Report by Daniel Levitt

The Herts Falcons have endured their fair share of ups and downs over the course of the 2014 season.

Whether it be the crippling injury to Cristobal Hiche at the start of the year or the consistent line-up changes, they have pretty much seen it all. However, they keep on fighting and have refuted the idea of giving up.

It was fitting then, that the latest chapter in their epic journey provided a synopsis of their season so far.

They fought for their lives this past Sunday, to earn a split against the Southern Nationals at Farnham Park. The 5-7 and 10-9 score lines simply don’t capture the emotion and ardent nature with which both games were played in.

Heading into the double-header, it was salient: how many runs could the Falcons pour on their run-leaking rivals. For the reigning champions however, it was all about offensive production, with just 3 home runs slugged all season, compared to Herts’ 10.

Game 1 could not have gotten off to a worse start for the visitors, as it was the Nationals who piled on the runs early, with 2 runs coming in both the second and third innings. In a complete turnaround from the pre-game predictions, it was the hosts that were on the offensive and waiting for their opponents’ to turn up.

The reply started in the third inning and continued into the sixth where the deficit was cut in half and the game sat poised at 4-2 heading into the final frame.

Enter the Herts Falcons’ bats.

The zealous crowd on hand had waited all afternoon for this highly anticipated game to kick into action, and finally it did.

The Falcons would not just pull back and tie the game, they would go onto score five runs in the seventh inning to win the contest. After six innings of anguish, Herts Manager Cristobal Hiche and his troops could exult and breathe a sigh of relief, for now.

Click here to view game one box scores.

Their jubilant mood over such heroics would last only so long however, as game 2 started hastily.

For the Falcons, they were determined to get off to a better than they had in the opener, but that was just a pipe dream as the defending champions once again raced off to a 5-0 lead after just four innings. But the hosts weren’t as resolute in holding their lead as they had hoped.

With Abel Salas leading the way, the Falcons rejoined a string of hits and suddenly found themselves with three hard-earned runs, but still trailing 10-3 heading into the seventh and final inning of the afternoon.

The presentiment from the Nationals over what might happen for the second time in one afternoon, couldn’t have helped their nerves and, for a split second, it looked as though both teams would leave the ballpark with the ‘Miracle of Farnham Park’ swirling in their heads.

As the hosts came within one out of falling to defeat, they built momentum and again pieced the hits together to score five runs in succession.

The much talked about Falcons bats were finally flying.

The baseball gods had seen enough drama for one afternoon however, and the Nationals eventually recorded the final out to leave the game as an enigma, but not one the Falcons would want to try and work out.

As for the standings, the Falcons remain three games out of a playoff spot with just four games remaining in this rollercoaster season. For the first time now, their fate is out of their own hands and their road to redemption reconvenes this Sunday as they play a pair of games against the Essex Arrows.

Nationals and Falcons meet again at Farnham Park in a do or die series for Herts (photo by Richard Lee)

Written by Daniel Levitt

The Herts Falcons take on the Southern Nationals at Farnham Park on Sunday in the most crucial of series they will play all season.

It seems as though the latter part of that last sentence is reiterated each week, but as the Falcons sit just 3 games out of the fourth and final playoff spot, held by the Nationals, it’s a make or break weekend for the visitors.

“We’ve been playing some great baseball all year” Falcons Manager, Lee Manning said. “We need to put it all together for one last push”.

That “push” starts on Sunday as a plethora of questions will be answered for not only the Falcons and Blazers, but the whole league as well. After their series split with the Falcons last week, the Bracknell Blazers find themselves just one game behind the Nationals, as they gear up to face the third-placed London Mets this weekend.

That task is made harder by the fact that there are just 6 games remaining, emphasising the importance of sweeping the Nationals. Should they fail to, they will remain 3 games out with just 4 to go, or worse, eliminated completely should they get swept.

“We have a team which is capable of pulling it off” Club President Aspi Dimitrov claimed leading up to weekend’s action. “All the pressure is on us this Sunday, but we can turn the table on the Nationals if we win both games”.

For the Falcons, they know what they have to do: win or they are out. Be sure to catch the double-header at Farnham Park, Slough.

Jose Sosa came within two innings of securing a win in game one (photo by Paul Holdrick)

Report by Daniel Levitt

It seems as though time fast-forwards each week in this captivating playoff race the Herts Falcons find themselves in. This chapter of their season saw the Bracknall Blazers visit Grovehill Ballpark to settle a two-game series.

With the Blazers and Falcons sitting two and three games out of the fourth playoff spot at the start of the day respectively, no team could afford to lose both games with just eight games remaining in the season.

The Falcons welcomed back Abel Salas from a two-week absence due to illness, whom would provide them a much needed quality start in the second game, but it was Jose Sosa who took the mound in the opener.

Sosa, coming off his best start to date last week against the Southampton Mustangs, seemed to be in full control early, on the way to his second win in as many weeks.

Combining a heated fastball and nasty breaking ball, the Cuban found himself up 2-0 courtesy of some solid offensive production from his hitters after the three innings, however that was where it all turned south.

After giving up two runs in the top of the fourth, Sosa helped his team fight back with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the fifth, but it was in the sixth inning where Sosa lost his mojo and ultimately when the Falcons collapsed to a heartbreaking loss.

The Blazers crossed the plate a mammoth six times in the sixth to break the game wide open, chasing Sosa from the tie in the process.

Darrin Ward came in to pitch the seventh and surrendered just a single run, but it wasn’t enough as the Falcons handed the Blazers the first battle of the day as they fell 9-5.

Heading into the finale, the Falcons simply couldn’t afford another late game collapse, with their entire season depended on them not doing so.

With Abel Salas back on the mound the Falcons are a very dangerous opponent (photo by Paul Holdrick)

Game two was almost a mirror image of the opener as the Falcons jumped to an early, scoring four in the first and adding on another in the second to find themselves up 5-0 after three. The hosts would not score again, instead leaking runs gradually to set up a late-inning climax for the ages.

As the visitors found the scoreboard with two in the fourth and then another run in the sixth, the contest teetered on a knife edge heading into the final frame of the day, with the Falcons up barely by 5-3.

The Blazers added one run in the seventh, which left the deficit at just one run. Through some sterling defence and clutch pitching down the stretch by Salas, the Falcons split the two-game series and were able to avoid a disaster that would have surely ended any playoff hopes.

For Salas, it was a pitching performance that, if the Falcons go onto make the postseason, will be remembered long in the history of the organization. In his seven-inning complete game, Salas struck a startling 12 batters, while also walking twice and scoring a decisive run at the plate.

As it stands now, Herts stand three games behind the Southern Nationals for the fourth and final playoff spot and, with two games coming against the Nationals this Sunday, the Falcons have one last chance to make their move and resurrect their championship hopes.

A split next week will leave them with slimmest of chances of making the postseason, being swept will be catastrophic and will all but end any remaining hopes.

Jose Sosa was majestic on the mound from start to finish of game 1 (photo by Paul Holdrick)

Daniel Levitt reporting from Grovehill Ballpark

Everybody on the Herts Falcons knew the stakes, it was now matter of everyone fulfilling their expectations.

The Falcons sat three games behind the playoff spots heading into their double-header with the Southampton Mustangs on Sunday, after losing a pair to the London Mets last week that crippled their postseason hopes

In the week leading up to crunch two-game series, the Falcons learned that they would again be without star pitcher and hitter Abel Salas, out with an illness for the second straight week.

Their mission just got a whole lot tougher.

With their fate in their own hands still, the team knew that they could not afford any more hiccups. The table-topping Mustangs were no pushovers by any stretch of the matter, but for 13 of the 14 innings played on Sunday, the Falcons looked as though they would escape this chapter unscathed and with two wins under their belts.

In Salas’ absence, centre-fielder Jose Sosa stepped onto the pitcher’s mound to produce perhaps the best outing of his career. Facing a stacked Mustangs line-up, Sosa was military like, sitting down hitters as though they were being ordained.

Sosa had just two rough innings, not bad for someone known more for his offensive exploits. After giving up a solo shot in the second and facing bases loaded with nobody out an inning later, the Cuban took advantage of his pinpoint fastball and some heads up defense by third-baseman, Jamie Gregory, to escape the major jam with just one run given up.

Having weathered the storm early on, it only got better for Sosa and his team.

Entering the sixth inning down 2-1, the Falcons unleashed a rally as if their lives depended on it.

Sosa himself started the comeback by reaching base for the third time in the game, courtesy of a throwing error to first and even managed to advance to second on the play. A Darrin Ward single between the third-base-shortstop gap prevented Sosa from advancing, and when a sacrifice bunt forced the pitcher to be tagged out at third, you couldn’t help but think it just wasn’t their day.

Enter John Blose.

The left-fielder has been largely unmentioned thus far this season, but he seldom fails to get in on the action. A double to straight away centre-field cleared the bases and, just like that, the Falcons had taken the lead. A wild pitch was enough to score Blose and make it 4-2.

Sosa then reeled off 1-2-3 in the last inning to seal the deal, including a terrific grab off a line-drive that would have otherwise taken his face off, had his glove not been there.

The sweep was on the cards and another step towards the fourth and final playoff spot, but the finale could not have panned out worse for the Falcons early on.

Starting pitcher Michael Osborne, suffering from lingering inflammation around his throwing shoulder, could only manage one inning before the pain eventually got too much. Third-baseman Jamie Gregory stepped into to try and fill the void, but he too was unable to do so.

After two innings, the Falcons found themselves down 11-2.

As Ryan Hackle took control for the last 5 innings of the second game, Herts fans arriving late for the game were asking whether this is Robbie Unsell (photo by Paul Holdrick)

But as Falcons fans have been accustomed to for much of the season, they were about to witness a soaring comeback that forced them to stand for the rest of the game.

Very rarely does a team score double digits in one inning, so the Falcons knew the deficit would have to be broken down inning by inning.

When Gregory swapped the glove for the bat and hit a single to lead off the 4th inning, Phil Clark then slugged his third home run over the right-field fence to make it an 11-6 game. A nervous energy began to fill the ground.

Phil Clark greeted at home after his 2-run homerun in the second game (photo by Paul Holdrick)

Ryan Hackel led the 5th inning off with a double and then proceeded to score on a throwing error. Darrin Ward cashed in Zac Malone to put the game on a knife point at 12-8. Another run batted in by Gregory and the Falcons were within a long-ball of tying the game.

That’s where it all ended however, as failure to convert a Jose Sosa double in the sixth meant the Falcons were on the wrong end of yet another agonizing defeat.

The Mustangs on the other hand, will count themselves lucky to escape Hertfordshire with even one game, and return to the south coast knowing they had been within three runs of a humiliating collapse.

The Falcons remain three games out of the playoff spots and face a double-header at home against the Bracknell Blazers on Sunday. The series proves to be the most important of the season thus far and, the ability to move within one game of the Southern Nationals will be on the minds of the home team.

Jose Sosa willing Ryan Hackel on to score against the Mets (photo by Paul Holdrick)

Daniel Levitt, reporting from Grovehill Ballpark

The Herts Falcons saw their playoff hopes take a huge dent on Sunday, as they dropped a pair of games to the London Mets in Finsbury Park.

Starting the afternoon already two games behind the reigning champion Southern Nationals, the Falcons knew they had to escape the capital with at least one win under their belts. The fact that they departed with zero, serves as yet another major hump in a bumpy road this season.

The Falcons, whom have been plagued with injuries all season long, were up against it from the start, after news broke that star pitcher and hitter Abel Salas would be unavailable for both games due to illness. A testament to the team was that they fought right to the death, and could have actually walked away as winners of both games.

It wasn’t to be however.

Game 1 saw centre-fielder, Jose Sosa, step in at the eleventh hour and perform a quality outing in just his second start on the mound this year. The Dominican flashed the heat throughout, striking out 11 in total and appeared in control and relatively unfazed, but a run in the each of the first, fifth and sixth innings proved to be his downfall.

On another day, Sosa would have played the hero, instead he was the losing pitcher.

There were positives that the Falcons could take into the second game of the afternoon, with Michael Osborne and Liam Green each tacking an RBI onto their season totals, while shortstop Ryan Hackel once again flashed the leather on defense, turning another string of impressive double plays.

One trend the Falcons continued was their indefatigable commitment and unwillingness to give in, and relentlessly fought back to just a 3-2 deficit heading into the final inning.

With runners on second and third and two outs, the game could have gone either way. It wasn’t meant to be however, as Mets closer Jamie Thomas sealed a tough loss for the Falcons.

Falcons manager, Lee Manning, will not know how his team lost game 2, but a mid-game collapse may have just cost his side a spot in the postseason. After sprinting to a 6-0 lead in the third inning, the Falcons steadily surrendered the lead and eventually lost in extra innings.

Having gone ahead early through a Hackel RBI single, a two-run double by Osborne and three RBIs courtesy of three consecutive walks, the Falcons seemingly took their foot off the gas and began thinking about next week’s match-up.

By the sixth inning, they were tied.

The Mets then took the lead in the sixth, scoring on a single to go up 7-6.

The seesaw game took to another turn when the Falcons managed to tie the game once again, courtesy of a John Blose RBI single in the top of the seventh inning to send the game into extra innings.

The Falcons’ fate was sealed when they allowed the Mets to score the winning run on an overthrow, a bitterly disappointing way to lose a thrilling game.

Osborn and Ward combine to pick off a London runner (photo by Paul Holdrick)

With that, the Falcons now find themselves at 4-10 for the season and 3 games out of the playoff places. With a crunch 2-game series coming up against the table-topping Southampton Mustangs, the Hertfordshire based club cannot afford to lose any more ground if they are to be serious playoff contenders.

The double-header takes place at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hemstead, with the first pitch scheduled for 12pm.

Falcons’ rally caps couldn’t get them the run they needed in the final inning (photo by Paul Holdrick)

Daniel Levitt, reporting from Grovehill Ballpark

The Herts Falcons took on the Southern Nationals in a double header on Sunday, in what was the most anticipated series of the season thus far. Heading into the two games, both teams stood on the cusp of the playoff spots.

Soaked in glorious sunshine, Grovehill Ballpark was once again drenched in perfect playing conditions. The Falcons knew they would have to be at their very best to topple the reigning champion Nationals.

The Nationals opened Game 1 with one run in the top half of the first without even registering a hit, but the Falcons quickly answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning, when Phil Clarke scored on a Jose Sosa double, who was then thrown out at third stretching for a triple.

The Nationals slowly built a solid three run lead by tacking on a run in each of the next three innings. But as the home team has done all season long, Herts battled back and climbed within one run in the fifth inning.

Carlos Velzaco got things started with a lead-off walk and when Clarke also got a free pass, Sosa delivered his second hit and RBI of the game. Abel Salas then walked to load the bases for power-man Darrin Ward.

First baseman Ward displayed a mature approach at the plate by getting on base any way possible. Instead of swinging aimlessly, Ward managed to frustrate the pitcher enough to draw a hit-by-pitch and make it a 4-3 contest.

It looked as though the game was out of reach when Nationals’ Moses Vasquez launched a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to make it a 6-3 deficit, but the Falcons once again fought back.

They added an RBI single courtesy of Clarke in the bottom of the sixth and, when Salas launched his second solo home run of the season, the Falcons were suddenly just one run down again.

Despite having a runner in scoring position with two outs, the Falcons would fall just short however.

Falcons’ starting pitcher, Michael Osborne, was unlucky to be the losing pitcher, but a couple of critical errors by the Falcons led to the crucial runs being scored. Sosa completed an inning of work on the mound, striking out two in the process.

Click here to view Game 1 box scores

Game 2 saw Abel Salas take the mound for the Falcons, coming off a majestic outing a fortnight ago against the South London Pirates. In the win over the Pirates, Salas pitched a complete game giving up just the single run. This week was another solid performance, coming up just short against a tougher line up.

The final game of the day was a different story with the Falcons leading for most of the way and the Nationals this time staging the late comeback. Heading into the bottom of the fourth tied at two, the Falcons opened up some daylight between their pesky opponents.

Velazco drew his second lead-off walk of the game and Liam Green followed by being hit by a pitch, and when John Blose drew the second walk of the inning, it led to a bases loaded situation for starting pitcher Salas. Just as he did a fortnight ago against the Pirates, Salas helped his own cause by cashing in two runs with a double to deep centre field.

Click here to view Game 2 box scores

After the game Falcons manager, Lee Manning, said of Salas, “he just goes to work every time”.

“He is integral to our team and what Herts Baseball is all about. Especially with the younger guys, he’s a great role model”.

Salas’ efforts weren’t quite enough this time around, as the Nationals slugged their second home run of the game in the sixth inning to tie it up, and then scored the go-ahead run in the seventh. Salas struck out a season high fourteen batters in seven innings.

The Mexican won’t be too crestfallen as the Falcons sit just two games outside of the playoff spots, with the team heading into a three week break before their next game.

The Falcons’ next game is a double header away to the London Mets (7-5 ), who currently sit in third place. Join us in Finsbury Park for what promises to be a crunch series for the Herts Falcons.

Abel Salas had a big day on the mound and with the bat (photo by Paul Holdrick)

The Herts Falcons continued their quest for postseason baseball on Sunday, when they took on the South London Pirates in a double header at Grovehill Ballpark.

Coming off of a well-fought split series against the Southampton Mustangs last week, the Falcons’ play matched the glorious sunshine with which the games were soaked in. Despite giving up two runs in the first inning, Abel Salas got Herts on the score sheet with a scorching line-drive solo home run in the second, his first of the season. Salas’ offensive involvement did not stop there however, as the lefty walked and stole second base in the fourth inning, only to be doubled home by Darrin Ward to put the Falcons up 3-2. 

Starting pitcher, Michael Osborn (pictured right), settled down by the fifth inning to strike out two Pirates on his way to a total of ten strikeouts for the game. The bottom of the fifth was when the sunshine really shone on the Falcons’ hitters, as they blew the game wide open with nine runs.  

The inning started with a line-drive single that hit the left-field wall by Ryan Hackel, and when Jose Sosa singled in two runs to make it 6-2, the Falcons were just hitting their stride. Salas continued his mammoth game with an RBI double to straight away centre-field, while new signing, Zac Malone, had an RBI single in his debut for the Hertfordshire club.  

Game 1 finished 12-2 and was called early due to the mercy rule. 

What had become a pitcher’s duel early on, turned into an offensive onslaught very hastily. Every batter reached on base at least once, with all but two notching themselves a hit.  

“Michael was terrific on the mound today” Falcons manager, Lee Manning, said after the game.  

“Up until the fifth inning it was a very close game and we did well to stay in it. We got some great hits and were able to blow the game open.” 

Game 2 had a slightly different feel to it than the opener, yet delivered the same result. While Game 1 was a nail-biter to the very last inning – before it was called – the second game of the day was in the clasp of the Falcons’ claws from the third inning. 

Salas, the star of game one, took his talents to the mound this time around. After giving up his only run of the afternoon in the first inning, the Mexican was dealing his best stuff the rest of the way, leading to his finest pitching performance of the season thus far and striking out ten Pirates on his way to the victory. 

Carlos Casal Jr. drove in the game winning run in the third. With runners on the corners, Casal Jr. then attempted to steal second, and as he did so, drew a wild throw from the opposing catcher that sailed into the outfield. That was enough to send first-baseman, Darrin Ward, home and put the Falcons up 3-1. 

Phil Clarke went deep for his first home run of the season (photo by Paul Holdrick)

The game was put to bed when Phil Clarke hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-field.  

The Falcons managed to tally twenty plus hits for the day, but what was more impressive, was the maturity they showed at the plate by only striking out three times in each game. 

Manning said after the game, “Abel pitched an amazing game today. He allowed the hitters to establish an early lead and never looked back” 

New signings Zac Malone and Ryan Hackel flourished on both sides of the plate. Malone stole three consecutive bases in his debut, while Hackel made playing shortstop look effortless, with six seamlessly faultless plays.  

Manning added, “Zac and Ryan have come in and immediately contributed on both offense and defense. The team is very happy and cannot wait to play out the rest of the season with them”. 

The Falcons now have a week off before they welcome the reigning National Champions Southern Nationals to Grovehill Ballpark, in a clash the Falcons hope to gain some revenge from their semi-final defeat to the Nationals a year ago. 

Game 1 is scheduled to start at 12.00pm BST with Game 2 following at 14.30 BST on Sunday, 22 June.

Report by Daniel Levitt

In what has been a sullen start to the season until now, the Herts Falcons (2-6) took their sanguine spirits to the south coast on Sunday, to face the second placed Southampton Mustangs (6-2).

The Hertfordshire club has been ravaged by injuries in the first two months of the season, but provided a solid foundation for a recovery and a playoff push.    

Despite a slow start to their campaign, the Falcons’ playoff hopes were boosted leading up to the game, when the news broke that the team had signed Ryan Hackel, an American shortstop from Hamline University in Minnesota. Hackel will shore up the infield for the Falcons, while bringing a wealth of experience and baseball knowledge from across the pond. 

The hosts were heavily favoured prior to the day’s proceedings, who themselves are fighting for first place in the National Baseball League. However it was the duo of Jose Sosa and Phil Clarke (pictured right) who carried the Falcons home on this occasion, combining for four hits and six RBIs en route to an 8-4 victory. Herts scored three in the second inning and four in the fourth, enough run support to earn starting pitcher Abelardo Salas the victory. 

After a rocky start that saw Salas surrender four runs in the first, the Falcons’ ace blanked the Mustangs for the remainder of the game to earn the win, striking out seven along the way. The fantastic outing brought down his ERA to 3.77, who will now look to deflate that even further in the coming weeks. 

With Game 1 under their belts, the Falcons could not wait to get started with Game 2 and complete the sweep away from home.

Game 2 was a pitcher’s duel for the first five innings, between Gary Davison of the Mustangs and Herts’ very own Jose Sosa. Sosa, coming off his first NBL start against the Essex Arrows a fortnight ago, was every bit the magician for the first five innings, and had his team within striking distance, down 2-1 with two innings left.  

That however, was the end of a bright afternoon and the beginning of the floodgates opening, as the Mustangs scored five runs in the sixth and mitigated any chance of a sweep their counterparts had in mind. The Falcons fought valiantly as always, scoring two in the top of the seventh, but it ultimately wasn’t enough and the series ended 1-1. 

For Sosa, there were many positives to take from the game. Throwing the ball effortlessly for five innings, the Cuban struck out six and even collected a hit on offense, batting in the number three spot. 

The Falcons bring their playoff hopes back home to Hertfordshire this Sunday as they prepare to face the South London Pirates (2-6) at Grovehill Ballpark. With both teams on the cusp of the playoffs, this Sunday’s double header proves to be a must win series for both teams.  

Game 1 is due to start at 12.00pm, with Game 2 scheduled to start at 02.30pm.

report by Daniel Levitt

The season of freak injuries continued for the Herts Falcons as they took on the Essex Arrows in a double header at Grovehill Ballpark on Sunday.

They went into the game with a 1-3 record and few expected their depleted squad to pose a threat, but despite this, the Falcons came within six outs of causing a major upset.

The visitors to Grovehill jumped out to a four-run lead before their hosts could even step up to the plate. They didn’t let up, scoring all of their sixteen runs by the seventh inning. Despite a valiant effort to steady the ship from long-reliever Phillip Clark, who pitched three innings and gave up three earned runs in three innings, the damage had already been done.

There were some positives to take away from game one and they came from the bat of Jose Sosa, who launched a three-run home run as part of a two-hit game. Third baseman Jamie Gregory tacked on another home run, his first of the season, on his way to hitting 2-3 for the game.

The Falcons looked to start afresh in game two, with control on the pitcher’s mound the primary focus. After giving up a total of ten base-on-balls in game one, the duo of Sosa and Gregory swapped the bat for the ball and halved the walks to five in game two.

Sosa, making his first start of the season, was the subject of some kind words from Falcons Manager, Lee Manning: “Jose was fantastic in his first start. He crushed the ball and was exactly what the team needed after the first game”.

Jose Sosa greeted at home plate after hitting one of two homeruns against Essex (photo by Richard Lee richardleephotography.org)

The Falcons appeared to be on their way to a series split, leading 7-3 after five innings, however the curse struck again. Tom Armstrong collided with the outfield wall while attempting a spectacular outfield catch and, after a 45-minute delay to enable the ambulance to take him to the hospital, it was difficult for Sosa to restart his engine on the mound.

Gregory couldn’t stop the onslaught, resulting in a six-run sixth and nine-run seventh. Before they knew it, Manning’s team were looking up at an 18-7 deficit, and a seemingly impossible task to overturn. Just like that, Herts were on the wrong side of a series sweep, falling to 1-5 on the season.

Regarding the mounting injuries, Manning added, “the injuries are killing us, but the lads have played through the pain and we should have a few of the injured players back for the next game”.

Up next for the Falcons is a trip to the south coast, where they will play two games against the Southampton Mustangs, who sit atop of the NBL standings with a 5-1 record.