Category: Headlines

by Greg Bochan

BBF Single-A Championship Saturday

The Herts Hawks are on their way to Farnham park this Saturday, 12 September.

At 12:45 they start the final leg of their journey to the Championship match.

The Hawks are facing Tonbridge. A formidable side whom they just managed to squeak a win out of earlier in the season. The extra inning game was a close one with the Hawks pulling out the victory in the 10th.

If the Hawks are successful in their semi-final match they will go on to play the winner of the London v Guildford game for the 2015 BBF Single-A Championship.

If you’d like to come and support the Hawks, directions to Farnham park can be found here

by Greg Bochan

Hawks Defeat Brighton to Book place in single-A semi finals

Herts Hawks produced a dominant display of offensive power at Grovehill on Sunday to beat Brighton Redhawks by a mercy-rule victory in 6 innings.

The team had started the 2015 season with an unbeaten run of 11 games before stumbling at the final two against their main contenders in the title challenge but a solid win will have helped restore confidence and prove they are a force to be reckoned with in the next round at Farnham Park.

The game started with some nerves for the home team as they let four runs slip past them in the first inning but they responded in style slotting in 6 runs in reply before settling down to a much more solid defensive performance for the rest of the game. With only five errors conceded by the team the manager will be happy to see a return to discipline over the last two games of the regular season.

Starting pitcher and coach Greg Bochan calmly commanded the mound throughout the game while the offense racked up 6 runs in both of the first two innings, and three in the third and fourth as well. Brighton’s third pitcher of the day brought a brief reprieve from the onslaught with a sidearm delivery that took some getting used to before Herts jumped back to life in the sixth with a further seven runs to seal the game.

One of the standout moments of the game included a stylish catch from outfielder Rod Naghar who promptly delivered the ball back to second baseman Ken Pike for a double play on the runner who had jumped the gun expecting the ball to land, while on the other side of the ball Sonam Lama went four for four and Tim Elkins and Ilya Dimitrov batted in three runs each to lead the scoring.

Ultimately there was little to fear for the Hawks after the first inning was done, but despite a sterling effort played in the best of spirits, the young Brighton side will not compare to the challenge the Hawks face in the semi finals next Saturday in the form of Tonbridge. The two sides faced each other earlier on in the year in an edgy and closely fought battle in Kent which was decided only after an extra inning and a margin of one run to Hawks’ favour. Both sides will be keen to come out firing on all cylinders to book a place in the finals so it’s sure to be another epic match-up.

Box Score
  1 2 3 4 5 6   final
BRIGHTON REDHAWKS 4 1 0 2 0 2 — 9
HERTS HAWKS 6 6 3 3 0 7 — 25
by Greg Bochan

Herts U12 team victorious in their YNBC qualifiers

Herts U12 team were victorious in their YNBC qualifiers on Saturday during an exciting day of baseball.

The day started with a tough match up against Horsham, who had already won their first game of the day. As the visiting team, Herts hitters came out swinging with Nicholas Durer leading off with a double. Josh Jones then reached on an error before James Dullea doubled them both in. Although Herts continued to hit the ball throughout the game, with singles from Jonathan Wakelam, Cal McCreavy and Durer, solid defence from Horsham prevented any more runs. James Dullea started the game for Herts and was in masterful form. Dullea pitched 4 and 2/3 no-hit innings before reaching his pitch count for the day, and left having struck out 13! He also made a fine play on a weak ground ball to first base. Durer fielded it cleaning and fed to Dullea who was covering from the mound and bare handed the ball before stepping on the bag. With two outs in the fifth Horsham scored their first run with a based loaded walk and the score was 2-1. In the bottom of the sixth, Durer stepped to the mound and got two quick outs. Horsham then had runners on first and second with their best hitter at the plate. He promptly scorched a line drive to left field, but Josh Jones was there to make the catch and Herts erupted as they took the victory.

With Horsham having beaten Brentwood in the first game, Herts still had to win against Brentwood in their second game to go through. Having thrown only one inning in the first game, Nicholas Durer started the second. Durer was pitching well, but a finger injury meant he had to leave after 2 and a third. Brentwood scored in the first before Herts answered in the bottom of the inning with five runs. Durer again led off the game with extra bases, this time a triple and then scored on Joe Gipple’s single to centre. Josh Jones then walked before singles by James Dullea and Cal McCreavy. Brentwood’s aggressive young team answered with a run in the second before blanking Herts, and then scored two in the third, but that would be all they would get as Alex Trautman stepped to the mound and shut them down for the final two and two thirds innings in a fine relief appearance. Herts then scored five in each of the third and fourth innings to come away with a solid 15-4 victory and advance to the National Championships.

Notable performances

Nicholas Durer went 4 for 5 with a double, a triple and walk.
James Dullea went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and a walk.
Joe Gipple hit the ball hard all day going 3 for 6 and putting the ball in play every time at bat.

by Greg Bochan

Single A Quarterfinal – Hawks vs Brighton

 
This Sunday, 6 September, 12:00 PM, sees the Herts Hawks battle in a postseason elimination quaterfinal game versus the Brighton Redhawks.

The two clubs met in the 2nd week of the season. A close game ultimately being won by Herts.

Boxscore from Sunday, April 19, 2015
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Brighton Redhawks 2 0 3 3 6 0 1 1 1 17 25 1
Herts Hawks 5 1 1 1 0 7 1 6 0 22 18 2

The Redhawks come into the game with a 7 – 7 record. The Hawks roll up with an 11 – 2 record but those 2 loses were acquired in the last 2 games leading up to the post-season.

So come down to Grovehill on Sunday, 6 September and cheer on your Herts team! Game starts at Noon.

Weather looks to be nice. So bring a picnic:

by Greg Bochan

2015 Hunlock Series

The 2015 BBF league season is about to reach its conclusion,  but the best part of the season for everyone connected with Herts Baseball Club is yet to come.

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

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

SERIES FORMAT

This year’s competition will be played over 3 Sundays. The opening games will be played on Sunday, 27 September.  The second round of games will take place on Sunday, 4 October with the final round scheduled for Sunday, 11 October.

After its success in the 2014 we will see the return of “The 9th Inning Weekend” where games are decided over one inning only. This format recreates the tension and drama of the ninth inning. Can the teams manufacture the all important go-ahead run? Can they deliver the walk-off hits? Can the pitchers and defence execute with the game on the line?

THE DRAFT

As in previous years, the 2015 Hunlock Series managers will select their teams via Draft. Who will be the first round picks? How will minor league players perform alongside NBL players?

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

With all of the club’s managers and coaching staff monitoring these games, players who have been pushing for promotion to a higher league team will have the perfect opportunity to make a claim on the big stage in the coming weeks of the Hunlock Series.

PLAYERS LOOKING TO REGISTER AHEAD OF THE DRAFT

Herts players are currently signing up ahead of the draft. New players and players from other clubs can also sign up by contacting Herts Baseball Club.

There has already been interest from non-Herts players located in other regions of the United Kingdom and overseas. Just like last year, the Hunlock Series could provide a glimpse at players who could be wearing the Herts jersey in 2016.

To be eligible for selection during the live draft, players must register and enter their availability details online by 7pm on Wednesday, 17 September. If you miss this deadline, don’t worry. Players would still be eligible to take part but would be added to teams as free agents. Players who wish to register for the 2015 Hunlock Series should contact Herts Baseball Club. To be eligible to play in the Hunlock Series, players must be 14 years of age or above on 31 December 2015.

by Greg Bochan

2015 Herts Futures Tournament

It’s time to sign up for one of the biggest youth tournaments in British baseball, the Herts Futures Tournament.

This year’s event will take place on Saturday, 26th September.

Click here to visit the 2015 Herts Futures Tournament webpage.

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

Last year was a record for the HFT with 15 teams entering the competition, and we hope to build on that in 2015. In previous years teams from Horsham, Bracknell, the LYBL Bulldogs and the Northstar Polecats are among those which have come to Hemel Hempstead for the event.

This year, in addition to inviting Under-19, Under-14 and Under-12 teams, Herts is exploring the option of adding an Under-10 division, which would be coach-pitch. There may also be exciting changes to the format of several games in a group stage, followed by finals.

It all depends how many teams sign up, so please register now and final details will be sent to competing teams.

All games will be played at Grovehill. The home of Herts Baseball Club in Hemel Hempstead, it has two purpose-built diamonds with pitching mounds, permanent outfield fences, and dugouts.

Grovehill has frequently hosted BBF postseason and GB Team games. During the Herts Futures Tournament additional diamonds are added to accommodate all the age groups.

The organisers provide game balls and umpires. All you have to bring is your enthusiasm! A concessions stand will sell hot and cold drinks, donuts and hot dogs.

Those who wish to enter a team are kindly requested to email the organisers by 6 September 2015.

The entry fee has been set at £40. Your entry fee must be received no later than 13 September 2015.

More details can be found on the 2015 Herts Futures Tournament webpage.

The 2015 Herts Futures Tournament info pack is available for download by CLICKING HERE.

Please contact Mark Caress at Herts Baseball Club for any further details. He can be reached at mark.caress@hertsbaseball.com

by Rob Jones

Falcons and Raptors soar in season finale

The Herts Falcons secured their number 2 seeding in the post-season by splitting Sunday’s double-header at Grovehill against the defending National League champions, the Essex Arrows.

These were the last games of the regular season and were crucial to gain an advantage in the playoffs.

Maikel Azcuy, one of the Herts power threats (photo: Paul Holdrick)

The Falcons won Game 1 convincingly behind the pitching of Jose Sosa. The 9-2 victory was powered by home runs from Edwin Alcantara, NBL record holder Maikel Azcuy, and Sosa himself. In Game 2, starting pitcher Ian Sales limited the Arrows to just one run, but it still wasn’t enough, as Herts suffered a 1-0 loss.

But the results were enough to finish second in the NBL so the Falcons will host this weekend’s semi-final series against the Arrows, and either Southampton or Bracknell.

Manager Lee Manning is feeling confident: “We played great defence and it looks like we’re getting hot at the right time – even if the weather isn’t!”

In the Single-A division, the Herts Raptors ended their season with a thrilling 25-21 victory away to the Kent Mariners. The team took an early lead but had to come from behind to secure the win. They were trailing by 9 runs in the sixth inning, but rallied with hits from Joe Court and Yue Du.

The Raptors were still trailing by 3 runs going into the ninth inning. When the first Herts runner to reach base was caught stealing things looked ominous.

But the visitors managed to level the score, and then Manny Banson struck the tie-breaking hit to drive in shortstop Jamie Lang and starting pitcher Paul Barton.

Paul Barton had 4 hits and 3 RBIs (photo: Rob Jones)

Matt Corran , a converted cricketer who starting playing league baseball after attending the midweek training sessions at Grovehill, pitched in relief for the win. He struck out six and walked one.

The caretaker manager for the day, Barton – another rookie – was delighted by the result: “It was a great game, amazing. Matt was excellent, and everyone hit really well.”

The Raptors don’t qualify for the playoffs, but ended the season winning four of their last five games. Manager Rob Jones was proud of the progress the side had made: “It’s been a season with some really horrible moments, but everyone has pulled together and played with a great spirit and they deserve the good results.”

The Herts Hawks are also into the playoffs in Single-A, and have high hopes, but they did not have a game this week. Their action resumes in September.

by Rob Jones

Falcons take two while Raptors bats beat Bucks

The Herts Falcons put down a marker for the postseason when the National League-leading London Mets came to Grovehill for a double-header on Sunday, 16th August. The Falcons are jostling for position in the playoff race and they were able to take both games from the visitors.

The first game was tight, with the early exchanges leaving the two sides tied at 5-5 after three innings. The Falcons were then able to stretch out their lead and despite a rally by London in the final inning, it ended 10-9 to the Herts side. Jose Sosa took the win, Ian Sales the save, while home runs from Maikel Azcuy, Edwin Alcantara and Robert Almanzar drove the offense.

Jose Sosa, winning pitcher on Sunday

Sales was the man to start the second half of the menu, and he pitched a complete game with 6 strikeouts to secure an 8-0 shutout victory. Alcantara was again the main force on offense, with 4 RBIs, and new South African outfielder Darren Meintjes chipped in with a home run.

The defending NBL champion Essex Arrows take on the Falcons this weekend in a crucial match-up. Both sides have .500 records, so this will determine who is the runner-up to the Mets in the league, and therefore who gets to host the three-team semi-final the following week.

The big downside for the Herts side was a nasty injury to Robbie Almanzar, who broke his leg in two places and dislocated an ankle sliding in to second base. The incident caused a long delay in the game, and is bad news for him and the team. It’s hoped he will make a full recovery. Cris Hiche also sprained an ankle sliding and faces a race to be fit for the playoffs.

In Single-A, the Herts Raptors won their final regular season fixture. They were taking on the Brentwood Bucks on the Old Diamond at Grovehill, and both teams were keen to secure victory after tough seasons.

Early exchanges were tight, and it was 4-1 to Herts after two innings. Charlie Mayhew was making a strong start for the Raptors on the mound and he would go on to pitch a complete game with 9 strikeouts.

The Herts bats broke out for 8 runs in the third inning, as they first chased the Brentwood starter Glen Robertson then kept up the pressure on reliever Tom Keegan. Catcher Joe Court hit an RBI double, while Will Marshall and Manny Banson also drove in runs.

This big inning made the difference as the pattern of the game then settled back into one of even exchanges and good defense. Third baseman Matthew Jackson — who had four hits on the day — combined with first baseman Michael Cresswell on one highlight reel play to nab a runner on a ball hit deep to the hot corner.

Going in to the seventh inning, Herts led 17-6 and the Bucks needed two runs to keep the game alive. As it turned out, Mayhew was still dealing and he threw up a zero to put an emphatic end to the game.

Cresswell was manager on the day, with Rob Jones taking a share of the umpiring duties, and he hailed it as a great game: “Full credit to all who played”, he said.

The other Herts Single-A side, the Hawks, suffered a second consecutive defeat after a season which had been unbeaten. They already have their place booked in the playoffs after winning their pool.

But one of their potential playoff rivals, Bracknell Inferno, will be pleased to have claimed a 17-16 win in their game at Westmoreland Park. The Hawks co-manager Andrew Slater said errors had helped undo his team, but hopes remain high of the team’s playoff prospects.

by Rob Jones

Homer helps Hawks stay high; Falcons fall

Herts Hawks pitcher Andrew Slater set a new season high for strikeouts as his side beat the Kent Mariners 20-3 at Grovehill ballpark. Slater – also the team’s joint manager – whiffed 7 batters and walked just one in a dominant performance. He now leads the league in wins.

Andrew Slater in pitching action

The Hawks remain unbeaten in the British Baseball Federation’s Single-A league, and are looking to secure top seeding for the playoffs.

The offense was again led by Andy Cornish, who had four hits including a triple and a home run. Sonam Lama scored five runs, while Slater himself had a couple of hits. He praised the team effort: “it was a good performance all around.”

Hit 2, scored 2

The Hawks main rivals in the league are the London Musketeers, who are also unbeaten. On Sunday they were taking on the Herts Raptors on Grovehill’s second diamond. Raptors are mainly new players, but fought hard to stay with the unbeaten London side. It was still a respectable 13-6 in the middle of the fifth inning.

Paul Barton on the mound frequently battled out of tough situations as London threatened to surge ahead. He struck out three and walked only one. Matt Corran made his debut for the team, and impressed everyone when he came on to pitch in relief. He ended with a flourish, with a strikeout.

New players hit well, too. In his first start for the team, Matthew White hit 2 doubles and scored 2 runs, while Darren Priest’s first ever hit was a double. In the end, Musketeers had too much power and they piled on runs to win by 25-6 in seven innings.

Earlier in the day, the Raptors won 9-0 over the Haverhill Blackjacks by forfeit.

Raptors manager Rob Jones said: “We played really well against a tough side, and made some great plays. I am really pleased with the progress new guys have made –they will go far.”

At the top end of the club, the Herts Falcons headed to Farnham Park to take on Bracknell Blazers, and the action didn’t disappoint on a great summer day for baseball. Both teams needed the victories; Falcons to stay in 2nd place and more importantly take a big step towards a guaranteed spot in the playoffs, and Bracknell to fight for a playoff spot.

Falcons’ gremlins

The first game started well for the Falcons who scored two runs in the top of the 1st inning and looked poised to take advantage of starting pitcher Jordan Edmonds, who seemed to be looking to find his rhythm in the mound. On the other hand, the Herts starter Jose Sosa — who lately has struggled a bit in the 1st inning — started full steam.

Jordan then settled in and the defense on both teams was playing quite well with a 5-1 lead to Falcons leading into the bottom of the 4th. With 2 outs, Falcons’ gremlins appeared once again and defensive errors allowed Bracknell to extend the inning. Bracknell took advantage of it and became aggressive at the plate and bases to put more pressure to the defense and they succeeded. After the 4th it was tied 5-5.

In the next inning, Bracknell went ahead but Falcons bounced back in the top of the 6th to tie the game. Bracknell responded and again got the lead at the bottom of the 6th. Falcons couldn’t respond this time in the top of the 7th and Bracknell won 7-6 in a very close game.

Robbie Almanzar (photo: Paul Holdrick)

The 2nd game paired another two aces again with Rei Martinez and Robbie Almanzar starting for the Blazers and Falcons respectively. The game started as a pitching duel with the score 0-0 going into the 4th. Both teams knew the game would be decided by 1 or 2 runs.

However, in the bottom of the 4th Bracknell put a few timely hits together with, of course, some very costly errors by the Falcons, and the score all of a sudden was 4-0. Falcons came back in the top of the 5th with 2 runs and Bracknell added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. Herts wouldn’t give up and scored another 2 runs in the top of the 6th leaving the score now 5-4 for Bracknell.

But in the bottom of the 6th it all went Bracknell’s way — hitting in the gaps, Falcons making more defensive errors, and Robbie running out of gas. Bracknell put up an insurmountable lead 12-4, and although Falcons scored 2 runs in the top of the 7th, it was too little too late. Final score 12-6.

by Rob Jones

Hawks swoop on Richmond

The Herts Hawks continued their march towards the playoffs with a convincing 28-10 victory away to the Richmond Squires in the Single-A league. Joint manager Andrew Slater pitched a complete game for the win, striking out four batters and walking only 2.

The first few innings were evenly matched, with Herts edging into a narrow lead. Tim Elkins scored the first run of the day. The Squires first two batters reached base and the hosts threatened to score — but a double-play on the infield prevented it.

Andy Cornish, slugger, and Andrew Slater, pitcher

 

Then the Hawks added 5 runs in the fourth inning and piled on 14 runs in the fifth to put the game beyond doubt.

Rod Naghar led the team with 5 runs batted in; Andy Cornish hit three doubles; while catcher Paul Auchterlounie scored 5 runs. The Hawks remain unbeaten on the season, with a 10-0 record, and a postseason slot is now secure. The next few games will help determine their seeding.

The Herts Raptors were also in Richmond for two Single-A games. One was scheduled, the other was a make-up of a rained out game from May.

They jumped out to a big early lead against the Dukes and still led 13-6 after 4 innings. Boruch Boudilovsky and Daniel Bennett each drove in 3 runs. Good fielding helped protect the lead, with Nick Shrimpton at shortstop and Matt Jackson at third base showing excellent defensive skills.

But Richmond staged a dramatic rally, scoring 7 runs to draw level and then 9 to surge ahead. They won 22-14.

The Raptors then faced the Richmond Squires, in the make-up game. Bennett again performed well, getting on base all three times he came up to bat, and scoring the only run. But the Herts offense had gone quiet. Nick Shrimpton had 2 hits and the only RBI.

Richmond had their veteran pitcher John Irving on the mound, and he allowed just 6 hits and 1 run. The visitors couldn’t figure him out, and in a game shortened because it was being played as a double-header, there was no time to recover.

Raptors lost 12-1 and are still searching for their first win of the season. There were no other Herts teams in action this week.