Category: Headlines

26 September 202526 September 2025 by Rob Jones

Toucans take Herts back into Europe

Every season starts with a blank canvas. For the Herts Toucans, that was especially true in 2025.

The team were newly created for this year, returning Herts to the top level of British baseball, the National Baseball League (NBL). They had no history, but they had goals.

Of course, for every team in every league the ultimate goal is to win it all! And the Toucans pushed their challenge all the way, turning a solid season into an impressive playoff run and a place in European competition in 2026.

They finished third in the NBL, recording wins against every other team – including the defending champions, the London Mets.

Pitching ace Masa Hashiguchi led the entire league with an incredible 82 strikeouts in 67 innings – far ahead of the next pitcher on 54.

Toucans hitters also appeared on the leaderboards. Kazuki Tezuka impressed with a .373 batting average, while Josh Marriott and Shoya Tsutsui each collected 23 hits to power the offense.

Herts took on Sheffield in the first round of the playoffs at Townmead in Waltham Abbey. A big third inning helped the Bruins take what appeared a commanding 9-3 lead after five innings.

But a sudden string of hits from the Toucans turned the tables in the seventh, with 2-RBI knocks by Conner Brown and Pete Wiedmann helping them surge into the lead. Brian Dearing locked it down on the mound, and Herts took an 11-9 victory.

The next game against Essex was interrupted by a very nasty injury to an Arrows player, and had to be postponed. We wish him a full recovery.

The game had to be played on finals weekend instead, and it followed a very different pattern. After early exchanges were tight, this time it was Herts who built a big lead. They were up 9-0 in the middle of the fifth.

Then Essex chipped away, and with the help of some fielding mis-steps, they scored 3 then 4 runs. But Herts tacked on, and fought off the rally. Hashiguchi took the W in an 11-7 victory.

It was straight into Game 1 of the finals series against the Mets, a game which was shortened to fit the schedule. London chased Dearing in the third and took a 4-0 lead. But Herts hit right back through Leo Cedeno and Kazuki Tezuka to tie it up.

Reliever Carlos Torres struck out the first two Mets he saw in the fourth, but the defending champions edged back ahead 5-4. Herts got the tying run to third base in the fifth and final inning but couldn’t quite push it across, and they narrowly lost Game 1.

Mets dominated Game 2 on the Sunday and took advantage of every chance. Their 14-2 win secured the title, but could not take away from the great run the Toucans had.

The team’s progress to the final means they qualify for Europe in 2026, and they will be playing in the CEB Federation Cup. This is the first time since 2019 that Herts has been in Europe, and is the highest level the club has ever played, as the 2019 Falcons were in the CEB Federation Cup Qualifier.

The Toucans’ manager Cole Ryan paid tribute to the way his side had made history: “Every player stepped up to make it a memorable campaign, with standout performances across the roster.”

He went on: “The Club is proud of the Toucans’ achievements and how they have embraced the Herts spirit from winter training through to the national finals. Their debut season has set the stage for an exciting future.”

Our thanks to Davies-Rocker Photography for the pictures from the NBL finals

23 August 202523 August 2025 by Rob Jones

Purple patch for the red, white and blue

What a time to be alive, and to be part of British baseball.

When the GB team had an extraordinary adventure at the World Baseball Classic in the USA in 2023, it was a deserved high point for the sport here. But would it be a springboard to more, or would it be the sparkler that then fizzled out?

Now GB has won two European championships in a matter of weeks – and Herts players were at the centre of the latest victory, so let’s start there.

The GB women’s team had only played in the European Championship once before, in 2022, but they opened their campaign at this tournament in the Czech Republic with a statement 16-1 victory over the defending champions, France.

They were beaten by the Czech team in the next round, but a remarkable comeback victory over the Netherlands in their final round robin game – winning 10-9 after being 9-0 down – put them into the final.

This GB team had a generous clutch of players from the Herts Harriers, our Double-A team based at Grovehill in Hemel Hempstead. It was newly created in 2025 to offer more opportunities to women, girls and non-binary players.

Dani Briggs, Ella Henson, Laura Hirai, Emma Mclean, Natasha Romoff, Jessica Vernon and Stella Veski were all on the GB roster. And all played their part in a bit of history. Mclean took the pitching win in that game against the Netherlands. Hirai brought in the go-ahead run with a sac bunt in the fifth inning.

In the final, Herts players would star again. Natasha Romoff was 3-4 in the game, with 3 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. Laura Hirai, in the leadoff spot, was 2-2 with a walk, 3 runs, and 2 stolen bases. In an even game, GB came out on top, 9-7.

Herts baseball club tips its cap to all of these players, and is enormously proud of all of them. As club President Mike Cresswell put it: “Trailblazers. Role models. Athletes. Friends. And now European champions!”

The success of the GB women is the latest cherry to be placed atop the cake. Earlier in August, the men’s Under-23 side won their European championship. You’ll never guess the opponent in the final? The Czech Republic. And the score? 9-7.

According to the British Baseball Federation, the U23s Gold Medal was GB baseball’s first since the 1938 Amateur World Series, the first edition of what would become the Baseball World Cup, in which Great Britain defeated the United States four games to one to become World Champions.

It’s been an amazing run of success this summer. And next up will be the GB senior men’s team in action in September at the European Baseball Championships in the Netherlands.

It’s also worth a shout while we are here to some of the young Herts talent which has been playing baseball on the international stage in August. The London Archers have been representing at the Under-16 Babe Ruth World Series, and the Under-12 Cal Ripken 50/70 World Series.

These rosters included JJ Sanders, until recently a member of the Herts Cardinals, and Charlie Wilkins of the youth programme. The team put in some tremendous performances in Branson, Missouri – and they show that the future looks bright.

The Archers organisation highlighted a first ever win by a UK side at the U12 event, and a first British win over a US World Series side at the U16s – with what they called “a great pitching performance” by JJ.

Our thanks to WBSC Europe for all the stats and some photos; the players for the other pictures; and to Mister Baseball and Herts alumnus Gabriel Fidler for detailed reports on the GB women’s team. Go check out their website!

16 August 202523 August 2025 by Rob Jones

Raptors wrap their season

One final hot Sunday took the Herts Raptors to the Croydon Raiders to end their regular season last weekend (August 10th). They had served a long sentence – waiting seven weeks since their last game to finally write the full stop on 2025.

The Single-A schedule had packed the Raptors games into one long stretch, then a summer break – slightly unconventional for baseball! Would that mean everyone would be well-rested, or rusty, for the finale…..

The visitors loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first inning as they tried to make a statement start, but a strikeout and groundout ended the threat. And the home side immediately jumped ahead to a 5-0 lead with a scattering of hits and some aggressive base-running.

Herts were held scoreless again in the second frame, but this time they also limited Croydon to just one run. Starting pitcher Abdul El Hamri’s first strikeout and good defense by Chaks Baiya helped do the job, and in the top of the third Craig Elliot-Davey drove in the first Raptors run.

Herts then held the Raiders off the board for two innings – with the help of a double-play between catcher Rob Jones and first baseman Elliot-Davey, and then El Hamri doing it all himself in the fourth, fielding two grounders and producing another strikeout.

The Raptors were climbing the mountain they had made for themselves.

They were able to take a 7-6 lead in the final inning with runs from Billy Perry and Baiya. And it looked as if they might cling on to it. But with two out, Croydon pinch-hitter Sam Chen agonisingly managed to bring home the winning run on a dribbling infield hit. It ended 8-7.

Herts had travelled to south London with the expectation that they would need to pitch a bullpen game in the second half of the double-header just to make the contest happen. And, like most Single-A teams, they don’t really have a bullpen. Their roster of starters was depleted by injury, surgery and unavailability. But the team’s enthusiasm was exemplified by the decision of several players to put their pride and their arms on the line and to volunteer to pitch an inning each.

Croydon were also stretching their pitching depth for this mid-August match-up and there were plenty of walks in the early exchanges of Game 2. But when Herts’ Lewis Auchterlounie made his first ever start on the mound, he’d been given a 4-run lead by his offense. He picked up his first career strikeout, and performed solidly for his team.

Raptors scored 3 runs in the second to take the lead, 7-5. In the end, it had turned out one established arm was able to make the trip and so Paul Auchterlounie (yes, a father and son double act) took over with Herts still ahead in the second. Croydon tied it up – but that’s all. The stage was set.

So going into the final open inning, Raptors needed to rack up some runs to give themselves a shot at a win. And they delivered. Elliot-Davey and Paul Owen were among those scoring to create a 4-run cushion. And Croydon could only manage to get one run across before a decisive strikeout sealed a Herts victory, 11-8.

The Raptors ended the season on a high note, though they will be disappointed with their overall record of 4-18. It doesn’t really reflect the effort they made or their competitive performances — for example, they lost five one-run games!

Rookie players came on in leaps and bounds, with Paul Owen leading the team in walks (and narrowly missing out on the HBP title!) Rufus Lloyd slugged his first home run, and got a pitching win – while Abdul El Hamri got his first win on the mound, as did Lewis Auchterlounie.

The end of season spoils were shared around. Michael Foyo led the batting average with an impressive figure of .706 – while co-manager Paul Auchterlounie edged out Dave Roberts for the most RBIs, with 14. Abdul El Hamri was the stolen base king, with 37, and the strikeout leader with 34.

It all offers hope ahead of 2026, as players have another year of development under their belts – and we have fingers crossed for fewer injuries next time around. Looking forward to it already!

16 June 202516 June 2025 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts pitches in for MND and Lou Gehrig Day

Herts baseball club pitched-in to organise a successful charity fundraiser at Grovehill last week – bringing to the UK an initiative run by Major League Baseball (MLB) to fight Motor Neurone Disease.

The club welcomed up to 200 baseball fans and curious locals to the ballpark to enjoy a hotdog while watching competitive league games featuring many of the club’s international players, and take part in its charity raffle and family-friendly batting and throwing competitions.

Lou Gehrig Day is held annually across MLB to raise awareness and funding to fight the devastating degenerative condition and honour Lou Gehrig, the legendary New York Yankees star whose career and life it cut short. It’s known as ‘Lou Gehrig Disease’, or ALS, in the United States.

MLB kindly backed Herts’ efforts by donating official merchandise for its charity raffle, including several New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Angels jerseys. Other prizes were generously donated by UK baseball businesses Baseball Outlet, Home Plate Cards, and The 108, as well as club members and supporters.

This created great excitement and helped to raise over £1,300. The funds will be shared between MNDA’s national office to fund medical research, and the Hertfordshire branch which supports locals living with the condition.

Playing a key role in organising the event – now in its second year at Herts – was Pete Hogg from St Albans, who plays for Herts Hawks in the British Baseball Federation AA league: “The MND Association is a charity that has been close to my heart for several years and as a lifelong baseball fan, I felt inspired to bring Lou Gehrig Day to the UK. I wanted to give back and create an opportunity for everyone to take part and do something fun.

“I’m really grateful to everyone who volunteered their time and effort, and donated prizes, food, and equipment to make it happen,” said Hogg.

“We had a fantastic mix of attendees, from family and friends of the club, to members of the public curious about baseball, and people specifically there to support the charity, which was amazing to see. Everybody made the day feel very special and I’m extra thankful too for all the donations that came from people who couldn’t make it down to the event.”

Also in attendance was Lindsey Lucas, Branch Chair at MNDA Hertfordshire, who delivered the ceremonial first pitch – a pre-game tradition where a guest of honor throws a baseball to officially start the game.

She commented: “The Hertfordshire Branch are immensely grateful to Pete Hogg and Herts Baseball Club for their efforts in organising their Lou Gehrig Day event. Events like this are a very important way of increasing awareness of MND and without the funds raised, we would not be able to fund equipment for people living with this challenging disease in Hertfordshire.”

MND is a progressive disease that affects the nerves found in the brain and spinal cord known as motor neurones. It is life-shortening and there is no cure.

To support Herts Baseball Club’s fundraising efforts please visit: https://givestar.io/gs/lou-gehrig-day-2025-at-herts-baseball-club

31 May 202531 May 2025 by Rob Jones

Baseball on the radio

It’s another big year for Herts baseball club. 2025 has seen the adult section expand to seven teams — including a return to the NBL with the Toucans, and the arrival of the Harriers in Double-A.

It will also see the return of our fund-raising Lou Gehrig Day on June 8th at Grovehill Ballpark.

To talk about all of that – and to add another big moment into the mix — we invited the BBC to come on down to Grovehill to try our sport.

Specifically, we invited Luke Ashmead, Miles Blumson and George Litchfield of BBC 3 Counties Sport. They are on a mission to try out new sports this year so this was the perfect opportunity.

You can listen to the first bit of broadcast gold at this link, which will take you to BBC Sounds. Herts appears at 15:00 minutes into the programme, and again at 50:00 minutes past for the finale. This went out on Friday May 30th – you can listen again at any time.

*Miles (in his Cubs jersey) pitching in*

How did the presenters do??

Pete Hogg of the Herts Hawks and Rob Jones of the Herts Raptors took them through some basics of throwing and catching, before they got to try pitching and hitting. And they showed enthusiasm, talent and even potential!

Luke Ashmead was honest about the fact that he had played baseball before — at Herts! He joined the club for a training session when he was a younger man. But it was great to see that he had clearly remembered the lessons he was given, and he excelled with the bat.

*Luke (centre, wielding bat) with Herts in 2013*

Thanks to Luke, Miles and George for visiting us and being good sports, and for helping spread the word about baseball.

If you want to follow in their footsteps, there is a Contact Us link on the front page of this very website. Message us now and you too could soon be hitting and pitching!

Players have started registering for the 2024 Hunlock Series

14 September 20248 September 2025 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Players have started registering for the 2025 Hunlock Series

The 2025 BBF playoffs still await their climax but, whether your team made it to the post-season or not, arguably the best part of the year is still to come.

Every year, after the end of the BBF season and just when the MLB postseason is about to start, players from Herts and other British baseball clubs – as well as overseas players – compete over several weeks in a tournament in memory of Herts Baseball Club’s number 36, the late Kyle Hunlock.

SERIES FORMAT

This is the 19th year of the Hunlock Series. In its inaugural year in 2006 two teams were involved, the Falcons and the Hawks. The format of the competition has evolved since then. The club has over 170 registered adult players this year and a considerable number of new players are expected to register to play in the Series. As players sign up we will know how many teams will enter the Series this year.

SCHEDULE

A number of one-inning games will be played over three Sundays on 28 September, 5 and 12 October.

VENUES

Games will be played at two ballparks – the plan is for weeks 2 and 3 at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead, and the opening week at Basing Hill Ballpark in London (both pictured above).

WHO CAN PLAY?

Any players aged 14 and over on 31 December 2025 are eligible to play in the Hunlock Series.

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 Single-A league players and newcomers perform alongside NBL and Triple-A 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 could face a tough 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 2026.

NEW PLAYERS

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 and help them decide whether to join the club for the 2026 season.

HOW TO REGISTER

All Hunlock Series players will be drafted into teams. To be eligible for the Draft we ask you to update your availability for the Hunlock Series dates in Spond by Sunday 14th September. If you miss the deadline or the first one or two weeks of games, don’t worry. You will still be eligible to play but will have to be assigned as a free agent after the Draft.

Click here to go to the registration form

ENTRY FEE

2025 Herts club members do not have to pay an entry fee as the Hunlock Series is part of their membership package. If you don’t have a Hunlock Series team shirt, you can buy one before your first game. The team shirt is expected to be priced at £10.

New players or players from other clubs can play by paying an entry fee of £25 which includes a free Hunlock Series shirt of the team which has drafted them.

11 September 202411 September 2024 by Rob Jones

Cardinals go down swinging

“One swing of the bat” has always seemed like a misleading phrase, as nothing in baseball is ever that simple. It’s a bit like saying only the last metre of an Olympic sprint final matters. But that one home run swing felt really crucial in the Herts Cardinals’ first playoff game on Saturday (September 8th).

After a 15-9 season, the Cardinals had reached the postseason. They walked over the Long Eaton Storm to secure a qualifier at Finsbury Park against the Essex Saxons.

By the bottom of the third, Herts were down 1-0. A strikeout and flyout meant they had two out. But there were two men on base. And when catcher Conner Brown connected on a pitch, it was a booming no-doubter towards centre field.

Brown’s home run put the Cards 3-1 up and they didn’t look back. He racked up a fourth RBI in the bottom of the fifth when his groundout brought in Tyler Cote who had reached with one of his two hits. Mike Cresswell drove in the fifth run in the next inning.

And that was enough to back up Cote’s impressive outing on the pitching mound. He yielded only one hit, walked four and struck out nine for the complete game victory.

*The Cardinals in action at Finsbury Park (pic. Mike Cresswell)*

A tidy morning of work for the Cardinals. But in the playoff schedule, that put them straight back into action in the afternoon in a quarter final facing the London Metros.

The first inning was pretty clean for both teams, then Herts threatened in the top of the second. Conner Brown scored the first run, driven in by Bob Laflamme. But the Metros were able to limit the damage to just that singleton, and they scored a pair of two-out runs in reply in their half to take the lead.

Tyler Dale was pitching a gem for the Cardinals, and scattered six hits while striking out three. But London were able to stretch their lead in the third inning to 5-1 and were staying strong. Cardinals bats made good contact but line drives and fly balls always found a fielder.

Going into the seventh and final inning, Herts needed a rally and Vytas Macenas started it off with a single. A hit by pitch got a second man on. But by the time Macenas came round to score there were two out, and a final flyout sealed the Metros’ win.

This has been another another tremendous season for the Cardinals, and a playoff win is a further step forwards. They will return reinvigorated in 2025.

*MK facing London at Grovehill (pic: Rob Jones)*

Over at Grovehill on Saturday, Herts were hosting a round of Single-A playoff games for the British Baseball Federation (BBF). The games were all close, with Milton Keynes Bucks 2, Bracknell Phoenix, and Guildford Millers running out as winners.

The Sunday was due to see Double-A playoffs at the field, but overnight rain and a fresh downpour in the morning threatened to derail things badly. Teams were coming from all over the country, with Bootle Trojans the first to arrive before 8:30.

Rather than see the visitors waste their long trips, the Herts ground crew performed miracles to mop, rake, dry and mark the diamonds ready for baseball. Some sponges and kitty litter also played a part, as did visiting players. The club is immensely grateful to all of them!

Wragby, Richmond, Leeds and London were the winners. The playoffs continue this weekend and beyond.

Cardinals in 2024 action (photo: Herman Ng)

26 August 202425 September 2024 by Rob Jones

Cards start their playoff run; Ravens wait in the wings

The Herts Ravens and the Herts Cardinals now know what September holds for them as they enter the British Baseball Federation (BBF) post-season.

In the Triple-A league, the Cardinals’ 15-9 record put them in the first round of wildcard playoffs. They claimed victory over the Long Eaton Storm on Sunday September 1st because their opponents could not muster a full team and had to forfeit.

The next hurdle is the Essex Saxons, who they face on Saturday September 7th at Finsbury Park. First pitch is at 11am. The two teams split their season series, so look evenly matched.

If they win that, the Cardinals leap straight back into action at 2 o’clock that afternoon at the same venue, facing the London Metros. We are cheering them on all the way!

The Herts Ravens of Single-A ended their regular season with two narrow defeats by the MK Bucks, their closest challenger in their division all year. The two teams split their series of games over the season but the Ravens had locked up the division and take the number 2 seed nationally based on their 15-3 record.

Last year, they had to clock up the miles to play back-to-back playoff games, the last of them in Cardiff.

But in 2024, the Ravens’ seeding means they go straight into the final weekend. On Saturday September 21st they will be the home team in semi-final 1 at Farnham Park. They would be the home team for the final there the next day if they win through, so we are already anticipating some walk-off drama!

Elsewhere in Single-A, the Herts Buzzards closed their regular season with victory in a high-scoring hit-fest against the Essex Redbacks. The teams shared out 30 hits between them, and the Buzzards ended with a 14-13 win and a pitching victory for Declan Carlean.

The Herts Eagles ended with a tough visit to Finsbury Park. They played well, but an injury and admin issues led to an unsatisfactory final day.

*Essex Arrows secure the NBL pennant (pic: Henry Bell)*

There is plenty of activity at Grovehill Ballpark throughout September for anyone wanting to get their baseball fix. Our excellent facilities and fields allow us to host games for a range of other teams – and volunteers are always welcome to help us put on the events!

There were a final round of NBL games there on September 1st, as they wrapped up their regular season and decided playoff placings. Essex Arrows secured the league title. On September 7/8th there are quarter finals for the Single-A and Double-A leagues, and then a further fixture on the 15th.

Our youth players have also returned to action, after the separate summer camps which ran during July and August (which, we are delighted to say, attracted some new talent to the club).

There is training at both Basing Hill and Grovehill on August 31st, with activity combined at Basing Hill the following week. This is all building up to the Youth Baseball National Championships (YNBCs) at Farnham Park. The U-10s and U-12s are there on September 14th, with the U-15s and U-18s following up on September 21st.

*Herts has a long pedigree at YNBCs – this is from 2014*

Hawks walk-off leads the way in weekend of big wins

13 August 202413 August 2024 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Hawks walk-off a highlight in weekend of big wins

by Ken Pike and Rob Jones

The Herts Hawks of the AA-league went into their final double-header of the regular season knowing that a win might secure them a playoff berth. It would depend on other results, thanks in part to a number of teams falling foul of the forfeit rules. But the first task is to beat the team in front of you.

The Norwich Iceni, being tough competition, would not have been the Hawks’ opposition of choice under a beating hot sun at Grovehill. The Hawks went for it full throttle from the first inning of Game 1 when the first two pitches resulted in outs.

This was the start of a close and fast game with defence on both sides being highly effective. Norwich took the lead after two, but the Hawks kept chipping away and held the visitors to zeroes in most innings.

In the end, after more than 2 hours in the baking dust, it came down to the last inning with the Hawks behind by 1 run.

Ken Pike dropped a bunt and got on first thanks, in part, to a slip by the pitcher. He promptly worked his way to second where a hit from Dale Hardwick brought him round with another error from Norwich. The pressure was telling. Hardwick, now on first, made his own call for lightning-fast rookie Kobby Darteh to come in as a pinch runner.

The youngster said thanks by stealing second before Gio Basilea stepped to the plate and, a couple of swings later, launched a ball deep into the outfield. Darteh’s first and only contribution to the game became the winning run sending the Hawks into cheers. Pike took the pitching win, scattering 8 hits and striking out 6.

The second game was a similarly edgy affair, with Basilea and then Lee Manning sharing the duties on the mound. Harry McMenamin drove in two, while Jack O’Brien hit a double. But the heat was taking its toll and in the end Norwich built up a lead that despite a late surge proved to be just enough to clinch the win 8-5.

On Saturday, the Herts Buzzards of Single-A had secured the first big headline of the weekend. They took a dramatic win at Grovehill against MK Bucks, one of the powerhouses of the division. It was a game with lots of traffic on the basepaths, with Herts’ Declan Carlean, Danny Preston and Lee Dunn racking up multiple hits.

The Buzzards had edged ahead 12-11 entering the final inning. Then Dunn locked down the complete game win from the mound, his 100th pitch a fly-out to seal victory. MK had their revenge in Game 2, but the Buzzards can be proud of a great win.

Their Single-A stablemates, the Herts Eagles, came away from their Sunday trip to Richmond with a sweep. They beat the Dukes 11-3 and 17-7, with Danny Chan and Ben Myzer the winning pitchers and there was praise from the team for their solid work.

First baseman Neil Chilton got the Eagles’ fielding highlight of the day, ending the third inning with an unassisted double play to end the threat of a Richmond rally. Gregoire Iseli and Ahmed Hassan led the offense. The Eagles are finishing the season strong.

*Nic Goetz in action on Sunday (pic: MK Bucks)*

The Herts Ravens’ unbeaten record finally fell in Game 2 of their double-header at MK Bucks on Sunday. The home side hung on for a 16-15 victory on a very hot day which drained everyone’s energy.

But the Ravens’ 9-4 win in Game 1 had secured them the division title for the second year in a row. Nic Goetz sparkled as always on the mound, guest star Danny Preston bashed a home run, and Hunter Devine did everything across the two games – as catcher, outfielder, batter and base-stealer.

The club’s expert statisticians say the Ravens had actually been on a 34-game regular season unbeaten run. That’s pretty extraordinary, and the team feel well poised for the Single-A playoffs, whatever that might bring.

All box scores can be found at the British Baseball Federation website.

12 June 202412 June 2024 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Youth summer camps come to Herts for 2024

In a year which has seen MLB return to the UK with a bang, Herts Baseball Club is thrilled to announce a new offering for our players – and for kids across British baseball.

The club will run a Summer Youth Baseball Training program at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead designed to cater to young players of all ages and skill levels. Sessions will take place from 23rd July to 15th August, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The program will be divided into two levels, Beginner and Experienced, to ensure the best and safest development of all of those taking part. Please ask your coaches if you have questions about which level suits you best.

The cost is just £15 per week (the fourth week has two sessions rather than three), or £50 for all 11 sessions. We feel this is excellent value, considering the expert leadership provided by Coach Stephen and his team. It is important to us to make sure baseball is available to as many families as possible.

Experienced Players

Skill Level: Players with over 1 year of baseball experience.
Age Group: 11-16 years old
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (3 hours per session)
Training Content:
- Advanced skill development
- Pitcher and catcher training
- Hitting drills and techniques
- Physical conditioning

Beginner Players

Skill Level: Players with less than 1 year of baseball experience, or under 10 years old.
Age Group: less experienced players or under 10 years old
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (2 hours per session)
Training Content:
- Basic skill development
- Introduction to catch and throw
- Fundamental hitting drills
- Body coordination training

Registration

Participants will need to be registered with the British Baseball Federation (BBF), the sport’s UK governing body. To do this, you must sign up through the Sport80 website. All our existing players will already have done this, but please ensure you sign up if you are new to the season.

To register for the Herts Summer Baseball Training program, please fill in the online registration form. Ensure you select the appropriate skill level group for your child. If you have any questions, please consult your coach. Payment will be taken through the club’s Direct Debit process.

Training Content Breakdown

Individual Skill Development

Throwing: Techniques to improve accuracy and strength
Catching: Proper catching techniques and positioning
Fielding: Infield and outfield drills to enhance agility and reaction time

Pitcher and Catcher Training

Pitchers: Mechanics, control, and various pitching techniques
Catchers: Stance, receiving, blocking, and throw-down drills

Hitting Training

Beginners: Basic batting stance, swing mechanics, and tee work
Experienced: Advanced hitting strategies, live pitching, and situational hitting

Physical Conditioning/ Body coordination training

Strength Training: Age-appropriate exercises to build muscle and endurance
Agility Drills: Enhance speed and coordination
Flexibility Exercises: Stretching routines to prevent injuries
Body Coordination Drills

We look forward to seeing you at the Herts Baseball Club Summer Camp — and helping our young players enhance their skills and enjoy the game of baseball!