Photo Credit: Ash Day, Instagram: @fourfivephoto
Bristol Brunels kept up their excellent start to the 2026 British Baseball Federation season with two wins against Yeovil Whirlwinds at Somerdale Pavilion on Sunday.
In the first game, pitcher Charlie Ricketts had his best game on the mound with a six strikeout complete game. Ricketts and second baseman Cesar Torres both had good days with the bat in hand with four hits and four runs between them.
Rookie left fielder Ben Monnox drove in two runs as the Brunels offsense took control at the plate with only two strikeouts and five walks as the Bristol development team surged to a 13-6 win.
The Brunels claimed the second game 16-13 with Tom Savory and Ricketts doing offensive damage with four hits and five runs driven in. Matthew Klein and Brodie Back both hit doubles while the team stole 13 bases to keep up the pressure on the Whirlwinds defense.
“The weekend games highlighted the team’s growing strengths,” said Brunels’ manager Ryan Harris. “Our pitchers are developing nicely and we are able to support them with good hitting, aggressive baserunning and tidy fielding.”
Photo Credit: Ash Day, Instagram: @fourfivephoto
The Bristol Bats opened their BBF Division Three season at Somerdale against Cardiff Merlins 1, who are among the favourites to take the regional title.
Despite losing 17-2 and 13-5, the Bristol team competed well and were in the hunt in both games until high scoring in three innings took both games out of reach for the Bats. Cardiff pitching dominated game one and kept the Bats hitless. Five fielding errors compounded the Bats struggles and Cardiff’s lead proved too much to overcome.
The second game was tight until the last inning when the Merlins racked up 10 runs and the Bats’ pitching faltered, allowing Cardiff to take a 13-0 lead. Although the Bats crossed the plate five times in the bottom of the fifth inning, the gap was too great. For the Bats, second baseman Harley Jones was in excellent form, making four difficult fielding plays, including a double play.
“Cardiff are undoubtedly a very good side and it was a real shame that three innings and too many errors contributed to a scoreline which didn’t reflect the good baseball we played,” said Richard Evans, the Bats manager.
The Buccaneers traveled to Plymouth to take on the Outlaws in their Division Four matchup and came away with two defeats.
The Outlaws claimed the first game 11-8 after a two-out walk-off home run scored three runs with the scores tied at 8-8. Buccaneers right fielder Callum Todd hit a home run, while Will Marshall, Anthony Abel and Matteo Weeks contributed doubles as the lead changed hands several times.
The second game was dominated by Dan Herrera, the Outlaws pitcher who struck out six Buccaneers over five innings pitched, and the six errors committed by the Bristol team. Second baseman Jordan Nichols, Nicolas Teo and Abel were the only Buccaneers able to make an impression on Herrera with four hits between them.
“It was a tough afternoon for us with the walk off and the errors,” said Will Marshall, the Buccaneers manager. “We are still top of the division and have plenty to work on at training over the next couple of weeks.”
Photo Credit: Ash Day, Instagram: @fourfivephoto
On Deck: The club has Bank Holiday weekend off before resuming the season on the weekend of the 9th May.
The Badgers welcome local rivals BC Vetra to Somerdale on Saturday and the club’s youth team, the Bristol Bolts will be welcoming Birmingham’s youth team for an U14 fixture.
On Sunday the Bats travel to Exeter to take on the Spitfires, while the Buccaneers travel to the Newton Abbott Brewers and the Brunels host the New Forest Knights at Somerdale.