Category: Headlines

by AspiDimitrov

Herts Little League Baseball Season Opens This Saturday

The Herts Baseball Little League is back.

The waiting is over. The boys and girls of summer will get the 2011 Herts Baseball Little League season underway this Saturday, 7 May 2011, at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. Players from across Hertfordshire, London and as far as East Anglia will be putting on the Herts jerseys as the race for the championship begins.

The season will open with two mouth-watering match-ups. The reigning Champions, Herts Red Sox, will face bitter rivals the Herts Yankees. Red Sox Manager, Arnie Longboy, will be hoping that his team can pick up where they left at the end of last season. Their opponents, the Herts Yankees, picked up the bronze medals last year and they will be eager to get back to winning ways early. Both teams will field very strong lineups with each of them featuring members of the Herts All Stars team which represented Hertfordshire so magnificently at last year’s British National Baseball Championships and returned home with the silverware.

The other Opening Day match-up is expected to be another exciting clash. When baseball fans hear Dodgers and Giants, they think of the famous West Coast rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. The Herts Dodgers and the Herts Giants Opening Day clash is likely to be just as fiery.

As always, at the start of every season, there will be many new faces after numerous player transfers, trades between the teams and free agents joining the League during the close season, so it will be a fascinating opening day.

This year’s Herts Little League will see a changed format with teams from other parts of the country taking part as well in an Inter-League format similar to the one introduced in America a few years ago. It brought a lot of excitement to Major League Baseball and it is expected to spice things up in Hertfordshire as well.

Apart from the race for the Herts Little League Championship, throughout the 2011 season members of the Herts Little League will also be taking part in BBF league games against teams from other parts of the country. The Herts teams competing in the BBF Leagues are referred to as All-Star teams and they are a selection of the best performing players from all the Herts Little League teams in the various age groups.

Last year Herts had one All-Star team competing in the BBF Under-14 (Bronco) League. This year Herts is committed to give more of its members the All-Stars experience by adding two more All-Star teams competing in the BBF Leagues.

With the weather expected to remain sunny, there isn’t a better way to spend Saturday then at the ballpark enjoying the various snacks and drinks which will be on offer. The games begin at 11am. Free admission for all. Many new players have signed up with the teams over the last few weeks and new players can join the League at any point of the season. For more details contact Herts Baseball Club by visiting their official website www.hertsbaseball.com

by Rob Jones

ANOTHER INCH, PLEASE

By Rob Jones, still Going Through the Change

You don’t need me to tell you that baseball is a game of inches. But at least the next time I think about it I will have a few frustrating examples to offer, all from half a game at home to the Southampton Mustangs. I was back at third base as a substitute, after missing the top of the game due to being asleep after a night shift. And the hot corner was to give me a very hot day.

A close play at first base for the Raptors in 2010
It all comes together in a close play at first base

The first chance came quickly, I think the first batter of the second inning I played. I fielded the ball cleanly, took a step, then sent a throw sailing about ten feet wide of the first baseman. I felt the smooth part of the ball slip from the fingers as I threw it, but that doesn’t help me get it back.

The second throw, in the next inning, was in the first baseman’s reach, but it was still between him and the onrushing runner, and he couldn’t hang on. Having played a bit of first myself, I realised I had rather hung him out to dry.

The third one went … I remember not where, but I know the guy wasn’t given out! And the fourth throw, with runners on base, was there and safe and sound – but to my surprise the runner was also given safe and sound. Four chances, one clear error, and no outs.

Somewhere in the midst of all this I made what was nearly a spectacular play. Leaping at a line drive which even I thought was about to go over my head, I got the meat of the glove to a ball. But just not enough, or I started landing a fraction too soon, I don’t know. The ball flicked back up in the air, out of reach of a flailing second attempt, then fell to ground. Almost a web gem, but in the end just another runner aboard.

So where does the inch come into it? Well, I’m not a big guy and I don’t think it’s giving too much away to any future opposition to say I do not have a “Big Arm”. But the throw from third base is a “Big Throw”, and there’s a simple conclusion here that I just didn’t make it. That inch might have got those outs. An inch might have secured that catch, too.

All of this might spell the swift end of my third base career, though I hope not! I have played two stints there and I really enjoyed it. Chiefly because those stints have been busy, and that’s exactly what you want when you step on the field – “hit the ball to ME!”

I was really pleased that against the Mustangs I picked up every ball cleanly and surely, despite all the rust- and sleep-related excuses I am keeping in reserve. But the throws need to be that bit sharper and stronger to make sure I get the guy, and I am keen to work on that. Unless someone conjures me an inch…

While I am on the topic of being “sharper”, I should note that for the second time in two games I found my uniform spattered with blood. In the HSL it was, I think, just a rotating seam that scuffed skin off my hand. All rather feeble, and when it happened this time around I started to think about seeing a ‘weak skin specialist’ or something. So I was slightly reassured to find once I cleaned up my hand after the game that it was a bona fide cut. And I duly found a shard of broken glass near my fielding position at third. A note to all, I think, to check a public field carefully when you set up.

My cut throwing hand
The red badge of courage

A quick word about my batting is that just half an inch might have done, to make my first at-bat a hit. On a 2-2 count fastball I swung but just missed making really good contact. It became a fairly routine ground ball to the third baseman. I was out by a step, but I was out.

I think most Herts players can take solace in the quality of the Southampton defence. As you may have read elsewhere, Mustangs pitcher Dave Wrigley recorded the club’s first no-hitter. But that was not because he was so overpowering or bamboozling. Large part — and I’m sure he would agree – was down to his defence. Take for example, the scorching Raptors hit to lead off the ninth. It was an excellent pick-up by the fielder, then made even better by the first baseman digging it out. We must doff the cap to a really good performance by the visitors.

And what of the Raptors’ all-round experience? Whilst it may not have started well, when I got there it was a tight game. The home team threw up zeroes, and made good plays. New guys seemed pretty confident and comfortable. It’s hard to look back on lots of glaring errors, barring my own decision to airmail a routine throw to first. So there’s always stuff to learn, and with a rookie team a lot of it is still drilling on basics. But there’s a lot to look forward to as well.

by AspiDimitrov

Since We’ve Been Gone

Recharging batteries after busy inning at third base

As the Jones family flew into the United States last week, what did I most notice out of the plane window?

Was it the skyscrapers? The huge, snaking interstate roads? No, it was the baseball fields. The sight of more and more of those distinctive cut-out diamonds warmed my heart. At one site there were about nine, all clustered together. Not a major league training complex, not a national centre. Just a few diamonds, casually sprinkled in the suburbs. It’s a different world over there.

We actually spent most of the holiday in Canada, where I took in my first Major League game for about five and a half years. The Toronto Blue Jays, who had started the season with a burst of runs and victories, hosted the Oakland Athletics. Jose Bautista was out of the line-up, most of the big stars have long been traded away, but the Blue Jays are still soldiering on. This game was a pitcher’s duel, coming down to a couple of manufactured runs and a wild pitch. Oakland won 2-1.

It didn’t win over the extended family to the joys of the game — “Swing miss, swing miss, swing miss, sit down” is still how my sister characterises baseball — but I certainly enjoyed the experience. And I got within just a few feet of one of those diamonds I had been excited about seeing from the air.

Sadly, while I was gone, the British season got under way without me. And it sounds as if it started badly for Herts. No wins. But it also sounds as if a much depleted Falcons side was only undone by one bad inning, and the Hawks and Raptors faced leading contenders from their divisions. It will take more than a defeat to dissipate the excitement of opening day. I know I can’t wait to get started, and I guess that the players who already have a game under their belts still feel that way too — they want to really get going, and get winning.

Part of the reason for my pwn enthusiasm is the boost from the Herts Spring League. Since we have a weekend off, I thought I would take the opportunity to reach back to the pre-season for some observations which never quite made it to the blog.

First of all I have to ask everyone involved one question — was that fun or was that fun? I usually refer to Spring Training in inverted commas, to suggest in my amusing little way that the experience is often cold and wintry. But it was pretty bright and sunny when I was there, and good baseball was to be found. It was great for Herts to attract another record number of teams for the tournament.

My own ailing physique actually found the experience quite reassuring. Since starting the year by moaning that my 38 year old body seemed to be creaking under the strain, I had tried doggedly to put in hours at the gym or on the streets. I can rarely get to baseball training but I can run home after doing the school drop-off, and my shifts at work have been kind in allowing me to get on the treadmill and lifting (suitably small) weights.

And I felt pretty good after playing two games. I was bleeding after ripping skin off my hand by misfielding a line drive, but what’s a bit of blood between friends? Overall, it’s nothing! I was ready for more.

I made my competitive debut as third base, often referred to as the Hot Corner. And it was like a firing range down there! There were drives over my head, balls along the line, and an infuriating bloop over my head. I managed to stop quite a few, with my legs, my chest and sometimes even my glove. One ball fair knocked me on my backside as it kicked up off the infield grass, and another I had to slide for in the gravel. But they both ended in the glove. The throws were a little too hurried and didn’t make it in time by inches. But that gives me stuff to work on.

For the record and for my ego I should say that I did make some outs, including a tag to cap off some good relay work from the outfield and snag an aggressive Herts Hawks runner.

As for the batting… well, the first against the Hawks was probably the worst I can think of for some time. Hitting second in the line-up and with a runner on first, I would almost never swing at the first pitch. Why would you? Even in any situation I am pretty patient, and won two batting titles basically on the fact that I wouldn’t swing at junk. So did I wait patiently and let my runner steal? Err, no. I watched the pitch, waited, and then the rush of blood became too much to contain so I swung at it. By then, though, it was far too late. It came off like a checked swing and hopped down to the first base man.

Fortunately the runner had enough of a jump that I didn’t hang him out to dry in a double play. And later at-bats were a bit better. My second ground-out to the Hawks was down to Nick Russell’s nifty fielding, and against the Redbacks I got three good hits and I’m pretty sure a walk thrown in too. So there’s another whiff of optimism as I count down to my own Opening Day. See you all there, as soon as I can.

by AspiDimitrov

Opening Day Disaster for Herts

The Herts teams couldn’t have imagined a worse start of the 2011 baseball season.  All four games involving Herts teams ended in defeat.  

  

The Herts Falcons faced the Southampton Mustangs in their home opener and they came into the game with a lot of confidence after a good run of results in Spring Training which included a convincing victory against the Mustangs.  Despite taking the lead in the first inning, the Falcons gradually lost grip of the game.  In the fifth inning the visitors delivered the knockout punch scoring 9 runs.  Southampton’s starting pitcher, Gary Davison, pitched a complete game allowing only 4 hits. He was shaken up only once when the Falcons’ 2009 MVP, Darrin  Ward, launched a towering 2-run home run over the left-field wall, but it came too late for Herts.   

 

The second game of the doubleheader was a much closer contest.  Chuck Truelson picked up the win for Southampton after Rodriguez came in very effectively to relieve him in the fourth inning.  Herts Falcons Manager, Lee Manning, was gracious in defeat: “Southampton outplayed us and they deserved to win today. We need to bounce back now.”

 

The one positive for the Falcons is that they now have a two-week break which should be enough for their freakishly long list of injured players to recover including Jamie Munn (arm), Jon Lewys (ankle), Troy Linton (elbow), Nic Goetz (arm), Mahendra Prasad (hamstring), Aspi Dimitrov (shoulder).  They will face the Croydon Pirates in their next game on May 1, once again at Grovehill Ballpark.

 

The Herts Hawks were brought down to earth by a much improved Thames Valley team who, on today’s performance, should be able to challenge in the race for the postseason.  They have acquired the temperamental lefty starting pitcher, Matteo, from the Oxford Kings.  Despite pitching a blinder, he managed to get himself ejected from the game in the final inning with his team winning 16-5.

 

The Herts Raptors opened their campaign against the newly formed Cambridge Royals, who already look like the team to beat in the Single-A League.  With experienced players like Gary Liston, Adam Brown and Sri Lankan pitcher Raj, who fans of Herts know well, they have the tools to get to the postseason.  They won with a convincing 33-5 score against a Herts Raptors team that will be in much better shape in their next game with the return of some of the team’s big guns Arnie Longboy, Bryan Drummond, Chris Deacon, Phil Crooks, Rob Jones, Stephen Patmore and Tom Green.

 

A disappointing start of the season for the Herts teams, but those who dismiss their chances do so at their own peril.

 

 

BOX SCORES – GAME 1  

Southampton Mustangs at Herts Falcons
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Southampton Mustangs 1 2 1 1 9 0 1 0 15 18 3
Herts Falcons 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 5 4 7
Southampton Mustangs 15, Herts Falcons 5
Southampton Mustangs Herts Falcons
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
AIZPURUA V. ss 4 2 2 2 PRASAD Mahendra cf 4 0 0 0
(b5) BIBBY R. rf-ss 2 0 0 0 SAIONJI Kimiyoshi 2b 2 2 0 0
DAVIS Ben 1b 5 1 4 3 WARD Darrin p 3 2 1 2
RODRIGUEZ A. cf 5 2 1 2 LINTON Troy 1b 4 1 1 1
SIERRA Oscar c 5 2 2 0 HARE Louis ss 2 0 0 0
DAVISON Gary p 5 2 2 0 LEWYS Jonathon rf 3 0 0 0
TRUELSON Chuck 3b 5 2 2 2 GOETZ Nic 3b 3 0 1 0
ARIETA Ross rf 5 2 2 1 DIMITROV Aspi lf 2 0 0 0
JOHNSON P. 2b 5 2 3 0 MANNING Lee c 2 0 1 0
COOPER A. lf 3 0 0 1 (t6) SHERMAN Perrie c 1 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 44 15 18 11 TEAM TOTALS 26 5 4 3
E: RODRIGUEZ A., DAVISON Gary, TRUELSON Chuck, HARE Louis(3), GOETZ Nic(2), LINTON
Troy, LEWYS Jonathon. LOB: Herts Falcons 5, Southampton Mustangs 10. 2B: DAVIS
Ben(3), DAVISON Gary, SIERRA Oscar, JOHNSON P., MANNING Lee. HR: RODRIGUEZ A.,
TRUELSON Chuck, WARD Darrin. SB: DAVIS Ben(2), TRUELSON Chuck, JOHNSON P., AIZPURUA
V., SAIONJI Kimiyoshi. CS: HARE Louis. SF: COOPER A..
Southampton Mustangs IP H R ER BB SO
DAVISON Gary W 7.00 4 5 2 5 6
Herts Falcons            
WARD Darrin L 7.00 18 15 8 1 2

  

   

 

BOX SCORES – GAME 2  

 

Southampton Mustangs at Herts Falcons
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Southampton Mustangs 3 3 1 0 4 0 0 11 12 5
Herts Falcons 2 0 3 0 0 3 0 8 6 5
Southampton Mustangs 11, Herts Falcons 8
Southampton Mustangs Herts Falcons
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
AIZPURUA Victor 2b-ss 5 3 3 0 PRASAD Mahendra cf 4 1 2 2
DAVIS Ben cf 5 2 2 2 SAIONJI Kimiyoshi 2b 2 1 0 1
RODRIGUEZ A. 3b-p 5 2 2 0 WARD Darrin 1b 3 2 1 0
SIERRA O. c 4 3 2 6 LINTON Troy 3b-ss 4 0 0 0
DAVISON G. 1b 3 1 1 2 HARE Louis ss-p 4 1 1 2
TRUELSON Chuck p 2 0 0 0 LEWYS Jonathon lf 3 1 1 2
(b4) JOHNSON P. 2b 1 0 1 0 (t6) ARNOTT Jim rf 1 0 0 0
ARIETA Ross rf 4 0 1 0 GOETZ Nic p-3b 1 0 0 0
BIBBY R. ss-3b 4 0 0 0 (b3) DIMITROV Aspi 3b 3 0 1 1
COOPER A. lf 4 0 0 0 NAGHAR Rodney rf-lf 2 1 0 0
          MANNING Lee c 2 0 0 0
          (b6) SHERMAN Perrie pr-c 0 1 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 37 11 12 10 TEAM TOTALS 29 8 6 8
E: BIBBY R.(2), DAVIS Ben, RODRIGUEZ A., AIZPURUA Victor, LINTON Troy(2), HARE Louis,
MANNING Lee, NAGHAR Rodney. LOB: Herts Falcons 5, Southampton Mustangs 7. 2B: HARE
Louis, PRASAD Mahendra, DIMITROV Aspi. 3B: PRASAD Mahendra. HR: SIERRA O.(2), DAVISON
G.. SB: AIZPURUA Victor(2), DAVIS Ben, JOHNSON P.. SF: SAIONJI Kimiyoshi.
Southampton Mustangs IP H R ER BB SO
RODRIGUEZ A. 4.00 3 3 1 1 2
TRUELSON Chuck W 3.00 3 5 1 3 2
Herts Falcons            
HARE Louis 4.67 7 5 2 0 3
GOETZ Nic L 2.33 5 6 3 1 1
HBP: by GOETZ Nic (DAVISON G.). . . . . . . Balk: RODRIGUEZ A.. T: 2:30. A: 89.
by AspiDimitrov

Let the Battle Begin

Richmond won the NBL and AA league titles last year.  Who will it be this year?

 

The grass is cut, the foul lines have been marked out, the baseball gloves are well-oiled and the bats are ready to hit one out of the park.  British Baseball prepares for the opening of the 2011 season.  Clubs around the country have been preparing for this moment for the last six months. The time for talking is over. Let the battle for the league title begin.

 

Just like all the other clubs around the country, the Herts teams are eager to get the show started.  The club’s top team, the Herts Falcons will go into the new season with many new faces in their roster.  They had a promising run of pre-season results against other National Baseball League (NBL) opponents so there is an extra spring in their step. Newly appointed manager, Lee Manning who has been a member of the club since it was founded in 1996, is excited about the team’s prospects. “Everyone is relaxed and excited about the season.  The atmosphere has been great, and we’re really looking forward to it”, said Manning.

 

The Falcons start their 2011 NBL campaign at home against the Southampton Mustangs, a team which made it to last year’s postseason playoffs in their first season in the country’s top league.  The two teams met on Opening Day last year.  The Falcons swept the Mustangs on that occasion but despite this Southampton ended up much higher in the league standings by the end of the regular season, so, whatever happens in these Opening Day series, it will not determine where these two teams will end up in August, but there is no doubt that both of them would want to get off to a winning start.

 

The Herts Hawks open the season away at the Thames Valley Bisons.  The Hawks roster looks much stronger than last year so it is not a secret that the club is very optimistic that the Hawks may have an outside chance of getting into the postseason playoffs. Co-Managers Greg Bochan and Andy Cornish have been preparing and planning meticulously for this day so now it is time to deliver.

 

The Herts Raptors ended last season with one win and twelve losses, but despite this it was a fun season with the team members embracing the underdog spirit.  Herts has once again attracted a wave of new players who are new to baseball so Manager Ken Pike will have the difficult task of turning them into a team which is capable of surprising the league against the odds.  The team had moments of brilliance during the Herts Spring League which included a spirited fightback against the Essex RedBacks only to lose 16-17 in the final inning, so the Raptors’ prospects may not be as bad as some may think.

 

OPENING DAY GAMES FOR THE HERTS TEAMS

Sunday, 17 April 2011

 

National Baseball League

Southampton Mustangs @ Herts Falcons (12:30pm)

Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead

 

AA League

Herts Hawks @ Thames Valley Bisons (12:00pm)

Thames Valley

 

A League

Cambridge Royals @ Herts Raptors (14:00pm)

Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead

by AspiDimitrov

BBF releases league structure for 2011 season

51 adult teams will play at four levels and in ten divisions during the 2011 British Baseball season, according to the league structure released by the British Baseball Federation on March 30.

The British Baseball Federation has released the league and divisional structures for the 2011 baseball season that will begin for all leagues on Sunday, April 17.

51 adult teams will play at four levels and in ten divisions during the 2011 season.

The flagship National Baseball League has expanded again this year, to 10 teams in two pools.

The AAA level will have North and South divisions, with four teams in the North and six in the South.

At AA level, there will be North and Midlands divisions with five teams each and two South divisions with seven teams in one and six in the other.

At A level, there will be two divisions, both in the South, and both with four teams each.

The playoff and National Championship structure that will emerge from these divisions will be announced by the BBF shortly.

Meanwhile, here is how the teams will line up for play this season.

NBL

Pool A
Bracknell Blazers
Croydon Pirates
Essex Arrows
Richmond Flames
Southampton Mustangs
 
Pool B
Herts Falcons
Lakenheath Diamondbacks
London Mets
Mildenhall Bulldogs
Southern Nationals

 

AAA

AAA North
Halton Jaguars
Liverpool Trojans
Manchester A’s
Menwith Hill Patriots
 
AAA South
Bracknell Blazers II
Bristol Badgers
Essex Redbacks
London Metros
Oxford Kings
Richmond Knights

AA

AA North
Bolton Robots of Doom
Humber Pilots
Manchester Torrent
Oldham North Stars
Sheffield Bladerunners
 
AA Midlands
Birmingham Maple Leafs
Leicester Blue Sox
Leicester Blue Sox II
Milton Keynes Bucks
Nottingham Rebels
 
AA South 1
Brentwood Stags
Croydon Pirates III
Essex Archers
Essex Redbacks II
Kent Mariners
Latin Boys
Sidewinders
 
AA South 2
Guildford Mavericks
Herts Hawks
Poole Piranhas
Richmond Dragons
Thames Valley Bisons
Windsor Bears
 

A

A South 1
Braintree Rays
Cambridge Royals
Herts Raptors
Old Timers
 
A South 2
Guildford Mavericks II
London Marauders
Southampton Mustangs II
Tonbridge Baseball Club
This article was first published at britishbaseball.com
by AspiDimitrov

RICHMOND AND MK WIN THRILLING HSL FINALS

 

Richmond clinched the 2011 Herts Spring League Championship in the Majors Division, while the Milton Keynes Bucks were crowned Champions of the Minors Division.

 

Twenty teams played 46 games over the last three weekends as part of the annual Herts Spring League competition. This was the final rehearsal for the teams from the British baseball leagues before the start of the new baseball season.

 

Over the years the teams have become accustomed to the unpredictable weather during this Spring competition, but this year, and this weekend in particular, the games were played in weather conditions which we can expect only in the height of summer.  Temperatures were as high as 23oC and the barbeques were out in force around Grovehill Ballpark in Herts.

 

Once the first pitch was thrown it was all about the baseball and we were not disappointed.  Both the Majors and Minors Finals were decided by a one-run difference and everyone was kept on the edge of their seat right to the end. 

 

In the Majors Division the Richmond Flames clashed with the newly formed Southern Nationals.  At the end, the 2010 National Champions, Richmond, came out on top with a dramatic 6-5 win.

 

In the Minors Division Final, we saw a repeat of the 2010 Single-A National Final between the Milton Keynes Bucks and the Guildford Mavericks.  The game was played at exactly the same venue in Hemel Hempstead and again turned out to be a classic match-up.  The MK Bucks were once again victorious, but it took everything they had in their tank to win 11-10.

 

The remaining teams in the competition also played their final games.  Herts Falcons, Lakenheath Diamondbacks and Mildenhall Bulldogs played in a three-way playoff to determine the Bronze medallists in the HSL Majors.  Each team won one and lost one so it came down to who conceded the fewest number of runs in these games.  On the basis of that rule Mildenhall was confirmed as the winner of the 3rd Place Playoff.  Lakenheath finished fourth and the Herts Falcons fifth.  Bracknell finished 6th. Essex Arrows secured 7th Place after an impressive 11-8 win against their old rivals, the Southampton Mustangs.  The Sidewinders beat the Herts Hawks 10-4 to finish fifth in the HSL Minors.  Ahead of their first season back in the British baseball leagues, the Cambridge Royals won convincingly against the Leicester Blue Sox. Finally, despite a late fight back by the Herts Raptors, the London Marauders came out on top 13-10.

 

All attention now turns to next Sunday’s Opening Day of the 2011 British baseball season.  If the Herts Spring League is an indication of what we can expect this year then we are in for one of the most exciting seasons in recent times.

 

For full details of the scores in the final weekend of HSL action visit the official HSL website.

by AspiDimitrov

HSL GROUP GAMES END WITH TIE-BREAKS AND PHENOMENAL COMEBACKS

 

  

The group stage of the 2011 Herts Spring League was completed in dramatic fashion at the weekend with battles for positions in both the Majors and Minors Divisions. 

  

In Majors A Richmond clinched first place after maintaining their unbeaten record with wins over Southampton (5-0) and Herts (1-0).  Herts Falcons’ 18-2 win over the RedBacks secured second place for them.  The Bracknell Blazers finished in third place despite a catastrophic last inning collapse against the RedBacks.  The boys from Essex were trailing 6-0 going into the last inning but came out like mad men with their baseball bats in the bottom of the inning to win 7-6.  Bracknell bounced back with a 4-1 win over Southampton. 

  

Richmond’s opponents in the HSL Championship game required a careful mathematical calculation as three teams in Majors B Division ended up with the same number of wins.  Ultimately the Southern Nationals clinched on the second tie-break rule which states that the team which has conceded the fewest number of runs in the direct games amongst the tied teams will be placed first. 

  

In the Minors Division the Championship game will be between the Guildford Mavericks and the MK Bucks, after both won all of their group games.  This would be a repeat of the 2010 Single-A National Final when the two teams produced an classic pitchers’ duel. 

  

For full list of scores from the group stage and the final group standings you can visit the official HSL website. 

  

This sets up an exciting schedule for the Finals this weekend with games taking place at Richmond and Herts.  Ideally, the Final would be played at Herts but by virtue of Richmond being scheduled to host games at their field this weekend it was logistically difficult to stage the Final anywhere else. 

DATE TIME VENUE FINALS VISITING TEAM HOME TEAM
09-Apr-11 11:00 Herts (Field1) Finals MAJ 3rd/4th/5th Herts Falcons Mildenhall Bulldogs
09-Apr-11 12:45 Herts (Field1) Finals MAJ 3rd/4th/5th Mildenhall Bulldogs Lakenheath Diamondbacks
09-Apr-11 14:30 Herts (Field1) Finals MAJ 3rd/4th/5th Lakenheath Diamondbacks Herts Falcons
09-Apr-11 10:30 Herts (Field2) Finals MAJ 7th/8th Essex Arrows Southampton Mustangs
09-Apr-11 13:30 Herts (Field2) Finals MIN 9th/10th Herts Raptors London Marauders
09-Apr-11 10:00 Richmond Finals MIN 3rd/4th Richmond Knights Essex Redbacks II
09-Apr-11 13:00 Richmond Finals MAJ 9th/10th GB Juniors Essex Redbacks
09-Apr-11 16:00 Richmond Finals MAJ 1st/2nd Southern Nationals Richmond Flames
10-Apr-11 11:00 Herts (Field2) Finals MIN 7th/8th Cambridge Royals Leicester Blue Sox
10-Apr-11 14:00 Herts (Field1) Finals MIN 5th/6th Herts Hawks Sidewinders
10-Apr-11 14:00 Herts (Field2) Finals MIN 1st/2nd Guildford Mavericks Milton Keynes Bucks
by AspiDimitrov

HSL WEEK 1 ROUND-UP

 

Before the battle – Herts and Southampton clash in the HSL Majors (Group A) 

  

Baseball returned to ballparks around the South East with the start of the 2011 Herts Spring League (HSL).  18 games were played at Herts, RAF Feltwell and Richmond. 

  

MAJORS (GROUP A) 

First up were the teams in the HSL Majors Group A and the most eagerly awaited game was 2010 National Championship rematch between Bracknell and Richmond.  The Flames came out on top once again and the 11-2 score line was strangely similar to last year’s 10-1 win. There were several new faces in the Richmond line-up and it looks like they will be very valuable additions to the Richmond roster this year.  Earlier on Saturday Richmond picked up another convincing win against the Essex RedBacks. 

  

Another team to get off to a perfect start in the Majors Group A are the Herts Falcons.  The HSL hosts started their Spring Training campaign with an 8-4 win against the Southampton Mustangs and followed that up with an 11-9 come-from-behind triumph over the Bracknell Blazers.  With Richmond and Herts going into the final group games with a 100% record it sets up an exciting prospect of the group being decided in the direct game between the two teams at 5pm next Sunday, 3 April 2011, at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead.  The other teams, and Southampton in particular, are not out of the race and they may have something to say about that. 

  

MAJORS (GROUP B) 

The Southern Nationals who earlier this week were confirmed as one of two new NBL teams for 2011 had a dream start in the HSL with two wins.  They first overcame the GB Juniors National Team by a score of 10-0.  They followed that up with another shut-out win over the Mildenhall Bulldogs, but this time it was a much closer encounter decided by one run.  The GB Juniors were then involved in a real pitchers’ duel with the Essex Arrows, which the Arrows won 1-0.  Richard Chesterton driving in the winning run.  All the games in Group B of the HSL Majors were played at RAF Feltwell which is the home of the Mildenhall Bulldogs and the Lakenheath Diamondbacks, the latter also being confirmed as an NBL expansion team for the upcoming season.  These two teams faced each other on Sunday but the game ended in a 5-5 tie.  This will certainly be an interesting rivalry to follow in this year’s NBL. 

 

MINORS (GROUP A) 

The Sidewinders swept their opponents aside in style.  They first took care of the Richmond Knights with a 24-2 win and followed it with a 23-2 victory over the London Marauders. Earlier in the day Guildford beat the Knights in a thrilling 7-6 ballgame. This would suggest that the race for first place in this group is between the Sidewinders and the Guildford Mavericks, but Sidewinders are expecting to be missing many of their players in week two which may open the door for all the other teams to get back in the race. 

  

 

Essex RedBacks running over the Leicester Blue Sox on Sunday 

  

MINORS (GROUP B) 

Group B in the Minors section of the HSL got off to a great start with a very high quality game between the Milton Keynes Bucks and the hosts Herts Hawks.  This was a rare encounter between AA Midlands and AA South teams which was a good opportunity to see how these two regions compare.  The Bucks took an early 2-0 lead but the Hawks were always in contention.  Thanks to good pitching and defence by both teams, this was a fast-moving and crisp game of baseball.  The Hawks mounted a come back with two runs in the late innings, but it wasn’t enough as the Bucks won it 3-2 with a 6-inning game completed within one hour and thirty five minutes, which is unusually fast for a AA game. 

  

MK Bucks maintained their perfect record with a 8-0 win over last year’s HSL Minors winners, the Leicester Blue Sox.  This group remains nicely poised after the Essex RedBacks’ minor league affiliate also ended the day with two wins and no losses.  Their first win was against Leicester and the second against the Herts Raptors who made an incredible came back from 15-5 down in the final inning to take a 16-15 lead, but in the bottom of the final inning the RedBacks struck back driving in the winning run on a sacrifice fly to right field with one out. 

  

The HSL action continues next weekend with the final group games taking place at the ballparks in Herts, Essex and Richmond.  For full details visit the official HSL website.