Baseball live: Saarlouis Hornets start new season with HYLO® home opener
The traditional HYLO® home opener will launch the Saarlouis Hornets’ new season on 12 April. The ballpark in Fliesen will be the setting for some exciting baseball and a varied programme of events. The team are hosting the Heidelberg Hedgehogs for a double header – two matches that will offer a foretaste of the challenges to come.
Look back and objectives: drawing motivation from the 2024 playoffs
Last season, the Saarlouis Hornets fought their way to the 2. Bundesliga Süd quarter-finals with a strong performance. Thanks to two victories in their last match of the season, the Hornets finished the main round in second place with 19 wins and 7 defeats. This secured the team a place in the playoffs, but they were defeated by Stuttgart Reds 2 in the quarter-finals after a hard-fought battle.
Despite this departure, the team demonstrated strong development and showcased their quality right through to the end. The team are now beginning the new 2025 season with the clear aim of ‘reaching the playoffs – and then we will see what happens’.
Squad news: fresh blood on the team
There have been a few staffing changes for the new season:
New head coach: An experienced coach has taken charge of the team in the shape of Chas Richards. The 32 year old had a long playing career in Stuttgart, Tübingen, Karlsruhe and Heidelberg and has been working as a coach for children and young adults since 2009. Must recently he coached the Little League Southwest U16. This American native offers sound knowledge and a modern philosophy of play.
New imported players:
- Tatsunori Toguchi – the 27-year-old Japanese catcher gained experience with Club Revenged 99 in Tokyo and can play as a flexible middle infielder.
- Wester Bocio – a power hitter from the Dominican Republic who has played Bundesliga matches in Dortmund, Hanover and Dohren.
- Ivan Razvan – after a successful season in Japan, this Romanian national player is returning to the Hornets to enhance the team with his versatility.
Preparing for the season: final tests in Italy and Solingen
The Hornets took advantage of the off-season with an intensive training camp in Italy, where they were able to prove their mettle against strong opponents such as Baseball Vercelli and the Avigliana Rebels. Their last acid test was a double header against the Solingen Alligators, a long-term partner club.
The grand HYLO® home opener – baseball atmosphere for all
The HYLO® home opener offers both exciting games and an extensive programme of other activities. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the first match against the Hedgehogs begins at 12 p.m. After a short break, the second match of the day begins at around 3:30 p.m.
Between the matches, live band ‘Theke 1’ from Saarbrücken will provide musical entertainment, and food and drink will be available. Bechtel brewery in Schwarzenholz will be bringing their beer truck once again to supply visitors with speciality beers on tap. Visitors can enjoy the Hornets’ usual varied catering in the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere of the beer garden.
Watch live – on site or via a stream
For anyone unable to make it to the ballpark, the HYLO® home opener will also be broadcast as a live stream on HYLO® Sport. This means that anyone can watch the Hornets’ progress – whether from the stands or your sofa.
Schedule:
- Doors open: 11:30 a.m.
- Game 1: 12 p.m.
- Game 2: approx. 3:30 p.m.
- During the break between games: live music from ‘Theke 1’
- Programme of events, food, drinks and baseball atmosphere
Tickets are available from saarlouis-hornets.de.
The Saarlouis Hornets are ready for an exciting new season – follow it live!