Rookie pitcher Josh Boulton pitched the Bats to a 4-2 victory in the second match of their SWWBL/BBF A double header against the previously unbeaten Cardiff Merlins on Sunday.
Boulton, who is in his first year of baseball, struck out five Merlins over his five innings pitched and gave up just two earned runs.
First baseman Billy Garrett provided most of the offense with two doubles, two runs driven in, three stolen bases and two runs.
The victory was in sharp contrast to game one which saw the Merlins shut out the Bats 10-0 behind the pitching of Ethan Coles.
“It was a remarkable comeback after the first game and I am delighted for Josh who pitched really well to get the win against the champions and league leaders,” said player/manager Neptali Ortega-Gutiérrez. “It was a crucial win in our quest to make the playoffs and have a chance to take the title.”
Also at Somerdale, a walk off single by Rhodri Theaker at the bottom off the seventh and final inning gave the Badgers a 4-3 victory over London Sidewinders in their BBF AAA clash.
The Badgers were behind 3-0 at the bottom of the sixth inning but a triple by John Brownlee and a single by Sampson Yuen drove in three runs and tied the score.
Pitcher Luke Claflin then shut out the Sidewinders before Theaker’s walk off hit drove in the winning run.
“Rhodri’s walk off hit was a marvellous way to win the second game and it proved that we are capable of taking on the best teams in the AAA league when we get it right,” said outfielder George Braeger. “Errors cost us victory in the first game but we tidied up our defense in the second and were able to support Luke Claflin who pitched extremely well to get the win.”
The Buccaneers travelled to Taunton to take on the Muskets and split the SWWBL/BBF A double header.
The first game was tense and went the Musket’s way with a walk off 13-12 win despite the efforts of Josh Williams-Trim and Brian Say who both hit doubles and drove in seven runs between them.
The tables were turned in the second game with the Buccaneers running out 15-11 winners behind an outstanding pitching effort by Phil Midgley who struck out four Muskets while only giving up three walks over his five innings pitched.
Say and Williams-Trim continued to dominate at the plate, driving in nine runs between them. Seven Buccaneers had multi-hit games including Sam Stainsby who also stole six bases.
“Our performance was a built around some great defense and some aggressive base running in both games,” said Williams-Trim the Buccaneers’ player manager. “Our offense in the second game was the best of the season with seven batters having multiple hit days.”
It was heartbreak in Bournemouth as the Brunels lost both games by a single run over six hours of baseball in sweltering temperatures.
After going down 8-7 in a tight first game which saw the Brunels remain in contention behind strong pitching by Charlie Turner and Jake Boyer, there was further agony for the Brunels in the second game.
The marathon was into its fourth hour and extra innings when the Bears A produced the winning run to register a 22-21 win.
“It was a really tough physical and mental day for us and we could have won both games with a little luck,” said player manager Richard Evans. “We can take encouragement from the fact the games were massively closer than on opening day and it shows the improvement we have made.”
This coming weekend the Bristol Bobcats travel to London on Saturday to take on the Mayhem in the next round of the BBF Women’s Baseball League.
On Sunday the Bats and Brunels stage the last derby of the season at Somerdale while the Buccaneers make a short trip to Weston to take on the Jets.