Knights Go Down Fighting in Cornwall
The New Forest Knights succumbed to their first defeats of the season on Sunday after a long journey to Cornwall to face the Cornish Claycutters. Scores of 17-3 and 18-3 didn’t reflect the heart shown by the Knights as the team took some good steps forward, with a number of players impressing Manager, Sam Williams. After the four hour journey, the Knights got off to a quick start in game one. A drive to centre field by Williams scored Ben Coxhill and Lewis Kelly after Shaun Barrett recorded his first hit of the year to lead off the game. Chris Stickland pitched his first complete game for the New Forest side, only allowing seven earned runs on the day after a number of defensive mix ups allowed the home side to pull clear. Through two games, Stickland’s accuracy and consistency has helped him establish himself as a key member of the Knights’ pitching staff ahead of a long summer of games. Despite the score getting away from them, there was no sign of the away side giving up. Andy Swann picked up his first hit of the season and Coxhill recorded his first ever hit in the Knights’ green. Game two saw Eddie Donald on the mound for the second time this season, as he pitched another complete two innings and continued his adjustment to his new position. As well as pitching well, Donald also stood out as the best Knight hitter in game two, picking up two knocks and showing his all round development. There were a number of other firsts during the game, with Rozi Hathaway picked up her first hit of the season on an infield single, Ben Coxhill made his first pitching appearance in relief of Donald and Simon Schwarz collected his first hit for the team he helped to found in 2022. Despite the efforts of the travelling team, the home side’s defensive ability and hitting prowess proved a difficult challenge for a team predominantly made up of rookies. However, Williams was positive after the game, highlighting the growth of individuals and the commitment of those who travelled to Cornwall for the game. Next week sees the New Forest Thunder play their first game of the season away to Bracknell Inferno, as well as the Knights playing host to the Bournemouth Bears in an exciting local derby.
Knights Sweep Brunels to Start the Season
A walk off home run put the cherry on top of a great managerial debut for Sam Williams, as the New Forest Knights won both of their games on British Baseball opening day. On a cloudy afternoon at Ballard School, the Knights and the Bristol Brunels slugged out two high scoring affairs. The home side came out winners by one run in both games, thanks to some excellent pitching from Chris Stickland and Rhi McMah and some timely hitting by Williams. Game one saw Eddie Donald on the mound to start his first game in the New Forest green. He picked up two strikeouts and navigated the Knights through two innings before being relieved by Stickland. Making his first ever appearance in British Baseball, Stickland pitched excellently, forcing the Brunels to put the ball in play and the home side to make some excellent defensive plays. Williams drove in two runs in the third after Shaun Barrett was hit by a pitch and the Brunels pitcher walked Kieran Jewell and Ben Coxhill. Donald also picked up an infield hit during the game, before Stickland closed proceedings out on the mound for a 13-12 win. Before the huge walk off blast that sealed an 18-17 win in game two, the New Forest side had battled hard to stay in the game. Leigh Froud made his pitching debut, doing well to force contact and go toe to toe with Alex Lane-Kieltyka for Bristol. Lane-Kieltyka’s lead off home run set the tone for a high scoring affair, in which Lewis Kelly and Al Galpin got their first hits for the Knights. Veteran third baseman Marcus Senior was his reliable self, picking up two hits and driving in four runs. Rhi McMah added two further hits, but it was her pitching that gained the plaudits on the day. Coming into the game with the scores close, the Aussie limited the Brunels scoring despite a number of errors in the field. Entering the final half inning, the Knights were five runs behind. The first three hitters walked, before Senior and Kelly drove in three runs. That left two on base, with Williams pinch hitting for Andy Bashforth. The New Forest Manager didn’t wait around, taking the first pitch he saw deep over the outfield fence, driving in three runs and putting the Knights at 2-0 after the first weekend of British Baseball in 2024. A trip to Cornwall and the 2-0 Claycutters awaits the Knights next week, ahead of a local derby against the Bournemouth Bears.
New Forest Knights Set for British Baseball Opening Day
With the New Forest Baseball Club expanding to two teams ahead of the 2024 season, the New Forest Knights are set to get their season underway on Sunday. The expansion to two teams is a sign of how much the club has grown in the 18 months since their founding in Autumn 2022. Over the winter 25 new players joined, allowing the club’s committee to make plans for teams at two levels of the British baseball pyramid. On Sunday, the Knights will take on the Bristol Brunels in the South West and Wales ‘Single A’ division. New Manager, Sam Williams, is heading into the season with a focus on developing new players and creating a team in which everyone has the opportunity to contribute. As well as the Brunels, the Knights will face up against divisional rivals, the Bristol Buccaneers, Cardiff Merlins and Bournemouth Bears in 2024. Cross division games against the Cornish Claycutters, Taunton Muskets and Weston Jets also beckon, as the South West & Wales league continues to expand. New Forest Knights Manager, Sam Williams, said: “We’re very lucky to have so many enthusiastic new players on board for the 2024 season. The club is growing all the time, which mirrors how popular baseball is becoming in the UK. “I’d love to see new players or anyone interested in baseball at a game this season, please get in touch if you think this is the sport for you.” The new season also brings a new home ground for the Knights, as they’ll play all their games at Ballard School in New Milton. With the scheduled games coming thick and fast, the Thunder will play the majority of their games at Wide Lane in Southampton as the club continues to search for a permanent facility to build an infield and mound. After being allocated to AAA this season, the Thunder are continuing preparations for their first game of the season against Bracknell on April 28th. With some notable new additions, the team will compete predominantly against the Bristol Badgers and Cardiff Merlins’ AAA side as they look to make a splash at a level the majority of the team have never played at before. Last season, the Thunder Knights reached the semi-finals of the South West and Wales playoffs, before finally falling to defeat against the Merlins. The Merlins went on to win the national playoffs, before also being promoted to AAA where the two teams will renew a healthy rivalry this season. If you’re interested in playing baseball, or coming along to watch either team, please get in touch via the club’s Facebook or Instagram pages or by emailing newforestbaseball@outlook.com.
Thunder Set for Step Up, as Club Secures Sponsorship
With the 2024 British Baseball season just around the corner, the New Forest Baseball Club is gearing up for another year of growth, on and off the field. Following a successful debut season, which saw the Thunder Knights make the South West and Wales League playoffs, the club has seen membership nearly double over the winter. A second team has been formed, and the ‘New Forest Thunder’ will play as a team separately to the ‘New Forest Knights’. The majority of last year’s squad are staying together and playing for the Thunder, but the club have also made a couple of experienced additions. Shannon Hall brings a long history of success in British Baseball to the team, as well as his knowledge of the game, which has led to his appointment as Head Coach of the club. Steve Steele and Simon Schwarz have also joined, along with a number of Southampton University’s high performing team. Following these additions, the British Baseball Federation has seeded the Thunder as a AAA team for the 2024 season. This means that the majority of the team will perform at two levels above any standard of baseball they’ve played before, presenting both a huge challenge and an opportunity for growth. New Forest Thunder Manager, Warren Doyle, said: ‘The number of new players we’ve taken on over the last few months is a testament to the positive ethos and welcoming nature of our club. ‘I’m really pleased to see so many people getting involved with the sport for the first time, and we’re really looking forward to getting the season underway.’ Off the field, the club has been sponsored by local Engineering firm, Calcinotto. The Poole based company provides expert services across the public and private sector, with a portfolio that includes some of the most impressive buildings across the south coast. Their generous support will enable the club to invest in the equipment needed to support the ever growing team. Alongside this, the Twin Bill have continued their game ball sponsorship with the Club for the year. The US baseball magazine will sponsor the balls that the Knights use on match days throughout the year, an incredibly generous gesture which helps cover the ever increasing cost of baseballs in the UK. The season gets underway for both teams in April, with the Knights set to play teams from Cardiff, Bristol, Bournemouth, Weston, Taunton and Cornwall in the South West and Wales Single A division. With the Thunder being promoted two levels, they will play against Cardiff Merlins AAA, the Bristol Badgers and Bracknell Inferno in the BBF South West division this season.
Knights Go Down Fighting in Cardiff
The New Forest Thunder Knights fought hard in their playoff semi-final matchup with the Cardiff Merlins but eventually fell to a 7-2 defeat. For large parts of the afternoon the scoreline was within one run as a pitching duel between the Knights’ Chris Lawson and Merlins’ Saliyah Wijesinghe kept the game moving at a frantic pace. Both pitchers sat the opposition side down in order in the first inning, recording a strikeout apiece in the process. With a combination of power and movement Lawson and Wijesinghe kept both side’s hitters guessing between fastball and their curveball throughout the game. The home side scored the first run of the game in the second inning, as Wijesinghe doubled, stole third base and then scored on a passed ball. Jamie Cunningham and Ben Davies then drove in two more in the third inning, capitalising on a couple of errors from the Knights. However, the away side came to life in the top of the fourth. Mitch Sullivan led off with a well hit single into shallow centre field, Alex Frampton followed him with a broken bat infield single to put runners at first and third. After Frampton stole second, Marcus Senior drove in Sullivan with a hit into right field – Frampton then scored on a wild throw into the catcher. The game went back and forth for a couple of innings following the Knights rally, Andy Moore recorded a hit through the left side of the infield, Senior took a fantastic grab over his shoulder and Eddie Donald pulled off two excellent catches to keep the score close. Lawson also got himself out of a bases-loaded jam with help from Rob Holbrook and Andy Swann and a strikeout. After throwing 130 pitches and eight strikeouts, Lawson was relieved by Senior in the seventh inning. Following a strikeout and a pop up to Swann, the Knights’ Manager was unlucky to give up a couple of runs as the Merlins moved out to a 7-2 lead. Despite the best efforts of the New Forest side, they couldn’t quite get the bats going against Wijesinghe who closed out a complete game and booked the Merlins a spot in the South West and Wales League playoff final. The defeat draws a successful first season to a close for the Thunder Knights, as they finished with a winning record, gave competitive debuts to a number of players and reached the playoffs for the first time.
Thunder Knights Earn Split with Walk Off Win
The New Forest Thunder Knights battled for a split against a strong Weston Jets team on Sunday. Game one resulted in a one-sided 13-1 Weston win, as the Knights failed to get the bats going against James Carter. Mitch Sullivan recorded the sole hit for the home side, as he guided a hard hit ground ball up the first base line. Despite the lopsided scoreline, there were some strong individual moments during the game. Leigh Froud caught a well hit fly ball on the run after the first pitch of the game, the infield combined for two successful run downs and Eddie Donald made three catches at centre field. The second game of the day was full of drama, as the Knights came from behind to earn a walk off 13-12 victory. Rhi McMah and Marcus Senior split the pitching duties, holding a strong Jets batting lineup within touching distance throughout the game. Senior struck out five batters, taking him back into the top five in the country for Single A punch outs. With the Knights’ bats needing to get hot, Sullivan again kickstarted proceedings. Along with Sarah Banerjee and Senior, the New Forest catcher picked up two hits as the home side tallied ten in total. Banerjee continued her excellent form at the plate, with a hard hit line drive single keeping the score close by scoring two Knights. Entering the final inning, the home side needed three runs to tie the game or four to get the win. Shaun Barrett bunted his way onto base, before scoring on a throwing error from the Jets catcher. Senior then hit his fifth double of the year, with Banerjee drawing a walk. Dan Churchill came through with a clutch single to move the Knights within one, before a balk tied the game with the bases loaded. That left Sam Williams at the plate with two outs and a chance to win the game. After falling behind in the count, Williams came up with a hit into left field between the shortstop and left fielder to score the winning run. The results put the Thunder Knights at 13-9 on the season with the last two league games of the season set to be played against Cardiff Merlins II next weekend.
Thunder Knights Take One From Merlins
The New Forest Thunder Knights became the first team to take a game from the league leading Cardiff Merlins I on Sunday. On a humid day, the first game was tense throughout as the home side crept into an early lead and held on until the last out. Chris Lawson got the ball on the mound for the Knights, and he got off to a swift start by striking out two in the first inning – stopping the Merlins from scoring any runs thanks to a run down also involving Rob Holbrook and Marcus Senior. On the back of hits from Lawson and Senior, the New Forest team took the lead as Warren Doyle came home to score. Another scoreless inning followed for the away side, as Lawson struck out one batter and fielded two ground balls himself. After the Knights added three more in the second inning, the Merlins fired into life as Saliya Wijesinghe homered to left field. Three more Cardiff batters made their way round the bases, to keep things close at 5-4. Both sides exchanged more runs, leaving the game finely in the balance with two runners on, two outs and the score at 8-7 in the final inning. With Wijesinghe at the plate, Lawson worked the count full before the Cardiff hitter bounced the ball to Marcus Senior at third base – Senior threw a bullet across the diamond to Andy Swann at first and the Thunder Knights took the win. The game saw Holbrook make his debut at Catcher for the home side, and he formed an excellent tandem with Lawson who finished the game with seven strikeouts and only allowed three hits. After a short break, Cardiff won the second game in a 20-3 rout. However, there were a number of standout performances from the Thunder Knights. Mack Wylde made his pitching debut, throwing a good mix of pitches with the help of Sam Williams behind the plate. James Knight played a complete game at Right Field, tracking down a number of well hit balls and limiting the Merlins on the bases. Eddie Donald took two outstanding catches on the run at Centre Field and Williams upped his stolen base total to 23 with three during the game. Ahead of a scheduled bye week, the Knights stand second in the Severn Division with a 10-8 record. A trip to the British Baseball Federation’s Summer Cup at Farnham Park is on the cards, before the last three games of the regular season.
Home Run Honeymoon, as Williams Goes Yard
Sam Williams continued the ‘feel good factor’ after his recent marriage to teammate Rozi Hathaway, by hitting his first ever home run in Sunday’s split with the Bournemouth Bears. Coming to bat in the second inning, Williams took a pitch high into the afternoon sun and over the outfield fence in left centre field as the Knights fought back from an 8-3 deficit to win game one 9-8. As happened in the reverse fixture, the New Forest based team fell behind early in game one, before showing excellent determination to fight back for the victory. Alex Frampton picked up two hits and Shaun Barrett, Mitch Sullivan and Marcus Senior all drove in runs during the comeback effort. Barrett hit a thumping double, showing off his ever improving approach at the plate as the perfect accompaniment to Williams’ home run blast. However, the game was won on the back of a two inning relief pitching effort from Chris Lawson. With the scores close, Lawson struck out five batters whilst not giving up a hit – sealing the second tight win against the Bears in the space of three weeks. The second game of the day saw the Bears rally and claim a 6-4 victory to earn the split on the back of some powerful pitching. However, it was another close game with a number of firsts for the away side. Amber Rainbird got herself on base for the first time in her baseball career, before stealing second. With the Knights bench providing their full support, Rainbird also picked up the ‘Player of the Day’ award. Mack Wylde made his starting debut, after featuring at second base during game one. It was a good show from the newest Knight as he drove in a run and looked solid in the field. As always, Marcus Senior was solid on the mound, striking out six Bears and helping his own cause with a 100% on base percentage off two hits and a walk. His 36 strikeouts see him currently sat third in the national Single A rankings, with a full summer of baseball left to play. The Thunder Knights are back in action against the Bristol Brunels next Sunday in Keynsham.
Merlins Down Knights in Fierce Contest
On Coronation Weekend, the New Forest Thunder Knights made their way over the Prince of Wales bridge for a matchup with the Cardiff Merlins. After two low scoring and very competitive games, the league leading Merlins came away with two wins. In game one, the Knights pulled out to an early lead with Warren Doyle and Danny Vinkler scoring after some smart base running. Pitcher Andy Moore then drove in Doyle to add another. The Merlins reached the South West and Wales playoff final last year behind some excellent all round play, but the defense of the away side held strong throughout. Shaun Barrett, Alex Frampton and Eddie Donald all made good catches in the outfield, with Chris Lawson his normal excellent self at Short Stop. In the final inning the New Forest team clawed back to 4-4, as Frampton scored on a Moore infield hit. However, Cardiff walked off with the win as Ben Davies drove in the winning run. Game two was a pitching duel as Lawson went up against Sri Lankan, Saliya Wijesinghe. Both were excellent and showcased the high standard of the league. Leigh Froud earned himself play of the day honours with a great running catch at Left Field off a strongly hit line drive. However, the Knights struggled to get the bats going against the pace and movement of the home side’s pitching. Doyle picked up a hit and Vinkler showcased his arm by throwing out a running at home plate. After an excellent performance at Catcher in game one, Vinkler was also named player of the day. The away side came away with a 4-0 win at the end of play. After three away games to start the year, the Thunder Knights welcome the Bournemouth Bears for their home opener next Sunday.
Sponsorship Boost as Grove Sales back the Knights
After an exciting start to their first ever season as a club, the New Forest Thunder Knights are delighted to have secured the backing of another local business. Grove Sales Ltd have agreed to sponsor one of the team’s home games during the season, providing much needed support for equipment and hire costs in return. So far this season the Knights have gone 2-2, sitting tied for second place in the Severn Division of the South West and Wales Baseball league. A tough opening slate of games has already seen the New Forest team travel to Bristol and Taunton, with another difficult day in Cardiff looming. All the support from sponsors like Grove Sales is put straight back into the running of the club, with matchday sponsors able to throw out the first pitch and have their branding displayed on social media and game days in return. Team Manager, Warren Doyle, said: “It’s fantastic to get this backing from a company of the size and reputation that Grove has. We’re incredibly grateful to them, and everyone else in the New Forest and the surrounding area that has supported us so far.” Grove Sales Manager, Luke Ramsier, said: “All of us at the Grove love our local sport, and we’re more than happy to support the Knights in their first season. We’re looking forward to watching the club grow and wish them success going forward.” Following on from some great early coverage of the team, the Knights welcomed their first new players to training recently as the popularity of baseball in the UK continues to grow after Team GB’s participation in the World Baseball Classic. Grove Sales Ltd are a national distributor of various electrical goods. Based in Christchurch, with a wide reaching network, they supply to all over the United Kingdom and Europe. Along with a range of other products, they specialise in goods such as Weller soldering stations, Bofa fume extraction units and the G-Tek range of ESD products. Further Information: