Category: Featured

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Can you survive 8 ninth innings in one day?

The games schedule for the 2017 Hunlock Series has been published. All games will adopt the “9th Inning” format where games are decided over a single inning only. This format recreates the tension and drama of the ninth inning. The Red Kites open with a 4-game series against the Black Barracudas, while the Blue Rockers will have to wait until 2:30pm for their first game when they will face the Barracudas.

The Hunlock Series Rules have also been published and they include the following regulations which apply to the “9th Inning” format.

• The batting order of each team remains unchanged for the duration of the day unless a substitution is made.

• A substituted player cannot re-enter the same game, however that player can re-enter a subsequent game.

• The batter who was next to bat upon completion of the previous game will be the first batter in the next game with the rest of the batting lineup coming up to bat in order.

What is also noticeable from the schedule is that the home team alternates over the course of the 4-game series which implies that the fielding team in the bottom of the inning will remain on the field in the top of the inning of the subsequent game. This scheduling approach was adopted in previous years and it sped-up the games enormously as there was no need for teams to go in and out of the field. There even was no need for warm-up pitches as the pitchers were ready. The downside is that a pitcher will need to stay on the mound for 6 outs without a break as opposed to the usual 3 outs, which could mean twice as many pitches thrown in an inning. This is where the defence can really help pitchers, by minimising errors and not adding to the pitcher’s pitch count.

Over the course of the Series each team will play a total of 24 games, 12 games against each of their opponents. The team finishing top of the league standings will be the 2017 Hunlock Series Champion.

The other rules which differ from what teams are used to in the BBF leagues are:

• Pitching Restrictions. A player can appear as a pitcher in one, two or more games per day, but no player shall accumulate more than 3 innings (9 outs) as a pitcher over the course of the day. It is the responsibility of the opposing team to inform the umpire when a pitcher reaches the limit. Managers must inform opponents of the number of innings pitched by each of their pitchers during the day prior to the start of each game.

• No Mercy Rule will be in force.

• If the game is tied after completion of the final inning, each team is awarded half a win and half a loss in the standings.

The 2017 Hunlock Series Draft took place on Wednesday night.  See more details here.

If you have not signed up to play in the Hunlock Series, it is not too late. Contact Herts Baseball Club for details on how to sign up.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Badenhorst, Brown and Hare are the first round picks

The 2017 Hunlock Series Draft was completed a few hours ago. The managers of the teams had a plethora of talent to choose from with 60 players drafted over 20 rounds.

THE FIRST ROUND PICKS

On a toss of a coin Black Barracudas had the first pick. Manager, Duane Badenhorst, selected Herts Falcons starting pitcher, Tyler Badenhorst. Despite being only 16 he has been one of the stars for the Falcons in the NBL this season so he was among the favorites to be picked first in an online poll which was running prior to the Draft.

Next up was the turn of the Blue Rockers. With their first pick they selected Great Britain and Cologne Cardinals catcher, Conner Brown. Brown was also picked in the first round last year. He has just completed his season in the Bundesliga and everyone at the club is looking forward to seeing him back at Grovehill Ballpark, although opponent players from the Red and Black team, less so.

Next it was the turn of reigning Hunlock Series Champions, the Red Kites, to make their first pick. Manager Matt Jackson selected Herts Hawks pitcher and infielder Louis Hare. Over the years hare has been a leader at every team that he has played for so this is seen as a very shrewd move by Jackson.

FREE AGENTS AND TRADES

The full team rosters determined at last night’s draft are shown here. As more players sign up to play they will be able to join the teams as free agents. We will keep you updated about free agent signings and trades over the course of the Series.

New players aged 14 or above, regardless of whether they are members of Herts or another club, can be added to the teams at any point. To be added to the teams or for more details contact Herts Baseball Club.

OPENING DAY

The Series commence on Sunday, 24 September. The first games start at 1:00pm at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. Admission is free. For complete Series schedule click here.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

17 teams to compete for the HFT title this Saturday

17 teams will be in action at the 2017 Herts Futures Tournament (HFT) which will take place this Saturday, 23 September 2017.

UNDER-17

Three teams will play a league format facing each of their opponents. The team finishing top will be the U17 HFT champion.

U17 TEAMS
Forest Glade RedBacks (U17)
Herts Red Kites (U17)
London Mets (U17)

UNDER-13

Five U13 teams will play each of their opponents in a league format. The team finishing on top of the standings will be the 2017 U13 HFT Champion.

U13 TEAMS
Brighton (U13)
Herts (U13)
Leicester Blue Sox (U13)
London Mets (U13)
London Sports Storm (U13)

UNDER-11

The six U11 teams have been divided into two pools of three teams. They will play a game against each of their opponents in their pool. The teams which finish top of their pool will play in the Final for the U11 HFT Championship.

U11 (POOL A) TEAMS
Forest Glade RedBacks (U11)
Herts (U11)
London Sports Thunder (U11)

U11 (POOL B) TEAMS
Leicester Blue Sox (U11)
London Mets (U11)
London Sports Lightning (U11)

UNDER-8

The three U8 teams will play each of their opponents in a league format. The team finishing on top of the standings will be the 2017 U8 HFT Champion.

U8 TEAMS
Brighton/Mets/Capitals (U8)
Herts (U8)
Leicester Blue Sox (U8)

The opening ceremony will take place at 10:30am. The first games begin at 9:20am and continue into the early evening. To view the games schedule click here.

“Herts Baseball Club welcomes new players at any time of the year” said club president, Aspi Dimitrov. “Any children aged between 4 and 16 who are interested to give baseball a try should contact the club. It is not too late to take part in this event.”

Traditional Baseball snacks will be on offer including chilli dogs, maple syrup cheese-steaks, Krispy Kreme Donuts and more. Imported baseball merchandise will also be on sale at the Herts Baseball shop.

The HFT has been held every year since 2008 and is now a permanent fixture in the British baseball calendar. It brings together youth teams of all age groups from across the country for a day of baseball at one of the best baseball venues in the United Kingdom.

For more information about the event visit the Herts Futures Tournament homepage.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Hunlock Series managers announced. The Draft is at 8pm Wednesday, 20 September

We are counting down to the 2017 Hunlock Series Draft which will take place this Wednesday, 20 September at 8:00pm. This year the Draft will not be televised, but there will be coverage via Facebook. It will enable participants to interact more easily as the managers make their picks. For more details follow Herts Baseball Club on facebook.

Three teams enter this year’s competition and the managerial appointments have just been announced.

Last year’s winners, the Red Kites, are back with their manager Matt Jackson who will be looking to retain the title.

The Black Barracudas, will be managed by Duane Badenhorst, who this season has had the opportunity to evaluate a vast number of players at all league levels from the NBL and Double-A League to the Under-17 League, which is expected to give his team a considerable advantage.

The Blue Rockers will be managed by Rich Brown who needs no introduction.  Wherever there is baseball, be it Grovehill Ballpark, Farnham Park or BSUK Academy,  you will find Rich there. Last season the Blue team finished in last place but all teams start with a blank roster sheet looking to build a wining team during the Draft.

Fans will see some new faces in the Hunlock Series this year who have joined the club in the last few weeks, so there will be an element of surprise in Wednesday’s Draft. Some of them may be new to Herts fans but they are not new to the game. The Hunlock Series could be a glimpse at some of the new players who will be wearing the Herts uniform for the first time in 2017.

HOW TO REGISTER

Existing Herts players are currently registering ahead of the Draft by simply updating their availability in the online Clubhouse. New players and players from other clubs can also sign up by contacting Herts Baseball Club.

There has already been interest from non-Herts players located in other regions of the United Kingdom and overseas. They are all welcome to sign up and play in these games.

To be eligible for selection during the Draft, players must register and enter their availability details online by 7pm on Wednesday, 20 September. If you miss this Draft deadline, don’t worry. Players would still be eligible to play but would be added to teams as free agents. To be eligible to play in the Hunlock Series, players must be 14 years of age or above on 31 December 2017.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Players have started registering for the 2017 Hunlock Series

The 2017 BBF league season is done and dusted, but the best part of the season for everyone connected with Herts Baseball Club is still to come.

Every year, just when the MLB season enters its most exciting stage, players come to Grovehill Ballpark for a competition in memory of Herts Baseball Club’s number 36, the late Kyle Hunlock.

This is the twelfth year of the Hunlock Series. In its inaugural year in 2006 two teams were involved, the Falcons and the Hawks. Herts Baseball Club has been growing rapidly since then and the format of the competition has evolved. As players sign up over the next few weeks we will know how many teams will enter the Series this year.

SERIES FORMAT

This year’s competition will be played over three Sundays. The opening games will be played on Sunday, 24 September. The second round of games will take place on Sunday, 1 October, with the final round scheduled for Sunday, 8 October. If weather conditions affect the first three weeks, 15 October is available as a backup date.

In 2014 we introduced “The 9th Inning Games” where games are played over a single inning. We will be doing this again this year. This format recreates the tension and drama of the ninth inning. Can the teams manufacture the all important go-ahead run? Can they deliver the walk-off hits? Can the pitchers and defence execute with the game on the line?

THE DRAFT

As in previous years, the teams will be selected by the team managers during the Hunlock Series Draft. Who will be the first round picks? How will minor league players perform alongside NBL players?

Over the years we have seen how decisions made during the Draft can shape the outcome of the Series before a pitch has been thrown. The managers will have to make carefully calculated decisions if they are to put together a team which can compete for the Hunlock Series title, otherwise they face miserable few weeks.

With all of the club’s managers and coaching staff observing these games, players who have been pushing for promotion to a higher league team will have the perfect opportunity during the Hunlock Series to make a claim to play on the bigger stage in 2018. The club has also received enquiries from many potential new members over the last few weeks and this event is the ideal opportunity for them to come and play.

HOW TO REGISTER

Existing Herts players are currently registering ahead of the Draft by simply updating their availability in the online Clubhouse. New players and players from other clubs can also sign up by contacting Herts Baseball Club.

There has already been interest from non-Herts players located in other regions of the United Kingdom and overseas. They are all welcome to sign up and play in these games. Just like last year, the Hunlock Series could provide a glimpse at new players who could be wearing the Herts jersey next season.

To be eligible for selection during the Draft, players must register and enter their availability details online by 7pm on Monday, 18 September. If you miss this Draft deadline, don’t worry. Players would still be eligible to play but would be added to teams as free agents. To be eligible to play in the Hunlock Series, players must be 14 years of age or above on 31 December 2017.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

British baseball teams have started entering the 2017 HFT

Herts Baseball Club has announced that the 2017 Herts Futures Tournament will take place on Saturday, 23 September 2017.

The Herts Futures Tournament (HFT) has been held every year since 2008 and is now a permanent fixture in the British baseball calendar. Last year was a record year for the HFT with 20 teams entering the competition, which makes it the largest youth baseball event in the United Kingdom. It will be interesting to see how many teams will enter this year. If the number continues to increase the club will have to consider ways of expanding the venue further.

The event brings together youth teams of all age groups from across the country for a day of baseball at one of the best baseball venues in the UK. Grovehill Ballpark is the home of Herts Baseball Club. Over the years the venue has been selected to host some of the biggest events in the British baseball calendar including the National Baseball Championships. During the Herts Futures Tournament additional diamonds are added to cater for all the age groups.

This year’s edition is expected to cover the Under-17, Under-13, Under-11 and Under-8 age groups.

For more information about the event, how to enter your team in the Tournament or how players can join the Herts teams in time for the HFT, visit the Herts Futures Tournament homepage or contact Herts Baseball Club.

by Rob Jones

Raptors fall with the last gasp; Hawks end on a high

The Herts Raptors hosted the Guildford Millers on the last day of the regular season in Single-A. The permutations for playoff qualification were fiendishly complicated. But they all boiled down to this — the Raptors had to win to stand a chance.

Guildford had already booked their place in the postseason. They had an 11-2 record so far, and would pose a serious challenge for the home team.

Although the game was being played at Grovehill, Herts were the away side, so they batted first. Three walks from the top three batters made the start look promising.

Paul Barton at bat

But the Millers’ starting pitcher, Lewis Bawden – one of the cadre of young pitching talents at Guildford, who had given Herts trouble the previous month when he turned out for the Gold Cats — fought back. He struck out two, and got the last out with a fly ball to right field.

Herts manager Paul Barton got the first hit of the day and the bases were loaded up again in the second. But the Raptors pushed only one run across before a base running error — a failure to tag from third – ended the threat.

Fortunately, Barton’s pitching and the Herts defense were keeping Guildford off the scoreboard. The manager dramatically recovered from a missed catch to get the final out of the first inning, and left fielder Ben Sinclair helped sit down two Millers in the second.

Sinclair added on another Herts run in the third, before third baseman Tom Carson took his turn at defensive highlights in the bottom of the frame. A smooth grab and throw which Manny Machado would have been proud of stopped a bouncing drive getting through; then he caught a sharply hit liner.

It was 2-0 to Herts after three.

The tight game faltered a little in the fourth, as the Millers were suddenly able to do some damage. They scored five runs to take the lead, and even added on an inside the park home run later.

But the Raptors chipped back into that lead consistently, and the game stayed tight. Paul Auchterlounie scored in the fifth, shortstop Rob Jones in the sixth. It was then 5-4 to the Millers.

Ken Pike gives it his best “catalogue model” look

Auchterlounie was in the game to relieve Barton by now, and was giving another strong outing on the mound. But the Millers extended their lead to 12-5 by the end of the seventh. The Herts defense wasn’t able to keep the visitors in check as effectively as they had in the first half of the game.

One notable exception was a supremely nonchalant over the shoulder catch by Raptors second baseman, James Emblow. Guildford had seen several of their bloop hits fall in the gap between infield and outfield, but when all seemed lost, Emblow snagged this one and ended an inning.

Herts hung tough against Guildford’s hard-throwing relief pitcher, working patient walks and making some good contact. The bats were more alive than they had been at the start. Jones scored, and catcher Ken Pike, and in all four runs scored in the eighth.

Come the top of the ninth it was 15-9 Guildford, though, and the Raptors needed a big rally. The chance to keep the playoff dream alive came down to this.

And Herts gave it a real shot. They went though virtually the entire order, with Pike and Carson both getting hits and scoring. First baseman Giuseppe Basilea and James Emblow both got their best hits of the day.

But Guildford did enough defensively to limit the damage. The final out was a fly to right, with the tying run on base. It was the Millers who got to celebrate, winning 15-13.

The Raptors end the year with a 7-7 record, a particularly excellent outcome as they were 2-5 at one point. They ran several good teams mighty close — not only the Millers but also London and the Cambridge monarchs. Rookie players had improved in leaps and bounds.

Earlier in the day, the Herts Hawks had played their last regular season game in the Double-A league. And in typical fashion, they ended it not with a full stop but an exclamation mark.

They scored 11 runs in the first inning against the visiting Southampton Mustangs. Joint manager Andrew Slater was on the mound, and had his unique pitching mojo working.

The Mustangs’ bats hit back quickly, with 4 runs of their own in the second. But — even with the help of the former Herts legend Kimiyoshi Saionji, who now wears a Southampton uniform – they could not find a way back.

The scoring did calm down a bit. The Hawks were actually held without a run in the second.

But by the fifth, it had advanced to 18-5, and Herts needed 2 more to secure a mercy rule win.  They duly delivered, to secure a 20-5 victory.

Slater took the win, his sixth of the season. Jon Lewys and Gilberto Medina each drove in three runs, while Sonam Lama got three hits.

The Hawks had already qualified for the playoffs. They are seeded fourth out of nine teams, and will travel to Richmond to take on the Dragons in their first round game on September 3rd.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Red Kites win inaugural Kal Cup

The Herts Red Kites won the inaugural Kal Cup, a baseball tournament in memory of our friend and team-mate Kal Dimitrov who died suddenly during a league game between the Herts Raptors and Essex Archers in 2015.

The tournament featured mostly Single-A League teams including both the Essex Archers and the Herts Raptors. The lineup also included Kal’s Knights, a team made up of veterans who played alongside Kal during his 14 years at the club.

On day one of the competition, the teams faced each other in a league format. The organisers opted for the single-inning format in these group games, a concept which Herts fans are familiar with from the Hunlock Series. In a change from the usual baseball system of counting wins and losses to determine the group standings, teams were awarded three points for a win, one for a tie and no points for a loss, perhaps influenced by the fact that the Premier League football season kicked off this weekend.

The Herts Red Kites, which is the club’s Under-17 team managed by Andrew Fulford, dominated the group games picking up 5 wins and a draw out of their 8 games. That was enough to put them in first place in the final Group Standings, one point above Kal’s Knights. That earned the Herts Red Kites a considerable advantage on Sunday as they could sit back and wait during the first round of double-elimination games while all the other teams knock each other out.

Before Sunday’s game, on Saturday evening each team had a representative in the Home Run Derby. The lineup of batters included a good number of power-hitters with many home runs to their names over the course of their careers, so it was surprising that the derby produced very few home runs. The MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the NBL in 2012, Jarrod Pretorius, proved too strong for the rest and won it.

Pretorius was a member of the Babalas Barracudas, who struggled on Saturday winning only 1 of their 8 games. Their chances were further hindered when they lost their first game on Sunday 3-0 to Kal’s Knights. There was no room for error as one more loss would mean that they would be eliminated. An outstanding performance by Iain McCrimmon on the mound helped them secure a 2-0 win eliminating the Essex Archers despite an excellent performance from their own pitcher Humberto Goncalves.

It seemed like everyone was wearing Kal’s number 12 this weekend

Herts Raptors had a strong start on Sunday but the resurgent Barracudas knocked them out of the Cup with an 11-2 win.

The number one seeded Herts Red Kites came up against Kal’s Knights for a place in the Final and continued their dominant performance from the previous day winning 7-5.

Kal’s Knights were not out of the Cup yet. They had a second chance to book a place in the final if they could beat the Babalas Barracudas. The large number of games played was taking its toll not only on the Knights but also on the Barracudas, as some of the players on both sides were playing baseball for the first time after announcing their retirement from baseball years ago. Both teams submitted a joint request to the tournament’s Commissioner, Lee Manning, to merge the two teams for the Final and face the Herts Red Kites whose young players had hardly broken sweat all weekend. The fact that they were wearing different colour uniforms did not matter that much as the jerseys of both teams had Kal’s number 12 on their back. The request was accepted but even that wasn’t enough to derail the Herts Red Kites who went on to win the Final 11-4 and lift the Kal Cup, a crystal trophy which was made thanks to the kind personal donation of British Baseball Federation President, Gerry Perez.

View full 2017 Kal Cup Scoreboard

One of these three caps is edible – Heather Cooke produced another outstanding array of cakes for the Kal Cup

The first Kal Cup proved to be a very fitting way to remember not only Kal but other members of the British baseball community that we have lost including Phil Chesterton (Essex Arrows), Norman Wells (Liverpool Trojans), umpires Dave Smith and Ted Gerard-Thesingh, among others. The event was another example of the incredible power of baseball to bring people together. Some of the players on show made their return to the diamond for the first time in many years. There were others who were playing their first ever baseball game.

“We aim to make this an annual event” said Commissioner, Lee Manning. He added that “the club hopes to find a free date in the 2018 British baseball calendar in discussions with the BBF”.

Kal’s brother, Aspi Dimitrov, thanked everyone involved for creating this wonderful event in Kal’s name. He said: “I know how much work Lee and everyone at the club put into this and I want to express the gratitude of the whole Dimitrov family for all the support and kindness from everyone at Herts and the wider baseball community not just at the weekend but over the last two years.”

by Rob Jones

Postseason Dreams Still a Reality After Raptors Win Nail-Biter in Essex

The end of the baseball season is always a tense and exciting time for teams hovering around postseason contention, writes Matthew Jackson. For the Raptors, a win against the Essex Archers last Sunday was a must if they wished to keep playing in September.

The teams were no strangers to one another having matched up three times last season. With the Archers bringing an impressive 8-3 record this year into the game, the Raptors knew that they had a strong team once again.

Cat and mouse

Facing Archers’ pitcher Jim Hogge, the Raptors struck quickly in the first inning – leadoff hitter Zack Longboy hammering the first pitch he saw into the outfield for a base hit. Seven more batters stepped up to the plate in the inning, taking advantage of some timely hits to score three runs early on with Zack’s father Arnie contributing to a couple of RBIs.

Paul Auchterlounie in 2017 action

Creating a lead early on has rarely been a problem for the Raptors this season, but the question was whether or not they could maintain it.

Paul Auchterlounie was back on the mound for Herts making his second consecutive start after a dominating performance against Guildford the week before. The Archers came out swinging and, with a combination of perfect placement and defensive mistakes, they were able to retaliate. By the end of the 2nd inning, both teams were tied 7-7.

And this pattern of cat-and-mouse scoring is how the game would continue. Bats were awake on both teams – stand-in Raptors manager John Kjorstad went 3-for-5 with a booming double to plate a couple of runs. Ben Sinclair, making his debut appearance as catcher, also had an impressive day both at and behind the plate, reaching base safely three times.

Unbearably close

Essex were also proving to be tough outs, with one eleven-pitch at-bat ultimately going Auchterlounie’s way, only after the batter had fouled-off six pitches.

Herts had improved defensively throughout the game too. With the ball seldom reaching the outfield, the infielders were constantly tested with shortstop Zack Longboy and third-baseman Tom Carson making some terrific plays to prevent batters from reaching.

Even when the Archers had runners on-base, the Raptors were able to respond with Sinclair alertly throwing to third base to nab the runner attempting to steal.

However, the game was still unbearably close. By the middle of the 9th inning, Herts were tenderly holding on to a 18-17 lead, knowing that Essex need score only two runs for them to come away victors having trailed throughout – a feeling Herts knew all too well.

Arnie Longboy had replaced Auchterlounie on the mound for the final four innings, with his slower pitches effective at disrupting the Archers’ timing.

Arnie Longboy got his first pitching W earlier in 2017

By the bottom of the 9th inning, however, the Archers had changed their approach. After showing bunt almost every pitch, their leadoff batter drew a walk and, two stolen bases later, the tying run was suddenly at third base with no outs recorded. The Raptors could sense another painful defeat heading their way. Or so they thought.

Base-running blunder

With another Essex batter reaching first base and then trying to steal second, the runner on third base made a break for home, only for shortstop Zack Longboy to quickly intercept and throw the ball back to catcher Sinclair who, after a leaping grab, managed to bring his body back down fast enough to tag the runner at the plate.

The run did not score, but the Raptors were not clear of danger yet. The next batter hit the Archers’ first fly ball to right field and right-fielder Darren Butterworth – who had not had many fielding opportunities up until this point – shuffled into position underneath the ball for the catch and the second out.

A base-running blunder for Essex meant that the runner on second base had strayed too far from the bag as the ball was caught, and Butterworth was coolly able to throw the ball to second base for the double play.

Herts had clung on somehow in extraordinary fashion.

The Essex Archers predictably put up a tough fight, and the Raptors will no doubt be buoyant after this win heading into their final game of the season against the Guildford Millers on 20th August. It will be another must-win game for the team in order to remain in playoff contention, but will there be as much drama?

by Rob Jones

Herts tame young Gold Cats

The Herts Raptors came roaring out of the blocks on their visit to the Guildford Gold Cats on Sunday (July 30th). Three hits, three walks and a clutch of stolen bases helped them score five before their hosts even picked up a bat, writes Rob Jones.

There was a lot at stake on this mostly sunny but blustery day, with Herts looking to get their record back to .500 on the season. Bouncing back from their recent defeat at Cambridge would give them a chance of a playoff place — but only a victory would do.

Paul Auchterlounie heads in to score a run

The runs driven in by Paul Barton and Arnie Longboy offered a good start.

When he took the game ball to pitch the bottom of the first, Paul Auchterlounie built on that quickly. The Guildford Gold Cats came out swinging aggressively, and Auchterlounie’s ability to both throw strikes and change speeds made swift work of the lineup. They did not score.

Herts scored three more in the top of the second. Then a double play from shortstop Rob Jones helped choke off the Guildford offense as it tried to reply — catching a pop-up in the hole then throwing to John Kjorstad at first to nab a runner who had strayed way too far off base.

Paul Barton stole home in the fourth inning, alertly — even cheekily — coming across to score as both the pitcher and the catcher were looking elsewhere.

And in the bottom of the frame it was the other Paul, Auchterlounie, doing the business. He fielded two comebackers for ground-outs, then struck out the third batter.

The Raptors led 11-5 at this point. Although the game was balanced, Herts felt in control. A costly throwing error by Guildford on an infield dribbler allowed two runs to score, and the lead stretched. Herts minds were turning towards a mercy rule victory.

But the youthful Guildford side did not give up. In fact, they brought on their third bright young pitcher of the day — this one throwing high heat, and offspeed pitches including a knuckleball.

And their hitters finally chased Auchterlounie, who gave way to Barton. The box score now shows that the Gold Cats won the final three innings of the game —  but the question at the time was could they come back, or could Herts hold on?

Raptors tacked on one more in the seventh, and the eighth.  Guildford kept drawing closer.

Joseph Osborne-Brade reached base with what we will call a swinging bunt in the ninth, then Arnie Longboy reached on a hit by pitch. Then two strikeouts ended any hope of padding the lead, and Raptors led 19-14 going into the bottom of the ninth.

Five runs is far from impossible in Single-A baseball. But on this day only one run would score. Good pitching from Paul Barton did the trick, and some tightened up fielding.

Guildford Gold Cats had shown their tremendous talent and potential, and had clubbed big hits to back up their pitching. But the Herts smarts had been enough to get the crucial win.