Category: Raptors

by AspiDimitrov

SIDEWINDERS BECOME HSL2 CHAMPIONS

The Sidewinders won the title in HSL2 with a 19-5 victory over the Herts Raptors.  They scored 8 runs in the top of the first inning.  The Raptors who are a brand new expansion team for the British Baseball League came back strong with 5 runs of their own after singles from Ilya Dimitrov and Nick Russell and a 2 RBI double from 2005 Hawks Batting Champ, Rob Jones. 

 

Unfortunately for the Raptors, these were their last runs of the day as the Sidewinders switched gears to take control of the game.  There were many positives for the Herts Raptors to take from this game.  Jake Kikel who came in to relieve at the end of the game continues to put up good stats as a pitcher.  Starter Mark Hoffman also produced two scoreless innings to end his day on a high.

 

More HSL Photos

 

Sidewinders at Herts Raptors
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Sidewinders 8 3 0 0 8 0 0 19 19 1
Herts Raptors 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 8 6

Sidewinders 19, Herts Raptors 5
Sidewinders Herts Raptors
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Player 1 p 3 3 3 1 Ilya Dimitrov rf 2 1 1 0
Player 2 c 3 2 1 2 (t4) Robert Crouch rf 1 0 1 0
Player 3 1b 4 2 3 2 Paul Hawes 1b 1 0 0 0
Player 4 2b 5 2 2 4 (b3) Jonathon Lewys 1b 1 0 0 0
Player 5 3b 4 2 3 2 Andy Ringrose c 4 0 1 0
Player 6 ss 4 3 2 0 Mark Hoffman p 2 1 0 0
Player 7 lf 4 0 1 0 (t5) Jake Kikel p 1 0 0 0
Player 8 cf 4 2 3 1 Pete Cox 2b 0 1 0 0
Player 9 rf 2 3 1 0 Nick Russell sf 3 1 2 0
Rob Jones cf 3 1 2 2
Andrew Slater 3b 3 0 1 0
Steve Nippress lf 3 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 33 19 19 12 TEAM TOTALS 24 5 8 2

E: Player 2, Jonathon Lewys(3), Andy Ringrose, Pete Cox, Andrew Slater. LOB:
Sidewinders 6, Herts Raptors 7. 2B: Player 5(2), Player 3, Rob Jones. HR: Player 4.
SB: Player 9(5), Player 1(3), Player 6(2), Player 8(2), Player 2, Player 7, Player 5,
Andrew Slater, Ilya Dimitrov. CS: Steve Nippress.

Sidewinders IP H R ER BB SO
Player 1 W 6.00 8 5 2 4 8
Herts Raptors            
Mark Hoffman L 4.00 16 18 10 5 5
Jake Kikel 2.00 3 1 1 3 0

HBP: by Player 1 (Paul Hawes), by Player 1 (Pete Cox). . . . , by Mark Hoffman
(Player 9). , by Jake Kikel (Player 5). . WP: Player 1, Mark Hoffman(2). PB: Player
2(3), Andy Ringrose(2). T: 2:59. A: 78.

by AspiDimitrov

RAPTORS, HAWKS AND FALCONS UNVEIL NEW UNIFORMS THIS SUNDAY

After 11 years of wearing the famous Falcons pinstripe jersey and black pants, the club will unveil the new uniforms which will be worn by the three adult teams.  This will take place this Sunday when the Falcons, Hawks and Raptors play in the seond round of games in the Herts Spring League.

The old Falcons pinstripe jersey will still be used by the Herts teams in selected games to celebrate the club's history.

by AspiDimitrov

HERTS RAPTORS MAKE HISTORY AS THEY PLAY THEIR FIRST EVER GAME

Herts Baseball Newswire Correspondent, Hunter Devine, writes

The first game in the history of the Herts Raptors commenced last Sunday during week one of the Herts Spring League, hosted at Richmond. Raptors’ starter and manager, Jake Kikel, was scored on quickly to open the first few frames, let down by the defence which got off to a slow start. However, he kept the team in the game and eventually got some help from his defence which made some nice plays, highlighted by a stellar catch in Left Field by Ilya Dimitrov.

 

Mark Hoffman, who had already made contributions with the bat (finishing the day 3-3 with 3 stolen bases and 2 RBIs), relieved Kikel in the 4th and pitched well, striking out 4 and giving up 3 runs, 2 earned.

 

Richmond, meanwhile, cruised through the game limiting the Raptors’ bats to 2 runs whilst scoring 10 themselves.

 

Though the game did not end up the way the Raptors’ had hoped it would, there were many positives for the young team to take away from the loss as they hope to make some noise in BBF’s Single-A division this season.

 

Herts Raptors at Richmond Dragons
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Herts Raptors 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 8 1
Richmond Dragons 3 4 0 1 2 0 10 12 0

Richmond Dragons 10, Herts Raptors 2
Richmond Dragons Herts Raptors
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Player 1 p 2 2 2 0 Ilya Dimitrov lf 4 0 1 0
Player 2 c 3 3 1 0 Jonathon Lewys 3b-rf-1b 1 1 0 0
Player 3 1b 4 1 1 2 Nick Russell cf 3 0 0 0
Player 4 2b 4 3 3 2 Mark Hoffman 1b-p 3 0 3 2
Player 5 3b 4 1 2 1 Pete Cox ss 2 0 0 0
Player 6 ss 2 0 1 2 Hunter Devine 2b 3 0 0 0
Player 7 lf 3 0 1 0 Andrew Slater rf-3b 1 0 0 0
Player 8 cf 2 0 1 0 Kal Dimitrov c 3 0 1 0
Player 9 rf 3 0 0 0 Jake Kikel p-rf 3 1 3 0
TEAM TOTALS 27 10 12 7 TEAM TOTALS 23 2 8 2

E: Kal Dimitrov. LOB: Richmond Dragons 7, Herts Raptors 11. 2B: Player 3, Player 4.
SB: Player 4(4), Player 1(4), Player 2(3), Player 5(2), Mark Hoffman(3), Ilya
Dimitrov, Jake Kikel.

Richmond Dragons IP H R ER BB SO
Player 1 W 6.00 8 2 2 7 9
Herts Raptors            
Jake Kikel L 3.00 9 7 4 2 7
Mark Hoffman 2.00 3 3 2 3 4

HBP: by Player 1 (Andrew Slater). . . . WP: Jake Kikel. T: 2:55. A: 90.
by AspiDimitrov

HSL MEDIA COVERAGE

The Herts Spring League commences this Sunday and it looks like it is attracting significant interest from the media.  The Hemel Gazette is expected to have an extensive coverage of the 2008 HSL over the three Sundays of the League.  Below you will find an extract from a preview of the HSL published this week.  The article was also published in their online publication HemelToday.co.uk

by AspiDimitrov

FIRST EVER BRITISH SPRING LEAGUE READY FOR TAKE-OFF

Spring is here, which means that baseball is back.  This year Herts Baseball Club has added a new event to the British baseball calendar with the first ever Herts Spring League (HSL). 

 

One of the most exciting times of the baseball season is Spring Training. After a long and cold winter everyone connected with baseball is eager to get back to the baseball diamond. Teams start to put into action their master plans to win the league. Players are jostling for a position on the roster. Pitchers are competing for a starting spot in the rotation. It is a first chance for managers and players to see new players which have signed up with the clubs. These are just some of the reasons why Spring is a special time for baseball.

 

The 2008 HSL line-up has just been announced and it will certainly provide exciting baseball action over the next three weeks.  The 10 participating teams are split into two divisions, HSL1 and HSL2. 

 

HSL1 includes Hertfordshire’s top team the Falcons, the Burgess Hill Colts, Northampton Baseball Club who impressed at the 2007 London Tournament and the ASL Eagles.  The Eagles will add an element of suspense to HSL1.  They are very much an unknown quantity as they do not compete in the BBF leagues.  The ASL Eagles is a team representing the AmericanSchool in London, which is expected to bring an all-out American baseball mentality to the diamond.  

 

Looking at the HSL1 schedule one game stands out as a must-see clash.  The Herts Falcons meet the Burgess Hill Colts for the first time since the 2006 Premier League Playoff game which the Colts won in extra innings to sink the Falcons down from the Premier League to Division 1.  Revenge will be on the minds of the Falcons after that heart-breaking game.

 

HSL2 includes the Herts Hawks, Sidewinders, Richmond Dragons, Bracknell Blazers, Milton Keynes Hurricanes, and the newly created third Hertfordshire team, the Herts Raptors.  The MK Hurricanes go into the league as the favourites, but, with other teams strengthening their rosters over the winter, it could prove to be a very competitive league with almost all of the teams having a realistic chance of taking the HSL2 title.

 

Over the next three Sundays 23 games will be played at 4 baseball venues in and around London.  Some of the venues will host as many as 6 teams on the same day which is expected to create a great baseball atmosphere.  This is the perfect opportunity for baseball enthusiasts to enjoy a Spring day out watching a game of baseball and having a first glimpse of the teams as they gear up for the 2008 Opening Day.

 

For more information about the teams, game times and venues you can visit the official HSL website.  The HSL website has linked up with the Herts Baseball Newswire to provide extensive coverage of the HSL including game reports, video news, stats and much more so stay tuned.

RELATED LINKS

Official HSL website: www.hertsbaseball.com/HSL

by AspiDimitrov

SPRING TRAINING BACK IN FULL SWING

The three Hertfordshire adult baseball teams, Falcons, Hawks and Raptors returned to baseball training this weekend with the first outdoor training session of 2008. 

 

Drenched in the sun and temperatures of 14oC it would have been easy to mistake Grovehill ballpark with one of the MLB Spring Training bases in Florida.  The players had not felt the ball nestle into their gloves since September so the excitement and enthusiasm amongst the players was evident. 

 

The three team managers Jason Greenberg (Falcons), Carlos Casal (Hawks) and Jake Kikel (Raptors) together with a strong team of assistant coaches have adopted a new professional approach in the preparations for the new season.  More will be expected from players and the competition for places has already begun.  As Jason Greenberg said: “Today, we all start as members of the Herts Raptors and everyone has the opportunity to earn their place and position in the organisation”.

 

Apart from the on-field developments the club’s webmaster has added an additional online tool for players to prepare for practice, improve themselves, learn more about baseball theory and other useful aspects of the game.

 

 

by AspiDimitrov

NEW LOOK FOR HERTS IN 2008

 

New ballpark, new team, new website, new team managers, new club logo, and now Herts Baseball Club will unveil a new uniform for the Falcons, the Hawks and the Raptors in time for 2008 Opening Day. 

 

Over the last 11 years the club’s teams have been wearing the classic pin-stripe jersey with the Falcons name across the chest and distinctive black pants.  After months of deliberation and several rounds of voting by club members, it was decided that the club will be wearing an all-white jersey.  The name on the front of the jersey will be Herts which will have scarlet colour and a jet black outline.  The squad number on the back will have the same colour scheme. The new jersey will also include neck and sleeve trim, which will also be black.

 

Since 2004 Vice President, Lee Manning, has led a campaign to change the colour of the club’s pants from black to white.   With Gandhi-like persistence and determination, Manning has finally prevailed against all odds and the new uniform will comprise white pants with black side trim.

 

Both the jersey and the pants will be custom made using the same American-made fabrics used at the professional level  by MLB teams. 

 

Apart from the classic baseball pants model which has evolved over the years, players will also be able to choose the fashionable “Clemson Cut” model which is becoming very popular with MLB superstars such as Manny Ramirez, Barry Bonds, Johan Santana, David Wright and many others.

 

Herts Baseball Club has already placed the order with its American suppliers and the freshly sewn uniforms are expected to reach the British Isles in time for the first game of the Herts Spring League which is expected to be scheduled on 30 March 2008.  Until then Herts players will only be able to see digital impressions of the new uniform.