British spring training officially got underway last weekend with the Herts Spring League competition.
The hometown Falcons and Hawks got impressive wins against the South London Pirates and Milton Keynes Bucks respectively, whilst Kent Mariners, Birmingham Bandits and Tonbridge also started their pre-seasons with a victory apiece.
This weekend’s games include a debut for the Taunton Tigers.
They will be joining Triple-A this season and have a chance to measure themselves against National Baseball League opposition in the form of the South London Pirates.
#HSL2017 is underway. @kentmariners vs @BrackBlazers Inferno pic.twitter.com/XKqcueQV0F
— Herts Baseball Club ?? (@HertsBaseball) March 18, 2017
Leagues taking shape
Some of the BBF league structures are now up on the website.
Alongside the already-announced top-tier National Baseball League …
Triple-A South Division
The Richmond Knights will be looking to defend their Triple-A crown, competing again with the Oxford Kings, London Mammoths and Essex Redbacks. They’ll be joined by another team out of the thriving London club – the Meteorites – and the Taunton Tigers.
Double-A
This will include three pools: South A and B and a Central division.
Daws Hill Spitfires are the reigning champs and their South A pool is the same as in 2016 except for the addition of the reigning Single-A champs: the Herts Hawks.
The Hawks met the Tonbridge Wildcats in the Single-A final last year and Tonbridge will also be stepping up a level in 2017, moving into the B Pool. Details on the Central division are still to be published at time of writing, as are the Single-A pools.
UCLU win the NUBC!
Congratulations to the University College London Baseball team after they captured their first National Spring University Baseball Championship at Farnham Park last Sunday.
The defeated, Loughborough Baseball Club, 1-0 to take the prize. Loughborough will be hoping to bounce back this weekend as they compete in the Spring University Softball Championships.
Our #NUBC17 winners @UCLU_Baseball and runners-up @LboroSB pic.twitter.com/G0kGSf311M
— Hit The Pitch (@HitthePitch) March 19, 2017