Alex Martinson was in outstanding form with the bat and the ball as the Bristol Badgers got their 2025 campaign underway with a 10-4 win against Bracknell Inferno on Sunday.
Martinson struck out 11 Inferno batters over seven innings as he pitched a complete game. He also found form with the bat with two hits and two runs driven in. The Badgers exploded into life in the top of the fourth inning with a six run burst to put them ahead 8-1. Singles from Michael Comport and Josh Boulton got things moving before shortstop Mattia Papini drove in Rhodri Theaker.
Another single from outfielder Tim Singiser scored Boulton before Tom Hollies drove in two runs on a single after the Badgers had taken advantage of some wayward Bracknell pitching. Singiser and Papini had eight hits and drove in three runs between them.
The second game of the BBF AAA double header was decided late on as the Inferno scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a two run lead after being 13-7 down. With nine runs in the fourth and fifth innings the Badgers looked to be in control with seven batters getting multiple hits including a three RBI home run from Martinson and a double from Papini.
“We played extremely well all day but just let things slip at the end of the second game,” said Rhodri Theaker, the Badgers’ manager. “Alex pitched extremely well and of course hit the first home run of the season but I was delighted that every member of the team contributed on both sides of the plate.
“Errors in the last two innings lost us the second game but it was good to get the early season rust out before we embark on a four week stretch against Birmingham.”
At Somerdale, the Bristol Brunels lost both games against Bournemouth Bears A in the BBF/SWWBL A League.
The Bristol team just failed to pull back a two run deficit in the final inning of the first game and went down 9-7. Second baseman Cesar Torres got two hits and drove in two runs while good base running put the Brunels in shouting distance of a victory. Alessia Waller came in as a pinch runner and stole second to give the Brunels hope but tight Bears pitching kept the Bournemouth side ahead in the end.
The second game also went to the Bears 12-7 as the Brunels had to contend with some quality pitching from Dong Nguyen. Charlie Ricketts and Paul D’Amore were the stars of the Brunels’ offense, each driving in two runs apiece and despite good base running and a double play in the field, the team couldn’t make inroads into the Bears pitching.
“They were two hard fought games and with a little luck we would have won the first,” said Alex Lane-Kieltyka, manager of the Brunels. “The Bears’ pitching in the second game was the best we have seen this season and we were very disciplined to get eight walks.”
Saturday saw 40 budding GB Baseball stars descend on Somerdale for the Talent ID Day led by GB coaches and staff. Players aged between 11 and 18, who traveled from as far as Cambridge, Sheffield and Truro, took part in a series of tests to measure themselves against the standard required to make the GB Baseball rosters.
Richard Evans, President of the British Baseball Federation, the sport’s national governing body said, “It was amazing to see all these baseball players come from across the country to work with national coaches to get better and a big thank you to Bristol for hosting”
Next up: Next Sunday, the Bristol Buccaneers get their 2025 season underway with an Easter Sunday visit from Cardiff Merlins A.
A mixed Bristol team will also take the trip to Farnham Park near Slough to take part in a tournament against the Scottish national team, Great Britain Women, Herts Baseball Club and Croydon Pirates.