Category: Headlines

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts youngsters enjoy guest appearance by elite coaches


Baseball is back and the Herts adult and youth team players took part in their first training session of 2016.

On Sunday the players from the Herts youth baseball programme had the privilege to be coached by Andrew Fulford. Herts baseball fans know Fulford well from his appearances for the Herts Hawks in 2012 and the Herts Falcons in 2014. After spending his early years in the Citrus Park Little League, Fulford went on to play for the varsity team at Sickles High School and later with Cambridge High School finishing as Florida Sate runners-up in 2009. During his career he has played under former MLB players Jody Reed, who played as second basemen for the Boston Red Sox, and Sam Marsonek who was a pitcher with the New York Yankees.

If that wasn’t enough, there were two more special guest coach appearances by Herts Hawks infielder Jamie Lang and legendary Herts Falcons shortstop, Geoff Hare, who these days is one of the top umpires in the British Leagues.

The Herts youngsters enjoyed the session and if some of the coaches’ experience and knowledge of the game can rub-off on the next generation of Herts players, it would add enormous value to the players’ development and the club as a whole.

The next session for the Herts youth team players aged 8 to 14 is this Saturday, February 13. Contact us for more details.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Raptors and Eagles appoint managerial duos

At its Annual General Meeting Herts Baseball Club confirmed several managerial appointments ahead of the 2016 season.

CARESS DUO AT THE HELM

The Herts Eagles will have a father-and-son managerial duo in 2016. Jake Caress managed the team last year and this season he will be joined by his father, Mark Caress. Mark is already fully immersed into the role as he has been performing many of the duties supporting Jake in 2015 therefore this appointment formally confirms his role with the team.

The Eagles picked up only 3 in the whole of last year so they will be looking to improve their record this time around. The team is blessed with many young talented players who are just a year or two away from being able to challenge for the playoff places so there is great optimism that this group of young players will become a dominant force in the BBF Triple-A League. The main uncertainty is the likelihood that some of their top performers may receive a call-up from the Herts Falcons and that may affect the team’s competitiveness.

RAPTORS APPOINT CRESSWELL AND BARTON

Michael Cresswell and Paul Barton are the new joint managers of the Herts Raptors. They take over from Rob Jones and the late Kal Dimitrov who managed the team last season.

Michael Cresswell has been a key and ever-present member of Herts since 2012 and has already had managerial experience acting as stand-in co-manager of the team in the second half of last season.

 

Paul Barton made his league debut for the Raptors in 2015 and his tremendous performances were recognised as his teammates voted his as the Raptors’ Most Valuable Player.

The team ended the 2015 season on a high with a run of four wins in their last six games. If they can maintain this form they would be a major contender for the Single-A League title in 2016.

The managers will take their players through their first Spring Training session of 2016 this Sunday, 7 February.

 

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts adult and youth baseball league teams start pre-season training this Sunday

Herts Baseball Club published details of its Spring Training schedule. Both adult and youth teams will return to training for the first time in 2016 this Sunday 7 February. The only exception being the Under-8 programme which starts later in the year.

In the first few weeks preparations will take place indoors at JFK Catholic School. On 27 February the adult, under-19 and under-17 teams will have their first outdoor training session at Middlesex University on the 3G artificial grass playing surface. The under-15, under-13 and under-10 age groups will also get their first taste of outdoor baseball on 5 March.

The Herts teams will return to Grovehill Ballpark for the first time on the weekend of 12 and 13 March.

A week later Herts Spring League (HSL) pre-season games commence. The Show begins in April as the Herts teams get their 2016 league seasons underway. The Herts Falcons are expected to open their season on Sunday, 3 April, while the Herts minor league teams are expected to start on 10 April.

As always around the middle of March the Herts adult team managers will announce their preliminary rosters ahead of the HSL. Of course these preliminary rosters are likely to change as we get closer to Opening Day and managers promote those who impress in Spring Training. The movement of Herts players up and down the Herts league teams is usually an ongoing process.  We have witnessed players start the season with the fourth team in the Single-A and end up making their NBL debut later in the year.  We will follow players’ progress over the course of Spring Training and during the league season.

SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE (more events may be added)

 

DAY

DATE

TEAMS

DETAILS

LOCATION

Sun

07-Feb-16

U15, U13. U10

Spring Training

JFK Catholic School

Sun

07-Feb-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Spring Training

JFK Catholic School

Sat

13-Feb-16

U15, U13. U10

Spring Training

JFK Catholic School

Sun

14-Feb-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Spring Training

JFK Catholic School

Sat

20-Feb-16

U15, U13. U10

Spring Training

JFK Catholic School

Sat

27-Feb-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Spring Training

Middlesex University

Sat

27-Feb-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Batting Practice

Middlesex University

Sat

05-Mar-16

U15, U13. U10

Spring Training

Middlesex University

Sat

05-Mar-16

U15, U13. U10

Batting Practice

Middlesex University

Sun

06-Mar-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Spring Training

Middlesex University

Sun

06-Mar-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Batting Practice

Middlesex University

Sat

12-Mar-16

U19, U17, U15, U13. U10

Spring Training

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sun

13-Mar-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Spring Training

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sat

19-Mar-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Herts Spring League

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sun

20-Mar-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Herts Spring League

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sat

26-Mar-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Herts Spring League

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sun

27-Mar-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Herts Spring League

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sat

02-Apr-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Herts Spring League

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sun

03-Apr-16

AAA, AA, A, U19, U17

Herts Spring League

Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

Sun

03-Apr-16

NBL

League Game Day

TBC

Sun

10-Apr-16

NBL, AAA, AA, A

League Game Day

TBC

 HOW TO TAKE PART?

Existing players who have not reactivated their registration for the 2016 season can do so here.  New players can register for the new season here or contact us for more details.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

NBL MVP expected to wear a different uniform in 2016

Photo by Paul Holdrick

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that their third baseman Maikel Azcuy is in the process of completing a move which is expected to take him to NBL-rivals Southampton Mustangs.

Azcuy joined the Herts Falcons 12 months ago and proved to be one of the team’s key players. His performances received the ultimate recognition when the National Baseball League announced that he is the 2015 NBL Most Valuable Player. The Falcons finished second in the NBL regular season and lost to Southampton in the Play-Off Semi-Final. 2015 was a very successful season for the team and Azcuy played a central role.

For Maikel Azcuy, last season was the fourth straight year in which he has either tied for the league lead in home runs or won the title outright. He also won his third RBI title in four seasons, moving him past Simon Pole’s tally of two for the all-time lead. However, his batting title was a career first, coming in Azcuy’s 10th season in the NBL. And the batting title was a close-run thing, as Azcuy just pipped Essex’s Jamie Gregory, going 28-for-60 (.467) to Gregory’s 28-for-61 (.459).

Azcuy’s six home runs in 2015 took his NBL career tally to 39, which pushed him past Simon Pole (35) for the all-time lead. He also moved past 200 career RBIs; his current tally of 201 is just 36 short of Brad Thompson’s all-time record.

In their statement, Herts Baseball Club expressed their gratitude for “Maikel Azcuy’s enormous contribution as a player of the Herts Falcons last season”. It further stated that “the Club wishes Maikel success at his next club and with the Great Britain National Team”.

With a large number of places in the Herts Falcons’ starting lineup waiting to be filled ahead of the new season this opens up a great opportunity for the young generation of Herts players and any new arrivals to lead the team into the 2016 season.

 

by Rob Jones

Raptors rookie rewarded with MVP

The Herts Raptors ended a difficult season with a sprint finish, and one of the new players who helped that happen has been rewarded by being named MVP by his team-mates.  After a close vote among the team’s entire roster, Paul Barton took the title.

In his first season of competitive baseball, Paul was a crucial part of the batting line-up, hitting an impressive .548. He could be relied on to hit the ball hard against any opponent, and in any situation.

Paul’s credentials also included becoming the team’s main starting pitcher. His calm demeanour and determination on the mound have secured him the title of Raptors Pitcher of the Year. He reliably threw strikes in a way that is crucial to Single-A baseball, worked throughout the season on a pick-off move and adding an extra pitch, and fielded his position consistently well.

Paul Barton, Raptors 2015 MVP

The Infield Gold Glove was awarded to another new boy, Nick Shrimpton. He quickly took ownership of the key position of shortstop early in the season, and remained the go-to guy throughout the year. While refining his knowledge of the game he made a series of crucial instinctive plays, fielding hard-hit balls and throwing out runners when it seemed impossible. As an added bonus, Nick also hit .500 for the season.

The Outfield Gold Glove is shared between two winners — Daniel Bennett and Michael Cresswell.  Michael — last year’s MVP, when he was mainly a pitcher — moved to be a regular outfielder this year to help the team adjust to an influx of new players. He performed admirably and reliably, occasionally spectacularly.

Daniel mixed his outfield appearances with playing shortstop, and catcher. But he had to be acknowledged for a remarkable game at the Guildford Mavericks. He recorded nine of the 27 outs in left field — including all three of the outs in one inning. And he was part of a bizarre double play with Yue Du at second base, which ended the second inning. Daniel also got two hits and scored four runs in that epic game, which ended in a 25-24 defeat.

The Raptors’ batting title for 2015 went to our much-missed manager and team-mate Kal Dimitrov. The sudden loss of Kal during a game in July was a hammer blow to the team, the club, and to the Dimitrov family. His contribution to the Raptors was often about intangibles — for example, his inspiration and encouragement — but the depth of his contribution was shown by the fact that he quietly racked up team-leading numbers in the first half of the season.

Against the toughest opposition in the league — the Herts Hawks; the Guildford Mavericks; and the eventual Single-A champions, Tonbridge — Kal had a batting average of .615. Taking into account a large handful of walks, his OBP was even higher, and he converted many into runs.

The Raptors’ joint manager, Rob Jones, said: “There aren’t enough awards to repay for what Kal did for us all, but it’s great to see his name on a trophy for 2015, and it shows how he led the team from the front.”

Referring to the awards for the new talent, he added: “So much fresh blood came into the Raptors this year and it gave us a real boost. Paul Barton has been a tremendous addition to the club and was central to what we achieved in 2015. Young players and new recruits really grew as the season went on, as was shown by the series of wins. There’s a lot to take forward into 2016.”

Jones will not be at the helm, he is stepping down after helping manage the Raptors for three years. A new manager — or managers — will be elected at the Herts AGM this weekend, December 6th, at Gadebridge Community Centre in Hemel Hempstead. Details can be found elsewhere on the website.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Azcuy is the 2015 NBL MVP

This article by Joe Gray first appeared on britishbaseball.org

Maikel Azcuy from the Herts Falcons and Dan Weigel from the London Mets have been awarded the 2015 Most Valuable Batter and Most Valuable Pitcher awards for the 2015 National Baseball League season, following the triple crowns they claimed in their respective disciplines.

Azcuy won the batting title with a .467 average, led the league in runs batted in with 28, and tied Herts Falcons’ teammate Edwin Alcantara for the home run title with six round-trippers.

Weigel led the league in wins with a 7-0 record, and also led the league in strike-outs with 54 and in earned-run average with a mark of 2.25.

MAIKEL AZCUY 

For Maikel Azcuy, a Cuban native who now holds a British passport, 2015 was the fourth straight year in which he has either tied for the league lead in home runs or won the title outright. He also won his third RBI title in four seasons, moving him past Simon Pole’s tally of two for the all-time lead. However, his batting title was a career first, coming in Azcuy’s 10th season in the NBL.

And the batting title was a close-run thing, as Azcuy just pipped Essex’s Jamie Gregory, going 28-for-60 (.467) to Gregory’s 28-for-61 (.459).

Callum Vinall of the Bracknell Blazers also deserves mention. Including Cup games, which the BBF counted in official season tallies for NBL players, Vinall batted .533 for the year. But without the Cup games, he did not amass enough plate appearances to be eligible for the title.

Azcuy’s six home runs in 2015 took his NBL career tally to 39, which pushed him past Simon Pole (35) for the all-time lead. Next among active players is Grant Delzoppo, with 26 long-balls.

Azcuy also moved past 200 career RBIs; his current tally of 201 is just 36 short of Brad Thompson’s all-time record.

DAN WEIGEL 

Dan Weigel’s pitching triple crown reflected an impressive season on the mound. HIs 7-0 won-lost record represented the most wins amassed by a pitcher without a single loss since Roberto Almanzar went 9-0 in his own triple crown effort in 2012.

Weigel’s WHIP of 0.84 was the sixth-best all-time figure in the NBL and the best outright since 2003.

OTHER RECORDS

In terms of career pitching figures, the most significant development in 2015 was Matt Gilbert becoming the NBL’s all-time strikeout leader with a career tally of 418. This moved him past Cody Cain (409), but Cain retains the highest career strikeout rate with 12.7 per nine innings. The next highest strikeout tally among active players is Michael Osborn’s total of 398.

Meanwhile, Ryan Bird’s cameo role during the season improved his all-time record batting average (.508), on-base average (.577), and slugging average (.822).

Finally, Luke Foley became the NBL’s all-time stolen base leader, with his tally of 121 eight higher than that of second-placed Robbie Unsell.

The best single-game batting performance during the season was by Samuel Morris for the London Mets in a game against the Southampton Mustangs on 2 August. Morris had a pair of home runs, one a grand slam, as well as a single and a double. This was the first time a player had amassed at least 10 total bases in an NBL game since 2012.

In the same game, his teammate Jamie Dix also hit a pair of homers, including a grand slam. Dix would go on to accumulate four hits in Game Two of the NBL National Championship final – including another home run – against the same opposition.

The Mets’ victory by two games to nil in the best-of-three final gained them their third national championship, a feat matched or bettered by only 10 teams in British baseball history.

ABOUT PROJECT COBB

The Project for the Chronicling of British Baseball (Project COBB) is an online collaboration aimed at restoring the record of British baseball’s past and preserving its present.

Its website is located at: http://www.projectcobb.org.uk/.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Baseball AGM details announced

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that its 19th Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday, 6 December 2015.

In 2015 the club continued its growth and success on and off the field. The AGM will provide a deeper understanding of the club’s present position, and will set out the plans for 2016 and beyond. Members will receive the AGM Information Pack in due course and that will give a better idea of what to expect at the meeting.

In accordance with the Constitution, a number of Board positions will be up for election at the upcoming AGM either as part of the annual retirement of a third of the Board positions or because they are vacant.

In addition, club president, Aspi Dimitrov, said: “I am mindful that my availability may continue to be affected going into the 2016 baseball season. I am determined to cover as many roles as I can, but it is prudent at this stage to invite as many members as possible to join the board so that my fluctuating availability does not disrupt the club’s ambitious plans. 

On the basis of this, at the AGM I will step down from all board positions which I am holding at present. I hope that members will see this as an opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of one of the leading clubs in British baseball. The club is bigger and better than at any time in its history with enormous infrastructure, financial and other resources. This puts the club in a fantastic position to continue its amazing growth and development as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2016. 

Therefore, please consider putting yourself forward for any of these board positions, including Club President. Let’s make sure that the club’s board is fully staffed. 

If we are not able to fill all of the board positions which I am freeing up at the AGM, I will do my best to fill as many of the remaining vacant positions as possible. I want to stay as involved as possible with the club which means so much to me and my family.”

The club is now inviting nominations for the following Board positions:

• President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Manager Second Team –Herts Eagles
• Manager Fourth Team – Herts Raptors
• Youth League Commissioner
• Head of U15 Baseball
• Head of U13 Baseball
• Head of U11 Baseball
• Head of U8 Baseball
• Communications Director i.e. Media
• Club Shop Manager

Those who are interested to put their name forward or second a nomination can contact the club for more details.

Although only 2015 club members have the right to vote at the AGM, the meeting is very much open to former members and those who are considering joining the club in 2016 as players, members of staff, volunteers and fans. This is a good opportunity for newcomers to learn more about the club and meet its members. The meeting is also open to observers who are not members of the Club. Non-members who plan to attend would need to advise the club in advance as spaces are limited. If you are not a current member and wish to attend the AGM please contact the club.

The AGM will be held just a few minutes away from Grovehill Ballpark. The venue is the Gadebridge Community Centre.

DATE: Sunday, 6 December 2015

TIME: Registration starts at 2:10pm, the AGM will commence at 2:20pm (expected to end at around 5:45pm)

VENUE: Galley Hall, Gadebridge Community Centre, The Nokes, Rossgate, Gadebridge, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 3LF (Directions and Map)

by Greg Bochan

8th annual Hert Futures Tournament – Great Weather – Great Baseball – Great Britain

With teams attending from all over the country; from as far as Halton in the North, Essex in the East, Brighton in the South and High Wycome in the West; Herts Baseball Club hosted its eighth annual futures tournament at their home ground, Grovehill Ballpark, on Saturday 26th September.

With 20 teams between the 4 age groups (U19’s, U14’s, U12’s and U10’s), a record for the futures tournament, a full day of baseball was on the agenda. To compliment this mammoth day the weather was wonderful with clear skies and warm temperatures, ideal for playing baseball.

In the U19’s Herts fought off a resilient Halton team to win its first ever Futures tournament crown, with a walk off win 3-2.

In the U14’s LYBL retain their crown winning both their games in the final series.

The U12’s again had LYBL take the top prize after dominating in the final series taking both games decisively.

London Sports won the U10’s after narrowly beating the Mets in the championship game.

The day was fantastic and massively enjoyed by all, the Herts concession stand recording its busiest ever day and nearly running out of its famous Chilli Dogs. The raffle proved very popular with players and parents alike trying to win some unique autographed baseball memorabilia kindly donated by BSUK.

Herts would like to thank all the teams who participated for making it such a special day, along with the umpires and all the Herts volunteers who worked tirelessly on the day to make it the great success that it was.
Can’t wait for next year!

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

by Greg Bochan

2015 Hunlock Series – Rosters and Schedule


The 2015 Hunlock Series rosters have been set.

The series sees two returning managers and a new face to lead the squads. Ken Pike will return as manager of the Red Roosters. Sony Lama will return as manager but this time of the Black Widows and new to the managers role is Jamie Lang for the Blue Dogs.

After some careful planning and a day of drafting, the rosters for the teams have been set.

Don’t worry if you want to play but haven’t signed up to do so yet. There is still time. All you need to do is register with the Hertsbaseball Clubhouse by clicking here. Once your registration has been confirmed you can fill out your avaialability for the games and the managers will assign you to a team.

Click here to see the Hunlock Teams page.

Red Roosters
Kennet Pike #51
Daniel Bennett #77
Warwick Byrne #66
Jake Caress #75
Mike Cattermole #22
Andy Cornish #7
Michael Cresswell #85
Aspi Dimitrov #4
Glen Downer #48
Jon Gamble #50
Tim Elkins #45
Clive Johnson #38
Michael Johnson #67
Felix Maldonado
Drew Mayhew #2
Rod Naghar #1
Tom Weatherilt
Mathew White
Black Widows
Sonam Lama #86
Akito Bando
Greg Bochan #13
Mark Caress #30
Bruce Dullea
Plamen Georgiev
Tim Lawrence
Lee Manning #14
Charlie Mayhew #41
Gilberto Medina #79
Takaya Miki
Connor Oshaughnessy
Daniela Phillips
Nick Russell #31
Christopher Shefford
Michael Smulczynski
Darrin Ward #66
Blue Dogs
Jamie Lang #93
Emmanuel Banson #94
Ralph Bartholomew #17
Dan Bartram #97
Brodie Caress #25
Joe Court #16
Ilya Dimitrov #21
Matthew Jackson #73
Troy Johnson
Rob Jones #6
Simon Langton
Zack Longboy #47
Ben Marques #18
Darren Priest #9
Andrew Slater #99
Adam White #34
Nick White #54

The 2015 Hunlock Series rosters have been set.

After some meticulous planning, the schedule has also been set for the series.

As stated previously, all games will be played on Sunday and are subject to weather.

Click here to see the Hunlock Schedule page.

DATE TIME VENUE VISITING TEAM HOME TEAM
WEEK ONE
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 13:00 New Blue Dogs Red Roosters
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 13:20 New Red Roosters Blue Dogs
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 13:40 New Blue Dogs Red Roosters
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 14:00 New Red Roosters Blue Dogs
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 14:30 New Black Widows Red Roosters
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 14:50 New Red Roosters Black Widows
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 15:10 New Black Widows Red Roosters
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 15:30 New Red Roosters Black Widows
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 16:00 New Black Widows Blue Dogs
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 16:20 New Blue Dogs Black Widows
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 16:40 New Black Widows Blue Dogs
Sunday 27 Sep 2015 17:00 New Blue Dogs Black Widows
WEEK TWO
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 13:00 New Black Widows Red Roosters
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 13:20 New Red Roosters Black Widows
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 13:40 New Black Widows Red Roosters
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 14:00 New Red Roosters Black Widows
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 14:30 New Black Widows Blue Dogs
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 14:50 New Blue Dogs Black Widows
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 15:10 New Black Widows Blue Dogs
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 15:30 New Blue Dogs Black Widows
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 16:00 New Blue Dogs Red Roosters
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 16:20 New Red Roosters Blue Dogs
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 16:40 New Blue Dogs Red Roosters
Sunday 04 Oct 2015 17:00 New Red Roosters Blue Dogs
WEEK THREE
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 13:00 New Black Widows Blue Dogs
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 13:20 New Blue Dogs Black Widows
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 13:40 New Black Widows Blue Dogs
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 14:00 New Blue Dogs Black Widows
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 14:30 New Blue Dogs Red Roosters
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 14:50 New Red Roosters Blue Dogs
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 15:10 New Blue Dogs Red Roosters
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 15:30 New Red Roosters Blue Dogs
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 16:00 New Black Widows Red Roosters
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 16:20 New Red Roosters Black Widows
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 16:40 New Black Widows Red Roosters
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 17:00 New Red Roosters Black Widows
DATE TIME VENUE VISITING TEAM HOME TEAM

by Rob Jones

Hawks fall to earth in national finals

It had been a vintage year for the Herts Hawks — posting a record of 11-2 — with a vintage team — full of experience and expertise. But its final moment was far from a vintage performance. It was a day when nothing worked, and the harder they tried, the further the game slipped from their grasp.

The Hawks were facing the Tonbridge Bobcats in the second semi-final at the Single-A National Championships. In the first semi-final, the top-seeded London Musketeers had been knocked out. Conventional wisdom said they were the chief threat to the Hawks, but they were upset 10-7 by the Guildford Mavericks.

Ken Pike at bat in the Single-A semi-final

The Hawks chances of a title had increased, but they first had to win their semi-final. Andrew Slater started on the mound for Herts. He had been the joint league leader in wins during the regular season, with 5. The game began well enough, with a scoreless first inning.

Snuffed out

But when Herts came up to bat, the tone of the day was set. Centre-fielder Ilya Dimitrov led off by reaching on an error. But he rashly made the turn for second with the loose ball still on the infield. Tonbridge recovered, caught him in an efficient rundown and snuffed out the threat. One down.

Sonam Lama then walked, stole a base and moved up to third on a pass ball while Tim Elkins struck out. But the Tonbridge pitcher Dicky Gofton — of whom more later —  smartly picked him off at third base, and the Herts inning was over. These were not the sort of mistakes the Hawks were used to making.

The Bobcats seized their chance and in the second inning started laying in to the pitching of Slater. The big number 99 never felt as sharp or as deceptive as he had been all season.

But there was malaise in the defence too. A swinging bunt turned into a base-runner when there was confusion about who should play it. Catches went down in the outfield. Hits would always go 6 inches from a glove. After the second inning, Tonbridge were up 5-0. After the third, they led 9-0.

Slater left after allowing 11 hits, striking out one and walking one. Charlie Mayhew made a brisk start in relief, limiting the opponents to just 2 runs.

But this was scheduled as a 7-inning game, because of the nature of finals day. That meant the mercy rule would be in force after 5, and Herts were in a deep hole.

Disappointment

Their first hit of the day had come in the third inning from second baseman Ken Pike. He then stole and progressed to third base, as Dimitrov again reached on an error. But Tonbridge were equal to it, and kept the scoresheet clean. In the fourth, Herts went down in order.

By the end of the day, Dicky Gofton had racked up 7 strikeouts, 2 walks, and no runs. A fastball which consistently found the corners, paired with a loping curve ball, kept the Herts batters off balance. They never showed the offense which had helped to drive them to the national finals.

There was one last push to save the game in the bottom of the fifth. Catcher Paul Auchterlounie tried to make something happen, by bunting for a hit. But he was thrown out by half a step by Gofton. Dan Bartram worked a walk, and Pike got his second hit of the day.

But a strikeout and a groundout ended the game, and Tonbridge moved on to the final. The disappointment in the Herts dugout was clear. “A tough day at the office”, was the polite way to put it. “Dreadful” was another. Joint managers Greg Bochan and Andrew Slater had led the team to a hugely successful season and felt flat to see it end in a damp squib.

The Herts Hawks squad for the semi-final

Herts club president Aspi Dimitrov spoke for many when he urged the Hawks not to feel too downhearted: “You have had a great season”, he said. “Everyone at Herts Baseball Club is very proud of you.”

Tonbridge went on to beat Guildford in the final, winning 10-0 in five innings by mercy rule, and lifted the Single-A trophy for the first time in club history.

Photos of the day can be seen and downloaded here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hertsbaseball/albums/72157658536566555