Sunday April 6th was Opening Day for the South West & Wales Baseball League, with both our teams in action. The New Forest Knights returned to Single-A action for the second year with a trip to league newcomers Yeovil Whirlwinds. While The New Forest Thunder moved into Double-A for the first time in a brand new SWWBL Double-A division, hosting Cornish Claycutters for the first games at our new Gracelands Field at Gang Warily.
Both teams handed out debuts too, with Grant Benham making his first start for the Knights, and Ryan Bartlett playing for the Thunder. Plus Chris Stickland and Doug Sutherland played their first games at Double-A having moved to the Thunder for the 2025 season.
Thunder Open Season with Explosive Win in Gracelands Field Debut
The Thunder kicked off their 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, earning a 20–9 victory over the visiting Cornish Claycutters in the inaugural game at their new home, Gracelands Field.
Despite a bright start from the Claycutters, Thunder starter Bobby Samuelson quickly found his rhythm, recording his first strikeout of the season before inducing a double play to end the top half of the first inning. Samuelson then helped his own cause at the plate, driving in the Thunder’s opening run with a double. The hosts would tack on two more in the inning to take an early lead.
Samuelson kept the momentum going with another clean inning in the second, bookended by a strikeout and a pair of groundouts. He continued to swing a hot bat, adding a second double in the home half, followed by another two-bagger from Rob Holbrook that extended the Thunder’s lead to 5–2.
The Claycutters responded with a pair of runs in the third, capitalizing on smart baserunning to close the gap. But the Thunder answered back immediately, turning up the pressure with aggressive baserunning of their own. Their hustle forced defensive miscues from the Claycutters, allowing four more runs to cross the plate.
The fourth inning brought fireworks on both sides. The Claycutters mounted a comeback with five runs on four hits and five walks, tying the game at 9–9. But the Thunder weren’t finished.
In the bottom of the frame, the home side erupted for 11 runs, batting around the order with a relentless mix of base hits, stolen bases, and savvy baserunning. Shannon Hall, who had been hit by a pitch earlier in the inning, returned to the plate and capped off the rally with a dramatic three-run home run—the first in Gracelands Field history—sealing the walk-off victory under the mercy rule.
It was a statement win for the Thunder and a memorable debut for their new ballpark, highlighted by Head Coach Shannon Hall’s historic blast.
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Forest Thunder | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 20 | 11 | 2 |
| Cornish Claycutters | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
Thunder Fall Short in Game Two as Claycutters Take 15–6 Win
The Thunder couldn’t replicate their earlier success in Game Two of the Opening Day doubleheader, falling 15–6 to the Claycutters.
The visitors came out strong, scoring four runs in the first and following up with a dominant eight-run second inning, highlighted by doubles from Cruz Chourre and James Shaw. The Thunder managed just one hit in the opening frame—a double from Angus Blair—and were shut out in the second despite loading the bases.
The Claycutters extended their lead with three more runs in the third, but the Thunder showed signs of life, plating five in the bottom half thanks to a flurry of walks and hit batters. A scoreless fourth for the Claycutters gave the Thunder a chance, but a quick three-out inning ended any hopes of a comeback.
The loss leaves the Thunder 1–1 to start the season after a mixed Opening Day at Gracelands Field.
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Forest Thunder | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Cornish Claycutters | 4 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 11 | 0 |
Knights Fall Just Short in Season Opener Against Whirlwinds
The Single-A New Forest Knights opened their 2025 campaign on the road with a high-scoring thriller, narrowly falling 16–15 to the Yeovil Whirlwinds in the league newcomers’ debut outing.
The Knights set the tone early, with Andy Bashforth drawing a leadoff walk, swiping two bases, and scoring on Mitch Sullivan’s RBI single—the first hit of the game. That combination of patience at the plate and aggressive baserunning helped the Knights plate five runs in the top of the first. The Whirlwinds answered immediately, matching the five-run tally in their half, highlighted by a triple from Aiden Johnson.
The second inning followed a similar script, with Bashforth again walking, stealing bases, and scoring, as the Knights knocked five singles and batted around for another five runs. But the hosts kept pace with three more singles of their own and added five runs, despite Knights pitcher Leigh Froud picking up his first strikeout of the season.
Tied 10–10 entering the third, the Knights edged ahead with a four-run inning. Sullivan ripped an RBI double and scored on a single by player-manager Sam Williams, while Amber Rainbird picked up her first hit of the season. A close play at the plate and a strikeout left two runners stranded, keeping the score within reach.
Yeovil responded with a two-out rally, capped by a two-RBI single from Andrew Vittles to put the Whirlwinds ahead 15–14 heading into the final frame.
In the fourth, Bashforth led off for the fourth time and notched his first hit of the day, capping a perfect 1.000 OPS outing with three walks and eight stolen bases—including a daring steal of home. The Knights added one more run to tie the game but left the bases loaded after a pair of strikeouts and a groundout halted the momentum.
Sullivan took the mound to close, quickly recording a strikeout, but a walk and a stolen base set the table for Johnson, whose single brought home the winning run. Yeovil walked it off 16–15 in a dramatic finish.
Despite the loss, the Knights showed plenty of promise at the plate and on the basepaths in a game packed with offense and early-season excitement.
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yeovil Whirlwinds | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 10 | 4 |
| New Forest Knights | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 1 |
Knights Overpowered in Game Two as Whirlwinds Complete Sweep
The New Forest Knights couldn’t slow down the red-hot Yeovil Whirlwinds in Game Two of their Opening Day doubleheader, falling 15–8 as the hosts completed the sweep.
The Knights opened with promise, stringing together three singles to plate two early runs. But Yeovil’s defense responded with key outs to minimize the damage. The Whirlwinds then carried their offensive momentum from Game One into the bottom half, posting five runs, including an RBI double from Jason Tew.
Yeovil shut down the Knights in the second with a clean 1-2-3 inning before adding another five runs to their tally—Tew once again doing damage with a two-run double to center. The Knights looked to rally in the third as Andy Bashforth laced a two-run double, continuing his standout day, but a pair of groundouts ended the threat with just two runs scored.
The Whirlwinds stayed relentless, posting their third consecutive five-run inning. Triples from David Cheetham and Jason Tew blew the game open, putting Yeovil up by 13 heading into the final frame.
Trailing 18–5 entering the fourth, the Knights needed a rally. Al Galpin led off with a single before Mitch Sullivan and Sam Williams added RBI singles. With two outs and pressure mounting, both Sullivan and Williams executed steals of home to add to the tally. But a game-ending strikeout sealed the win for the Whirlwinds.
Despite another strong showing from Bashforth and late sparks from the offense, the Knights were ultimately outpaced by Yeovil’s consistent hitting and tight defense. The Knights will look to regroup and bounce back in their next outing… which is a return trip to Yeovil.
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yeovil Whirlwinds | 5 | 5 | 5 | x | 15 | 10 | 1 |
| New Forest Knights | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 1 |