Category: Headlines

Last-minute instructions from coach Kent

The Herts Under-14 All Stars go into battle this Saturday as the British youth baseball playoffs take centre-stage. We managed to speak with Manager, Kent Peterson, who is currently in the USA, via satellite linkup to get his thoughts on the big weekend ahead for the team.

hertsbaseball.com: This is your second year as the manager of the Herts U14 team. Last year the team had an amazing run going all the way to the final despite the majority of the 2010 championship-winning U14 team moving to the U17 team. 7 members of the 2011 team which reached the final have also moved up to the U17 league level. This is a brand new group of players which has had to face older or more experienced teams all year. Going into the playoffs, should the team try to set high expectations or should the approach be more realistic with emphasis on building a team to challenge for the title in 2013 or 2014?

KP: The greatest part of being a coach is not always represented in the amount of wins a team has each year. Each team is special in its own way, last year we were privileged to have a team that had many members with years of baseball experience. This year we have introduced a great game to a number of younger kids that are just as willing to go out and play the game to the best of their ability. In my mind, that is how a winning team is built, you must start with enthusiasm and the common goal of getting better each game. Then the W’s start to happen. That is what I find to be realistic.

hertsbaseball.com: The veterans in the team are Adam White, Callum Vangundy, Drew Mayhew and Gavin Peterson. There is pressure on the shoulders of these four young players to be the leaders this Saturday. Can they handle it?

KP: Those are four fine young men you mentioned, but I would add a couple more that maybe don’t get the limelight as much but are just as important. Ben Jones and Aaron Witter have contributed well to the team this year and although we haven’t had as many games this summer due to the weather I saw great strides by all those players already mentioned. Most noticeably Drew with his improved hitting and Adam has been on fire playing second base. Very exciting to see!

hertsbaseball.com: The playoffs will be staged at Grovehill Ballpark in Herts. Will home field advantage play a part?

KP: I will never disagree with the idea of home field advantage, it just seems to settle a younger team down quicker, same sights and feel to the game never hurts. I’ll take it!

hertsbaseball.com: Unfortunately, you will be overseas so the team will miss your presence this Saturday. What is your message to the players ahead of the playoffs?

KP: Hello from the States and best of luck. I really miss watching the boys and girls play and I know they will try their best, that is all I’ve asked of them. To the team, just believe in yourselves and try your best, the rest will take care of itself.

hertsbaseball.com: Aspi Dimitrov will be standing in as the coach of the team while you are away. Do you have any last-minute instructions for Aspi?

KP: Aspi and his efforts is the backbone to the club, he’s really the unsung hero of the organization and will be a great replacement. His knowledge of the game and his patience with the team is amazing and I’m sure they will put forth a great effort and show us all the joy of playing baseball, because in the end that’s what it is all about. Best of luck and go Herts!

 

Watch out for the hustlers

Mike Wakelam (right): "I love where the facilities have got to, and I think that the fans facilities need to catch up a little bit."

With just days before the British U17 and U14 playoffs the deciding games in the Herts Under-11 Championship Series we had the opportunity to talk with the manager of the Herts Dodgers, Mike Wakelam, about the games this weekend, the season so far and look into the future of Herts Baseball’s youth programme.

hertsbaseball.com: Over the last few years you have played a key role with the Herts Baseball youth programme with focus on the Under-11 teams, which is the youngest age group. This year in particular you and the other U11 coaches have made some changes in the coaching approach. Is this starting to pay off already in terms of player development and enjoyment?

MW: The changes this year have certainly started to pay off. At this age, games aren’t worth playing if the fundamentals aren’t being taught. We’ve implemented an approach that sees the kids spend about 90 minutes on drills and mechanics, helping them to grasp some of the fundamentals of the game, so that when they step into a game situation they do so with more confidence and enjoy the game more. The impact on the games has been great, with everyone contributing.

hertsbaseball.com: At such an early age it is difficult to forecast how a particular player will develop. Are the U11 coaches starting to notice players making improvements and showing the promise of becoming a star player for Herts or perhaps even representing Great Britain at the Olympics in the future?

MW: The best thing about coaching at this level is seeing how much a player can progress in one season. Sometimes you think you know where a player is at, and then something just clicks and they surprise you. I often remember when I was a skinny uncoordinated 9 year old, I was at the bottom of the talent list, but everybody develops in skill and coordination at different rates, so what looks one way now could be completely different in 5 years. The main thing to look for is the desire to play and to practice, and hustle. The ones who are there early and stay late and hustle after every ball, they’re the ones to watch – and we definitely have a few potential stars based on that scale.

hertsbaseball.com: Ahead of this Saturday’s final games in the 2012 Championship Series between the Herts Dodgers and the Herts Giants, the Dodgers were on the losing side last year and they have been on fire this year showing so much desire to win the trophy this year. What has been the reason behind their success so far?

MW: To be honest, the season has been extremely close, despite the difference win/loss columns. We’ve been hampered by a few too many rainouts this year, but each time we’ve played, they’ve been back and forth affairs, including extra innings, so I’m hoping for more of that this Saturday.

hertsbaseball.com: Who are the Dodgers’ and Giants’ players to watch out for this Saturday?

MW: The hustlers – Nicholas Durer and Ben Jupp. The big bats – Josh Jones, Cameron Manning, Thomas Garton and Christian Lynch. The sure glove of Alex Trautman. And I’m sure many surprises from the other talented players. This is also Katie’s last game in Under-11s, so I’m sure she wants to leave a mark.

hertsbaseball.com: The Dodgers have a 2-game lead, so the Giants have no room for error. They need to win both games this Saturday to force a deciding final game. Do they have a chance?

MW: As I coach the dodgers, I’d like to think they don’t. But they certainly do, especially with Paul, Max and John coaching.

hertsbaseball.com: Herts has invested heavily into upgrading facilities over the years to create arguably the best facilities in the country. Looking ahead over the next few years, what should the club invest in next? Further facilities improvement, team equipment, coaching aids, or should the club look to improve facilities for fans such as toilets, seating for fans, kitchen and other facilities for concession stand operations?

MW: I love where the facilities have got to, and I think that the fans facilities need to catch up a little bit. I’d also like to see the fields mowed a little more often, as in our age group, the length of the grass helps determine how far a hit will travel.

hertsbaseball.com: The U11 age group includes players as young as 5 and as old as 10. If the rate of new young players joining club continues, Herts may be able to introduce an Under-8 age group soon. Would this be a step forward or would it be better to keep the U11 age group and simply create more teams for a more vibrant U11 regional league?

MW: I’ve thought about this a lot. Obviously it’s great experience for the younger ones to play with the older group, but I’d have to suggest that if we continue to grow in the number of under-8s, it would be beneficial to have a separate under-8 age group. This could be either coach pitch or tee ball. What I think this would do is allow the older kids to start facing kid pitching at a younger age, readying them for under-14s. Until the time we have enough kids to do that, I’d advocate taking a team of older kids out to play other clubs. We could do that on a few weekends every year, or have a weekend tournament or two throughout the year.

hertsbaseball.com: You have previously played for Herts at the NBL and AAA level and are one of the most feared hitters in the league. You are about to undergo a knee operation. What is the likelihood of you making a comeback and putting on the Herts jersey after the operation?

MW: Haha. On a scale of 1 to 10, the likelihood of me playing again is probably a 1. Maybe a 2.

Herts U17 and U14 teams face daunting playoff task. Do-or-die for Giants in the U11 Championship Series

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The British Baseball Federation (BBF) has confirmed the schedule for this Saturday’s Under-17 and Under-14 Playoffs which will be hosted by Herts Baseball Club along with the Under-11 Herts Championship Final between the Herts Dodgers and the Herts Giants.
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U17 PLAYOFFS
The Herts U17 team will face the Forest Glade Redbacks in an elimination game at 10am. The two teams met 12 months ago with exactly the same scenario and the Redbacks won it in extra innings. The winner of this first game will face the number one seed, London Mets. The winner of that game will qualify for the National Baseball Championships (NBC) which will be held in Cartmel Valley on 15 and 16 September. The second team to progress through to the NBC will be the winner of the game between the Horsham Hornets and the Cobham Cougars.
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U17 Schedule
DATE TIME VENUE LEAGUE VISITING TEAM HOME TEAM FORMAT
08-Sep 10:00 New Diamond BBF (U17) Playoffs Forest Glade RedBacks Herts All Stars (U17) 6 innings
08-Sep 12:30 New Diamond BBF (U17) Playoffs Forest Glade/Herts London Mets (U17) 6 innings
08-Sep 14:30 New Diamond BBF (U17) Playoffs Horsham Hornets Cobham Cougars 6 innings
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U14 PLAYOFFS
The Herts U14 team faces exactly the same predicament as the Herts U17 team. They will first need to win against the Forest Glade Redbacks. If they do this they will have the daunting prospect of facing the London Mets who are the favourites to win the title. Last year’s winners, LYBL, will come up against London Sports and the winner of that duel will also progress through to the NBC in the Lake District a week later.
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U14 Schedule
DATE TIME VENUE LEAGUE VISITING TEAM HOME TEAM FORMAT
08-Sep 10:00 Old Diamond BBF (U14) Playoffs London Sports LYBL 6 innings
08-Sep 12:30 Old Diamond BBF (U14) Playoffs Herts All Stars (U14) Forest Glade RedBacks 6 innings
08-Sep 14:30 Old Diamond BBF (U14) Playoffs Forest Glade/Herts London Mets (U14) 6 innings
U11 HERTS CHAMPIONSHIP
The Herts Dodgers go into the final games of their Herts U11 Championship with the Herts Dodgers with a clear advantage as they lead 3-1 in the series. If the Giants are to retain the title, they know that they will need to win both games on Saturday in order to tie the series at 3-3 and force a deciding Game 7.
U11 schedule
DATE TIME VENUE LEAGUE VISITING TEAM HOME TEAM FORMAT
08-Sep 10:30 Old Diamond U11 Series Herts Giants Herts Dodgers 4 innings
08-Sep 12:00 Old Diamond U11 Series Herts Dodgers Herts Giants 4 innings
08-Sep 13:30 Old Diamond U11 Series Herts Giants Herts Dodgers 3 innings
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VENUE AND EVENT DETAILS
The event will be hosted by Herts Baseball Club at their ballpark in Hemel Hempstead (click for venue details). Admission is free and fans and families can enjoy the baseball action along with traditional baseball snacks which will be on offer including hot dogs, chilli dogs, Krispy Kreme donuts, Big League Chew and other snacks and drinks.
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Players and their families will also be able to purchase instant framed photos from the day’s games as DE Photo have been appointed as the photographers for this event.
Baseball gloves, bats, bags, and other merchandise including baseball memorabilia will also be on offer at the retail outlets around the ballpark.
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Note: As mentioned above Herts Baseball Club is pleased to announce that DE Photo have been appointed as the Professional Sports and Event Photographers for this event. This event, by its very nature, is in the public arena and when entering for the event the participant and their parents acknowledges this fact, which may result in the recording and publication of his/her image. All DE Photo photographers and staff have been CRB checked and the company operates a strict Child Protection Policy and Code of Ethics which can be viewed on their website at http://www.dephoto.biz/cpp

2012 Youth Baseball Playoffs coming to Herts on 8 September

Last weekend British Baseball fans enjoyed the climax of the 2012 season as the national champions in all four senior leagues were crowned.

Now it is the turn of Britain’s youth teams to compete for the national title. The action begins with the playoffs for both the Under-17 and Under-14 leagues. The British Baseball Federation announced that this event will be held on Saturday, 8 September 2012.

It will be hosted by Herts Baseball Club at their ballpark in Hemel Hempstead (click for venue details). Admission is free and fans and families can enjoy the baseball action along with traditional baseball snacks which will be on offer including hot dogs, Krispy Kreme donuts, Big League Chew and other snacks and drinks.

Players and their families will also be able to purchase instant framed photos from the day’s games as DE Photo have been appointed as the photographers for this event.

Baseball gloves, bats, bags, and other merchandise including baseball memorabilia will also be on offer at the retail outlets around the ballpark.

The U17 and U14 playoffs will each feature 5 teams. All of them have been seeded based on their regular season league record.

U17 Seedings

1. London Mets Pony

2. Cobham Cougars

3. Horsham Hornets

4. Herts All Stars

5. Forest Glade Redbacks

 

U14 Seedings

1. London Mets Bronco

2. London Youth Baseball League

3. LondonSports

4. Forest Glade Redbacks

5. Herts All Stars

Confirmation of the playoff format and games schedule will be released shortly by the BBF and we will keep you updated. The two best teams in each of the two leagues will progress through to the National Youth Baseball Championships which will be played in Cartmel Valley on 15 and 16 September.

HERTS U11 SERIES

The event will also include the Final of the Under-11 Series between the Herts Dodgers and the Herts Giants. The Dodgers have the upper hand at the moment leading the series 3-1.

Note: As mentioned above Herts Baseball Club is pleased to announce that DE Photo have been appointed as the Professional Sports and Event Photographers for this event. This event, by its very nature, is in the public arena and when entering for the event the participant and their parents acknowledges this fact, which may result in the recording and publication of his/her image. All DE Photo photographers and staff have been CRB checked and the company operates a strict Child Protection Policy and Code of Ethics which can be viewed on their website at http://www.dephoto.biz/cpp

Harlow win Game 6 against Herts to clinch back-to-back NBL titles

The article was written by Oliver Mintz-Lowe and first appeared on britishbaseball.org

The Harlow Nationals sealed back-to-back NBL titles in only their second year in existence as they secured consecutive National Baseball Championship wins with a 6-3 victory over the Herts Falcons.

Two years in existence, two NBL National Baseball Championship titles – that’s the impressive resume of 2012 champions Harlow Nationals.

After winning it all last season in stunning fashion, the Nationals arguably achieved an even more impressive feat over the weekend by backing up their 2011 success with another championship, beating a strong Herts Falcons team in the final.

Harlow were always favourites after finishing in first place during the regular season, and played progressively better each time they took to the field. Their final win, in an entertaining high standard game, was an excellent advert for British baseball.

The eventual difference maker proved to be a pair of home runs from Jarrod Pretorius (2-3) and Maikel Azcuy (2-3) – two powerful hitters at the heart of Harlow’s line-up. Pitcher Robbie Almanzar, making his second start of the weekend, pitched a solid complete game to seal the win.

Number two seeds Herts Falcons undoubtedly played their part in the final, and certainly looked capable of winning to force a decider. British baseball stalwart Ryan Bird pitched better than his numbers suggested, and continued his excellent form with that bat, while explosive leadoff man Robbie Unsell was once again impressive at the top of the order.

Under the double elimination format the Nationals, coming into the contest with a 2-0 record, would only need to win one of two games. As the Falcons had one defeat to their name they would need to pick up two straight wins.

And while both teams got off to a confident start, it was Harlow that moved a step closer to the title thanks to Jarrod Pretorius’ first inning home run- his second of the weekend.

Herts did score first, however, when, not for the first time this weekend, Robbie Unsell and Ryan Bird (1-2, 2 RBI) combined to put a run on the board. After Unsell got aboard with a line drive single, the leadoff man stole second and advanced to third on a fly ball. Bird got the job done, knocking in the run on a groundout to put the Falcons in front.

But the lead was quickly reversed thanks to Pretorius’ three run shot. Leading off the inning, Robbie Almanzar hustled down the line to beat the throw and reach base on an error. George Lintern then laid down a perfect bunt to reach first, before Pretorious jumped on a 1-0 pitch to put the favourites into pole position.

And Pretorius backed up his fine batting with some excellent fielding in the very next inning, making an excellent diving stop at second base to assist with a double play, erasing Kevin Niedringhaus (2-3) after a leadoff single.

In the next couple of innings, the pitching remained tight, with both teams exchanging a run each. Herts pulled one back when Chris Hiche reached safely with a two out single, and ended up scoring on an error when right fielder George Lintern misplayed a fly ball. Brendan Cunliffe restored Herts two-run cushion when he drove in Azcuy in the very next inning.

The contest was tense, and there was nothing between the two top teams in the country. The Falcons once again made it a one run game when Chris Hiche and Ryan Bird hit back-to-back two-out doubles.

Bird was also turning in a strong performance on the mound to go with his two RBIs. But after striking out Edwin Alcantara for his eighth K of the contest, he ran into trouble in unfortunate circumstances. After Pretorious picked up a two-out scratch hit to barely keep the inning alive, Maikel Azcuy crushed the first pitch of his at bat over the left field wall and out of the yard for a two-run homerun.

This resulted in Jordan Farkas entering the game in relief, and he managed to throw 1.1 scoreless innings to keep Herts in with a sniff going into the 7th.

And the final inning certainly proved to be a tense one for Herts. Pinch-hitter Andy Cornish got aboard with a leadoff single followed by a five-pitch walk to Robbie Unsell, putting runners on first and second, with nobody out and the tying run at the plate. But Nationals pitcher Roberto Almanzar held his nerve, keeping his pitches down in the zone to induce a Chris Hiche ground ball. Azcuy tagged the lead runner, and calmly fired to Cunliffe who duly completed the crucial double play.

With two outs, Ryan Bird drew a walk to once again bring the tying run to the plate, and prolong the Nationals agony. But when right fielder Dan Parker nestled under a high fly ball from Darrin Ward, last year’s champions knew the National Baseball League trophy was staying in Harlow for another 12 months, and the celebrations could begin.

Click to view box scores and play-by-play

Harlow manager Marty Cullen said: “It’s a great reward for all the effort and hard work the guys have put in over the season.

“Today I thought we played much better defence, which has been our strength all year. We got a lead, and played really solid baseball to stay in front. That’s how we like to play and we managed to execute when it mattered.”

“It got a little tense at the end when they had two guys on with Ryan Bird on deck, but Robbie pitched great, stayed calm and we got the big double play.”

 

 

Herts Falcons and Harlow Nationals meet on Monday for the 2012 NBL championship

The Falcons and Nationals will meet in the Final on Monday in game 6 of the National Baseball Championships. The Falcons need to win to force a deciding game 7. If they lose either game 6 or 7, the Nationals will be crowned NBL champions for a second year in a row.

The AAA and A League Champions will also be decided on Monday at Grovehill Ballpark.

Here is Monday’s complete schedule.

2012 NBC SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY, AUG 27 @ Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead

NBL Schedule

Monday, August 27

11:00 Game 6: Harlow Nationals vs Herts Falcons

14:30 Game 7: same as above (will be played if Harlow Nationals loses Game6)

 

AAA Schedule

Monday, August 27

14:00, (Final) Essex Redbacks @Liverpool Trojans

 

A Schedule

Monday, August 27

11:00, (Final) Hove Tuesday vs Leicester Blue Sox

If you can’t come to the ballpark you can follow the games using the links below:

NBL: https://www.gamechanger.io/g/NBLNBC2012

AAA; https://www.gamechanger.io/g/AAANBC2012

AA: https://www.gamechanger.io/g/AANBC2012

A: https://www.gamechanger.io/g/ANBC2012

 

Falcons eliminate Mets in Game 5 to set up Final with Nationals on Monday

This article written by Michael Jones and Oliver Mintz-Lowe was first published on britishbaseball.org

The Herts Falcons bounced back from their earlier defeat at the hands of Harlow to reach the final the hard way.

In a well-contested elimination clash with the London Mets, the number two seeds hit well to open up a healthy lead early on. London managed to grind out runs at regular intervals, and managed to make a game of it with a late rally.

But the Falcons hung on to set up an intriguing clash with the Nationals on Monday.

Herts, looking to bounce back from their tough morning loss, managed to shake off any potential hangover in a perfect manner – with early runs. After Jordan Farkas went through the top of the Mets lineup 1-2-3, their offense set to work establishing a quick lead.

Ryan Bird drove in Robbie Unsall, who had singled and stolen second, to open the scoring, and crossed the plate himself on a sharp Darrin Ward single. And following a well executed double steal by Ward and Dave Trethaway, Farkas picked up a smart contact hit to drive in a pair and give Herts a handy 4-0 lead.

They added another in the second, courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Ryan Bird, who had a 3 RBI night, capitalising on two more Unsall steals. The speedy leadoff man was a key offensive catalyst throughout, patiently drawing four walks, scoring three times and swiping four bags.

Looking to respond quickly, London managed to reduce the deficit. Trevor Allen advanced to third on a throwing error, after reaching safely with a single, allowing Josh Rappaport to drive in a run with a double. Alterto Cabalerro followed with another RBI to make it a three-run game.

But the number two seeded Falcons quickly managed to re-establish their commanding lead, through a mixture of intelligent small ball, opportune hitting and Mets miscues. Phil Clark and Ryan Bird both scored on wild pitches, while Chris Hiche drove in Robbie Unsall, and scored later in the inning from a Dave Trethaway sacrifice fly.

To their credit, the Mets continued to battle hard, and hit back with a couple of runs, courtesy of back-to-back RBI doubles from Martin Tucker and Jonathan Cramman.

And in the sixth, the number four seeds really managed to make a game of it, reducing the Falcons lead to just two runs. Trevor Allen (3-4 with an RBI and two runs) kicked off the scoring, driving home Grant Delzoppo with an RBI triple, before Rapapport batted in Cabalerro with a single. Rappapart himelf scored on a groundout, and Jonathan Cramman made it a 10-8 game with another RBI single. Unsall, taking the mound in relief, managed to strand a pair, picking up the final two outs of the inning.

Herts managed to tack on an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame when Farkas drove in Mike Cattermole for his second RBI of the game. And Robbie Unsall came out to pitch a solid 9th inning, working around a two-out-single, striking out two to pick up the save.

Click to view box scores and play-by-play

Falcons player Chris Hiche said: “I think it was just a case of who wanted it more. Both teams were quite tired so it came down to a survival of the fittest.”

As Herts qualified via the elimination game, they will now have to win two straight games against the Harlow Nationals. Harlow, who qualified with a better 2-0 record will only have to win once to claim the title.

Hiche said: “We don’t really have the pitching depth to go five games, but I think we just need to try and win the first one and go from there.”

The Final  between the Harlow Nationals will start at 11am on Monday, 27 August at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. Can the Herts Falcons make history against all odds and be crowned the best team in Great Britain for the first time in the club’s history. If you can’t come to the ballpark you can follow the games using the links below:

NBL: https://www.gamechanger.io/g/NBLNBC2012
AAA; https://www.gamechanger.io/g/AAANBC2012
AA: https://www.gamechanger.io/g/AANBC2012
A: https://www.gamechanger.io/g/ANBC2012

Nationals beat Falcons in Game 3. Falcons need to get to Monday’s Final the hard way.

This article written by Michael Jones and Oliver Mintz-Lowe was first published on britishbaseball.org

With both sides having won the previous day, they each had the pleasure of a 10am start at Grovehill, with the winners guaranteed of a place in tomorrow’s final and the losers having a few hours to recover before a final elimination game later in the afternoon. And it was the defending champions who would get the best rest heading into the National Baseball League NBC final following a strong batting display.

The Harlow Nationals sent 2011 NBL NBC MVP Jamie Ratcliff to the mound as the youngster sought to bolster his ever expanding credentials against Herts Falcons stalwart and British baseball legend Darrin Ward.

Both sides came out swinging, as would be expected from the top two seeds during the regular season. In the last match-up the two teams split their series and things remained evenly placed throughout the early stages of this crucial encounter.

Ryan Bird hit a long double in the first to score Robbie Unsell but a slip at third base stranded the Herts’ catcher and the Nationals headed to the batter’s box just a solitary run behind their hosts. George Lintern drove Robbie Almanzar home, but was himself picked off by a great move from Ward. However, free-swinging Edwin Alcantara stroked a double from off his nose and crossed the plate when Jarrod Pretorius found a gap along the third baseline, providing the Nationals with the early advantage.

But the lead changed hands once again as Ward capped a five-run rally with a two-run double to right field after some excellent hustle on the base paths forcing some mistakes on the infield. The game threatened to become another run-fest in the NBL competition and four runs from the Nationals, led by doubles from catcher Will Lintern and shortstop Luis Goncalves, tied it up at six apiece but a great grab at third base by Kevin Niedringhaus and quick arm to second turned two to end the offensive onslaught.

Ratcliff managed to post the first zero of the game as things quietened down in the third. Although he issued the first two walks of the game, it amounted to nothing and his batters set to work on restoring the lead. With the bases full, Goncalves blooped into centre field in what would be Ward’s last action on the mound as Unsell got the Falcons home just one behind.

Two fantastic plays by the young shortstop kept his former club off the board and helped maintain their slender advantage, and the Nationals padded the lead by scoring a couple of Falcons fielding mistakes. But that was reduced as the Nationals followed Goncalves’s neat double-play with a couple of errant throws and the Falcons were back within touching distance having clawed their way back. However, the Herts bats couldn’t escape the GB Under-23’s glove on the infield and he ended the frame having turned all three outs en route to an MVP performance.

Unsell may have felt the momentum was with his side, but with two outs, big-hearted third baseman Maikel Azcuy had three Herts’ fielders sprawling on a double to the fence that knocked in two and restored the big lead. Brendan Cunliffe came in to relieve Ratcliff and quickly got ahead in the game to pick up the crucial save. Two pop-ups either side of a Niedringhaus double that would come round to score meant, heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Nationals remained a couple ahead.

The Herts pitcher, having loaded the bases on a couple of walks and hitting George Lintern on the back, was relieved by Bird, with Unsell picking up the pieces behind the plate, but the second pitch passed by his new catcher and allowed Will Lintern to come home, before Bird hit both Alcantara and Pretorius on consecutive pitches to force in another. Four runs behind now, the dangerous Azcuy at the plate, Unsell missed another for Aaron Webster to cross and the game was getting away from the hosts in a big way. Azcuy couldn’t put anyone else over and a line-out to right fielder Phil Clark got the Falcons out of a messy frame to try to come back with their bats.

Cunliffe again made use of his fielders with two quick outs, and the long save was wrapped up with Azcuy firing across the diamond to Pretorius at first base, Ward the unlucky batter.

In making six errors over the morning game, the Nationals only conceded one earned run (the score in the first frame), but they marginally out-hit the Falcons and looked much the stronger side in the box.

Click to view box scores and play-by-play

Nationals manager Marty Cullen said “It feels good again like yesterday, but if you look on the board there’s six errors and that’s not why we’re the number one seed. I think we’ve given up fewer runs than anybody this season and we’ve played really good defence – the past two days we haven’t. Fortunately the bats have come alive at the right time of year, which is where we’ve struggled in the past. In the really low-scoring games we’ve pitched really well and played defence extremely well, and today it seemed that we did everything pretty well but our defence.

“Brendan’s one of the best pitchers in the league – he doesn’t throw 90mph like he did in college, but he’s smart with what he has and when you get to the bottom of the final inning with a little bit of a lead, well for me he’s the one you want to see up there. Jamie threw really well and at times he had to get four or five outs in an inning because of the errors, but he was dealing. His breaking ball was breaking late and it had some juice on it.

“Luis Goncalves is one of the best raw talents in the league. He has been since he was 14 years old, and he gets baseball. He doesn’t get fazed at all on the big stage and if he can get to a ball then you know he’s going to get to it,” he concluded, before suggesting that yesterday’s starter, Robbie Almanzar, would be a favoured option on the mound for tomorrow’s final. Although to keep opponents guessing, he added: “You may even see me up there!”

Hawks eliminated by Nottingham in Semi-Finals

(This article was written by Michael Jones and first appeared on britishbaseball.org)

The Nottingham Rebels comprehensively swept aside the Herts Hawks in the second AA semi-final, showing the rest of the country what most of their fellow Midlands clubs had warned them – the Rebels are good.

The game was forced to be shortened to only a seven-inning match, bringing the potential slaughter rule forward to the fifth, following the rain that had delayed the Bucks-Piranhas semi-final, but the match was the fastest of the day, and perhaps the fastest of the summer, being completed in just 77 minutes.

All Star Louis Hare lined into a double-play in the first inning for the host Hawks at their Grovehill home, providing Rebels starter Richard Hu a great start in the Nottingham team’s first ever NBC appearance. In the bottom of the frame, three Rebels knocked in runs and Hu himself came round from first after an uncharacteristic overthrow from the much talked-about Herts catcher Andrew Fulford.

Zeros were traded in the second inning as the Hawks’ Nic Goetz found his rhythm, but Hu looked every part the pitcher that has delivered eight regular season wins during their pennant-winning summer.

To back his own cause, Hu drove in his second and third runs of the game with a triple to right field in the third and scored on Neil Eggleston’s single down the third base line to push the Nottingham side seven runs ahead. But that wouldn’t be the end of their offensive onslaught.

Sebastian O’Dell hit a two-run bomb to cap the nine-run inning as the Rebels batted round, with Oscar Martinez delivering a stand-up triple as the first mercy-rule result of the NBCs presented itself to the fans on the second diamond during the pleasant, if chilly, Saturday evening.

Tim Elkins scored Rod Naghar on a ground-out to second, but Hare went down swinging and Adam Taylor covered some great ground at third base to catch Jon Lewys after a big pop up. Twelve runs up, the Rebels were stealing this one away from the Hawks as they entered the bottom of the fourth.

Goetz was done for the day as Hare took on the pitching responsibilities for Herts, but even his big arm couldn’t prevent the Rebels from seeming to play softball, swinging for the fences. Hu and Taylor each singled, but pinch-hitter Duncan Clarke found Aspi Dimitrov’s glove on the full as the Herts Chairman doubled Hu off at second with the help of co-manager Andy Cornish.

Fulford could only pop up to start the fifth inning before Greg Kobel made a good scoop to help Shannon Henry turn the second out. For the Hawks to come back, Dimitrov would need to deliver something amazing.

Down 0-2, he fought two back, staying alive to work a walk – the least his and his club’s efforts deserved having saved the ground from drowning following the torrential rain that threatened to prevent the match being played. But Andrew Slater went down on strikes to hand the Nottingham ace another win in his outstanding season.

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Hawks co-manager, Andy Cornish, was gracious in defeat: “The loss ends a good season for our team after several years of pain. It was not the best way to go out of the race and it hurts, but we lost to a good Nottingham team who very much deserved the win today.” Cornish added: “We wish the Rebels and the MK Bucks all the best in the final”.

Click to view a report of the second AA semi-final between Poole Piranhas and MK Bucks