact that the Communications Director position remained vacant. With James’ appointment on the board we are now in a strong position not only to stay at the top but to explore new opportunities and enhance our media coverage further.”