Category: Adult Leagues

by AspiDimitrov

BLAZERS, METS AND MUSTANGS SWEEP AWAY OPPOSITION IN NBL WEEK 10

From BSUK NBL Correspondent Simon Fitzjohn.  This article was first published on www.britishbaseball.org

It was a field day for the road teams on June 20, with all six National Baseball League games going the way of the away side. League leaders Bracknell Blazers and London Mets continued to flex their muscles atop the standings, while the Southampton Mustangs continued to show signs of improvement.

BRACKNELL @ ESSEX

The Blazers eased to a sweep by virtue of 15-2 and 10-2 victories against the Essex Arrows. Mike Trask pitched a complete game to claim the win in Game One, with Matt Maitland taking the mound honours in Game Two. Matt Gilbert and Richard Chesterton were the losing pitchers.

Bracknell coach Rob Rance said: “It was a case of getting the job done. We had a couple of our guys back from university and we brought some guys up from AAA and it was great to see we are becoming such a solid unit. The platform is there for us to take things on and have a great season.”

Essex coach Phil Chesterton was far from downbeat despite the losses. He said: “I certainly don’t think we disgraced ourselves. I’m not going to be too down about it. We are continuing to play much, much better. Bracknell are easily the best hitting team we have faced and in the main we lived with them.

LONDON @ HERTS

The Mets moved into top gear at Herts, cruising to impressive 11-0 and 30-5 wins. Jason Roberts and Rob Anthony claimed the pitching wins, but it was on offense that London really hit form. Dan Williams led the way, going 8 for 8 with two home runs, including a grand slam. Kyle Hickson also homored to leave Mets coach Alex Pike purring. “There were shades of our 2008 team out there on Sunday,” he said. “I am very happy with how the guys played and everyone in our line-up hit. Strangely enough, I do not think Herts played that badly – we were just that good.”

Herts’ manager Jason Greenberg was less enthusiastic about how his team performed. “We failed to execute in every sense,” said Greenberg. “Pitching, hitting, fielding… everything was a bust this week. There’s not much more to say. We know we’re a quality team, and it’s time to start playing like it.”

SOUTHAMPTON @ CROYDON

Southampton won the battle of the sides with top-four aspirations, rolling to 9-7 and 18-7 wins in Croydon. Gary Davison and Dave Wrigley took the wins, with Tim Ssali and Jose Sosa saddled with the losses.

Game One was the real thriller, with the Pirates coming close to clinching victory in the seventh inning, only to succumb in the eighth and the Mustangs took that momentum into a more routine Game Two win.

Pirates coach Dave Ward said: “We were really hoping to split the two games but it was not to be. Our problem at the moment seems to be conceding runs early on in games. We are always on the back foot and having to chase games and it is a case of trying to keep our spirits up.”

by AspiDimitrov

ON THE ROAD; ON THE BASES

Ho hum. Just another week. Just another see-saw nail-biter ending in heartbreak for the Herts Raptors. It had been three weeks since I pulled on my glove — the previous occasion was the one-run drama against Tonbridge. While I have grumbled on many occasions about the frustrations of long layoffs, they do make the playing experience more intense — it's always extra special to be back, and more fun to be with the team. And Raptors games at the moment all seem to be classics!

So let's have a whizz through the Jones performance on the road at Chelmsford. In centre field, it was pretty quiet. Although the Chelmsford Clippers scored 24 runs, they got remarkably few big hits. The only one they got while I was in the game went just over the head of Tom in right field. Moments before, Chris in left field had said to me “shouldn't he be further back?” I said “Nah, he's fine, they've not got any big hits”. I'll be listening to Chris next time!

At the plate I had a bit more satisfaction — a leadoff single up the middle to open the game; a close groundout to third; then I reached after being hit squarely in the ribs by a breaking ball which never broke; and finally a walk as the rally truly got underway. My average crept up to .333, my OBP to .625. I won't be winning any awards, but at least was swinging the bat with a bit more confidence and conviction.

On the base paths I made my most maddening out. On one occasion when I reached, it loaded the bases. Like any good players, we were alert to the possibility of a wild pitch, or a passed ball. And when a pitch did squirt past the catcher, Jeff Witter seemed to head off from third. I paused for a moment to check he was indeed going, and then set off for second. But Jeff stopped. Perfectly sensible, as he thought he couldn't make it – but I was now in trouble! The catcher looked at third, couldn't get Jeff. He checked second, as I tried to sneak back to first. But when he then checked my base and found it vacant except for a fielder, it sealed my doom. A good throw and a swift tag left Jones heading for the dugout looking pretty dopy. Logic suggests that aggressive running will sometimes lead to outs, but being tagged on the bases always feels like such a waste.

With plenty of new guys to get in the game I was benched and was able to enjoy the finale from the sidelines. Yes, of course I'd prefer to have been playing, but the experience was like being a particularly attached fan. It was tense and it was exciting and you felt as if you were taking every at-bat, fielding every ball. The Raptors were unlucky to lose after competing so hard.

My own process of “Going Through the Change” has perhaps stalled — as I must serve as a utility player when I can make it to games — but there can be no doubt that this set of Raptor players are going through a change of their own. It will be fascinating to see where they end up. 
 

by AspiDimitrov

MORE HEARTBREAK FOR HERTS

The Raptors' quest for a first victory took them to Chelmsford, to face the Clippers who thumped them 37-6 early in the season. The Herts rookies were determined this time it would be a different story — and it was. On a changeable summer Sunday, they took the division-leading Clippers all the way to the 9th inning, coming up an agonising three runs short and losing 24-21.

It all began well. Rob Jones led off with a single, before stealing second and being driven home by Bryan Drummond. More aggressive running — including from manager Ken Pike — helped the visitors score four in the first frame, with all nine players coming to the plate. Even more importantly, the Raptors then shut down a Clippers offense which had trampled on them when the clubs first met. One walk was the only blemish on “Cowboy” Jim Arnott's first inning on the mound.

The game was tight over the next few innings, and by the middle of the fifth Chelmsford narrowly led 9-8. That's when they suddenly broke out. Six runs came in, with the biggest hit of the day so far arcing just inches over the glove of Tom Green in right field.

But — crucially — the Raptors did not allow their heads to drop, even after being shut out in the top of the sixth. Pitching in relief, Bryan Drummond held the Clippers to just one run in the bottom of the inning and then the Herts bats came alive for five runs. There were hits for Tom Green, and for Ken Pike. With two out, veteran first baseman Jeff Witter showed the vital role which hustle plays in baseball. He'd moaned about his hitting all day, but this time after a dropped third strike he sharply avoided the catcher's tag and ran to first, seeing the fielder's throw bounce in the dirt and away up the line. The inning stayed alive, and a run scored. The gap closed to 18-20.

In these closing stages the Raptors' clutch of new players also proved their worth. Young debutant Senna Ashida got two strong hits to get on base; his father Tak was less lucky in where the ball fell, but still made good contact. The Reinebold family double act was perhaps even more impressive — father Jon stroked hits all over the park, fielded three positions, and made the catch of the day diving to his right at shortstop. Reinebold Jnr — Jesse — dazzled as he pitched two innings like a pro. He's the latest in an impressive line of young talent for the Herts club.

Back to the game, then …. and it was turning into a slugfest. That was mostly down to aggressive hitting, as errors had largely faded out of the game. Chelmsford responded to the Herts surge, plating four runs before the visitors racked up another five. Jim Arnott can claim an “unofficial” inside-the-park home run after scoring on overthrows, having hit a bases-clearing triple into the outfield gap.

The stage was set — again. Raptors needed six runs in the top of the ninth to keep the game alive, seven to take the lead. Although Chelmsford had a fresh arm on the mound, the Herts rookies would not surrender. One run scored, then another. Then a third. But the Raptors were running out of at-bats. A force-out had claimed the lead runner, some brilliant fielding had stolen away surefire hits. So the final confrontation was Saint on the mound against Green at the plate. It was a tough battle, but a low strike sealed the Clippers' win.

The game had been another rollercoaster. Maybe it wasn't for the purist, but it was a good test of heart for both teams. There were a sprinkling of errors which revealed it as an A-class game — but there were flashes of excellence too on both sides. The Raptors' manager Ken Pike said his team's massive improvement since their first clash with the Clippers was “something special” and was a deserved reward for the team's work. The  growing expectations of a win are looking increasingly justified.  

4 0 3 0 1 0 5 5 3 – 21

0 4 4 1 6 1 4 4 x – 24

by AspiDimitrov

FALCONS LOSE 2, METS AND BRACKNELL SPLIT, ESSEX RECORDS FIRST WINS IN NBL

This article first appeared on www.britishbaseball.org

There was plenty to savour in Week 9 of the BBF’s National Baseball League, with heavyweights London Mets and Bracknell Blazers splitting their doubleheader in the weekend’s big showdown, Essex Arrows recording their first wins of the season, a comfortable sweep for the Richmond Flames and an impressive brace of triumphs for the Southampton Mustangs.


NBL Special Reporter Simon Fitzjohn provides the details.

London Mets @ Bracknell Blazers


There is only one place to start this week’s round-up: the NBL’s top two teams going head-to-head. Fittingly, London Mets and Bracknell Blazers were to share their doubleheader. The Blazers eased to a 10-3 win in Game One, with Henry Collins taking the win, but the Mets struck back with a 7-1 win in Game Two thanks to strong pitching from Jason Roberts and home runs from Jonathan Cramman and Reid Wilson. Bracknell‘s Rob Rance said, “I am very satisfied with splitting the doubleheader. We showed some real guts in both games and I am pretty happy. “I think a split against a team like London is huge in terms of confidence. To prove yourself against the bigger sides is really important and it helps you build a bit of momentum.”


Herts Falcons @ Southampton Mustangs

Dan Kerry returned after several weeks on the DL but even his come back wasn’t enough for the Falcons to overcome the Mustangs (photo by www.hp2photographic.com)

The Southampton Mustangs closed in on a .500 record for the season by seeing off the stuttering Herts Falconsto the tune of 8-2 and 7-6. Chuck Truelson pitched the win in Game One. Lee Ralph earned the verdict in Game Two, thanks in part to Oscar Sierra’s home run. Southampton‘s Ben Davis said, “They were both tough games and we really had to be at our best. We made very few mistakes and that makes a very big difference. We got ourselves out of a couple of jams and deserved the wins. “We are finally hitting our stride as a group of players,” Davis added, “and hopefully we can carry that on.”

Essex Arrows @ Mildenhall Bulldogs

Essex won their first games of the season against the Mildenhall Bulldogs. They are still i with a chance of reaching the playoffs.

The Essex Arrows finally eased into the win column after eight weeks of frustration, sweeping the struggling Mildenhall Bulldogs on their own turf. Essex claimed 1-0 and 8-4 wins as they ended a streak of 11 losing games. Game One was a real pitching duel, with Matt Gilbert squeezing past Nick Chenausky thanks to Luke Foley’s RBI single. In Game Two, Richard Chesterton outpitched Mike McClure as the Arrows completed the sweep. Arrows coach Phil Chesterton said: “I am really delighted. All of our hard work is coming to fruition. Our defence was magnificent and in the first game it was a remarkable performance from Matt. I know Mildenhall had some players missing but this is great for us. “I always thought we would start clicking around the half-way point,” Chesterton added, and that is proving the case.” A dejected Gabriel Macias said: “It is very frustrating at the moment and we have certainly had better days. I have a core of six guys but apart from that it really is a case of who turns up. “Essex played really well today, though, and I take nothing away from them.”


Croydon Pirates @ Richmond Flames


The Richmond Flames subdued the improving Croydon Pirates by 8-0 and 15-1 scorelines, taking control of third place in the process. Ryan Bird outpitched Jose Sosa in Game One, with Carlos Mancheno claiming the win in a more one-sided Game Two. Richmond‘s Grant Delzoppo said, “I think Croydon have definitely improved but it was a good two wins for us. We had some good pitching and some very good defence. We got leads in both games and never really looked back. We were pretty much in control and I am happy with the two wins.”

 

by AspiDimitrov

HERTS BASEBALL YOUNG PROSPECT SELECTED BY GREAT BRITAIN TEAM

Herts Baseball Club is pleased to report that Liam Green has been selected to join up with the Great Britain National Team squad for Under-16 year old players (Cadets).

Liam Green was one of the very first members of the Herts Little League which was founded in the summer of 2007.  Despite the fact that he had never played baseball before 2007, his hard work, dedication and undouted talent has turned him into one of the club's brightest prospects.  He was a member of the Herts All-Stars (Under-13) who came second in the National Baseball Championships last year and made his debut with the Herts adult teams in 2009 gradually moving from the Single-A League Herts Raptors to the other Herts teams playing in the AA and AAA Leagues.

Liam will be preparing with the GB Team for the European Championship qualifiers which will take place in July this year in Nykoping, Sweden.

Herts Baseball Club will be supporting Liam in raising funds to cover his costs while with the GB Team.  Any individuals or organisation who are interested to support Liam Green can contact Herts Baseball Club.

 

by AspiDimitrov

A DAY OF CELEBRATION OF BRITISH BASEBALL IN HERTS

 

As advertised, the NBL Summer Classic turned out to be a true celebration of British Baseball. The event started at 10:00am and ended just as the sun was going down at 9:15pm. It had everything from home runs, strikeouts, spectacular plays and late inning drama, to hot dogs and the signing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the …ninth inning stretch.

HERTS RED SOX SETTING THE PACE

The Herts Little League teams opened the day. The Herts Yankees and the Herts Red Sox picked up convincing wins against the Herts Cubs (14-1) and Herts Cardinals (8-0), respectively. This set up a top of the table clash between the Red Sox and Yankees and the Red Sox came out on top 13-5. This means that they are now leading the league with the Yankees one game back on them, followed closely by the Cardinals in third after they beat the Cubs 9-0.

 

Click here to view full Little League report by reporter Tracey Manning

BLAZERS EXTEND WINNING STREAK

At the same time the National Baseball League action commenced on diamond 1. 2009 champions, Bracknell Blazers were the hot favourites to win the clash against the Croydon Pirates, but the team from South London had plans of their own. They kept fighting and it was only the loss of concentration at critical moments that cost them the game at the end. This was the tenth consecutive league win for the Blazers with a chance to move top of the table depending on the outcome of London’s evening game on diamond 2.

FALCONS SURVIVE LATE ARROWS ONSLAUGHT

The game between the hosts Herts and rivals Essex saw a record attendance for an adult league game in the history of Grovehill Ballpark. This was thanks to the loyal support from the Herts Little League families who had packed the spectator area on the first base side and it was their support right up until the bottom of the ninth inning that contributed to the win for the Falcons.

Before the start of the game the newly built second diamond was officially opened by Mike Penning, Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead, who was one of a the many supporters of the Grovehill Ballpark project. Others who supported the project include Dacorum Borough Council, Awards for All, BSUK, Sport England, PropertyLandeArchitercture, Royal Bank of Scotland and many others.

The ceremonial first pitch is usually thrown out by one or two celebrities. On this occasion there were 40 ceremonial first pitches and they were all thrown at the same time by 40 celebrities from the Herts Little League. The unlucky player who had the impossible task of catching all 40 balls at the same time was Falcons catcher, Andy Cornish. Ultimately he didn’t manage to catch any of them, which was not a good sign for Herts ahead of this vital league game.

The Falcons took a comfortable early lead. Kimiyoshi Saionji’s home run was followed by two home runs by Pete Kikel. Despite this the Arrows never lost hope and produced a sensational come back. Going into the ninth inning Essex were on the verge of claiming their first win of the season trailing 12-10 with runners on first and second base and the winning run at the plate. Richard Chesterton came through with the clutch hit. It went over the head of centerfielder Jamie Munn and all the way to the outfield wall. With the runner from first rounding third base and being waved home to tie up the game, the Herts Falcons needed to execute the relay perfectly, and they did. With a runner in scoring position the Falcons needed to get one more out and they ended the game in style, Pete Kikel striking out Lance Louw.

Click here for box scores and images from the Essex vs Herts game.

SOUTHAMPTON IMPRESSIVE WIN

Southampton Mustangs maintained their strong recent form by dispatching the slumping Mildenhall Bulldogs with ease in the day’s only one-sided victory. The majority of Mildenhall’s players work at the airbase in Cambridgeshire and their team was significantly weakened by the absence of the majority of their roster due to an emergency military exercise. Despite this Southampton did produce an impressive performance to pick up another good win.Chuck Druelson pitched the win, with Oscar Sierra clubbing a home run.

LONDON STILL TOP THE LEAGUE

The showpiece game of the day was the match-up between London and Richmond. A large crowd had gathered at the new diamond to watch this eagerly anticipated clash, and then the storm came resulting in a rain-delay. This did spoil the occasion slightly but when the game was restarted it did not affect the quality of baseball with both teams producing a real classic. The Londoners broke out early, cashing in on a number of Richmond errors. The Flames managed to claw their way back, only to fall just short. Jason Roberts claimed the win, pitching a complete game that required over 200 pitches, with Kyle Hickson adding a home run for the Mets.

 

For full NBL report and reaction from the teams click here.

Images from the NBL Summer Classic.

 

by AspiDimitrov

HERTS FALCONS 12 ESSEX ARROWS 11

  

Herts Falcons at Essex Arrows
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Herts Falcons 1 8 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 12 18 6
Essex Arrows 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 11 11 2

Herts Falcons12, Essex Arrows 11
Herts Falcons Essex Arrows
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
GONCALVES Luis ss 5 1 1 0 SONGWON Jeon rf 5 2 2 1
CASAL Carlos 2b 5 1 2 2 SHAER David 1b 4 2 4 2
GREENBERG Jason dh-c 3 3 2 0 CHESTERTON Richard p-cf 5 2 2 3
CORNISH Andy c 3 1 2 1 LOUW Lance 3b 5 0 0 0
(b4) GOETZ Nic p-3b 2 0 1 0 GILBERT Matt cf-p 4 1 0 1
CULLEN Marty 1b 5 1 2 1 FOLEY Luke ss 4 1 3 1
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi lf 4 2 2 1 FLORENCE Brandon lf 3 1 0 0
KIKEL Peter 3b-p 5 2 4 3 (t6) MERTZ Matt lf 2 0 0 0
MUNN Jamie cf 4 0 1 0 CHRISTOFOROU Chris c 2 2 0 0
MARTINEZ Marc rf 5 1 1 0 CLARK Andrew 2b 5 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 41 12 18 8 TEAM TOTALS 39 11 11 8

 

E: CASAL Carlos, GREENBERG Jason, KIKEL Peter, MARTINEZ Marc, SAIONJI Kimiyoshi,
GOETZ Nic, CHESTERTON Richard(2). DP: Herts ALL 1. LOB: Herts ALL 7, Essex Arrows 11.
2B: CORNISH Andy, CHESTERTON Richard. HR: KIKEL Peter(2), SAIONJI Kimiyoshi,
CHESTERTON Richard. SB: MARTINEZ Marc, GREENBERG Jason, GONCALVES Luis, SONGWON Jeon,
FOLEY Luke, CHRISTOFOROU Chris. SF: SONGWON Jeon.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
GOETZ Nic W 7.00 6 6 3 2 4
KIKEL Peter 2.00 5 5 4 3 3
Essex Arrows            
GILBERT Matt 7.33 11 3 1 0 7
CHESTERTON Richard L 1.67 7 9 4 5 0

HBP: by GOETZ Nic (FOLEY Luke). . . . , by GOETZ Nic (CHRISTOFOROU Chris), by GOETZ
Nic (SHAER David). . , by KIKEL Peter (GILBERT Matt). . WP: KIKEL Peter. PB:
CHRISTOFOROU Chris(4). Balk: GOETZ Nic. T: 3:12. A: 196.
Herts ALL – Top of the 1st:
GONCALVES Luis grounded out.
CASAL Carlos flied out.
GREENBERG Jason walked, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, batted forward to home.
CORNISH Andy doubled, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, 1 RBI.
CULLEN Marty grounded out.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 1st:
SONGWON Jeon singled, batted forward to 3rd.
SHAER David walked, forced out at 2nd.
CHESTERTON Richard hit into double play.
LOUW Lance popped out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 2nd:
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi hit solo home run, 1 RBI.
KIKEL Peter hit solo home run, 1 RBI.
MUNN Jamie walked, picked off.
MARTINEZ Marc singled, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, batted forward to
home.
GONCALVES Luis walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
CASAL Carlos singled, picked off, 2 RBI.
GREENBERG Jason walked, batted forward to home.
CORNISH Andy singled, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on passed ball.
CULLEN Marty singled, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, batted
forward to home, 1 RBI.
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi walked, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, batted forward to 3rd,
awarded home.
KIKEL Peter singled, picked off, 1 RBI.
8 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 2nd:
GILBERT Matt reached on error, advanced to home on error.
FOLEY Luke hit by pitch, advanced to 3rd on error, batted forward to home.
FLORENCE Brandon reached on error, advanced to 2nd on error, batted forward to 3rd,
advanced to home on balk.
CHRISTOFOROU Chris walked, advanced to 2nd on balk, batted forward to home.
CLARK Andrew struck out swinging.
SONGWON Jeon sacrifice flied, 1 RBI.
SHAER David singled, batted forward to home, 1 RBI.
CHESTERTON Richard hit 2-run home run, 2 RBI.
LOUW Lance flied out.
6 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 3rd:
MUNN Jamie struck out looking.
MARTINEZ Marc grounded out.
GONCALVES Luis singled.
CASAL Carlos grounded out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 3rd:
GILBERT Matt flied out.
FOLEY Luke singled, advanced to 2nd on error.
FLORENCE Brandon flied out.
CHRISTOFOROU Chris popped out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 4th:
GREENBERG Jason popped out.
CORNISH Andy grounded out.
CULLEN Marty singled, advanced to 3rd on error.
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi flied out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 4th:
CLARK Andrew flied out.
SONGWON Jeon struck out swinging.
SHAER David singled.
CHESTERTON Richard struck out swinging.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 5th:
KIKEL Peter hit solo home run, 1 RBI.
MUNN Jamie struck out swinging.
MARTINEZ Marc struck out looking.
GONCALVES Luis grounded out.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 5th:
LOUW Lance struck out swinging.
GILBERT Matt grounded out.
FOLEY Luke singled, stole 2nd.
FLORENCE Brandon popped out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 6th:
CASAL Carlos flied out.
GREENBERG Jason singled, stole 2nd.
GOETZ Nic called out by illegally batted ball.
CULLEN Marty flied out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 6th:
CHRISTOFOROU Chris hit by pitch, forced out at 2nd.
CLARK Andrew reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to 2nd.
SONGWON Jeon grounded out.
SHAER David hit by pitch.
CHESTERTON Richard popped out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 7th:
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi grounded out.
KIKEL Peter lined out.
MUNN Jamie struck out swinging.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 7th:
LOUW Lance flied out.
GILBERT Matt flied out.
FOLEY Luke reached on error, forced out at 2nd.
MERTZ Matt reached on fielder's choice.
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 8th:
MARTINEZ Marc struck out.
GONCALVES Luis popped out.
CASAL Carlos singled, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error.
GREENBERG Jason singled, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to 3rd on error, awarded
home.
GOETZ Nic singled, picked off.
2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 8th:
CHRISTOFOROU Chris walked, advanced to 2nd on error, batted forward to 3rd, stole
home.
CLARK Andrew struck out looking.
SONGWON Jeon singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
SHAER David singled, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to 3rd on wild pitch, batted
forward to home, 1 RBI.
CHESTERTON Richard walked, advanced to 2nd on wild pitch, batted forward to home.
LOUW Lance walked, batted forward to 3rd, forced out at home.
GILBERT Matt hit by pitch, batted forward to 3rd, 1 RBI.
FOLEY Luke singled, batted forward to 2nd, 1 RBI.
MERTZ Matt struck out looking.
CHRISTOFOROU Chris reached on fielder's choice.
4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 9th:
CULLEN Marty struck out.
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi singled, batted forward to 3rd.
KIKEL Peter singled, batted forward to 2nd.
MUNN Jamie singled.
MARTINEZ Marc struck out looking.
GONCALVES Luis flied out.
0 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 9th:
CLARK Andrew reached on error, forced out at 2nd.
SONGWON Jeon reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to home.
SHAER David singled, tagged out going to 2nd.
CHESTERTON Richard doubled, 1 RBI.
LOUW Lance struck out swinging.
1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
by AspiDimitrov

ONE VENUE, 14 TEAMS AND 10 HOURS OF NON-STOP BASEBALL

 

This year, British Baseball is introducing several special events as part of the league schedule, and the first of these, the NBL Summer Classic, will take place this Saturday, June 5.

All eight teams from Britain’s top league will come to the same venue and each team will play one nine-inning game. Since these games are part of the league schedule, the outcomes could have a crucial effect on the race for the post-season.

The event will be held at Grovehill Ballpark, the home of the Herts Falcons in Hemel Hempstead. The venue has undergone major building work in the last two years, and last month the club unveiled its brand new second diamond. As a result, Herts is now able to stage these large national events.

With this event taking place on a Saturday, it is rare opportunity for AAA, AA and Single-A league teams to make the trip to Herts for a day packed with top-quality baseball.

STARS OF THE FUTURE LEADING OFF

The day will begin at 10.00 am with youth league games involving the six Herts Little League teams.

Combining youth and adult league games as part of the same event is unusual in British Baseball, but it is expected to be an effective way to bring baseball communities together, increase attendances and make events more vibrant and enjoyable.

Bracknell (9-1) v Croydon (4-6) on Diamond One at 12:00

The NBL action starts at noon as the 2009 Champions Bracknell Blazers take on the Croydon Pirates. Bracknell goes into the game with an impressive nine-game winning streak. The resurgent Croydon Pirates split their doubleheader with the Herts Falcons last Sunday, which puts them in fourth place in the standings. Can they cause an upset against the Blazers?

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Maikel Azcuy (Croydon) leads the league in home runs after his grand slam on Sunday at Herts, his fifth home run of the season.

Brendan Cunliffe (Bracknell) has been an RBI-machine for the Blazers so far this year. He hits for average (BA .500) and for power (3HR and Slugging .929). He leads the league in RBIs (13).

 

 

Essex (0-10) v Herts (3-7) on Diamond Two at 13:45

Neighbours Essex Arrows and Herts Falcons will resume their long-standing rivalry on Saturday. Essex have been showing signs of revival and they will probably target their game against Herts as a perfect opportunity to record their first win of the season.

On Sunday, Herts returned home after a painful six-game road trip and ended their losing streak, coming back from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to win against Croydon.

Two of Herts’ key pitchers are on the disabled list and the question is whether those players who are healthy can keep the team in touch with the pack. Despite their bad starts, both teams are still in the running for playoff places, and they will be desperate to pick up a win on Saturday and put their seasons back on track.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Jeon Sungwon (Essex) is tied for the lead for most base hits (15) so far this season in the NBL.

Luis Goncalves (Herts), a 16-year-old shortstop, has been phenomenal with both bat and glove in his second season in the NBL.

Southampton (4-8) v Mildenhall (4-6) on Diamond One at 15:30

Despite finding themselves second from bottom in the standings, the Southampton Mustangs have quietly been producing some very impressive performances against the top teams in the league. Saturday’s game against the Mildenhall Bulldogs is the first of five upcoming games which they will see as must-win to put them right back in the race for the post-season.

After winning their opening four games, Mildenhall have suffered six losses in a row. Can they turn their season around against Southampton? They will go into the game with confidence, in the knowledge that just a few weeks ago they came out on top against the Mustangs on the same field in the final week of the Herts Spring League.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Charles Truelson (Southampton) may not have a 90 mph fastball but he more than compensates for that with control and movement. He has picked up two of the four wins for the Mustangs so far this year with an ERA of 5.40.

Jon Mabie (Mildenhall) is one of the toughest catchers in the league and a perfect example for young players of what it means to give 100% on every play. He has a batting average of .389 with 5 RBIs.

London (11-1) v Richmond (7-3) on Diamond Two at 17:00

This is undoubtedly the game of the day. The first-placed London Mets are bringing back memories of their championship-winning seasons in 2007 and 2008. However, after a slow start, the Richmond Flames are back to their best and on Saturday we will find out if they can stop the Mets.

This is billed as the main event of the NBL Summer Classic this Saturday and the other games have been scheduled to finish in time for all those attending to gather around the brand new diamond at Herts for this unmissable clash.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Jason Roberts (London) leads the league in wins (5) and strikeouts (38).

Ryan Bird (Richmond) is the 2008 and 2009 MVP.

SCHEDULE: SATURDAY, JUNE 5

10:00 – Herts Little League games: Yankees @ Cubs, Red Sox @ Cardinals, Tornadoes @ Crocs (Diamond 2).

11:30 – Herts Little League games: Red Sox @ Yankees, Cubs @ Cardinals, Crocs @ Tornadoes (Diamond 2).

12:00 – NBL: Croydon Pirates @ Bracknell Blazers (Diamond 1).

13:45 – NBL: Herts Falcons @ Essex Arrows (Diamond 2).

15:30 – NBL: Mildenhall Bulldogs @ Southampton Mustangs (Diamond 1).

17:00 – NBL: Richmond Flames @ London Mets (Diamond 2).

VENUE

Grovehill Ballpark is located at Washington Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 6NH.

For a map and directions, click here.

For more details please contact Herts Baseball Club via the official website.

Photos by:

— event-photos.co.uk

— www.hp2photographic.com

 

by AspiDimitrov

CROYDON AND HERTS SPLIT IN NBL WEEK 7 ACTION

(this report by Simon Fitzjohn first appeared on www.britishbaseball.com)

 

The improving Croydon Pirates and the Herts Falcons split the only doubleheader played in the National Baseball League on Sunday, May 30, a make-up from the previous weekend.

Meanwhile, the rest of the league took a Bank Holiday breather.

Special NBL reporter Simon Fitzjohn provides the details.

 

Croydon Pirates @ Herts Falcons

This battle produced a pair of thrillers, with home runs, stunning comebacks and even a pitching duel for the fans to savour.

In Game One, the contest was tied 3-3 heading into the sixth inning, only for Mikael Azcuy to smash a grand slam for the Pirates to open up a 7-3 lead.

But the Falcons clawed back a run in the bottom of the frame before scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh for an amazing 8-7 triumph.

Luis Goncalves took the win, while Tim Ssala was dealt the tough-luck loss.

If Game One was an offensive delight, Game Two was the exact opposite, as pitchers Jose Sosa for the Pirates and Nick Goetz for the Falcons went at it.

With plenty of mound magic, Tim Ssala’s RBI single proved decisive in a 1-0 Pirates win.

Herts’ Aspi Dimitrov said: “It was a real boost for the club to win Game One, as it was a great comeback. We have had a tough few weeks on the road recently so it was good to get home.

“Both of us are in the bottom half of the table,” Dimitrov continued, “and they were two tough games. We could have won both, but we could also have lost both so we have to take the positives.”