Category: Adult Leagues

by Matt Bell

RAPTORS DOWNED BY ARROWS

 

Report from Herts Baseball Newswire Correspondent, HUNTER DEVINE

 

The Raptors faced their rivals, the Arrows 2, for the fourth time this season, leading the season series two games to one. However, it was the Arrows who would walk away victors in this match up, powered by a homerun and many other timely hits.

Manager, Jake Kikel, started for the Raptors, however, struggled with control due to the harsh winds in the area. He was not added either by the defence in the early goings either, and eventually gave way to relief pitcher Mark Hoffman who pitched well, but could not hold the surging Arrows back. The game was relatively close until the Arrows pulled ahead by a wide margin, putting victory out of reach for the Raptors.

The Raptor hitting remains a positive point as they continue to score runs with relative ease. Defence will obviously be on the agenda in training for the next few weeks, the Raptors next match being a month away.

 

Essex Arrows 2 at Herts Raptors
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Essex Arrows 2 2 5 2 4 3 1 8 25 26 0
Herts Raptors 4 0 0 2 8 0 0 14 12 6

Essex Arrows 2 25, Herts Raptors 14
Essex Arrows 2 Herts Raptors
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Player 1 p 7 6 6 4 Hunter Devine 2b 4 3 2 1
Player 2 c 5 1 2 2 Jake Kikel p-xf1 1 2 0 0
Player 3 1b 4 2 1 0 Paul Hawes rf-1b 2 2 1 1
Player 4 2b 5 1 2 2 Rod Ariss cf 4 2 2 1
Player 5 3b 4 2 4 3 Mark Hoffman 1b-p 5 1 2 2
Player 6 ss 3 2 0 0 Andy Ringrose c 1 1 1 2
Player 7 lf 5 3 4 2 Andrew Slater 3b 5 0 1 2
Player 8 cf 5 4 3 1 Ilya Dimitrov lf 4 1 2 1
Player 9 rf 5 4 4 5 Pete Cox ss-2b 5 1 1 1
Robert Crouch rf 0 1 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 43 25 26 19 TEAM TOTALS 31 14 12 11

E: Andrew Slater(3), Pete Cox(2), Andy Ringrose. LOB: Herts Raptors 11, Essex Arrows
2 13. 2B: Player 7(2), Player 1, Player 9, Hunter Devine. HR: Player 9. SB: Player
1(8), Player 2(5), Player 3(4), Player 4(2), Player 5(2), Player 9(2), Player 8(2),
Player 7, Hunter Devine(6), Jake Kikel(2), Andy Ringrose, Ilya Dimitrov, Pete Cox,
Robert Crouch.

Essex Arrows 2 IP H R ER BB SO
Player 1 W 7.00 12 14 13 14 9
Herts Raptors            
Jake Kikel L 3.33 15 13 9 7 6
Mark Hoffman 3.00 11 12 7 5 5

HBP: by Jake Kikel (Player 3), by Player 1 (Hunter Devine). . . , by Jake Kikel
(Player 9). . . . PB: Player 2, Andy Ringrose(2). T: 4:00. A: 30.

by Matt Bell

A SETBACK FOR FALCONS IN RACE TO REACH FINAL4

Late last night medical reports confirmed that Falcons pitcher and infielder, Pete Kikel has fractured a bone on his ankle.

The incident occured during Sunday’s exhibition game against the Sidewinders.  Attempting to steal second base, Kikel jammed his foot on the base and rolled over it.  Although Pete Kikel did not want to reveal the extent of the injury and even wanted to try to continue playing the game, the diagnosis from the doctors confirmed that there has been a bone fracture.  Kikel is expected to be out of for the rest of the 2008 campaign.  This is  a major blow for the Falcons, especially as they were gearing up for the game of the season so far against their direct rivals for top spot, the London Metros.

The one positive news is that the medical procedure has proved to be very successful and the bone has been placed in its proper position which will allow for a natural knitting of the bone.  Pete Kikel will have to stay in a cast for the time being.

Get well soon Pete.

by Matt Bell

HERTS RAPTORS SUFFER A DAY FULL OF LOSSES.

Report by Herts Baseball Newswire reporter, HUNTER DEVINE

The Herts Raptors suffered their second walk off loss of the season on Sunday, falling 18-17 to the Braintree Rays. In both cases the Raptors had sizable leads only to watch them slip away through poor defence.

Leading 10-2 through the first half of the game, Jake Kikel had thrown a gem of a game and the Raptors bench were talking of slaughter rule victories a bit too soon as the Rays struck back reducing the once sizeable lead to a mere few tallies.

The Raptors refused to surrender however, never actually giving up their lead, and adding extra runs on heading into the bottom of the 9th with a three run lead and Mark Hoffman on the mound. With two outs, bases empty and the game tied, the Rays relief pitcher smacked a ball, splitting the outfielders whom could not retrieve it in time due to their lack of speed and the lack of a fence, allowing the runner to come home and win the game.

It should be noted that the Raptors played with exactly 9 players all day, where as the Rays had 15 and made numerous substitutes. However, that is still no consolation.

There were positive aspects in the game, though. Andrew Slater, in his first game back after a two week break, hit the ball exceedingly well getting a double, as well as being robbed of a second.

Not only was the game lost, but two of the team's favourite bats; the red 33″, much to Slater's despair, and the standard 32″ were too.

Herts Raptors at Braintree Rays
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Herts Raptors 1 0 1 0 8 1 0 3 0 3 17 26 3
Braintree Rays 1 0 0 1 1 7 1 3 0 4 18 21 1

Braintree Rays 18, Herts Raptors 17
Braintree Rays Herts Raptors
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Player 1 p 4 5 2 1 Hunter Devine 2b 5 3 3 1
Player 2 c 6 3 4 2 Jake Kikel p-1b 6 2 4 4
Player 3 1b 4 1 1 2 Mark Hoffman 1b-p 6 2 4 0
Player 4 2b 6 0 2 1 Jonathon Lewys c 6 3 4 2
Player 5 3b 6 2 3 0 Paul Hawes cf 5 2 3 3
Player 6 ss 3 2 1 1 Steve Nippress lf 5 1 2 1
Player 7 lf 6 2 5 2 Andrew Slater 3b 6 2 2 3
Player 8 cf 5 2 3 1 Ilya Dimitrov ss 6 1 3 1
Player 9 rf 5 1 0 1 Robert Crouch rf 5 1 1 1
TEAM TOTALS 45 18 21 11 TEAM TOTALS 50 17 26 16

E: Player 5, Andrew Slater(2), Ilya Dimitrov. LOB: Herts Raptors 9, Braintree Rays
12. 2B: Player 2, Andrew Slater(2), Mark Hoffman, Jake Kikel, Paul Hawes. HR: Player
2. SB: Player 1(8), Player 2(3), Player 7(3), Player 8(3), Player 9(3), Player 6(2),
Player 3, Jonathon Lewys(4), Mark Hoffman(3), Jake Kikel(2), Paul Hawes(2), Hunter
Devine(2), Ilya Dimitrov(2), Andrew Slater, Steve Nippress.

Braintree Rays IP H R ER BB SO
Player 1 W 9.00 26 17 16 2 6
Herts Raptors            
Jake Kikel 6.00 13 10 8 6 10
Mark Hoffman L 3.00 8 8 7 3 2

HBP: by Player 1 (Steve Nippress). , by Jake Kikel (Player 1). . , by Mark Hoffman
(Player 1). . . WP: Mark Hoffman(3). T: 4:00. A: 30.

by Matt Bell

HAWKS END LOSING STREAK

Report from Herts Baseball Newswire Correspondent, DAVE HAMILTON

 

The Herts Hawks halted their four game losing streak last weekend with a solid 10-7 win over the Brentwood Stags in their AA league match-up in Hemel Hempstead. 

 

Showing no signs of the defensive frailties that had hampered their efforts in recent games, the Hawks built an early lead which they never lost, controlling the game throughout.

 

Pitcher John Oliver starred for the home side, conceding just three (unearned) runs in the six innings he pitched, and also reaching base four times in five attempts when batting, scoring two of the Herts runs.  With manager Carlos Casal scoring four runs and stand-in Pete Kikel contributing a run-scoring triple, the heart of the line-up contributed more than enough offense to guide the Hawks to victory.

 

Backed up by stellar defense in the infield, the Stags didn't mount a serious challenge until the late innings, coming back from a 5-0 deficit to make it 9-7 in the eighth inning.  An insurance run in the bottom half of the inning helped settle any jitters in the Hawks camp though and a full stretch running catch from their defensive replacement in the outfield sealed the victory.

 

Buoyed by their return to form, the next target for the Hawks will be a return to a .500 winning percentage as they visit Northampton for their next game.

Brentwood Stags at Herts Hawks
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Brentwood Stags 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 0 7 8 5
Herts Hawks 2 1 1 0 1 4 0 1 0 10 13 2

Herts Hawks 10, Brentwood Stags 7
Herts Hawks Brentwood Stags
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Ross Asquith lf 5 1 1 0 Sean B c 4 1 1 1
Tim Elkins rf 3 0 0 0 Ronnie S 2b 4 0 1 1
John Oliver p-1b 3 2 2 0 John R cf 2 1 1 1
Carlos Casal 3b 4 4 2 1 CJ Evans 1b 3 1 1 0
Peter Kikel 1b-3b 3 0 2 1 Sheldon S ss 4 2 1 2
Paul Auchterlounie cf-c 4 1 0 0 Andy S lf 4 1 1 0
Dave Westfallen c 3 0 0 0 Steve T rf 4 0 0 1
Nick Russell 2b-cf 5 1 1 0 Mike J 3b 5 1 0 0
Luis Goncalves ss 3 1 1 0 Jeff A p 3 0 2 0
Kal Dimitrov b 0 0 0 0
Stuart Boast b-p 2 0 2 2
(b6) Rob Jones b 0 0 0 0
Humberto Goncalves b-2b 2 0 2 1
(b6) Jonathon Lewys b 0 0 0 0
Dave Hamilton b-rf 2 0 0 1
(b6) Jake Kikel b 0 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 39 10 13 6 TEAM TOTALS 33 7 8 6

E: Carlos Casal, Peter Kikel, Sheldon S(3), CJ Evans, Sean B. LOB: Herts Hawks 10,
Brentwood Stags 10. 2B: Carlos Casal, Sheldon S, Ronnie S. 3B: Peter Kikel. SB:
Carlos Casal(2), Ross Asquith(2), Luis Goncalves(2), Nick Russell(2), Humberto
Goncalves(2), Paul Auchterlounie, Sheldon S(2), Ronnie S, Sean B, CJ Evans, John R,
Mike J, Jeff A.

Herts Hawks IP H R ER BB SO
John Oliver W 6.00 5 3 0 7 4
Stuart Boast 3.00 3 4 3 3 2
Brentwood Stags            
Jeff A L 8.00 13 10 6 5 8

HBP: by Stuart Boast (John R). . . PB: Paul Auchterlounie(3), Dave Westfallen. T:
3:00. A: 60.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 1st:
Sean B flied out.
Ronnie S lined out.
John R walked, stole 2nd.
CJ Evans walked.
Sheldon S grounded out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 1st:
Ross Asquith grounded out.
Tim Elkins lined out.
John Oliver walked, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Carlos Casal walked, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to home on error.
Peter Kikel singled, advanced to 3rd on error.
Paul Auchterlounie reached on error.
Dave Westfallen lined out.
2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 2nd:
Andy S reached on error, advanced to 2nd on passed ball.
Steve T popped out.
Mike J popped out.
Jeff A struck out looking.
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 2nd:
Nick Russell singled, batted forward to 2nd, stole 3rd, stole home.
Luis Goncalves walked, stole 2nd, tagged out going to 3rd.
Ross Asquith reached on fielder's choice, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on error.
Tim Elkins struck out swinging.
John Oliver flied out.
1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 3rd:
Sean B struck out looking.
Ronnie S walked, stole 2nd, tagged out going to 3rd.
John R walked, batted forward to 2nd.
CJ Evans singled.
Sheldon S flied out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 3rd:
Carlos Casal grounded out.
Peter Kikel flied out.
Paul Auchterlounie reached on error, advanced to 3rd on error, advanced to home on
wild pitch.
Dave Westfallen reached on dropped 3rd strike w/error, advanced to 2nd on wild pitch.
Nick Russell struck out looking.
1 run, 0 hits, 2 errors, 1 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 4th:
Andy S walked, forced out at 2nd.
Steve T flied out.
Mike J flied out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 4th:
Luis Goncalves grounded out.
Ross Asquith grounded out.
Tim Elkins grounded out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 5th:
Jeff A singled, batted forward to 2nd.
Sean B flied out.
Ronnie S flied out.
John R singled.
CJ Evans grounded out.
0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 5th:
John Oliver singled, forced out at 2nd.
Carlos Casal reached on dropped 3rd strike w/error, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Peter Kikel tripled, 1 RBI.
Paul Auchterlounie walked, stole 2nd.
Dave Westfallen struck out looking.
Nick Russell struck out looking.
1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 6th:
Sheldon S walked, batted forward to 2nd, stole 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Andy S singled, advanced to 3rd on error, batted forward to home.
Steve T struck out looking.
Mike J reached on dropped 3rd strike w/error, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Jeff A walked, batted forward to 2nd, tagged out going to 3rd.
Sean B singled, 1 RBI.
Ronnie S flied out, 1 RBI.
3 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 6th:
Luis Goncalves singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Ross Asquith singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Dave Hamilton grounded out, 1 RBI.
John Oliver walked, batted forward to home.
Carlos Casal doubled, batted forward to home, 1 RBI.
Stuart Boast singled, batted forward to 3rd, 2 RBI.
Paul Auchterlounie grounded out.
Humberto Goncalves singled, stole 2nd.
Nick Russell grounded out.
4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 7th:
John R hit by pitch, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, advanced to 3rd on passed ball,
batted forward to home.
CJ Evans walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Sheldon S doubled, stole 3rd, batted forward to home, 2 RBI.
Andy S struck out swinging.
Steve T grounded out, 1 RBI.
Mike J bunted foul on 2nd strike.
3 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 7th:
Luis Goncalves flied out.
Ross Asquith struck out looking.
Dave Hamilton grounded out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 8th:
Jeff A singled, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, tagged out going to home.
Sean B walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Ronnie S doubled, batted forward to 3rd.
John R grounded out, 1 RBI.
CJ Evans grounded out.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 8th:
John Oliver singled, batted forward to 2nd, tagged out going to 3rd.
Carlos Casal singled, batted forward to 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Stuart Boast singled, batted forward to 3rd.
Paul Auchterlounie struck out looking.
Humberto Goncalves singled, stole 2nd, 1 RBI.
Nick Russell flied out.
1 run, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brentwood Stags – Top of the 9th:
Sheldon S popped out.
Andy S grounded out.
Steve T walked.
Mike J flied out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Hawks – Bottom of the 9th:
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
by Matt Bell

FALCONS MUZZLE BEARS, LEAD AAA WITH 10-2 RECORD

Center fielder Dan Kerry was overheard during Sunday's warmups questioning his choice of lumber.  “Maybe I should be using a 34-inch bat,” Kerry debated with a teammate, instead of his usual, lighter 33-inch model.  The long-time cricketer took his musings to the extreme, suggesting he would ask a builder friend for a quality chunk of willow from which to fashion a home-made stick on the lathe.  Nevermind that baseball bats are traditionally carved from ash or maple.  Nevermind that Kerry has never made a bat before.  Nevermind anything.  The Falcons coaching staff has a strict policy when it comes to Kerry at the plate: don't get in his way and good things will happen.  Kerry is a true athlete and baseball star – a Natural – akin to the indomitable Roy Hobbs in the classic film.  If he wants to whittle his own piece of lumber and swing it wrong-way-round while hopping on one foot and spitting sunflower seeds at the umpire, more power to him.  Chances are he'll still put one out of the park.

So it was on Sunday, when the league-leading Herts Falcons travelled to Maidenhead for a two-game set with the Windsor Bears.  The Falcons were coming off their most lukewarm stretch of the season, enduring a three-week hiatus bookended by split-series with the London Metros and Essex Arrows.  While comfortably atop the AAA since Opening Day, the Falcons were hoping to return to their early form and take both of Sunday's games.

A sweep seemed inevitable from the get-go, as the Bears surrendered eight runs in the top of the 1st on five hits, four walks and three errors.  A series of wild pitches and passed balls plagued American-import and Windsor starter Tom Minkkinen, who never regained his composure on the mound.  Bears pitching combined for seven walks and nine earned runs over the short 5-inning game, which was ended early by the slaughter rule.  Nic Goetz picked up his fifth win of the season, pitching a solid start allowing only one earned run on three hits, and striking out three.  Lee Manning, Kimiyoshi Saionji and Jason Greenberg had two hits apiece in the victory.

After a short break in the broiling afternoon sun, the teams trotted back out to the field for game two.  Taking the mound for the Falcons was sixteen year-old Pete Kikel in his second appearance and first start of the season.  After a 1-2-3 first inning, Kikel seemed to have hit his stride, but some sloppy Falcons defense in the 2nd combined with four walks and three wild pitches led to a daunting 4-0 lead for the Bears.  Windsor added another three runs in the next two innings and it seemed like the game was spiralling out of control for the Herts first team – where was their trademark errorless defense…?

With two-on and nobody out in the 4th inning, Manager Greenberg headed to the mound for his second visit with Kikel, where he was joined by Bench Coach and 1st baseman Marty Cullen.  While the young flame-thrower's control had improved, the momentum was slipping away from the Falcons and it was time to make some changes.  The infield was reshuffled and veteran reliever Aspi Dimitrov came off the bench and quickly worked out of the jam.

Dimitrov pitched three innings of long-relief, allowing three hits but surrendering no earned runs.  It was just the opportunity the Falcons needed to get back in the game. Inning after inning they chipped away at the Bears' lead, including a solo home run from slugger Dan Kerry in the top of the 5th.  In the next inning, Goetz (now at short stop) reached on a walk, stole second base, advanced to third on an error, and came home on a wild pitch.  That tied the score at 7-5 heading into the top of the 7th.  It was now score-or-go-home for the Falcons.

To lead off the inning Greenberg stroked a hard line drive into centerfield that proved too much for the fielder and glanced off his glove.  Greenberg coasted into second base, representing the go-ahead run.  Up stepped Kerry, trusty old 33-inch bat in hand.  He took the first pitch high for a ball… and then connected with a high fastball for a monster home run to straightaway centerfield.  There was no doubt about the 'dinger' – it could very well be the longest ever hit by a Falcon – and as the Herts bench roared with excitement the Bears hung their heads in horror as their early-innings lead was wiped away.  It was a new ballgame.

Darrin Ward – recovering from a strained chest muscle – brushed off his injury and took the mound.  He quickly retired the bottom of the Bears' line-up to force the game into extra innings.  That 1-2-3 inning featured two defensive gems from first baseman Marty Cullen – a diving stop deep behind the bag with a quick flip to Ward for out-number-one, and a speared line drive for the inning's final put out.

Cullen brought his enthusiasm to the plate to lead off the top of the 8th, singling through the hole on the left side.  He promptly took second base on a wild pitch and then, in the game's most gutsy move, tested the arm of the left-handed catcher by attempting to steal third base.  While the throw beat Cullen to the bag, his hard slide knocked the ball lose and the umpire quickly reversed his decision and spread his arms wide to show the runner was safe.  One more wild pitch was all it took as Cullen sprinted home and the Falcons had earned an 8-7 lead.

Despite earning a walk and stolen base in the bottom of the 8th, the Bears were overpowered by Ward's crafty pitching and stranded the tying run on second.  It was truly a team victory.  The Falcons used their entire bench, fielding thirteen players, two pinch hitters and three pitchers.  The sweep brings the AAA leaders to a 10-2 record and pushes them to three games ahead of the 2nd place London Metros (who were swept on Sunday by the Essex Arrows' resurgent pitching staff).

GAME NOTES:  Herts committed 9 errors on the day, the most in any 2008 series… Back in 2007 Kerry hit a home run in his first career at bat, but the two home runs on Sunday were his first of the 2008 season…  Andy Cornish made his first appearance behind the dish when the sun got to catcher Greenberg in game two…  Greenberg moved to left field, his first appearance in any position but catcher since he joined the Falcons in 2006.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:  Dan Kerry  (4-6,  4 R,  4 SB,  2 HR,  4 RBI)


HERALD EXPRESS ARTICLE
Thursday 12 June 2008
(click to view the full-size version)




GAME 1 BOX SCORE

Herts Falcons at Windsor Bears
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Herts Falcons 8 2 0 5 0 15 11 3
Windsor Bears 0 4 0 0 0 4 3 4

Herts Falcons 15, Windsor Bears 4
Herts Falcons Windsor Bears
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Jason Greenberg c 4 2 2 2 Maroudas M. 2b 2 1 0 0
Dan Kerry cf 1 2 1 1 Sherwin 3b 3 0 0 0
Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b 4 1 2 1 Milner ss 2 0 1 0
Andy Cornish ss 2 2 1 0 Douglas G. c 3 0 0 0
Marty Cullen 1b 3 2 1 0 Minkkinen T. p 1 1 0 0
Peter Kikel 3b 3 2 1 1 Selleck lf 2 0 0 0
Lee Manning dh 3 2 2 1 Clift 1b 2 0 1 1
Greg Bochan rf 1 1 0 1 Dalusong rf 1 1 0 0
Aspi Dimitrov lf 2 1 1 0 Kujiria cf 2 1 1 0
Nick Goetz p 0 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 23 15 11 7 TEAM TOTALS 18 4 3 1

E: Kimiyoshi Saionji, Marty Cullen, Peter Kikel, Douglas G.(2), Minkkinen T.,
Selleck. DP: Herts Falcons 1. LOB: Windsor Bears 2, Herts Falcons 3. 2B: Kimiyoshi
Saionji, Marty Cullen. SB: Dan Kerry(4), Marty Cullen(3), Andy Cornish(2), Peter
Kikel, Lee Manning, Greg Bochan, Minkkinen T., Maroudas M..

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
Nick Goetz W 5.00 3 4 1 2 3
Windsor Bears            
Minkkinen T. L 4.67 11 15 9 7 4



GAME 2 BOX SCORE

Herts Falcons at Windsor Bears
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Herts Falcons 0 0 1 2 1 1 2 1 8 8 6
Windsor Bears 0 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 7 7 3

Herts Falcons 8, Windsor Bears 7
Herts Falcons Windsor Bears
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Jason Greenberg c-lf 5 1 1 1 Kujiria cf 4 0 1 1
Dan Kerry cf 5 2 3 3 Maroudas M. p 4 1 1 0
Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b 4 0 0 0 Clift 1b 4 0 0 0
Andy Cornish ss-c 4 1 1 0 Sherwin 3b 4 1 3 1
Lee Manning dh 1 0 0 0 Milner C. ss 3 2 0 0
(b2) Tim Elkins dh 2 0 0 0 Douglas G. c 3 1 0 0
(t7) Darrin Ward dh-p 1 0 1 0 Minkkinen 2b 2 2 1 2
Nick Goetz 3b-ss 2 2 0 0 Selleck lf 3 0 1 0
Marty Cullen 1b 3 1 1 0 Dalusong rf 4 0 0 0
Greg Bochan lf-3b 4 1 1 1
Rodney Naghar rf 3 0 0 0
Peter Kikel p 0 0 0 0
Aspi Dimitrov p 0 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 34 8 8 5 TEAM TOTALS 31 7 7 4

E: Andy Cornish(4), Dan Kerry, Jason Greenberg, Kujiria, Clift, Douglas G.. DP: Herts
Falcons 1. LOB: Herts Falcons 6, Windsor Bears 8. 2B: Andy Cornish. HR: Dan Kerry(2),
Minkkinen. SB: Nick Goetz(2), Marty Cullen(2), Andy Cornish, Greg Bochan,
Minkkinen(2), Maroudas M., Sherwin, Milner C., Selleck.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
Peter Kikel 3.00 4 7 3 5 2
Aspi Dimitrov 3.00 3 0 0 2 2
Darrin Ward W 2.00 0 0 0 1 2
Windsor Bears            
Maroudas M. L 8.00 8 8 5 4 4

by Matt Bell

RAPTORS POST ANOTHER WIN AGAINST ARROWS

Report by Herts Baseball Newswire correspondent, ROB JONES

 

It was an epic duel between two teams who have rapidly built a fierce rivalry. The first time Herts Raptors and Essex Arrows 2 faced off this year, Arrows mounted a dramatic ninth inning comeback to steal the win; the next time it was Herts who piled on the runs in the final stages. This time around the two sides traded blows all the way to the ninth inning before the Hertfordshire club emerged 19-16 winners.

Herts had a shaky start, walking batters and giving up a run, but they escaped from a bases loaded jam and put up five runs of their own with a steady stream of singles. Slowly, the men in black ate into that lead and — with the help of a couple of fielding errors — they led 7-5 by the middle of the fourth.

Then the Raptors sparkplug Hunter Devine reached into his bag of tricks to help get the home side rolling again. He hit a double down the third base line and as the outfield throw flew past him at second he raced on for what we will call — in sprit — an inside the park home run. Jim Hyde then did his usual trick of making great contact and his ground-rule double tied the scores.

But this was to be a game of ebb and flow, full of momentum shifts. Arrows promptly grabbed back the lead by batting around in the top of the fifth and scoring six runs; then Raptors pulled back four. Jake Kikel threw up his first zero of the day at a crucial time, and then helped his own cause with a hit and a run as Raptors again tied the game. Jake gave way to ace reliever Mark Hoffman, who was able to slow down the Arrows offense, and give his team a chance to win.

Going into the bottom of the eighth, Essex led 16-14 and we were getting into the final act of the drama — could Raptors pull it off? A crowd was gathering on the sidelines now, other Herts players had brought their families and their voices to urge on the club's rookie team. Hunter Devine got things started again before Andy Ringrose and Jon Lewys chipped in, and Rob Jones hit his most bizarre RBI of the year, with a half-volley to third base to bring in the Raptors final insurance run.

Mark Hoffman and the Raptors defence then closed out the game in emphatic style. No Arrows batters reached base, and the victory was secure. It was a second win for the team, their second win over Essex Arrows, and a sweet win that showed a growing maturity.

 

Essex Arrows 2 at Herts Raptors
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Essex Arrows 2 1 2 1 3 6 0 1 2 0 16 13 8
Herts Raptors 5 0 0 2 4 2 1 5 0 19 16 4

Herts Raptors 19, Essex Arrows 2 16
Herts Raptors Essex Arrows 2
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Hunter Devine 2b 5 4 2 1 Luke c 5 3 2 0
Andy Ringrose 3b 6 4 3 1 Jo cf 5 2 1 0
Mark Hoffman 1b-p 5 2 1 0 Paul Richardson 1b 4 2 1 1
Jim Hyde cf-1b 5 2 3 1 Aaron ss 3 3 3 3
Dave Westfallen c 1 0 1 1 Kevin p 4 2 2 2
(b1) Jonathon Lewys pr-c 3 2 1 0 Jed 3b 5 2 1 0
Rob Jones ss-lf 4 3 2 3 Kyp lf 4 1 0 0
(t9) Robert Crouch rf 0 0 0 0 Paul T. rf 5 1 2 2
Steve Nippress rf 2 0 0 0 Leslie 2b 4 0 1 1
(t5) Luis Goncalves ss 2 0 0 0
(t8) Carlos Casal ss 1 0 0 0
Ilya Dimitrov lf-rf 4 0 0 0
Jake Kikel p-cf 6 2 3 1
TEAM TOTALS 44 19 16 8 TEAM TOTALS 39 16 13 9

E: Hunter Devine, Andy Ringrose, Jim Hyde, Ilya Dimitrov, Leslie(3), Aaron(2), Jo,
Jed, Kyp. LOB: Essex Arrows 2 9, Herts Raptors 11. 2B: Jim Hyde(2), Hunter Devine,
Kevin. SB: Rob Jones(4), Jake Kikel(4), Hunter Devine(3), Ilya Dimitrov(2), Jonathon
Lewys(2), Jim Hyde(2), Andy Ringrose(2), Aaron(5), Jo(3), Paul Richardson(3), Jed(2),
Luke(2), Kevin, Kyp, Paul T..

Herts Raptors IP H R ER BB SO
Jake Kikel 6.33 12 15 11 11 9
Mark Hoffman W 2.67 1 1 1 0 4
Essex Arrows 2            
Kevin L 8.00 16 19 8 9 9

HBP: by Jake Kikel (Aaron), by Kevin (Mark Hoffman). , by Jake Kikel (Kyp). . . . .
WP: Mark Hoffman(3), Jake Kikel(2), Kevin(2). PB: Luke(3). T: 4:00. A: 36.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 1st:
Luke singled, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on error, batted forward to home.
Jo walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, forced out at home.
Paul Richardson struck out looking.
Aaron walked, batted forward to 3rd.
Kevin walked, forced out at 2nd, 1 RBI.
Jed reached on fielder's choice.
1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 1st:
Hunter Devine walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Andy Ringrose singled, advanced to 2nd on error, batted forward to home.
Mark Hoffman struck out looking.
Jim Hyde singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, stole home.
Dave Westfallen singled, Jonathon Lewys ran for batter, batted forward to home, 1 RBI.
Rob Jones walked, batted forward to home.
Steve Nippress walked, batted forward to 3rd.
Ilya Dimitrov walked, batted forward to 2nd.
Jake Kikel singled, 1 RBI.
Hunter Devine struck out looking.
Andy Ringrose struck out looking.
5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 2nd:
Kyp reached on dropped 3rd strike WP, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Paul T. walked, batted forward to home.
Leslie struck out looking.
Luke walked, batted forward to 3rd.
Jo popped out.
Paul Richardson walked, batted forward to 2nd, 1 RBI.
Aaron walked, 1 RBI.
Kevin struck out swinging.
2 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 2nd:
Mark Hoffman grounded out.
Jim Hyde flied out.
Jonathon Lewys grounded out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 3rd:
Jed walked, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Kyp walked, forced out at 2nd.
Paul T. singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, 1 RBI.
Leslie grounded out.
Luke struck out looking.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 3rd:
Rob Jones walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd.
Steve Nippress grounded out.
Ilya Dimitrov struck out looking.
Jake Kikel popped out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 4th:
Jo grounded out.
Paul Richardson singled, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Aaron hit by pitch, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Kevin singled, advanced to 2nd on error, stole 3rd, advanced to home on error, 1 RBI.
Jed popped out.
Kyp struck out looking.
3 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 4th:
Hunter Devine doubled, advanced to 3rd on error, advanced to home on error.
Andy Ringrose singled, batted forward to home.
Mark Hoffman hit by pitch, batted forward to 3rd.
Jim Hyde ground rule doubled, 1 RBI.
Jonathon Lewys walked.
Rob Jones struck out looking.
Steve Nippress flied out.
Ilya Dimitrov struck out looking.
2 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 3 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 5th:
Paul T. struck out looking.
Leslie struck out looking.
Luke singled, batted forward to 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Jo singled, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Paul Richardson walked, batted forward to 3rd, stole home.
Aaron singled, batted forward to 3rd, stole home, 1 RBI.
Kevin doubled, batted forward to home.
Jed singled, batted forward to home.
Kyp hit by pitch, tagged out going to 2nd.
Paul T. singled, 1 RBI.
Leslie singled, 1 RBI.
6 runs, 7 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 5th:
Jake Kikel singled, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Hunter Devine singled, advanced to 2nd on wild pitch, batted forward to 3rd, advanced
to home on error, 1 RBI.
Andy Ringrose grounded out.
Mark Hoffman singled, batted forward to home.
Jim Hyde walked, batted forward to home.
Jonathon Lewys walked, batted forward to 2nd, stole 3rd.
Rob Jones singled, stole 2nd, 2 RBI.
Luis Goncalves struck out looking.
Ilya Dimitrov struck out looking.
4 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 6th:
Luke called out.
Jo struck out swinging.
Paul Richardson popped out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 6th:
Jake Kikel singled, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Hunter Devine struck out looking.
Andy Ringrose singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on passed
ball, 1 RBI.
Mark Hoffman grounded out.
Jim Hyde grounded out.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 7th:
Aaron singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on wild pitch.
Kevin walked, forced out at 2nd.
Jed reached on fielder's choice, advanced to 2nd on wild pitch, advanced to 3rd on
wild pitch.
Kyp struck out swinging.
Paul T. popped out.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 7th:
Jonathon Lewys popped out.
Rob Jones singled, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, stole 3rd, advanced to home on
wild pitch.
Luis Goncalves popped out.
Ilya Dimitrov walked, advanced to 2nd on wild pitch, stole 3rd.
Jake Kikel popped out.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 8th:
Luke reached on fielder's choice, advanced to home on wild pitch.
Jo reached on dropped 3rd strike WP, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Paul Richardson struck out looking.
Aaron singled, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, tagged out going to home, 1 RBI.
Kevin grounded out.
2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 8th:
Hunter Devine reached on error, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Andy Ringrose reached on error, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, advanced
to home on error.
Mark Hoffman reached on error, batted forward to home.
Jim Hyde ground rule doubled, tagged out going to 3rd.
Jonathon Lewys singled, batted forward to 2nd, stole 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Rob Jones reached on fielder's choice, stole 2nd, advanced to home on error, 1 RBI.
Carlos Casal popped out.
Ilya Dimitrov reached on error, advanced to 2nd on wild pitch, stole 3rd.
Jake Kikel popped out.
5 runs, 2 hits, 5 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows 2 – Top of the 9th:
Jed grounded out.
Kyp struck out swinging.
Paul T. grounded out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
by Matt Bell

OLD TIMERS DOMINANT AGAINST RAPTORS

Old Timers at Herts Raptors
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Old Timers 4 0 1 0 3 2 0 2 6 18 14 5
Herts Raptors 1 0 2 0 1 3 0 0 2 9 18 4

Old Timers 18, Herts Raptors 9
Old Timers Herts Raptors
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Player 1 p 5 2 2 0 Hunter Devine 2b 6 2 3 1
Player 2 c 2 3 0 0 Andy Ringrose 3b 6 0 2 0
Player 3 1b 3 5 1 1 Jonathon Lewys c 1 0 0 0
Player 4 2b 5 3 3 4 (t2) Dave Westfallen c 4 1 2 0
Player 5 3b 5 1 3 2 Rod Ariss cf 4 2 3 3
Player 6 ss 5 2 0 0 Mark Hoffman p 5 0 1 0
Player 7 lf 4 1 1 0 Kal Dimitrov 1b 2 0 2 1
Player 8 cf 6 1 3 3 (t5) John Oliver 1b 2 0 0 1
Player 9 rf 6 0 1 0 Ilya Dimitrov rf-lf 4 1 2 0
Luis Goncalves ss 3 1 1 0
(t7) Carlos Casal ss 2 1 0 0
Dave Hamilton lf 2 0 0 0
(b5) Steve Nippress lf 3 1 2 2
TEAM TOTALS 41 18 14 10 TEAM TOTALS 44 9 18 8

E: Player 1(2), Player 3, Player 5, Player 6, Hunter Devine(3), Mark Hoffman. LOB:
Herts Raptors 10, Old Timers 10. 2B: Hunter Devine, Rod Ariss, Dave Westfallen. 3B:
Player 3. SB: Player 3(4), Player 5(4), Player 1(2), Player 2(2), Player 4(2), Player
7(2), Player 8(2), Player 6, Player 9, Rod Ariss(2), Hunter Devine, Ilya Dimitrov,
Dave Hamilton, Carlos Casal. CS: Player 5, Rod Ariss, Ilya Dimitrov, Dave Hamilton.
SF: Player 4, John Oliver.

Old Timers IP H R ER BB SO
Player 1 W 9.33 18 9 8 2 9
Herts Raptors            
Mark Hoffman L 9.00 14 18 10 12 12

HBP: by Mark Hoffman (Player 3). . . . . . . WP: Mark Hoffman(3). PB: Dave
Westfallen(2). T: 3:00. A: 0.
Old Timers – Top of the 1st:
Player 1 walked, batted forward to home.
Player 2 walked, batted forward to home.
Player 3 tripled, advanced to home on wild pitch, 1 RBI.
Player 4 singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to 3rd, advanced on FC to home.
Player 5 grounded out.
Player 6 struck out swinging.
Player 7 grounded out.
4 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 1st:
Hunter Devine singled, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error.
Andy Ringrose singled, forced out at 2nd.
Jonathon Lewys reached on dropped 3rd strike w/error, batted forward to 2nd, tagged
out going to 3rd.
Rod Ariss singled, tagged out going to 2nd.
Mark Hoffman popped out.
Kal Dimitrov singled.
1 run, 4 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 2nd:
Player 8 struck out looking.
Player 9 struck out looking.
Player 1 singled.
Player 2 grounded out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 2nd:
Ilya Dimitrov struck out swinging.
Luis Goncalves flied out.
Dave Hamilton reached on error, stole 2nd.
Hunter Devine grounded out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 3rd:
Player 3 hit by pitch, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Player 4 flied out.
Player 5 singled, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, 1 RBI.
Player 6 struck out swinging.
Player 7 struck out looking.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 3rd:
Andy Ringrose flied out.
Dave Westfallen doubled, batted forward to home.
Rod Ariss doubled, batted forward to home, 1 RBI.
Mark Hoffman singled, batted forward to 2nd.
Kal Dimitrov singled, 1 RBI.
Ilya Dimitrov struck out swinging.
Luis Goncalves grounded out.
2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 4th:
Player 8 struck out swinging.
Player 9 struck out looking.
Player 1 walked, stole 2nd.
Player 2 popped out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 4th:
Dave Hamilton reached on error, caught trying to steal 2nd.
Hunter Devine flied out.
Andy Ringrose singled.
Dave Westfallen flied out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 5th:
Player 3 reached on error, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Player 4 singled, advanced to 2nd on throw, advanced to home on error, 1 RBI.
Player 5 grounded out.
Player 6 reached on error, advanced to 2nd on throw, advanced to 3rd on passed ball,
batted forward to home.
Player 7 reached first base, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, batted forward to 3rd.
Player 8 singled, stole 2nd, 1 RBI.
Player 9 struck out looking.
Player 1 flied out.
3 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 2 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 5th:
Rod Ariss walked, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Mark Hoffman flied out.
John Oliver sacrifice flied, 1 RBI.
Ilya Dimitrov singled, caught trying to steal 2nd.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 6th:
Player 2 walked, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on wild pitch, batted forward to home.
Player 3 walked, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, advanced to home on wild
pitch.
Player 4 sacrifice flied, 1 RBI.
Player 5 walked, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on error.
Player 6 lined out.
Player 7 walked.
Player 8 grounded out.
2 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 6th:
Luis Goncalves singled, batted forward to home.
Steve Nippress singled, batted forward to home.
Hunter Devine singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home, 1 RBI.
Andy Ringrose flied out foul.
Dave Westfallen struck out swinging.
Rod Ariss singled, caught trying to steal 2nd, 2 RBI.
3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 7th:
Player 9 struck out swinging.
Player 1 struck out looking.
Player 2 walked, stole 2nd.
Player 3 grounded out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 7th:
Mark Hoffman flied out.
John Oliver popped out.
Ilya Dimitrov singled.
Carlos Casal struck out swinging.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 8th:
Player 4 grounded out.
Player 5 singled, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, advanced to home on throw.
Player 6 walked, advanced to 2nd on throw, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Player 7 walked, stole 2nd, tagged out going to 3rd.
Player 8 singled, advanced to 2nd on throw, 1 RBI.
Player 9 grounded out.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 8th:
Steve Nippress struck out swinging.
Hunter Devine struck out swinging.
Andy Ringrose reached on error, batted forward to 2nd.
Dave Westfallen singled.
Rod Ariss flied out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Old Timers – Top of the 9th:
Player 1 singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Player 2 walked, batted forward to home.
Player 3 walked, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on passed ball.
Player 4 singled, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, batted forward to home,
2 RBI.
Player 5 singled, caught trying to steal 2nd, 1 RBI.
Player 6 struck out looking.
Player 7 reached on error, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, batted forward
to home.
Player 8 singled, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, batted forward to 3rd, stole home,
1 RBI.
Player 9 singled, stole 2nd.
Player 1 struck out looking.
6 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Herts Raptors – Bottom of the 9th:
Mark Hoffman flied out.
John Oliver reached on dropped 3rd strike w/error, batted forward to 2nd, forced out
at 3rd.
Ilya Dimitrov walked, batted forward to 2nd, stole 3rd, batted forward to home.
Carlos Casal reached on fielder's choice, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
Steve Nippress singled, batted forward to 3rd, 2 RBI.
Hunter Devine doubled.
Andy Ringrose struck out swinging.
2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
by Matt Bell

IMPROVED HAWKS PERFORMANCE FAILS TO END LOSING STREAK

Report from Herts Baseball Newswire Correspondent, DAVE HAMILTON

 

It went down to the wire, but unfortunately the Hertfordshire Hawks suffered their fourth consecutive defeat in the AA British League on Sunday, losing 9-5 to the Richmond Dragons in a typically competitive match-up between these two sides at Grovehill.

 

Coming back from a heavy defeat to the Bournemouth Sharks in their previous game, the Hawks were keen to put in a much stronger performance against their long time rivals.  On this front, they certainly delivered, as they were only one run behind going into the final inning, but unfortunately the hitters were once again unable to deliver the crucial hits needed to bring victory.

 

The first two innings were tight, with neither side able to make any real impact against some good starting pitching.  However, once again fielding errors proved the Hawks' downfall in the third inning, as three errors contributed to two Richmond runs.  The damage could have been much worse though if catcher Dave Westfallen hadn't succesfully tagged out two runners as they tried to score.

 

A superb bunt single from Hawks leadoff hitter Ross Asquith gave the Hawks the perfect start to their half of the third inning.  Asquith then showed off his speed on the basepaths as he stole second and third base before forcing a mistake from the normally reliable Dragons catcher Charlie Pratt, which made the score 2-1.  Unfortunately, despite threatening further damage, the Hawks were unable to level the score, and Richmond increased their lead in the next two innings to leave the Hawks trailing 5-1 at the halfway stage.

 

Hertfordshire's second team were determined not to go down without a fight though, and pitcher John Oliver spearheaded the offensive charge, scoring a run in the fifth inning, before driving in two more runs in the sixth with a two-out double.  This made the score 5-4 and with the defense now standing firm, the Hawks sniffed victory.

 

With hard-throwing (but occasionally erratic) relief pitcher Dan McAneny on for Dragons, catcher Pratt got his revenge on Hawks speedster Asquith by throwing him out at second base on a steal attempt in the 8th inning, and the game was headed for a tense final inning.  Sadly for the Hawks though, it was their opponents bats which finally came to life, as they strung together five hits and added four crucial insurance runs. 

 

Even then, the home side did not go down without a fight.  The Hawks scored a run of their own, and with two further batters reaching base, the Dragons were forced into a second pitching change in order to close out the game.

 

Although understandably disappointed after the loss, the team's manager Carlos Casal was heartened by the improved performance and knows that cutting down the fielding errors or making a couple more hits with the bat will be enough to swing the next game (vs Brentwood on June 15th) in favour of the Hawks.

 

 

Richmond Dragons at Herts Hawks
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Richmond Dragons 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 0 4 9 11 4
Herts Hawks 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 5 6 7

Richmond Dragons 9, Herts Hawks 5
Richmond Dragons Herts Hawks
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Dan Lally p-1b 4 2 1 0 Ross Asquith lf 4 1 1 0
Charlie Pratt c 5 1 2 0 Tim Elkins rf 4 1 0 1
Chris Gould 3b 4 2 3 1 John Oliver p-1b 4 1 2 2
Jeff Vilasmil ss 3 1 0 1 Louis Hare 1b-p 5 0 0 0
Dan McAneny cf-p 4 1 1 1 Carlos Casal 3b 3 1 1 0
Per Nilsson 1b-cf-p 3 2 1 1 Dave Westfallen c 4 0 1 1
Stuart Hendry rf 3 0 0 0 Nick Russell 2b 2 0 0 0
(t6) Woo Kim 2b 2 0 1 2 Luis Goncalves ss 4 0 1 1
Gonzi Lorenzo 2b-rf 1 0 0 1 Dave Hamilton cf 1 1 0 0
(t8) Nigel King rf 1 0 0 1 (t7) Rod Ariss cf 2 0 0 0
Pete Gosselin lf 2 0 0 0
(t6) Brandt Kloke lf 3 0 2 0
TEAM TOTALS 35 9 11 8 TEAM TOTALS 33 5 6 5

E: Per Nilsson(2), Charlie Pratt, Dan McAneny, Carlos Casal(3), John Oliver, Louis
Hare, Dave Westfallen, Nick Russell. LOB: Richmond Dragons 10, Herts Hawks 13. 2B:
Dan Lally, John Oliver. SB: Dan Lally(2), Chris Gould(2), Per Nilsson(2), Brandt
Kloke(2), Charlie Pratt, Ross Asquith(2), Dave Westfallen, Dave Hamilton, Luis
Goncalves. CS: Ross Asquith. SF: Gonzi Lorenzo, Dan McAneny, Jeff Vilasmil, Nigel
King.

Richmond Dragons IP H R ER BB SO
Dan Lally W 6.00 6 4 4 5 7
Dan McAneny 2.33 0 1 0 6 3
Per Nilsson 0.67 0 0 0 0 0
Herts Hawks            
John Oliver L 7.00 5 5 0 6 1
Louis Hare 2.00 6 4 4 1 0

HBP: by Dan Lally (Dave Hamilton). . . . WP: Dan McAneny(2), Dan Lally, John Oliver.
T: 3:00. A: 40.
by Matt Bell

SEVENTEEN INNINGS OF EPIC BASEBALL

The AAA league teams of the Essex and Hertfordshire ball clubs produced two classic games of baseball.   They will go down in history as two of the purest games of baseball ever played on these shores.   On a warm but grey afternoon, these the two evenly matched teams battled it out for five and a half hours over a marathon 17 innings of baseball.  The Falcons were coming off a fantastic 7-1 season opening homestand, but they faced a much improved Essex Arrows with a retooled pitching staff. The day would see 34 strike outs and only 12 runs, but what a great day it was.

 

In game one, Essex took an early 1-0 lead.  Their leftie starter, Ritchie Chesterton, took the mound and quickly retired the Herts batters in the first two innings.  In the third Aspi Dimitrov led off with a bunt, followed by a walk for Rod Naghar.   Both quickly made it home after a combination of a steal, passed ball and the only error in the game made by Essex.  The Falcons added two more runs in the fourth and fifth with Greg Bochan and Jason Greenberg coming in to score.  Greenberg scored after a perfect sacrifice bunt by Marty Cullen.  The bunt was so good that Greenberg was followed home by Kimiyoshi Sajonji flying around the bases all the way from second base only to be called out on a close play at home.  The umpire’s decision prompted some very heated arguments.  There was a lot at stake and this was evident by the fiery reaction by Falcons player-manager Greenberg.   The Arrows kept in touch with two runs of their own.  Hurky-jerky starter, Nic Goetz, had another quality start for the Falcons and his nerves held up as he completed the game to pick up his fourth win of the season.

 

Falcons ace Darrin Ward started game two while the Arrows named newly signed Colombian flame-thrower, Carlos Mancheno.  Inning-after-inning both pitchers kept putting up zeros on the scoreboard.  The teams had to wait until the 6th inning for the first run of the game and it came thanks to the heavy rain of the previous night which had left a massive pond of mud and water just behind 3rd base.

 

Jason Greenberg and Marty Cullen got on base after two singles and found themselves on 2nd and 3rd with two out.  Up stepped Nic Goetz.   With two strikes against him he hit an almighty towering pop-up which took an eternity to come down.  This was a routine pop-up on other day but this time the ball was heading down straight for the foot-deep mud behind 3rd base.   The Arrows shortstop, Perez, made his way into the swamp just in time for the ball to drop into his glove.  But suddenly, the ground gave in from underneath his feet as he slipped and the ball rolled out of his glove and into the mud.  Goetz was safe and Greenberg and Cullen came around to score two precious runs.


With a 2-0 lead and Ward painting a masterpiece from the mound, the win seemed to be within reach for the AAA League leaders from Hertfordshire.  They needed just 6 more outs.

 

The Arrows had other ideas.  Two hits and a walk loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth.  The next batter hit a groundball straight into the gloves of second baseman Kimiyoshi Sajonji.  This was tailor-made for a double-play, but the Arrows runner from first base cleverly got himself into a run-down.  To keep the double-play alive Saionji got the force out at first base and then proceeded to tag the runner from first for the third out.  A well-executed double-play but it proved out to be very costly indeed as at Falcons got sucked into the double-play while at the same time the runners from 2nd and 3rd had come around to score and tie the game at 2-2.


This was not a day for those with a nervous disposition.  The 2-2 scoreline remained that way for 3 more innings as Ward and Mancheno continued to battle it out in extra innings.  It was becoming very clear that a single run could mean the difference between success and failure.  It is in games like this that minor errors become magnified exponentially.   What if the Falcons managed to execute with a runner on third and no outs in the 5th or if Perez hadn’t dropped the ball in the mud for Essex?  The reality is that errors are very much part of the game and players will have their good and bad days, but those that occur in an unforgettable game like this would stay in the memory the longest.

 

Into the bottom of the 10th inning and both starters were running out of gas.  The pressure was on the shoulders of 16-years old Falcons pitcher, Pete Kikel, who relieved Ward on the mound.  The leadoff batter got on base on an error.  Kikel managed to get two outs but not before the bases were loaded.  The count was three balls and one strike.  No space for errors.  With his next pitch Kikel managed to get the much needed groundball but it had enough power to go between the Falcons infielders who were sprawled out on the ground in a last-ditch attempt to stay in the game.

 

A classic game of baseball, appreciated by players and fans who were lucky to be present on this incredible day.  Bring on next weekend’s baseball action!  The Arrows will be looking to help the Falcons out next week when they play the London Metros. The Falcons will take on the Windsor Bears and are looking to continue their winning ways with a sweep.

 

 

GAME 1, 12:00pm

 

Herts Falcons at Essex Arrows
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Herts Falcons 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 4 5 1
Essex Arrows 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 7 1

Herts Falcons 4, Essex Arrows 3
Herts Falcons Essex Arrows
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Lee Manning ss 3 0 0 0 F. Perez ss 4 1 3 0
Jason Greenberg c 4 1 1 0 B. Marchant lf 3 1 0 0
Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b 3 0 1 0 C. Mancheno rf 3 0 1 1
Peter Kikel 3b 2 0 0 0 R. Chesterton p 2 0 0 0
Marty Cullen dh 2 0 0 1 B. Florence cf 3 1 1 1
Darrin Ward 1b 2 0 0 0 S. Simmons c 3 0 1 1
Greg Bochan lf 2 1 1 0 A. Bonsor 2b 3 0 1 0
Aspi Dimitrov cf 3 1 2 1 L. Castro 1b 3 0 0 0
Rodney Naghar rf 2 1 0 0 S. Wodzynski 3b 1 0 0 0
Nick Goetz p 0 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 23 4 5 2 TEAM TOTALS 25 3 7 3

E: Lee Manning, F. Perez. LOB: Essex Arrows 5, Herts Falcons 5. 2B: Jason Greenberg,
Kimiyoshi Saionji. SB: Aspi Dimitrov(2), Kimiyoshi Saionji, Greg Bochan, Rodney
Naghar, B. Marchant. CS: Darrin Ward, Lee Manning, F. Perez, S. Wodzynski. SB: Marty
Cullen.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
Nick Goetz W 7.00 7 3 3 2 3
Essex Arrows            
R. Chesterton L 7.00 5 4 2 6 7

HBP: by Nick Goetz (B. Marchant). , by Nick Goetz (S. Wodzynski). WP: R. Chesterton.
PB: S. Simmons(2). T: 2:30. A: 35.

 

GAME 2, 2:30pm

 

Herts Falcons at Essex Arrows
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Herts Falcons 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 5 1
Essex Arrows 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 6 3

Essex Arrows 3, Herts Falcons 2
Essex Arrows Herts Falcons
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
F. Perez ss 3 0 1 0 Lee Manning lf-ss 5 0 1 0
B. Marchant c 5 0 0 0 Jason Greenberg c 5 1 2 0
C. Mancheno p 3 0 0 0 Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b 5 0 0 0
R. Chesterton rf 5 1 2 1 Marty Cullen 1b 4 1 1 0
B. Florence cf 2 1 2 0 Peter Kikel 3b-p 4 0 0 0
S. Simmons 2b 4 0 1 0 Nick Goetz ss-3b 4 0 0 0
A. Bonsor 1b 4 0 0 2 Greg Bochan dh-lf 4 0 1 0
A. Clarke 3b 3 0 0 0 Aspi Dimitrov cf 3 0 0 0
J. Cane lf 4 1 0 0 Rodney Naghar rf 3 0 0 0
Darrin Ward p-rf 0 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 33 3 6 3 TEAM TOTALS 37 2 5 0

E: F. Perez, B. Marchant, A. Clarke, Nick Goetz. LOB: Herts Falcons 7, Essex Arrows
8. 2B: Greg Bochan. SB: R. Chesterton, C. Mancheno, Aspi Dimitrov(2), Darrin Ward,
Greg Bochan. CS: F. Perez.

Essex Arrows IP H R ER BB SO
C. Mancheno W 10.00 5 2 0 1 16
Herts Falcons            
Darrin Ward 9.00 4 2 2 5 7
Peter Kikel L 0.67 2 1 0 0 0

HBP: by C. Mancheno (Aspi Dimitrov), by Darrin Ward (F. Perez). . . . . , by Peter
Kikel (C. Mancheno). WP: C. Mancheno(4). PB: B. Marchant(4). T: 2:30. A: 35.
by Matt Bell

LEE MANNING SUBMITS HALF-TERM REPORT ON HERTS TEAMS

After playing in the BBF leagues for over 10 years I thought I would do a first 1/3 of the season report on would I think each team will do over the next 1/3.

 

FALCONS

The Falcons have had an amazing start to the 2008 league, going 7 wins and 1 loss. The one loss was against the London Metros and it was a painful one but the Falcons quickly got back to winning ways with a 3-2 victory in the second game of the double-header. The Falcons have won 7 of there games with great pitching, solid fielding and some nice timely hits.  Only 4 or 5 players can be happy with their hitting and if the law of averages is applied in this case then a lot of players are expected to hit a hot streak later in the season. So far the players have worked very hard and have made a great jump on improving every part of their game. I strongly believe that this team will still be at the top of the table after the next 8 games and will get their own back by sweeping the Metros at their field later this year.

 

HAWKS

The Hawks have not been playing at full potential yet but I feel a winning streak is right around the corner. The Hawks have had some tough losses to the Knights, Sidewinders and the Sharks in the last three weeks. With Hare and Oliver on mound duty they should start picking up some big wins. They have great fielding and some very good hitters but it’s time to pull it together and help the cause. Carlos has had a hard start trying to pick which players to play where but I think he’s heading the right way. They are working hard and the gel is starting to set and the hits are coming. I think that the Hawks will be in the top two after there next 4 games and will start to show the league the talent which Herts Baseball Club in all its teams.  This is a winning team that will be playing AAA next year. Come on boys we are all behind you”.

 

RAPTORS

The Raptors got their first win last weekend and will feel on top of the world and rightly so. I know that for a lot of them this is their first season playing and that they will find the game a far reach for the MLB’s game they have been watching but stay with it and it will come. Jake has been around the game and knows how to coach.  His son Pete is a good example of this. He will help the players grow and move up to the Hawks when ready. The league they are in is not as easy as it looks at first sight. With all the other teams being in the BBF leagues for a few years and the old timers who I think could do well in the AAA Division. The main thing about this team is that almost everyone is in the same boat as rookies with a few veterans thrown in. I remember when I first joined the Falcons 11 years ago when we were in the old Division 2 and we would be lucky to win 4 games a year. Every year we all got better and started to move up the leagues. I think these boys’s will do the same. I think the Raptors will win a few more games this season and should be aiming for a .500 winning percentage.

 

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