Herts Hawks storming on towards the post-season play-offs

The Herts Hawks continued their march towards the play-offs with a convincing 28-10 victory away to Richmond Squires in the Single-A league.
Daniel Bennett was firing on all cylinders for the Herts Raptors at the weekendDaniel Bennett was firing on all cylinders for the Herts Raptors at the weekend
Daniel Bennett was firing on all cylinders for the Herts Raptors at the weekend

Joint-manager Andrew Slater pitched a complete game for the win, striking out four batters.

The first few innings were evenly matched, with Herts edging into a narrow lead. The Squires threatened to score in the first but a double-play on the infield prevented it.

Then the Hawks added five runs in the fourth inning and piled on 14 runs in the fifth to put the game to bed.

Rod Naghar led the team with five runs batted in; Hemel Hempstead’s Andy Cornish hit three doubles while catcher Paul Auchterlounie scored five runs.

The Hawks remain unbeaten this season, with a 10-0 record, and a post-season slot is now secure.

Meanwhile, the Herts Raptors were also in Richmond – they jumped out to a big early lead against the Dukes and led 13-6 after four innings.

Boruch Boudilovsky and Daniel Bennett (Hemel Hempstead) each drove in three runs. But Richmond staged a dramatic rally, scoring seven runs to draw level and then nine to surge ahead and eventually claim a 22-14 win.

The Raptors then faced the Richmond Squires, to make up a game which was rained out in May.

Bennett again performed well, getting on base all three times he came up to bat, but the Herts offense had gone quiet. Richmond had their veteran pitcher John Irving on the mound, and he allowed only six hits and one run.

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.

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