Category: Featured

20 May 2019 by Rob Jones

Hawks bounce back, take two from Mavericks

The story of the Hawks is usually one of solid defence, powerful hitting, and regular wins. Last week, they suffered a knock. But this Sunday they returned to their winning ways, writes Brian Morgan, sweeping the Guildford Mavericks 11-1 and 5-3 at Grovehill.

Game one featured excellent pitching by Zack Longboy, despite him getting a black eye in practice before taking the hill. He worked through it and kept the Mavericks off the board after the first batter.

There was excellent defence across the board with a diving play in centre field by Hunter Devine, several plays by Antony Lavender in left, and solid infield play all around.

The offence was led by Jon “Yard” Lewys who smashed one over the left field fence to get the Hawks going. Darrin Ward, Andy Cornish and Greg Bochan all had big hits to put the Hawks well ahead and end the game early.

Game two featured another pitching gem by Ward. The Mavericks hitters could not keep up with the movement on his pitches and he gave up only 2 earned runs over 7 impressive innings.

The Hawks defence was led by a solid infield of Gilberto Medina, Andy Cornish, Brian Morgan and Jon Lewys, with Hunter Devine now behind the plate. The outfield featured Bochan, Longboy and newcomer Michael Long.

The offence threatened throughout, with runners getting in scoring position in most frames. A combination of heads-up base running and key hits kept the Hawks ahead the whole game.

Greg Bochan took over managerial duties this week for the injured Mike Cresswell who, in turn, took over umpiring duties where he could yell at everyone and not just the Hawks!

The Hawks have next week off and then travel to Guildford on June 2nd for two games against the Mavericks. Hawks are now 5-1 on the season and looking very strong.

17 May 201917 May 2019 by Matt Bell

Better know a Falcon: Dennis Grogan

Welcome to Better Know a Falcon, where we get to know a bit more about the team off the field. First up to bat, new signing #50, Dennis Grogan.

When did you start playing baseball? How did you end up here in the UK?

I started playing when I was a kid back in Toronto, Canada, and so I played a few years up in the Northern League. I took a bit of a break and about seven years ago I started again. I played for Birmingham, for Leicester, and this year [Herts] because this was the closest National League team. I’ve played against them in the past and there are some really good people. I thought, OK, I’ll give it a shot, and tried out for the Herts team.

Were you always a pitcher?

No! I only started pitching in the last few years. I just try to throw the ball in the right place, and when someone’s trying to give more complicated signs I’m just kind of standing there, but, no, it’s fun. It’s good to pitch, I do have fun pitching, and I think it’s a key role to help get the team running in the right way for the game.

What do you do when you’re not playing baseball?

I’ve got a wife and three kids. Our eldest lives in Liverpool so we were in Liverpool last weekend for the bank holiday. I [also] have a 20-year-old and a 13-year-old.

Do they play?

No, unfortunately my son played for a little bit, but as kids get older they get girlfriends and start jobs and lose a bit of interest. On the weekends, because he works during the week, he likes spending [time] with his girlfriend.

We’re both Canadian, so we’re both from a country where baseball isn’t the number one sport…

No! Hockey.

Why do you think more British people should pay attention to baseball?

It’s basically two different games, I think, because if you have really great pitching, it’s a pitchers’ duel. Now, some people may find that boring but for me it’s great because the pitchers are really on the game and striking guys out. On the other hand, when it’s a good hitting game and runs are scoring, I think that’s what the British people would like. They like seeing goals and runs and that’s when it’s exciting because there’s all different things to do. A lot of strategy happens within the game as well. So I think, yeah, if they spent some time and looked at the game and watched a few they would get right into it.

So you just joined a new team, and I was just thinking of Vladimir Guerrero Junior who just joined our favourite team [Toronto Blue Jays]. What do you do when you join a new team?

Yeah, joining a new team, most of the time [you] know the [other] players because you’ve played against them for years, but, again, some teams have brand new players as well, so it’s a good mix. You come in, you know a few people, so you kind of gel quite quickly. A lot of guys in the British leagues…everybody knows each other so we’re very welcoming. Even if a new person doesn’t know anybody, they’ll know someone’s life story after the first week.

Is there a Falcon you were especially excited to play with?

That’s a hard question! In particular, actually, one of the new Falcons, Gary [Davison]. I’ve always respected Gary when I’ve played against him. He was always a hard batter to throw to, but he was one of those… it was always a good challenge as well! I think he won most of those challenges. Yeah, it’s good that he’s on my team now, and even though I’m 47 I’m still learning, and he’s a really good player to take some pointers off of.

If you could have a dream coaching session with any professional player, who would it be?

Oh, [former Blue Jays manager] Cito Gaston! Cito Gaston definitely.

Is there a Falcon you want to learn more about? Feel free to tweet me @pygmyslowloris!

17 May 201917 May 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Homeward Bound

The Herts Londoners are preparing for their first home league game at Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London this Sunday. They will face the reigning BBF Triple-A League national champions, Richmond Knights. The two teams already played against each other last month in Richmond and the Londoners caused a major upset by winning both games of that doubleheader.

They have continued their impressive performances and are currently second in the standings, one game back on the Essex Redbacks.

BBF Triple-A League Standings

“We are looking forward to the future of baseball in North West London and are aware of what that means for our club. We need to begin this chapter by playing hard and making this new field our home with winning performances” said Herts Londoners’ manager, Wade Lynch.

Although the work to develop Basing Hill into a high standard baseball venue has only just begun, this first home game for the Herts Londoners represents an important milestone for this project. To mark the occasion London Borough of Barnet Councillor Anne Clarke will be the guest of honour who will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The ceremonial first pitch is a baseball tradition and it is usually thrown by guests of honour such as Presidents of the United States. Over the years this has also included British dignitaries such as Prince Harry and London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, who threw out the first pitch at MLB games in New York during recent official visits to the US.

This new baseball diamond was opened this year as part of the club’s preparations for the MLB London Series to provide extra capacity to accommodate the growing number of adult and youth participants interested in playing baseball. That interest is expected to be at its peak in the weeks during and after the two MLB games between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees which will be played at the London Stadium on 29-30 June. With no other baseball venues in North West London, residents in this densely-populated region now have the opportunity to come and try baseball and join the Herts baseball teams playing in the British adult and youth leagues.

The pre-game ceremony this Sunday will start at 11:45am and the first game of the doubleheader is at 12pm. Admission is free. The venue currently does not have seating for spectators and fans are advised to bring chairs or other seating. Basing Hill Ballpark address, transport links etc.

14 May 201914 May 2019 by Rob Jones

Hawks tour bus hits a bump in the road

Baseball is a fickle game. Momentum can change from inning to inning and the Herts Hawks saw this happen on Sunday, as Brian Morgan reports from Richmond.

The Herts AA-division team had started the 2019 season undefeated, and were hoping to keep rolling when they travelled to the Richmond Dukes.

Clutch hitting, stolen bases, patient batters drawing walks — a total team effort — helped the Hawks jump out to a 9-1 after the top 2 innings.

Bats quieted a little as the game went along, but the Hawks kept threatening each inning, while Richmond batters scratched out additional runs.

Playing excellent error-free baseball for the first 5 innings behind solid pitching from Andy Slater on his return to the team, Hawks took a 9-7 lead into the 6th.

And then the momentum switched.

The wheels fell off the bus and the Hawks gave up 15 runs in the 6th to the home team.

Texas leaguers, swinging bunts, easy balls mishandled by a solid infield, diving outfielders just missing the catch, all combined to make the Richmond team simply tired of batting.

A pitching change to Giuseppe Basilea helped slowed things down and get Herts out of the inning – finally. The Hawks battled in the 7th to add 2 more runs but it was too late and not enough.

Manager Mike Cresswell reminded the team that this needs to be a “one off” and is not “Hawks or Herts baseball”. It was an uncharacteristic inning for the team this season and the team looks forward to getting back on the right road on Sunday against Guildford.

13 May 201914 May 2019 by Rob Jones

Homers help the Herts cause

In a big year for the Herts Falcons, recent weeks have been a bit scratchy. But on Sunday, they bounced back to chalk up their second win of the season. Herts’ National Baseball League (NBL) side came from behind to beat the London Capitals in a dramatic game at Grovehill.

The Falcons, sponsored by Regin Products, were trailing 4-1 going into the late innings. 2019 signing Gary Davison had put in a strong pitching performance but the bats needed to deliver.

Then they saw their new slugger Jarrod Pretorius hit a 3-run home run to tie it up, before Dominic Hill added the exclamation point of a walkoff homer. Robbie Smith closed it out with 2 great innings of relief.

Herts competed strongly in Game 2 of the double-header, but ran out 8-6 losers. Tyler Badenhorst got 3 hits, while Marco Pestana clubbed a double.

Manager Cris Hiche was delighted with the effort his players put in. “I could write a book if I mentioned how great everyone played!”, he said. The Falcons are now 2-6 on the year, and next week need to capitalise when facing the Essex Arrows, who are also below .500.

The Herts Londoners continued their hot start in the AAA division, taking Game 1 against the Oxford Kings 5-3 at Grovehill (the Londoners will be moving shortly to their real home at Basing Hill Ballpark).

Manager Wade Lynch pitched a complete game for the win, while adding in a couple of RBIs to help his own cause.

Sebastian Molina also helped provide the offense with 2 hits, as did Chris Gregory. Gregory pitched Game 2 and continued his impressive year with 10 strikeouts and just 6 hits across 7 innings of work.

However, Oxford’s lefty pitcher in the second game was able to bamboozle the Herts bats. Lucas Lebrato drove in the only run and the visitors won 4-1.

The Herts Hawks suffered a rare setback on the road at Richmond in the AA division. Andrew Slater returned to the pitching mound and put in a solid performance, going 5 innings. But then things unravelled.

Hawks’ manager Michael Cresswell acknowledged they had simply run out of pitching, and a big inning did big damage. Herts went down 22-11, despite good hitting from Brian Morgan – who went 4-for-5 — Hunter Devine, and Cresswell himself.

The Hawks are still well positioned, with a 4-1 record. The Guildford Mavericks are up next.

In Single-A, the Herts Eagles were swept at the Essex Redbacks, but still have a lot to be positive about. For the veteran first baseman, Max Trautman, there was his first career home run! It was a towering blast which helped Herts rally in the final inning of Game 1. But it wasn’t enough to prevent a 19-7 defeat.

Adam Porte perhaps got the best contact of the day, smoking a line drive in Game 1. But, in a sign that luck would not fall the way of the underdog, it was snared in the blink of an eye by the Essex pitcher.

Herts bats actually improved in Game 2, with Trevor Clissold continuing his excellent start to the year and Aspi Dimitrov chipping in a double which fell just short of the fence. Rookie players Adam Collins and Louis Verman also got hits – while young Alex Trautman performed well on the mound.

The Redbacks just had too much experience and too deep a hitting lineup for the Eagles, though. Game 2 ended 14-7.

6 May 20196 May 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Red-hot Hawks continue their unbeaten run

Brian Morgan reporting from Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead as Herts Hawks sweep Brighton.

Game one saw crafty veteran Darrin Ward take the hill throwing a solid complete game for the victory. His command of the zone and mix of pitches left many Redhawks guessing. Solid defence for all but one inning helped the effort.

Great work in the outfield from Antony Lavender, Mike Cresswell and Josh Morgan tracking down the balls from the heart of the order. Equally solid was a mix of utility players in the infield of Charlie Mayhew, Giuseppe Basilea, Jon Lewys and Brian Morgan. Andy Cornish was behind the dish keeping everything in front and the runners not wanting to test his arm.

Hawks bats were alive with a mix of singles and doubles to score 11 runs. Big hits from Jon, Andy and Darrin led the charge. Game one ended with a rough inning making the final score of 11-8 much closer than the rest of the contest.

In game two lefty ace Charlie Mayhew took his turn working through the Brighton batting order. Impressive speed and knee buckling movement on the ball held the visitors to only 6 runs. Several key strikeouts made the work for the defence easy.

Hawks veteran Manager Mike Cresswell made limited defensive changes in game two and that proved to be a key decision. Key defensive plays by Giuseppe, Jon and Charlie on the mound kept the visitors frustrated.

Strong hitting again in game two from the Hawks order and aggressive base running by Josh and Antony sealed the victory early, 16-6. Overall the team played very well together in both games and showed resilience when it was needed. A great start to the new season extending their unbeaten run to four games. The Hawks go on the road next Sunday, 12 May, away at the Richmond Dragons. Game starts at 12pm.

29 April 20199 June 2019 by Matt Bell

Eagles continue to grow despite tough day in Bracknell

(photos by Darren Priest)

Adam Collins reporting from Westmorland Park, Bracknell

The third weekend of Herts Eagles’ inaugural season saw them travel to Bracknell Inferno in search of their first league wins. The task ahead was clearly in the minds of the players and, despite late additions to the DL, the Eagles continued to show growth as a newly-formed team in the face of strong pitching and batting from Bracknell.

Game 1 saw a determined start to what would be a great day for Eagles lead off man Trevor Clissold, showing great patience against tough pitching to work a full count and draw a walk. Clissold, making the most of base-running opportunities; aiming to steal second during the second at bat; the gun down throw came and missed the target resulting in a fantastic run to home, bringing in an opening Eagles run. Unfortunately for the Eagles the pitching only improved, striking out the next two and forcing a 6-3 groundout to end the inning.

The Eagles defence came out into the bottom of the first with debut appearances from Francois Earp (CF) and young Alex Trautman pitching. Trautman, in his first senior appearance on the mound, displayed excellent control going toe-to-toe with a much older, and more experienced, batting line-up limiting Bracknell to two runs in the first.

Unfortunately, it was not to be the Eagles’ game. Consistently strong batting and pitching from Bracknell secured the Game 1 win despite strong defensive efforts and a base hit and stolen base from Clissold being driven home by Aspi Dimitrov in the top of the third . Bracknell Inferno 17- Herts Eagles 2 .

Game 2 saw Eagles come out with more of the same effort and a number of players take to the mound for the first time. Aspi Dimitrov led the way as the opener, followed by Andy Stratford, Max Trautman and Kumail Jaffer all stepping up to the mound.

The defensive effort was strong with excellent plays from new players throughout the game. Francois Earp (CF) displayed excellent range chasing down fly balls and Kumail Jaffer (3B) showing cat-like reflexes and a cannon arm picking off potential base hits. Excellent base running from Clissold and Earp allowed the Eagles to take advantage of Bracknell errors to bring home two runs.

Unfortunately, Bracknell brought more of their depth and experience with yet more strong pitching and a flow of at bats that couldn’t be stemmed by Eagles fielding efforts. Bracknell Inferno 12 – Herts Eagles 2.

Overall, it was a tough away day for Herts Eagles. However, there is a clear sense of development amongst the team. This is the first time playing baseball for many of the Eagles, and each week fielding plays are becoming more routine, more contact is being made at the plate, and the team is growing in confidence with each rep. An 0-6 start may be a tough pill to swallow, but the 2011 Tampa Bay Rays did the same before taking the Wild Card slot from the Red Sox – watch this space.

2 April 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Teams ready for Opening Day of a huge season for baseball in the UK

Millions of MLB fans are enjoying the Opening Week of the 2019 baseball season and British Baseball fans will do the same this Sunday, 7 April, as the NBL and Triple-A League seasons get underway, followed by the Double-A and Single-A Leagues on 14 April.

The BBF schedules have been published and the five Herts teams have difficult opponents on Opening Day.

NATIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE

The Herts Falcons start with games against London Capitals and the Essex Arrows in a 3-team day at Finsbury Park. In the second week they travel to the reigning NBL champions, London Mets. This will be the first opportunity to see if the Falcons have been able to close the gap between them and the Mets since the end of the 2018 season which was dominated by the NBL champions.

The Falcons will have to wait until 28 April for their home-opener, and it is set to be a special occasion as all NBL teams will be in action at Grovehill Ballpark with four games on the two diamonds.

The NBL regular season will be played over 13 weeks, ending on 18 August. The Playoff Semi-Final and National Final will be played at Farnham Park on 24 and 25 August. The postseason is usually played in September, but it has been brought forward to August due to a clash with the European Championships where many NBL players will receive an international call-up from the GB Team and other European national teams.

Herts Falcons Schedule

TRIPLE-A LEAGUE

The Herts Londoners go into their inaugural season as one of three expansion teams in the Triple-A League. The other two are the East London Latin Boys and the Kent Bucs, both promoted from the Double-A League which the Latin Boys won last year.

Similar to Tottenham Hotspurs and their newly-built stadium this year, the Herts Londoners will have to wait a few weeks for their first home game at their new Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London which is being built at the moment. Until then, they will play their first two home games at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead starting with a doubleheader versus Kent Bucs on Opening Day, 7 April. Their first game at Basing Hill Ballpark will be on 19 May.

The Triple-A League Playoffs will be played on 24-25 August alongside the NBL postseason.

Herts Londoners Schedule

DOUBLE-A LEAGUE

After reaching the Playoff Semi-Final last year, the Hawks will be hoping to go one better this time around. They open the new season on Sunday, 14 April, at home against the Richmond Dragons.

They have been placed in a division which looks very different this year as the geographic boundaries had to be redrawn after the addition of the Bristol Badgers who were the 2018 runners-up having previously played in the Central Division.

The Double-A Postseason will be played over three weekends starting with the Quarter-Finals on 25 August, Semi-Finals on 1 September and ending on 8 September with the National Final.

Herts Hawks Schedule

SINGLE-A LEAGUE

Herts will be represented by two teams in the Single-A League. The Herts Raptors will play their home games at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead and the Herts Eagles will be based at the club’s new Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London.

Both teams open their campaigns at home on 14 April – Raptors versus London Musketeers and Eagles versus London Mustangs which will be the first ever baseball game to be played at Basing Hill Ballpark.

Both Herts teams are in the same division which brings the mouth-watering prospect of the Herts derby, which is always a special occasion for Herts baseball fans. Mark 14 July and 11 August in your diaries when the two teams will play at Grovehill Ballpark and Basing Hill Ballpark, respectively. The last Herts derby took place in 2016 when the Raptors were drawn to play against the Herts Hawks in the Single-A Playoff Quarter-Final.

The Single-A Playoffs will be played over three weekends – Wild Card games on 25 August, Quarter-Finals on 1 September, Semi-Finals on 7 September and the Final on 8 September.

Herts Raptors Schedule

Herts Eagles Schedule

MLB LONDON SERIES

There will be no games in any of the four BBF leagues on the weekend of 29-30 June to make way for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees who will play two regular season games at the London Stadium as part of the MLB London Series.

PLAYERS STILL REGISTERING

It is not too late to register and play for the Herts adult and youth league teams based in Hemel Hempstead and North West London. In fact, the club has intentionally left extra capacity in the team rosters to accommodate the anticipated increased interest from new players on the back of the excitement surrounding the MLB London Series. Contact us for more details how to join or to come and try baseball at an upcoming open session.

1 April 20191 April 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Falcons, Sidewinders and Bobcats are the HSL champs

NBL/TRIPLE-A

The Herts Falcons won the NBL/Triple-A Division of the HSL convincingly with a 100% record (4-0). The London Mammoths were tied with the Herts Londoners both with a .500 record, but the Mammoths took second place based on their two wins over the Londoners in the head-to-head games. The Falcons and Londoners rosters were mixed for the HSL games as the managers of the two teams were assessing their squads for the 2019 season. We expect the Opening Day rosters of the two teams to be announced shortly. The London Archers impressed everyone and they now head to the Czech Republic where they will represent Great Britain in the PONY Tournament in Prague.

There were some flame-throwers on show and coaches came prepared (photos by Rob Jones)

DOUBLE-A

In the Double-A Division the Sidewinders overcame all challengers to clinch the HSL title. MK Bucks and the London Marauders were not not far away which suggests that we will see a very competitive race in the BBF Double-A League this season. The Hawks finished in last place, but don’t write them off. Over the last few years they have been one of the front runners in Double-A.

SINGLE-A

There was a very close three-horse race in the Single-A Division and the tie-break rule had to be applied to determine the HSL winner. Tonbridge’s superior head-to-head record against the London Musketeers nudged them into first place. We saw a large number of new players in the Eagles and Raptors rosters during the HSL and the managers of both teams experimented with various lineups, trying players in different positions. This would have given them valuable information and, as the league games commence, players will get a clearer idea of the positions and roles which they will be playing this season.

View HSL scoreboard

View HSL standings

GB NATIONAL YOUTH TEAM TRIALS

The HSL schedule also featured the Great Britain National Youth Team Trials which Herts has now hosted for a second consecutive year. We saw around 100 young players take part and they impressed. The GB coaches will now have the difficult task of whittling the list down before announcing the National Team squads for the upcoming international competitions. Many of the candidates were members of the Herts youth and adult teams and we hope to see them in action around the world this year.

2019 OPENING DAY JUST DAYS AWAY

We saw home runs, spectacular defence, lights-out pitching, many players who will be making their BBF league debuts in 2019 and a whole lot more over the last three weeks of the HSL.

With Spring Training completed, British baseball teams up and down the country will hope that this will be their year. Stay tuned as we build up to the 2019 Opening Day in the coming days. Also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for a comprehensive coverage of the 2019 baseball season.

15 March 201915 March 2019 by Rob Jones

Herts youth operation adds Roberts, seeks more coaches

As Herts baseball club prepares for a big year, it has added another new face to the coaching staff.

Andy Roberts has joined the board as the Head of Under-13 baseball, and will coach a promising side into the season ahead. Herts is still looking for more paid coaches to complete its youth set-up.

Roberts — primarily a catcher — joined the Herts club during the 2018 season, and played for the Falcons in the NBL. He was on their roster at Farnham Park as they took on the London Mets for the title.

This year he is also likely to be helping out the newly formed Herts Londoners in the Triple-A division.

Andy Roberts already has a rich history playing baseball. Growing up in Arizona, he has played in regional teams, city leagues and rec leagues and was set to play college ball before an injury setback. His first experience of coaching kids came with Under-7 coach pitch.

“This year, I really want to instil the fundamentals of baseball”, he says. “Not just on how to hit the ball and field the ball, but about what do with the ball when you get it. And start showing how it’s a game of chess that everyone can contribute to”.

“I believe the U-13 kids are at that crucial age where they really decide how passionate they want to be about this sport. So teaching them these fundamentals – and how to improve on them – will help keep the excitement going and help them aim for higher goals.”

Roberts hopes to set the Herts youth on a path to the NBL team of the future – a goal shared by the Falcons coaches. They have already been monitoring the indoor practice sessions.

“I want the kids to have fun”, says Andy, “but I also want them to learn why so many people love this game”.

Herts is now looking to add the final pieces of its coaching puzzle, and has more paid roles available in the youth set-up. The club is keen to recruit managers for the Under-8 teeball programme; the Under-11 player pitch side; and the Under-15s.

The Herts budget has been modified this year to allow for the recruitment of quality coaches to move the programme forward. Anyone who is interested should contact the club.

Lee Manning, the youth commissioner, says: “It’s a brilliant opportunity for someone to really make their mark on the teams, and help us take the next step up. We want to offer a quality 2019 is a big year for Herts baseball, and the kids are definitely part of that.”

Herts will be fielding a range of youth teams during 2019, from Under-8s to Under-18s. The aim is to offer baseball training and competitive games for as wide a range of boys and girls as possible.

In past years, Herts teams have taken on sides from as far afield as Brighton, Essex, Guildford and Leicester.

Last season, the Herts Under-11 coach pitch side reached the final of their category at the Youth National Baseball Championships at Farnham Park.

One of the veterans of that team, Evan Strong-Anderson, has been chosen for the Team UK coach pitch Under-10 side for the 2019 season. This project draws players from a range of British youth sides to take part in a SuperCup in Prague at the end of May.

Around 30 players took part in selection events in Milton Keynes in recent weeks, and Evan was chosen in the final 12. He has worked hard to develop his natural skills, and shows great potential.

Herts was pleased to see a number of our youth players were involved in the Team UK academy sessions, taking advantage of a scheme which is a great addition to British baseball.

The team’s general manager Matt Crawshaw said the overall quality had been extremely high. He is hopeful this year’s crop of talent can build on trophy wins in 2017 and 2018.

Team UK will take part in a series of fixtures on the Bank Holiday Mondays in April and May before heading to the Czech Republic.