Category: Headlines

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Invincible Herts Hawks are Single-A National Champions

Herts Hawks lifted the Single-A National Championship trophy at the weekend to complete a perfect season in which they won all of their 18 games this year. They made their qualification to the postseason look effortless totally dominating their Single-A division in the regular season. However, they needed every last ounce of energy to prevail in the postseason.

The Semi-Final: London Musketeers 4 Herts Hawks 5

Ahead of the Semi-Final against the London Musketeers the Hawks had done their scouting homework largely thanks to the fact that their sister team the Herts Raptors faced them during the regular season. London’s ace pitcher was Billy Atkinson-Warne with a regular season ERA of 2.35 which is unheard-of in the Single-A league. But their success was not only due to pitching. They have been a very strong defensive unit with a potent offence.

The Hawks started with player-manager Greg Bochan on the mound. His win-loss record for the year was 5-0. In the top of the 1st inning it looked like the Hawks were going to strand London’s runners on second and third base with a ground ball which third baseman Jon Lewys fielded cleanly and with a runner approaching him from second base it looked easier to simply tag him than to get the third out at first base. However, with great agility, the runner very cleverly managed to avoid the tag long enough to enable the runner from third base to step on home plate just before Lewys applied the tag to end the inning.

London added two more runs to make the score 3-1 after two innings. With London’s strong defence the Hawks could not afford to concede any more runs. Bochan dug deep and over the next four innings shut down the Musketeers’ offence completely not allowing any runs, with the help of outstanding defence from his teammates including a diving catch by centerfielder Andy Cornish. Cornish also fired up the Hawks’ offence leading off with a single and coming around to reduce London’s lead to 3-2 in the fourth inning.

The game was entering the late innings and with Herts runners being stranded inning-after-inning they decided to take a risk. Sony Lama led-off the 6th inning with a single and went on to steal second and then third base against a strong-armed London catcher who had almost neutralized Herts’ running game up to this point. With Lama on third base, Cornish hit the ball deep for a triple to drive in the tying run. He was now on third with no outs, but pitcher Atkinson-Warne got out of this situation inducing two pop-ups in the infield and a strikeout to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.

Atkinson-Warne then took matters into his own hands in the 7th inning getting on base with a single and coming around to score putting the Musketeers in the lead again 4-3. This took the energy out of the Hawks, but only temporarily. They didn’t score any runs in the bottom of the 7th but in the top of the 8th catcher Hunter Devine produced a defensive display which reignited his team. He made two gold glove catches on pop-ups in the enormous foul territory of Farnham Park for the first two outs and followed that with an assist for the third out.

Despite trailing by a run the momentum was back with the Hawks as the game went into the bottom of the penultimate inning. Gilberto Medina singled and stole to put himself on second base. Jon Lewys then showed his power with a double which tied the game 4-4 and brought the noise level from the home bench even higher as Herts players found the top step of the dugout not quite high enough. With 1 out, Lewys advanced to third and came home to give the Hawks the lead for the first time in this game.

This left the Musketeers with just 3 outs to try to respond in the top of the 9th inning. From that point Greg Bochan took control from the mound. He closed the game with a strikeout, groundout and pop-out which he fielded himself to spark the wild celebrations.

The Final: Tonbridge Wildcats 9 Herts Hawks 20

The Hawks were still buzzing after Saturday’s semi-final, and there was an extra edge ahead of the final. A year ago Tonbridge eliminated the Hawks in the Semi-Final and there was a sense of defiance in the team from Herts not to slip up again at the final hurdles.

Both teams had brought a large number of travelling fans to Farnham Park who created the type of atmosphere which players thrive on in the postseason. Among the Herts fans were many former and current players of the club’s other teams, not to mention the Herts fans scattered around the world who were following game updates and posting comments of support thanks to the internet. There were also a large number of Guildford Mavericks and Guildford Millers fans which added to the occasion.

When the starting line-ups were announced it came as a major surprise to see Greg Bochan starting on the mound after having pitched a complete 9-inning game just 24 hours earlier. The Wildcats adopted the same strategy going with Jon Carter who pitched a complete game in the previous day’s Semi-Final win over the Durham Spartans. Usually a starting pitcher would need at least 2 or 3 days rest to recover before they can get on the mound again. But this was the last game of the season so the coaching staff of both teams essentially said to their starting pitchers “you will have the whole winter to rest”.

The Hawks got off the blocks much faster and took charge with a 10-1 lead after just 4 innings. Hits and quality at bats were coming from the top, middle and bottom of their batting lineup. Incredibly Greg Bochan was proving to be very effective despite signs of fatigue even during the pregame warm-up. The defence resumed their service behind him with more outstanding plays including a 5-3-6 double play involving Gilberto Medina, Jon Lewys and Louis Hare. The Hawks added 8 more runs in the 5th inning, but to the Wildcats’ credit they fought back scoring 3 runs in the fifth and 5 in the sixth inning. This wasn’t enough though and at the end the Hawks managed to win it without the nail-biting climax of Saturday’s semi-final.

The win was followed by wild celebrations at Farnham Park which continued late into the evening as the players, coaches and family members gathered for a celebratory dinner in St Albans.

This is the first national title for a Herts senior league team since the Herts Falcons won the club’s only other silverware when they became the Triple-A League National Champions in 2008, so it has been a long wait for Herts baseball fans.

It has been an unforgettable season for the Hawks, but this is not just because of winning the national championship. Co-managers Greg Bochan and Andrew Slater have managed to create such a fantastic atmosphere within the team that the team spirit would have been just as strong if they had lost every game this season. Even for the players who were left on the bench during these playoff games, this was always about being part of something bigger than just individuals playing baseball. There is a strong sense among the members of the team that this is more than just a baseball team and for them this is a second family.

2017 Season

So what’s next for the Herts Hawks? They dominated the League this year. Will they look for a challenge in the higher leagues of British baseball or will they go again in the Single-A League? The reluctance of some of the team members to go up to the Double-A League stems from the large number of double-headers which in this fast-changing world has put pressure on their ability to balance their family, work and baseball lives, but the hope is that the British Baseball Federation will recognize that this change is affecting every team and that a better balance can be struck by increasing the number of single games in the Double-A League.

 

by Rob Jones

Bochan gem, Hawks bats end Raptors dream

The Herts Hawks glittering season was polished further on Sunday by a powerful batting display which took them through to the national finals. They will play in the semis at Farnham Park next weekend in search of the Single-A title.

The downside for the club was that their victims were the Herts Raptors, who saw their own remarkable season come to an end. They had beaten the defending champions, Tonbridge, in their wildcard playoff, but the Hawks had too much for them.

Greg Bochan threw a complete game with 9 K’s

There were showers and clouds over Grovehill as the players prepared for this one. There were ceremonies and photos and good-natured joking. But the prize at stake made this serious for everyone.

The early stages of the game were tight. Co-manager Greg Bochan was on the mound for the home side, the Hawks, who went through the regular season undefeated. The Raptors lead-off man Michael Cresswell got aboard and manufactured an early run. But it was the only one.

The Hawks hit back with four runs, as they showed the power of their lineup. Hunter Devine scored first for them, after narrowly escaping a double play on the bases.

The Raptors defense limited the damage, and they uncorked their own offense in the shape of Matt Jackson. The centre fielder hit a triple, then came home on a pass ball, to cut the deficit.

The first rain delay soon interrupted proceedings. Showers would mix with downpours and only the odd burst of sunshine as the day went on.

Manny Banson at bat in the closing stages of the game

When the game resumed the Raptors took the lead, going up 5-4 by the middle of the third. Their starting pitcher Paul Barton had been keeping the Hawks in check, striking out one and giving up only one walk.

But when Gilberto Medina unloaded on a fast ball which strayed too close to the heart of the plate, it was a sign of what the Hawks could do. The line drive went over the left field fence in a flash and Medina was greeted at home plate by his team-mates.

The Raptors were blanked for the first time in the top of the fourth, and by the end of the inning it was 10-5 to the Hawks. Matt Jackson — who also made a series of crucial catches during the game — then hit his second triple of the day.

The gap narrowed to 10-7, then stretched again to 13-7 with Jon Lewys, Jamie Warren  and Greg Bochan piling up the hits.

Then the rain intervened for a longer delay. Players sheltered under umbrellas in the increasingly muddy dugouts, or under a gazebo which the manufacturer had probably intended to protect from the sun.

Even once the rain stopped, there was a further delay as both sides worked to clear water from the diamond without damaging the playing surface. An impressively careful operation scooped up the water with any available receptacle and cleared it away.

Hawks clear standing water

The Raptors seemed to come out cold from this second stoppage. They went down one-two-three in the inning, with Bochan picking up more strikeouts. He ended the day with 9, and only 2 walks.

The Hawks had made substitutions now, making use of the impressive depth of their bench, and they put the game away. Sonam Lama was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs, Tim Elkins and Matthew Gentry also scored.

The Raptors relief pitchers Jim Arnott and Aaron Witter weren’t able to close it down this time, and a big 12-run inning ended the contest.

Both sides agreed that the final scoreline of 25-7 failed to tell the true story of the ballgame. The Hawks put up the gaudy numbers — two dozen hits, 7 doubles, a home run – but for over 5 innings it was a close contest.

Hawks catcher Ken Pike said it had been a great game, and a shame they had to knock out a sister team. Co-manager Andrew Slater — who couldn’t be at the game — offered congratulations to his players on reaching the finals at Farnham Park for the second year in a row.

For the Raptors, Paul Barton felt the game had gone really well until the sixth inning, when the team was overpowered. Michael Cresswell added that it had been “the most enjoyable season ever”.

Herts Baseball President, Aspi Dimitrov, said it had been a great day for the club, and that everyone was proud of how far the Raptors had progressed against the odds. “We are now willing on the Hawks to go one better than last year, and win the title”.

by Rob Jones

Kings of Kent: Raptors upset champion Bobcats

Herts Raptors match reports always maintain a certain professional detachment, a level of decorum. But after an historic playoff victory against the defending Single-A champions, thanks to an epic four-hour game littered with heroic performances, how can we do that today?

The Raptors travelled to Kent face the Tonbridge Bobcats after a late switch of games by the BBF.  No question, on paper it looked as if the Herts side had got the worst of the federation’s change of heart about the seedings.

The Bobcats beat the powerful Herts Hawks on the way to claiming last year’s crown, and they had lost only one game all season in 2016. The odds were stacked against the Raptors.

But when the game began on a blustery playing field almost in the shadow of Tonbridge castle, all bets were off.

The victorious, and very serious, Herts Raptors

The first three innings were tight, defensive, and scoreless. Herts managed to load the bases in the top of the first as the home side’s pitcher, Gareth Nutt, settled in on the mound. But they couldn’t push the run across.

Co-manager Paul Barton was the starting pitcher for Herts. After getting up at the crack of dawn to drive more than 200 miles from Leeds, he twirled an absolute gem for three innings.

The first clutch of runs came in the top of the fourth, as Herts capitalised on a handful of walks. Third baseman Jim Arnott scored the first of them, with catcher Joe Court using his Major League slide to create a run, and second baseman Rob Jones also coming home.

The Raptors plated nine runs before it was over.

The first big Herts hit of the day had came from Matt Jackson. He was playing centre field, just days after eye surgery which had threatened to rule him out of the game entirely. His booming drive to right centre allowed him to motor round for a triple.

Matt Jackson went 3-for-4 on the day

The Bobcats hit back quickly in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs of their own. Barton began to lose the zone, but he and his joint manager Michael Cresswell made a swift decision to stop the bleeding and Arnott came in to relieve.

Both sides then put up zeroes, before the runs began again. Cresswell was hit by a pitch for the second time to start the sixth, and got aboard.

13 year old phenom Aaron Witter then stepped up to bat, and hit a monstrous shot into Tonbridge’s gaping outfield. There are no fences in Kent, so he was able to circle the bases for a vital home run to extend the Herts lead.

Witter then showed his defensive prowess in the bottom of the inning. A sharply hit chopper flicked off Paul Barton’s glove at third base, but the shortstop was right behind him to cover.

Witter gloved the ball and made a full-on Derek Jeter leap to hurl the ball towards first base. It arrived in time for Michael Cresswell to scoop it up, juggle it, and then seize hold of it just in the nick of time to nab the runner.

Tonbridge had managed to pull back another two runs, meaning it was 11-7 after six innings. But Herts were still pushing on. Left fielder Darren Priest got one of a pair of hits, while Aaron Witter — whose day was far from over — claimed his seventh RBI. Arnott stole home as the climax approached.

The last Herts pitching change saw the young shortstop take to the mound and settle in quickly. The defending champion Bobcats showed no signs of lying down, but Witter stayed calm to keep the game under control.

The Raptors chipped in with their final runs and chased Gareth Nutt from the game after more than 200 pitches.

Third baseman Jim Arnott scored three runs

Rob Jones finally got a hit, while debutant Rob Henney ripped a double. Herts could only manage a couple of runs off reliever David Mote, and led 23-18 going into the bottom of the ninth.

There was a quick debate about whether Aaron Witter should stay in to pitch in such high pressure circumstances. But he made the call, and stepped back on to the pitchers mound.

Herts secured the first out, then the next batter skied a ball on the infield which looked ominously as if it would drop in between everybody for a cheap hit.

As everyone held their breath, grizzle-faced veteran Rob Jones raced in from second base, slid desperately and came up with an improbable catch. Emotions started to break out, as he was hugged by the bosses. The team was now a whisker from a stunning win.

There was another intake of breath as the next batter drove a pitch to the outfield. But Matt Jackson, he of the eye surgery, was right there under it. Cool as anything, he caught the ball and the Raptors celebrated.

This was a famous victory for Herts. The defending Single-A champions Tonbridge had fought hard and played well, their bats always posing a threat and their fielding giving nothing away.

But a series of great performances from all nine Raptors earned their place in the next round of the playoffs. Paul Barton was awarded the pitching W, while Aaron Witter was surely the game’s MVP.

“Amazingly proud of them all”, was Michael Cresswell’s assessment of the players. “Everyone was amazing and fully deserved the win”. Barton added: “Everyone played really, really great baseball. So happy I can’t believe it!”

The first year managers march on, and won’t fear their next opponent, whoever it is.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

European Champions – Straight Outta Herts

Marianna Casal and Theo Longboy became Under-19 European Softball Champions at the weekend.

Herts fans will recognise their names as both came through the Herts youth baseball programme. 2008 saw the inaugural season of the Herts Little League and at the time it is unlikely that Marianna and Theo would have expected to find themselves wearing the GB Team jersey playing in, and winning, the European Championships eight years later. Coaches Lee Manning and Marty Cullen who founded the club’s youth baseball programme had set very ambitious targets for the project but seeing two members of the league reach such heights is unlikely to have been one of those targets.

Both girls were seven years old when they joined Herts but they didn’t seem to mind competing against older players, most of whom were boys. This, along with the fact that they came from families which spent most of their time at the ballpark, may have helped them along the way.

Even when they weren’t playing they would be at the field in various capacities from cheering on their older brothers Carlos Casal and Zack Longboy or their dads who play for the Herts adult league teams to singing the national anthem in front of a large audience at the National Baseball Championships.

This is the first time that a Great Britain Fastpitch Softball Team has ever won a European Championship at any age level. Coincidentally, while the GB U19 National Team was battling it out in Spain last week, the International Olympic Committee announced that baseball and softball have been added back to the list of sports to be played at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Following the excellent play by the GB Women’s Team at the World Championship in Canada last month, it means that GB Softball is on the rise at exactly the right time, with the sport back in the Olympics for 2020 and a Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifier likely to happen in three years’ time.

 

GB Team photos courtesy of Amanda Murphy

A good number of the players who went undefeated in this year’s U19 European Championships, with a record of 10-0 and two wins over both Italy and the Czech Republic, are bound to be involved when that Olympic Qualifier comes around. We have no idea if Marianna and Theo will get the call up, but it will be exciting for us Herts baseball fans to follow their progress in the coming years.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

2016 Herts Futures Tournament details announced

Herts Baseball Club has announced that the 2016 Herts Futures Tournament will take place on Saturday, 17 September 2016.

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 or if you require details about how teams can enter 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 Zack Longboy

Depleted Falcons regress from run of good form

On a day where the Falcons could barely cobble together a 9-man side, Herts limped to a 10-4 loss against the first place London Mets.

Injuries to Conner Brown (tricep), Darren Meintjes (finger) and the absences of shortstop Louis Hare, second basemen Ian McCann and Moises Vasquez, and catcher Phil Clark meant that the Falcons were far from full strength.

Above: With regular catchers Conner Brown and Phil Clark sidelined due to injury and family commitments, Manager Lee Manning was forced to don the ‘tools of ignorance’ for Sunday’s game against the Mets.

So there the Falcons found themselves, down 5 starters, facing the NBL’s premier team.  The only potential saving grace? The schedule. Sunday would be a single 7-inning game matchup, and in baseball, especially 7-inning baseball, anything can happen.

The game started very promising with Mets starter Maxwell Tyler issuing leadoff walks to both Brown (playing as the designated hitter) and John Blose, before a 2-RBI single from Tyler Badenhorst broke open the scoring.

The lead however didn’t last long. In the bottom of 1st the Mets’ bats rallied for a barrage of 4 runs against the Falcons’ starter Zack Longboy. Throughout the game Longboy, who has pitched well in recent weeks, struggled to find his normal command on his fastball, forcing him to rely almost exclusively on his knuckleball. Although this kept hitters off balance from the 2nd-5th innings (1 earned run), it did lead to costly walks for Longboy.

After the 1st, Tyler settled down and carved up the Falcons lineup, going the next four innings without a run crossing the plate. After a smattering of runs (earned and unearned) across the middle innings, Tyler exited the game in the 5th with his team up 9-2.

Replacing him was Mets reliever Elijah Hackney-Rose, a familiar face for some Herts players who had played with him for Great Britain youth teams. And maybe this familiarity helped the Falcons as Brown (a catcher for Hackney-Rose on the GB side) opened with a hard hit single and the frame ended with 2 more Herts runs having crossed the plate.

However, the score wouldn’t get much closer than 9-4 as London rallied to score another run off of Longboy in the 6th drawing the game to its final score of 10-4. The result ends what has been a run of good form that the Falcons have put up against their recent opponents (splitting the last two doubleheaders), however Manning is confident that, with a full squad, the Falcons can stay competitive even against top teams like London.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Filling in With the rash of injuries and absences plaguing the Falcons, two players rostered in lower levels of the organization were called on to perform on Sunday. Aspi Dimitrov (who had been on brief hiatus) returned with consistent play in centerfield and even picked up a single in his last at-bat. Single A player Rodney Naghar also made an impact, showing good glove work at first base and hitting a double to left field.

Tak-ing off  The Falcons bid farewell to one of their more consistent performers on Sunday as the beloved Takaya Miki played in his final NBL game before leaving for a university placement in Japan. Miki has been a defensive stopper for Herts this year, consistently filling a corner outfield spot, and his bat had heated up in recent weeks. He will be greatly missed by his teammates and Manager who wish only the best for him and his future.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Falcons have a two-game home stand on July 31st against the 2nd place Southampton Mustangs (21-3). First pitch for Game 1 is at 12 PM and Game 2 is scheduled to begin at 3 PM

 

 

by Zack Longboy

Falcons pick up another win

Facing the 4th place Essex Arrows, the Herts Falcons split the double header, picking up another win against a playoff caliber team.

Game 1 featured the Arrows’ hard throwing righty who – excluding a walk to leadoff man John Blose who later scored – was pretty much untouchable. Racking up a high strike out total, the righty no-hit the Falcons through 4 innings before being relieved. For the Falcons, Zack Longboy took the mound, going the distance and holding the Arrows to a total of two hits.

The two hits however came at costly times for Herts as the Arrows’ hot hitting lefty Dustin Rowland doubled home two runs in the bottom of the 5th with one of the few hard hit balls by either team all game. The two runs erased a one run Falcons lead, drawing the scoreline to 4-3 Arrows.

Over the next two frames, the Herts bats stayed quiet while the Arrows tacked on another run to win the pitchers duel by a final score of 5-3.

Above: John Blose (#91) racked up gaudy walk totals with exceptional plate discipline and ignited the Falcons’ offense.

As the temperature reached a steamy high of 29 degrees, the bats on both teams also heated up, the scoring opening up in Game 2.

Tyler Badenhorst got the call for Herts, while the Arrows started righty Jamie Gregory who has struggled on the mound this season.

The scoring was early and often as the Arrows picked up three runs in the 1st before Herts came back with five in the 2nd. After 4 innings of work however, Badenhorst who had competed hard on the mound all day, went down with a right elbow injury (status yet to be confirmed). Matt Gilbert took over on the mound working out of a jam and preserving a two run lead for Herts.

In the Herts’ half of the 6th, Gilbert doubled with the bases loaded bringing home three runs and stretching the lead to 10-4. Gilbert’s three RBI knock would come to loom large as the game wore on.

In the bottom of the 6th, the Arrows rallied for 6 runs off of Gilbert, tying the game. The majority of these runs came with two outs as the Herts fielders struggled to put away the final out of the inning.

Despite the Arrow’s momentum, the Falcon’s rallied in the 7th picking up two runs on a line drive single to left by Blose after a beautifully executed sac bunt by Takaya Miki to move the runners into scoring position. The clutch hit stretched the Herts’ lead to 12-10 with three outs to go.

Longboy came on to close out the game and, after a lead off walk, retired 3 batters in a row to earn the save and secure a 12-10 Falcons win (their fourth of the season).

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED:

Fill in skipper Matt Gilbert took over the player-manager duties on Sunday with Manager Lee Manning out of the country on holiday. However, despite the extra responsibilities of Manager, Gilbert still came up big for the Falcons at the plate, his three run double arguably the most important hit of the entire double header.

Blose’s patience John Blose displayed impressive plate discipline throughout the day, drawing three walks, and continuously going deep into the count. His approach also manifested itself in hard contact throughout the day (whenever he wasn’t taking a base on balls). Blose also made a fantastic play on defense to end Game 2 – ranging to his right to catch a soft liner before pivoting and making an off balance perfect-strike throw to first base to pick up the double play.

Injury bug strikes The Falcons were forced to use every player they had as Ian McCann exited the game with a leg injury in the 4th, Badenhorst went down with elbow trouble and also exited in the 4th, and Louis Hare came up limp with a groin strain in the 5th. Unfortunately Hare had to stay in the Game as Herts had no further substitutes available, hobbling his way on one leg to a few more plays a first base and even scoring a run.

WHAT’S NEXT

On Sunday July 24th, the Falcons will take on the 1st place London Mets (20-2) at Finsbury Park. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM.

by Ken Pike

Herts Single A teams both gunning for Farnham

Herts’ two single-A teams look set for the playoffs after a huge 26-11 5th inning mercy rule win by the Raptors over pool-rivals Essex cemented a place in the playoffs for them as a Wildcard, with the Hawks likely to top their group or at worst finish as top wildcard thanks to their unbeaten season so far.

The Raptors v Essex game started as a close run affair over the first couple of innings, with both teams trading blows and errors were a plenty on both sides thanks in part to the harsh sun playing havoc with concentration. A huge swarm of bees even made an appearance briefly halting play at one stage, but by the third inning a gap started to open up that just kept expanding leaving Herts in the driving seat. When relief pitcher Simon Langton came up and closed down the Essex side, Herts were left with the task of getting 6 runs to force a Mercy rule. A couple runs plated in the normal fashion before the bases were loaded. Up stepped the mighty…home run machine…no wait…it was Mike. Mike Cresswell. Pitcher. Fast runner. Manager. Good Bloke. Many things, all positive, but not a home run hitter. Surely no walk off grand slam this time round.

The last time the Herts Raptors qualified for the postseason playoffs was in 2013 and they certainly enjoyed clinching it with a bottle of champagne.

Well, not in the traditional sense, but a might good whallop of the ball sent it clean over the infield and through the gap in the outfield (helped by the fact that their outfield was down to two people due to injuries….previously caused by Mike throwing a ball at a girl…twice.) The runners on second and third scored easily. The runner on first had a good jump….and a mis-throw from outfield meant that the ever speedy Mike Cresswell rounded third and landed home for the kind of finish that bookies would happily give you 5000-1 odds on…but as Leicester football club showed us earlier this year, the unlikeliest scenarios can come true. Mike duly walked off as winning pitcher, winning HR hitter, and man of match. And got drenched in icy water by his team mates for the effort.

For the Hawks the picture is a bit clearer. They are currently showing as a half game back in their group on wins alone, but they are unbeaten and have taken three games off their nearest rivals, the Monarchs. Monarchs have three games left to play but the Hawks have six due to a number of teams having been unable to muster a side during the season. So when the final games are played, and dependant on whether the several games that have been no-shows from the opposition are added to the tally (unless they are able to be rescheduled) then the Hawks will be hoping to comfortably top their group. Either way they are certain to at least be wildcards, so would at worst face an extra playoff game. The main question is likely to be whether the Hawks or the similarly unbeaten Tonbridge Wildcats slip up at any point which would determine top seed. If both sides finish unbeaten, then Tonbridge is currently in pole position to take the top spot having played one game less but scored 3 more runs over the course of the season.

The hope for the club will now be hoping for a good wildcard round and ties working out to that the two sides avoid each other in the semi-finals with a potentially juicy tie on Farnham Park’s main diamond on Sunday 4th September. Whatever happens now, Herts as a club can be proud of the achievements of their two single-A teams, but both the Raptors and the Hawks will surely have the ultimate prize in their sights, and who knows…perhaps they will meet at the grandest of stages in British Baseball.

by Rob Jones

Raptors routed in the rain

This was another tight and evenly-balanced contest between the Herts Raptors and one of the leading Single-A teams, the London Musketeers. The problem was, that it was only tight for an inning and two thirds.

Then, on a damp and gloomy day at Grovehill, the visitors powered into a lead which they would not surrender. By the end, the sun had come out. But it wasn’t much relief for Herts.

Co-manager Michael Cresswell started on the mound and began with a scoreless inning. The first batter forced a tremendous play from young shortstop Aaron Witter, who made a backhand stop deep in the hole and then made a strong throw to first. The next Musketeer popped up to third base, and then a lineout ended the threat.

Musketeers pitcher, Billy Atkinson-Warne

But it was London’s pitcher, Billy Atkinson-Warne, who was the dominant force. His first inning was marred only by a walk to left fielder Adam White. Of the first seven batters he faced, Atkinson-Warne struck out six.

Hitting in the nine hole, Rob Jones was the first Raptor to put a ball in play. Even then, the ground ball forced out Michelle Johnson, who had worked a walk, at second base. But a steal and a pass ball meant that Mike Cresswell could then drive in the run and put Herts on the board.

But here’s the rub. By that point the Raptors were already 18 runs behind.

With two out in the top of the second, the Musketeers had scored five. After quick outs in the third, they then piled on for 13 more. They hit confidently and hit it hard. But it was a day when a series of Herts infielders were unable to apply the necessary finishing touch and secure the out that was needed.

The rain which had dampened the start of the game became more heavy and forced a long suspension, which did little to revive the Raptors. Cresswell handed over pitching duties to Paul Barton, who later gave the ball to Witter.

Between them, they limited the damage. London scored only three runs in each of the next innings. That left Herts needing an astonishing rally to prevent a slaughter rule defeat in five innings.

Barton got the first hit of the game to lead off the fifth and came round to score. Boruch Boudilovsky turned his walk into a run. But as Herts appeared to be enjoying their success against the relief pitcher Lloyd Winters, a base-running mix up led to a double play at second and it was, in effect, all over.

Aaron Witter made an impact at shortstop

Musketeers ran out 24-4 winners in the end, and extended their lead at the top of Pool B in Single-A. They won their season series over Herts 2-1.

The Raptors will sweep Haverhill, but the other two series against Essex Archers and Old Timers could be decisive for any prospect of playoff baseball. Essex are first up, visiting Grovehill on Sunday 17th July.

 

by Zack Longboy

Falcons playing spoiler, pick up win

On Sunday’s triple-header affair at Grovehill Ballpark, it was almost as if the weather was tied to the Falcons emotions.

The day started (early) with intermittent rain in the morning as the Falcons took on the 5th place Brighton Jets. Tyler Badenhorst was on the mound for the for the Falcons, facing Jamie Ratcliff of the Jets. After two rain delays, a particularly strong bout of rain forced the umpires to call the game with Jets in the lead. The minimum number of innings (4) had been played however, and the Jets walked away with a 5-1 victory.

After a long break, which saw the London Capitals defeat the Jets, the sun returned just in time for the Falcons second game of the day. With the sun there also came a boost in morale: just one week previous, the Falcons had played two tough games against the Capitals and only narrowly lost them both. 

Above: As the weather improved, so too did the Falcon’s performance.

Zack Longboy started on the mound for the Falcons, throwing a complete game and picking up the 10-8 win. The Herts bats looked alive as the team peppered hits off of London’s starter Maxime Flayol and relief pitcher Yusuke Ueno.

Herts led, albeit by a tight margin, for most of the game even stretching the lead to 3 runs in the 5th inning. A late home run gave the struggling Capitals a glimmer of hope, but leading 10-8, Herts Manager Lee Manning left Longboy out to finish the game and the Falcons shut the door.

The 10-8 victory over the 3rd place London Capitals marks the Falcons’ third win of the year, moving them into 6th place and ahead of the South London Pirates. While it is mathematically improbable that the Falcons could sneak into the playoffs, over the next six weeks they will be playing the role of spoiler as they match up against the NBL’s top dogs.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Zack Longboy’s dual threat performance When asked for his player of the game, Manager Manning lauded Zack Longboy’s performance both on the mound and at the plate. He went “5 for 6 [at the plate] and pitched beautifully, working his way out of jams like a seasoned pro,” Manning said. “He gets better every time [and] I have the joy of watching him play.” His performance against the Capitals was Longboy’s first career complete game in the NBL and second career win. And, of his five hits, two came with the bases loaded. 

More debuts Two more players made their Falcons debut on Sunday. Ian McCann played second base and came on in relief of Badenhorst in Game 1. In Game 2, Aaron Witter, a 14-year-old regular for the Herts Raptors, also got a cup of coffee with the NBL squad as he came off the bench to play right field. Witter’s experience is indicative of the fact that “Herts project youth is starting to pay off,” as Manning said, after the game. “The Capitals are a great team and our youngest player (14-year-old Aaron Witter) got the final out.” (Witter secured a fly ball to end the game.)

Execution, execution, execution Three critical runs of the 10 that the Falcon’s scored came via the suicide squeeze – Manning deploying an aggressive style with runners on third base. Although prior to Sunday, Louis Hare had never laid down a bunt in game, two of these squeezes involved him on the bunting end. A fourth squeeze was also put into motion, although a pick play to third by the Capitals pitcher left Matt Gilbert to improvise. When the dust cleared Gilbert had scored, leaving many rushing to check the record books on the oldest player to ever steal home.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Interference? Late in Game 2, a Capital’s runner scrambled from second to third, dislodging the Falcon’s shortstop in the process. As Louis Hare was in the process of fielding a ground ball, the runner was called out for interference, ending the inning. The Capital’s first base coach reacted strongly to the call, getting in the umpires face and causing a loud confrontation. Subsequently, the player was ejected and play continued without further interruption.

WHAT’S NEXT

On Sunday July 17th, the Falcons will take on the 4th place Essex Arrows (12-12) at Town Mead Ballpark. First pitch for Game 1 is 12:00 PM and Game 2 is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM.