HERTS HAWKS ADVANCE IN DOUBLE-A POSTSEASON
Sunday, 12th August 2018
VS
The Postseason (road to the National Championships) games are meant to be full of excitement, showcase the best, and handle the pressure that each game is a knockout game in the playoffs. On Sunday, 12th August, the game between the Bournemouth Bears vs the Herts Hawks in the first round of the Double-A Postseason lived up to the above hype and much more. The Herts Hawks were hosts to the Bears at their home field in Herts.
On Sunday (12th August) the game started with overcast skies and a threat of rain all day. However, the game started and the clash began. Herts started the run scoring with one run in the bottom of the first. Followed by a second run in the bottom of the second. With the Bears held at nil for the first two innings, fortunes turned for Bournemouth in the top of the fourth inning with one run scored through a tally of hits. The Herts not to be outdone, replied by scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the score now, one run to the Bournemouth Bears and the Herts Hawks five runs it was up to the Bears to make their comeback. So the comeback began in the top of the fifth, the Bears new to the British Baseball Federation (BBF), showed why they belong in the playoffs with an array of hits and good baserunning. Scoring three runs in the top of the fifth meant that the Herts lead was now cut to just one run with rain falling. Through the light rain and ominous presence of the Bears comeback, the Herts pitchers were able to quell the Bears with a shutout inning in the sixth. But the Bears in the top of the seventh evened the score with one run and both teams were even with seven runs after seven innings. As Herts made pitching changes and huddles they pulled away in the bottom of the eighth inning with two unanswered runs. Now, going into the top of the ninth the Bears from Bournemouth showed the character and right to be in the playoffs as they scored four runs which ended their day with 21 hits over nine innings and nine hard-earned runs.
As the saying goes its the bottom of the ninth and the home team is up to bat and its all up to Herts to win or lose. Comeback the Hawks, with three runs to win the game in the bottom of the ninth which capped an incredible day of BBF postseason baseball. Herts finished the day with 22 hits and ten runs. An incredible 43 hits of baseball over nine innings showed the bats for both the Bears and Hawks taking precedent over pitching. However, one team the Hawks at the end will advance to the next round of the playoffs e.g., Herts Hawks travel to East London on the 19th August to play divisional (South Pool-A) winners the Latin Boys with the action starting at 12:00.
A spokesperson for the BBF said, "what a playoff game at Herts. Both teams deserve equal praises for their competitiveness and character throughout the day to win. While Bournemouth is eliminated from the playoffs we cannot say enough about the Bears throughout the regular season for their co-operation and competitiveness in the first year of the BBF Double-A League. We look forward to more from the Bears, next year. As for the Herts Hawks, it can't be said enough to win in the playoffs in the bottom of the nineth. Congratulations Hawks and the best of luck in the rest of the playoffs."
