The end of the baseball season is always a tense and exciting time for teams hovering around postseason contention, writes Matthew Jackson. For the Raptors, a win against the Essex Archers last Sunday was a must if they wished to keep playing in September.

The teams were no strangers to one another having matched up three times last season. With the Archers bringing an impressive 8-3 record this year into the game, the Raptors knew that they had a strong team once again.

Cat and mouse

Facing Archers’ pitcher Jim Hogge, the Raptors struck quickly in the first inning – leadoff hitter Zack Longboy hammering the first pitch he saw into the outfield for a base hit. Seven more batters stepped up to the plate in the inning, taking advantage of some timely hits to score three runs early on with Zack’s father Arnie contributing to a couple of RBIs.

Creating a lead early on has rarely been a problem for the Raptors this season, but the question was whether or not they could maintain it.

Paul Auchterlounie was back on the mound for Herts making his second consecutive start after a dominating performance against Guildford the week before. The Archers came out swinging and, with a combination of perfect placement and defensive mistakes, they were able to retaliate. By the end of the 2^nd inning, both teams were tied 7-7.

And this pattern of cat-and-mouse scoring is how the game would continue. Bats were awake on both teams – stand-in Raptors manager John Kjorstad went 3-for-5 with a booming double to plate a couple of runs. Ben Sinclair, making his debut appearance as catcher, also had an impressive day both at and behind the plate, reaching base safely three times.

Unbearably close

Essex were also proving to be tough outs, with one eleven-pitch at-bat ultimately going Auchterlounie’s way, only after the batter had fouled-off six pitches.

Herts had improved defensively throughout the game too. With the ball seldom reaching the outfield, the infielders were constantly tested with shortstop Zack Longboy and third-baseman Tom Carson making some terrific plays to prevent batters from reaching.

Even when the Archers had runners on-base, the Raptors were able to respond with Sinclair alertly throwing to third base to nab the runner attempting to steal.

However, the game was still unbearably close. By the middle of the 9^th inning, Herts were tenderly holding on to a 18-17 lead, knowing that Essex need score only two runs for them to come away victors having trailed throughout – a feeling Herts knew all too well.

Arnie Longboy had replaced Auchterlounie on the mound for the final four innings, with his slower pitches effective at disrupting the Archers’ timing.

By the bottom of the 9^th inning, however, the Archers had changed their approach. After showing bunt almost every pitch, their leadoff batter drew a walk and, two stolen bases later, the tying run was suddenly at third base with no outs recorded. The Raptors could sense another painful defeat heading their way. Or so they thought.

Base-running blunder

With another Essex batter reaching first base and then trying to steal second, the runner on third base made a break for home, only for shortstop Zack Longboy to quickly intercept and throw the ball back to catcher Sinclair who, after a leaping grab, managed to bring his body back down fast enough to tag the runner at the plate.

The run did not score, but the Raptors were not clear of danger yet. The next batter hit the Archers’ first fly ball to right field and right-fielder Darren Butterworth – who had not had many fielding opportunities up until this point – shuffled into position underneath the ball for the catch and the second out.

A base-running blunder for Essex meant that the runner on second base had strayed too far from the bag as the ball was caught, and Butterworth was coolly able to throw the ball to second base for the double play.

Herts had clung on somehow in extraordinary fashion.

The Essex Archers predictably put up a tough fight, and the Raptors will no doubt be buoyant after this win heading into their final game of the season against the Guildford Millers on 20^th August. It will be another must-win game for the team in order to remain in playoff contention, but will there be as much drama?

The Herts Raptors came roaring out of the blocks on their visit to the Guildford Gold Cats on Sunday (July 30th). Three hits, three walks and a clutch of stolen bases helped them score five before their hosts even picked up a bat, writes Rob Jones.

There was a lot at stake on this mostly sunny but blustery day, with Herts looking to get their record back to .500 on the season. Bouncing back from their recent defeat at Cambridge would give them a chance of a playoff place — but only a victory would do.

The runs driven in by Paul Barton and Arnie Longboy offered a good start.

When he took the game ball to pitch the bottom of the first, Paul Auchterlounie built on that quickly. The Guildford Gold Cats came out swinging aggressively, and Auchterlounie’s ability to both throw strikes and change speeds made swift work of the lineup. They did not score.

Herts scored three more in the top of the second. Then a double play from shortstop Rob Jones helped choke off the Guildford offense as it tried to reply — catching a pop-up in the hole then throwing to John Kjorstad at first to nab a runner who had strayed way too far off base.

Paul Barton stole home in the fourth inning, alertly — even cheekily — coming across to score as both the pitcher and the catcher were looking elsewhere.

And in the bottom of the frame it was the other Paul, Auchterlounie, doing the business. He fielded two comebackers for ground-outs, then struck out the third batter.

The Raptors led 11-5 at this point. Although the game was balanced, Herts felt in control. A costly throwing error by Guildford on an infield dribbler allowed two runs to score, and the lead stretched. Herts minds were turning towards a mercy rule victory.

But the youthful Guildford side did not give up. In fact, they brought on their third bright young pitcher of the day — this one throwing high heat, and offspeed pitches including a knuckleball.

And their hitters finally chased Auchterlounie, who gave way to Barton. The box score now shows that the Gold Cats won the final three innings of the game —  but the question at the time was could they come back, or could Herts hold on?

Raptors tacked on one more in the seventh, and the eighth.  Guildford kept drawing closer.

Joseph Osborne-Brade reached base with what we will call a swinging bunt in the ninth, then Arnie Longboy reached on a hit by pitch. Then two strikeouts ended any hope of padding the lead, and Raptors led 19-14 going into the bottom of the ninth.

Five runs is far from impossible in Single-A baseball. But on this day only one run would score. Good pitching from Paul Barton did the trick, and some tightened up fielding.

Guildford Gold Cats had shown their tremendous talent and potential, and had clubbed big hits to back up their pitching. But the Herts smarts had been enough to get the crucial win.

After a solid start to the season at Grovehill, the Herts Raptors took their season on the road in the past two weeks, writes Rob Jones. They were disappointed by the results, coming up short on long trips to Kent and to Norfolk.

This Sunday saw a visit to the Norwich Iceni, who are playing their first season in the BBF leagues. The team was undefeated so far in Single-A, and clearly posed a strong challenge.

A few Raptors players made the trip a day early, to settle in and sample the Norwich nightlife. Some Iceni players graciously helped them do that, and clearly a fine time was had by all. So what would Sunday bring?

Herts set themselves up well in the first inning, with runners on the corners and one out. But slick handling of an infield grounder meant the runner on third got tagged out, and a fly-out ended the threat.

The second inning was a similar picture – good contact but no runs. Steve Patmore got the first of two hits on the day before being stranded on the bases, and Giuseppe Basilea’s giant drive was caught on the warning track.

But Herts were holding their own defensively. Norwich scored only one run in the first. Matt Jackson made an astonishing running catch in centre field.

In the second, an unassisted double play from third baseman Ben Sinclair limited the damage with the bases loaded. He snared a hard hit liner and stepped on the bag. Again, Norwich scored only one.

As the game went on, second baseman James Emblow and first baseman Basilea were the defensive stars for the Raptors. They combined for a series of crucial plays.

But, come the third inning, Herts could not hold back their hosts any more. The Iceni put 12 runs on the board with booming hits to the outfield. In fact, even their infield mishits did not hurt them, as they were always half a step faster than the Herts infield.

For Norwich, Adam Ray went 4-for-4 with a double, while Tom Thornhill drove in 3.

It ended in a mercy rule victory for Norwich, 16-1. Manager and starting pitcher Paul Barton scored the only Herts run of the game, driven in by Steve Patmore.

A week earlier in Kent, a somewhat depleted Raptors squad had made a good start against the Mariners. The two teams had met in the Herts Spring League, with the Raptors coming off best on that occasion.

Kent were 1-2 going into this game — including a loss to the Norwich Iceni – and the teams appeared evenly matched.

Raptors capitalised on a series of first inning walks issued by the Mariners starting pitcher. Catcher Rob Jones got the first hit, driving in 2 runs, and in all the Raptors scored 6 to jump out in front.

But the Mariners came back strongly, tying the game up by the end of the third. Jose Valero was their offensive powerhouse on the day, going 4-for-6, with 3 RBIs. David Ratcliff hit a double and got the win in relief.

After the see-saw opening innings, the game did settle down into an even and quality contest. It went all nine innings before Kent claimed a 19-13 win, and the score for the final five innings was a tight 6-4.

Left fielder Michael Johnson got 3 RBIs for Herts, while Darren Butterworth went 3-for-5 with the bat as well as striking out two in his pitching debut. James Emblow and Giuseppe Basilea could again be pleased with their performance in the field.

Acting manager for the day, Rob Jones, doffed his cap to Kent. “It all came together for them today, and we just couldn’t pull it back. Some of our guys did great work though, and that helps us a lot going forward.”

The road trip drops the Raptors back to 2-4 on the season so far. They return to Grovehill this weekend to take on the Cambridge Royals.

 

It was a weekend of offensive fireworks for the Herts teams, perhaps inspired by the surprise arrival of some Spring sunshine. Five home runs and three wins were put in the bank.

Let’s start in Single-A, and start with a question. When was a Herts Raptors batter last given an intentional walk? And if you can answer that one, here’s another — when was the last time a Raptors batter was intentionally walked twice in the same game?

It was a fitting reward for a dominant offensive display by Ben Sinclair in Sunday’s home game against the Old Timers. His first at-bat produced an inside-the-park home run, the second a triple.

Before the third he mused about whether to aim for the cycle, and it was suggested that two home runs would look better on the write-up. It seems that Sinclair was listening, as he hit another inside-the-parker.

He reached on an error on his fourth plate appearance, but hit the ball hard so the Old Timers did not pitch to him again.

This all suggests a rosy picture for the Raptors’ day in the sun at Grovehill, but actually they had started the game poorly. The Old Timers hadn’t managed to get a full team to the field, but the players they did have struck hard in the first two innings.

A handful of Herts defensive errors, and too much pressing at the plate, combined to give the visitors a 7-1 lead after two innings. The Old Timers were looking to make their experience pay.

Sinclair drove in three of the first four runs for the home team, but as the game went on more of the young Herts talent settled down and started to deliver, too.

Centre-fielder Michael Johnson went 4-for-6 with three RBIs, and was just a home run short of the cycle. The story was pretty much the same for Tom Carson, making his first ever appearance as catcher, whose four hits included a single, double and triple.

Veteran Arnie Longboy was doing sterling work on the pitching mound. A day after he played for Herts first ever softball team, the Buzzards, in their maiden competition, he threw over a hundred pitches for the Raptors.

He struck out four and walked only three before handing the ball over to Ben Sinclair for the final innings. Longboy helped his own case with four hits, and stayed in the game after an injury as the home side was also pretty short on players.

With improved defense, the Raptors made their superior numbers pay — and perhaps their youth, too. They scored runs in bunches in the second half of the game.

It ended 21-14 to the home side and the Raptors now move to 2-1 on the season.

Rob Jones, the stand-in manager for the day, paid tribute to the performance: “It was great to see the team come back from a bad start. Instead of getting down, they had confidence in their abilities and turned things around.”

Up in the AA-league, the Herts Hawks were stretching out their year-long winning streak to 22 games. Gilberto Medina hit the team’s first home run of 2017 to help them to a 22-6 win at the Guildford Mavericks.

 

The Hawks’ joint manager, Greg Bochan, was back on the mound for the first time since the epic Single-A final at Farnham Park last year. On his return from a knee injury, he pitched a complete game and took the win.

The Herts Falcons of the National Baseball League were playing at home at Grovehill, hosting the London Capitals. A home run from Moises Velazquez was the big blast early in the first game to give Herts the lead.

It was tied at two apiece by the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Falcons scored six to blow it open. It ended 9-4. Young South African phenom Tyler Badenhorst got the win, with Darren Meintjes getting the save.

Cris Hiche drove a no-doubter over the fence at the start of game 2 of the double-header. But the Capitals came back, and a 2-run homer from their Ben Mercal in the top of the fifth gave them the lead.

The Falcons fought hard but came up short in this one, losing 7-5. They are now 3-6 on the year, and travel to Brighton next.