Category: Game Report

Hawks Take Flight: Grovehill Sweep Over Mercury
by Matt Bell

Hawks Take Flight: Grovehill Sweep Over Mercury

The Herts Hawks turned Grovehill into a fortress on Sunday, powering past London Mercury in both ends of a Division 4 double header. Behind disciplined pitching, timely hitting, and a relentless approach within the 5-run inning cap rules, the Hawks controlled the tempo across both games to secure a confident sweep.

The opener set the tone immediately. Herts came out aggressive and clinical, putting pressure on Mercury from the first inning. A big early rally — capped by clutch hitting from the middle of the order — quickly put runs on the board and forced Mercury onto the back foot. The Hawks made full use of the 5-run cap, maximising innings without overextending, and repeating the formula again in the second to build a commanding lead.

On the mound, Giuseppe Basilea kept things steady, limiting damage and working efficiently through traffic. Despite a brief pushback from Mercury in the middle innings, Herts responded well defensively, tightening up in the field and shutting down any momentum. The bats stayed hot throughout, with contributions across the lineup — Rangajith leading the way with a standout performance at the plate, well supported by Cornish and Hogg. By the time the final out was recorded, the Hawks had secured a convincing 13–7 win.

Game two followed a similar script, though with a slightly more measured start. Mercury showed more resistance early on, but Herts stayed composed and began to edge ahead through consistent at-bats and smart base running. The breakthrough came mid-game, where another strong inning — again maximising the cap — created separation on the scoreboard.

Darrin Ward took control on the mound in the second game, delivering a strong complete performance. Throwing strikes and keeping hitters off balance, he racked up key outs at crucial moments and prevented Mercury from stringing together rallies. Defensively, the Hawks backed him up well, making the routine plays and avoiding the errors that can so often swing momentum at this level.

Offensively, Rangajith again set the tone, continuing his excellent day with multiple key hits and RBIs. Support came from across the lineup, with Lama, Basilea, and Dunn all contributing to keep the scoreboard ticking. Even as Mercury threatened late, Herts remained in control, closing out an 8–3 victory to complete the sweep.

Across both games, the Hawks showed exactly what you want to see early in the season — improving at-bats, disciplined pitching, and growing confidence in game situations. The ability to repeatedly capitalise within the 5-run inning structure proved decisive, turning good innings into winning ones.

Final Scores:
Herts Hawks 13–7 London Mercury
Herts Hawks 8–3 London Mercury

A Day of Firsts and Big Steps Forward for Herts Youth
by Matt Bell

A Day of Firsts and Big Steps Forward for Herts Youth

It was a big day for Herts Youth Baseball at Farnham Park, with both the Griffins U12s and Phoenix U14s taking to the field and showing exactly what this club is all about — effort, improvement and a love for the game.

For the Griffins U12s, it was a day of firsts. With several players making their debut, there were some early nerves in game one against a strong LYBL side. But even in a tough opener, the team battled and got on the board.

The Phoenix U14s had a similarly challenging but encouraging day. Game one proved tough against an organised LYBL side, but the group stuck at it and kept competing throughout.

In game two, the response was outstanding.

The Phoenix bats came alive early, putting together multiple scoring innings and showing real confidence at the plate. There was a noticeable step up in energy and execution, with stronger defence behind some solid pitching and catching. Like the U12s, this was a team growing into the day — and by the second game, they were playing with real belief.

Across both teams, the biggest takeaway was clear: from first pitch to last, the improvement was huge. Debuts, big plays, learning moments and growing confidence — exactly what the start of a season should look like.

A proud day for coaches, players and parents alike.

U12 Results:
Herts Griffins 1 – 16 LYBL
Herts Griffins 4 – 7 LYBL

U14 Results:
Herts Phoenix 1 – 15 LYBL
Herts Phoenix 8 – 11 LYBL

Toucans Battle Back to Earn Split in London Showdown
by Matt Bell

Toucans Battle Back to Earn Split in London Showdown

The Herts Toucans served up a thrilling split on the road against the London Mets on April 12th, showing both grit and firepower across a hard-fought double header – bouncing back from a narrow opening loss to finish the day on a high with an emphatic Game Two victory.

Game one had all the feel of a tight NBL battle from the first pitch, with the Toucans striking early and keeping the pressure on throughout. Herts put up runs in four of the first five innings, with key contributions from Sato Fukuda (3 RBI), Josh Marriott (3 hits, 2 RBI), and Will Zucker, who set the tone at the top of the order. The offence kept the line moving, racking up 10 hits and consistently forcing the Mets onto the back foot.

On the mound, Ryan Smith got the start and worked hard through a competitive Mets lineup, but London found their response late in the game. Despite Herts holding the lead deep into the contest, a late surge from the Mets saw the momentum swing, with London edging ahead to take it 8–7. It was a tough one to lose given the Toucans’ control for large stretches, but plenty of positives in the offensive output and early-game execution.

If Game One slipped away, Game Two was all about the response—and the Toucans delivered it in style.

Herts came out sharp and composed, building pressure early before breaking the game open with a decisive four-run inning that put clear daylight between the sides. Once again, the bats were productive up and down the lineup, with Zucker crossing the plate three times, Fukuda and Furuya driving in runs, and strong contributions from Barrett and Lee keeping the scoreboard ticking. In total, the Toucans posted 8 runs from 7 hits, backed by disciplined at-bats and timely hitting.

On the pitching side, Masa Hashiguchi led the way superbly, picking up the win with a solid outing, supported by Eric Hedlund in a composed relief appearance. Together they limited the Mets to just 4 runs, shutting down any chance of a late comeback and keeping control of the game from the middle innings onwards.

Defensively, Herts tightened things up in the second game, cutting out the mistakes and backing their pitchers effectively—an important adjustment that underpinned the turnaround result.

A split on the day, but one that will feel like momentum for the Toucans. After the frustration of letting Game One slip, the response in Game Two showed the character, depth, and quality within this squad—plenty to build on as the season continues.

Final Scores:
Game 1: London Mets 8 – 7 Herts Toucans
Game 2: Herts Toucans 8 – 4 London Mets

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