Knights First Season Sweep, Thunder Stay on Top
There has been plenty of baseball since the end of June, with both the New Forest Thunder and New Forest Knights continuing to produce exciting games as the South West & Wales Baseball League season heads towards its conclusion. For Thunder, it has been another strong spell that keeps them sitting top of the Severn Division, while the Knights have shown their resilience with a pair of dramatic victories that have pushed them back to .500. Thunder Complete Derby Double The second series of the ThunderKnights Classic (TKC) took place on 28th June, with Thunder completing a second clean sweep over the Knights. Despite two competitive contests, Thunder edged both games, winning 15-11 before claiming an even tighter 10-9 victory to guarantee the TKC win for 2026. Honours Shared in Yeovil The following weekend saw Thunder travel to face the Yeovil Whirlwinds. The offence continued to fire as Thunder claimed Game One 15-9, but the Whirlwinds responded in the second game to earn a split, holding on for a 13-11 victory. Taking one game from the road trip ensured Thunder maintained their place at the top of the standings. Brunels Narrow the Gap This weekend brought arguably Thunder’s toughest challenge yet, with second-placed Bristol Brunels visiting Gang Warily in a clash that could have major playoff implications. Game One was a tightly contested affair. Thunder struck first before Bristol produced a four-run second inning that ultimately proved decisive. Despite battling back to within two runs thanks to RBIs from Kieran Jewell and Simon Schwarz, Thunder fell 6-4. The second game followed a similar pattern. Bristol jumped out to an early lead before Thunder mounted an impressive comeback, scoring five runs in the third inning through aggressive baserunning and timely hitting from Mitch Sullivan and Lewis Kelly. However, the Brunels responded each time they were challenged, eventually taking the game 11-6 to complete the sweep. The defeats reduce Thunder’s lead at the top of the division to just one game, setting up a fascinating finish to the regular season. Knights Sweep Wild Series in Yeovil While Thunder endured a difficult afternoon, the Knights produced one of the most entertaining days of the season away at Yeovil, whilst only travelling with 9 players in the scorching heat. Game One turned into an offensive explosion, with both teams combining for an incredible 47 runs. The Knights appeared in control, notching 13 funs at the top of the fourth, before Yeovil erupted for 15 runs in the bottom of the inning. New Forest withstood the rally and secured a remarkable 25-22 victory. If that wasn’t dramatic enough, Game Two delivered another thriller. After trading big innings throughout, the Knights exploded for eight runs in the top of the fourth to seize control before surviving a furious Yeovil comeback to claim an 18-16 win and complete the sweep. Across the two games, the Knights scored an astonishing 43 runs, with contributions coming right through the lineup as they showed the determination and resilience that has defined their season. Co-Manager Ben Coxhill said “not the prettiest of wins, and plenty of room for improvement, but we won those 2 games with pure determination, toughing out the heat”. The Knights other Co-Manager, James Knight, echoed that sentiment, saying “We had absolutely no right to win either of those games – 9 of us with no subs on a baking hot, completely exposed Yeovil ground. Pulling together to win two games, each nearly 3 hours long.” Playoff Race Tightens With just a handful of games remaining, the Severn Division table could hardly be closer. Thunder remain top of the standings with a 13-5 record, one game clear of the Bristol Brunels (11-5). Only the division winner earns an automatic place in the National Quarter Finals, while the runners-up will face a wildcard playoff. The Knights’ sweep over Yeovil lifts them to 6-6, firmly in third place and still building momentum after another impressive team performance. Every game from here carries enormous significance, with both New Forest teams still having plenty to play for as the 2026 season heads towards its conclusion. Thunder are off for the next two weeks, while Knights travel to Taunton to face the Pistols and then host the Bristol Brunels.