![\"BBB\"](\"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/wp-content\/BBB.png\" "\\"BBB\\"")
Herts Baseball Club has come a long way in recent years.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2011 season has started slowly on the field for their three senior teams; indeed they were all seeking their first win of the year prior to Sunday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s games.<\/p>\n
However, the Club\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s youth programme is growing and looking out over the impressive facilities that they have worked hard to put in place, you got the impression that this disappointing form, even if it turns into a disappointing season, will be a temporary blip for Herts.<\/p>\n
At Grovehill Ballpark on Sunday, the National Baseball League’s Herts Falcons were seeking their first win of the season after an 0-6 start to the campaign.\u00c2\u00a0 Their opponents, the Croydon Pirates, had achieved only one victory in eight games as well, so both teams looked on their double-header as a great chance to change their fortunes.<\/p>\n
Croydon travelled to Herts without a few regulars and the Falcons took full advantage.\u00c2\u00a0 Veteran Darrin Ward was on the mound for the opening game and the Pirates struggled to get any offence going.\u00c2\u00a0 Alexander von Rosenbach knocked a two-run homer over the short porch in right field during the sixth inning, but that was one of only four hits that Ward allowed over the seven innings.<\/p>\n
The Falcons\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 pitcher personally took revenge for that one loud shot by hitting a two-run longball of his own over the fence in left-centre field.\u00c2\u00a0 Ward was doing it all: going deep with the bat and keeping the opposing hitters off balance.\u00c2\u00a0 He even made a play at the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcpitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cycle\u00e2\u20ac\u2122: attempting pick-offs at first, second and third base.<\/p>\n
Herts had benefitted from precious little luck over their first six games, so they would have gratefully accepted some on Sunday.\u00c2\u00a0 One Falcons hit to centrefield bounced off the grass in cartoon fashion, flying over the head of the leaping centrefielder.\u00c2\u00a0 The Pirates also bemoaned another \u00e2\u20ac\u02dchome field hop\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 when a hit back towards\u00c2\u00a0Ward took a friendly bounce off the mound and gave the Falcons’ shortstop a chance to turn an inning-ending double play, a chance that he took with the minimum of fuss.<\/p>\n
Still, few could deny that the Falcons\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 play meant they deserved a good bounce of the ball or two and they ran out comfortable 10-3 winners to finally get rid of the zero in their win column.<\/p>\n
There was ample time for reflection during the break between the two games, not only about the play on the field, but also the weather over head.\u00c2\u00a0 It was warm despite the wind and just as the sun\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s rays had stayed out long enough to make you consider reaching for the suntan lotion, the clouds came over and soon had you wondering whether to put your jacket on again.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for the Pirates, deciding on lotion or long sleeves soon proved to be a more pressing question than who would win the second game.<\/p>\n
Croydon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hopes of rescuing a split were high as Tim Ssali took off the tools of ignorance and took to the mound for the second game.\u00c2\u00a0 However, it was a rare off-day for Ssali.\u00c2\u00a0 Despite showing good life on his fastball, his command wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t there and it all unravelled for the Pirates in the bottom of the third inning. A series of wild pitches and an errant throw from the catcher into left centre field helped Herts to a seven-run inning and an 8-2 lead.<\/p>\n
Part of that inning may have been captured on \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcMask Cam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, a small camera that Matt Schwartz allowed to be attached to his catcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mask.\u00c2\u00a0 It lasted several batters until the mask was tossed to the ground in an attempt to quickly recover a wild pitch, with the camera \u00e2\u20ac\u201cundamaged \u00e2\u20ac\u201c coming unattached and being put to one side.<\/p>\n
The brief end to this experiment at least spared the Pirates from a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcvideo nasty\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 of recording what must have felt like a never-ending inning in its entirety.\u00c2\u00a0 The footage of the camera hurtling through the air may have also produced a good action shot and we await news on how the experiment worked out.<\/p>\n
Von Rosenbach rounded the troops for a pep talk after the inning and the Pirates refused to give up.\u00c2\u00a0 They scored a run on a squeeze bunt in the fourth inning and received a bit of luck when, with a runner on first, a Falcons hit to centre field was placed through the one-panel gap in the outfield fence, making it a ground-rule double and leaving the lead runner at third base.<\/p>\n
That was where the good news ended for the Pirates as the game was called early with the Falcons leading by the requisite ten runs, 13-3.<\/p>\n
There ended an enjoyable afternoon at the ballpark.\u00c2\u00a0 The home team packed the equipment away cheerfully with a two-game winning streak now on the go.\u00c2\u00a0 The Pirates pondered a disappointing day on the field and the rest of us looked forward to a relaxing beer whilst contemplating whether we would regret the next day leaving the suntan lotion in our bags (thankfully not, as it turned out).<\/p>\n
![\"2011-05-29CROHER\"](\"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/wp-content\/2011-05-29CROHER.JPG\" "\\"2011-05-29CROHER\\"")
The Falcons' Aspi Dimitrov takes avoiding action (Photo: Joe Gray, Project COBB)<\/p><\/div>\n
Elsewhere in the British baseball leagues …<\/strong><\/p>\n The Richmond Flames finally brought an end to the Southampton Mustangs\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 perfect start to the season in the other double-header played in the NBL.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00c2\u00a0It looked like the Mustangs would make it to a perfect ten wins after a depleted Flames side was beaten 7-4 in the opener.\u00c2\u00a0 However, the Flames fought back in the second game to earn an 8-4 victory.\u00c2\u00a0 The split leaves Richmond (8-2) just one game behind Southampton (9-1) in Pool A heading into the NBL Special Event this Sunday.\u00c2\u00a0 All ten teams will be in action over five nine-inning games in the top-tier of British baseball.<\/p>\n