Players from Bristol Baseball Club ended their competitive season on a high by winning the British Baseball Federation (BBF) Single A Champions of Champions Trophy at Farnham Park on Saturday.
Ten players from the Bats, Buccaneers and Brunels were joined by four players from Cardiff Merlins to form the Bristol Centurions and take on some of the best single A teams from across the country.
The team beat the Formosa Islanders 11-1 and the Birmingham Metalheads 9-8 in the group stages to qualify for the final against the Wolverhampton Wolves.
Their only setback was a 7-5 loss to Bracknell Inferno in a tight pitching battle
In the final, the Centurions took the lead early against the Wolves and never lost it. Michael Comport hit an inside the park home run while Cardiff’s Gerson de la Cruz pitched a complete game and won the MVP award for his performance.
“It was a fantastic way to end the season and while the win was the icing on the cake, it was a joy to play with club mates from other Bristol teams as well as the Cardiff Merlins players who we know well from the SWWBL League,” said Richard Evans, player manager of the Bristol Brunels. “Our performance underlines the quality of baseball we have in the region and it was good to catch up with players from across the country and share our love of baseball.”
The tournament victory rounds off a successful 2022 campaign for the Bristol Club which saw the Bats crowned as SWWBL Champions after defeating the Cardiff Merlins in Cardiff.
The Badgers also had a successful season and made the BBF AAA wild card game while the Bobcats were one win away from making the final of the BBF Women’s Baseball League.
On Friday 7th October, the club will celebrate the season’s achievements and those of its top performers at its Annual Awards Dinner.