2023 British baseball season

Last updated

2023 was the 94th season of competitive baseball in the United Kingdom.

Contents

This season saw the National Baseball League contract from 7 teams to 6, with BC Vetra and both Legends clubs (London and Lancashire) leaving, being replaced by the Herts Falcons (who last competed in 2021) and the East London Latin Boys. [1]

Three previously independent leagues, the British Baseball League (Featuring teams from the North West of England), the East of England Baseball League (Representing teams from the East Midlands and East of England) and the North East Baseball League all affiliated themselves with the BBF, being added to the pyramid. [2]

The BBF season had its opening day on 16 April, with the NBL season ending on 13 August. [1] The Playoffs were held at the Farnham Park National Baseball & Softball Complex in Buckinghamshire, with the Single-Game Semi-Finals happening on 20 August, and the Final (reverting to a Best-of-3 series for the first time since 2018) being held across 26 and 27 August. [3] The London Mets won the NBL Final, besting the Capitals 2-1 across the 3 game series.[ citation needed ]

National Baseball League

United Kingdom England adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Capitals, Mets
Red pog.svg
Latin Boys
Red pog.svg
Falcons
Red pog.svg
Arrows
Red pog.svg
Bruins
Location of the 2023 National Baseball League Teams

Teams

TeamLocation
East London Latin Boys Waltham Forest, London
Essex Arrows Waltham Abbey, Essex
Herts Falcons Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
London Capitals Haringey, London
London Mets Haringey, London
Sheffield Bruins Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Standings

PosTeamPldWLWin%GBQualification
1London Mets252230.880Qualify for Playoffs
2Essex Arrows252050.8002
3London Capitals221390.5917.5
4Sheffield Bruins197120.36812
5Herts Falcons234190.17417
6East London Latin Boys222200.09118.5

Source: BBF

Correct as of 13/08/23

Playoffs

Semi Finals
20 August
NBL National Championship
26-27 August
        
1 London Mets 11
4 Sheffield Bruins 0
1 London Mets 3 5 14
3 London Capitals 5 0 0
2 Essex Arrows 5
3 London Capitals 7

British Baseball Federation and Affiliated Leagues

Triple A Level

BBF AAA

Teams
England south location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Bears
Red pog.svg
Badgers
Red pog.svg
Metros
Red pog.svg
Pirates
Red pog.svg
Cardinals
Red pog.svg
Buccaneers
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Redbacks
Red pog.svg
Knights
Location of the 2023 BBF Triple A Teams
TeamsLocation
Bournemouth Bears Ferndown, Dorset
Bristol Badgers Keynsham, Somerset
Croydon Pirates Sutton, London
Herts Cardinals Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Kent Buccaneers Hadlow, Kent
London Metros Haringey, London
Essex Redbacks Chelmsford, Essex
Richmond Knights Richmond upon Thames, London
Standings
PosTeamPldWLWin%GBQualification
1Bournemouth Bears251960.760Qualification to Playoffs
2Richmond Knights261970.7310.5
3London Metros251780.6802
4Herts Cardinals2513120.5206
5Bristol Badgers2812160.4298.5
6Croydon Pirates2711160.4079
7Essex Redbacks2710170.37010
8Kent Buccaneers253220.12016

Source: BBF


Playoffs

Semi Finals
10 September
AAA Championship
17 September
      
1 Bournemouth Bears 9
4 Herts Cardinals 5
1 Bournemouth Bears 9
2 London Metros 7
2 London Metros 9
3 Richmond Knights 6

BBL - Higher

Teams
TeamsLocation
Liverpool Trojans Army Sefton, Merseyside
Liverpool Trojans Navy Sefton, Merseyside
Manchester As Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester
Manchester Bees Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester
Sheffield Kodiaks Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Standings
PosTeamPldWLWin%GBQualification
1Liverpool Trojans Navy221930.864Advance to Final
2Liverpool Trojans Army221750.7732Advance to Wild Card
3Manchester A's2212100.5457
4Sheffield Kodiaks205150.25014
5Manchester Bees221210.04518

Source: BBF

Correct as of 20/08/23

Playoffs

Wild Card
2 September
BBL Higher Championship
2-3 September
1 Liverpool Trojans Navy 10 9 6
2 Liverpool Trojans Army 8 2 Liverpool Trojans Army 13 6 5
3 Manchester A's 3

Double A Level

BBF AA

Central & East
Teams
TeamsLocation
Cambridge Lancers Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Essex Archers Waltham Abbey, Essex
Herts Hawks Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Milton Keynes Bucks Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Norwich Iceni Norwich, Norfolk
Standings
PosTeamPldWLWin%GBQualification
1Cambridge Lancers191540.789Advance to Playoffs
2Norwich Iceni191540.7890
3Milton Keynes Bucks171070.5884
4Essex Archers207130.3508.5
5Herts Hawks211200.04815
South
Teams
TeamsLocation
East London Latin Boys Waltham Forest, London
Formosa Islanders Old Oak Common, London
Herts Ducks Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
London Musketeers Haringey, London
London Meteors Haringey, London
London Sidewinders Haringey, London
Standings
PosTeamPldWLTWin%GBQualification
1London Sidewinders2520500.800Advance to Playoffs
2East London Latin Boys2519600.7601
3London Musketeers25141100.5606
4London Meteors25131110.5406.5
5Formosa Islanders2351710.23912
6Herts Ducks2312200.04317.5
South & South West
Teams
TeamsLocation
Bracknell Inferno Bracknell, Berkshire
Bristol Bats Keynsham, Somerset
Guildford Mavericks Guildford, Surrey
Oxford Kings Oxford, Oxfordshire
Richmond Dragons Richmond upon Thames, London
Standings
PosTeamPldWLTWin%GBQualification
1Richmond Dragons2015500.750Advance to Playoffs
2Bracknell Inferno1912700.6322.5
3Guildford Mavericks1881000.4446
4Bristol Bats177910.4416
5Oxford Kings1831410.19410.5
South East
Teams
TeamsLocation
Brighton Brewers Brighton and Hove, East Sussex
Croydon Pirates Sutton, London
Hurricanes Baseball Hadlow, Kent
Kent Mariners Rochester, Kent
Tonbridge Wildcats Tonbridge, Kent
Standings
PosTeamPldWLWin%GBQualification
1Hurricanes Baseball181530.833Advance to Playoffs
2Brighton Brewers191540.7890.5
3Tonbridge Wildcats197120.3688.5
4Kent Mariners155100.3338.5
5Croydon Pirates172150.11812.5
Playoffs
Semi Finals
10 September
AA Championship
17 September
      
S London Sidewinders 17
C&E Norwich Iceni 2
S London Sidewinders 8
SE Hurricanes 10
SE Hurricanes 16
S&SW Richmond Dragons 13

Single A Level

BBF Single A

Playoffs
Wild Card
9 September
Semi Finals
10 September
A Championship
17 September
         
SWWBL Cardiff Merlins I 12
SCB Herts Ravens 2
SCB Herts Ravens 18
EEBL Cambridge Royals 1
SWWBL Cardiff Merlins I 10
SCA London Mustangs 0
SE Tonbridge Bobcats 2
SCA London Mustangs 13

Summer Cup

On the weekend of 22 and 23 July, the BBF hosted the inaugural Summer Cup, a 2-day Tournament run from Farnham Park. 24 teams from 22 clubs took part, with a variety of teams makeups, including representative teams from Baseball Scotland, Baseball Ireland, the South West and Wales Baseball League, and the East of England Baseball league, plus teams from non-BBF Clubs, such as the Long Eaton Storm, Stockton Grizzlies, and BC Vetra.

Initially, the 3 tiers (Gold, for AAA and NBL-level teams, Silver, for AA and high independent-level teams, and Bronze, for A and low independent-level teams) were split into groups of 4, each of which would play a round-robin, with positional playoffs. However, due to inclement weather over the weekend, this format was instead changed to a single-elimination knockout, with losing teams moving into a lower bracket to decide positions.

Teams

GoldSilverBronze
Baseball IrelandBracknell InfernoCroydon Pirates
Baseball ScotlandBristol BatsFire Breathing Kittens
BC VetraBournemouth BearsGuilford BC
Croydon PiratesFormosa IslandersKent Mariners
Essex BCLong Eaton StormLondon Mets
Liverpool TrojansNorwich IceniNew Forest Thunder Knights
London MetsNewcastle NighthawksSouth West & Wales League
Sheffield BruinsUniversity of NottinghamStockton Grizzlies

Gold Bracket

Main Bracket

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
      
London Mets 7
BC Vetra 1
London Mets 3
Croydon Pirates 1
Croydon Pirates 15
Baseball Ireland 0
London Mets 3
Essex BC 2
Liverpool Trojans 6
Baseball Scotland 7
Baseball Scotland 3 Third Place Play-Off
Essex BC 5
Essex BC 11 Baseball Scotland 13
Sheffield Bruins 1 Croydon Pirates 2

Consolation Bracket

Consolation Semi-Finals 5th Place Play-Off
    
BC Vetra 4
Baseball Ireland 3
BC Vetra 2
Liverpool Trojans 6
Liverpool Trojans 8
Sheffield Bruins 5 7th Place Playoff
Baseball Ireland 15
Sheffield Bruins 1

Silver Bracket

Main Bracket

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
      
Bournemouth Bears 3
Bracknell Inferno 6
Bracknell Inferno 7
Norwich Iceni 8
Norwich Iceni 12
U of Nottingham 2
Norwich Iceni 3
Long Eaton Storm 6
Newcastle Nighthawks 1
Long Eaton Storm 2
Long Eaton Storm 12 Third Place Play-Off
Bristol Bats 1
Bristol Bats w/o Bracknell Inferno w/o
Formosa Islanders Bristol Bats

Consolation Bracket

Consolation Semi-Finals 5th Place Play-Off
    
Bournemouth Bears 7
U of Nottingham 4
Bournemouth Bears 2
Newcastle Nighthawks 9
Newcastle Nighthawks w/o
Formosa Islanders 7th Place Playoff
U of Nottingham w/o
Formosa Islanders

Bronze Bracket

Main Bracket

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
      
Croydon Pirates 7
London Mets 8
London Mets 13
Stockton Grizzlies 6
New Forest Thunder Knights 3
Stockton Grizzlies 11
London Mets 8
SWWBL 7
Guildford BC 7
Fire Breathing Kittens 12
Fire Breathing Kittens 8 Third place play-off
SWWBL 13
Kent Mariners 6 Stockton Grizzlies 9
SWWBL 24 Fire Breathing Kittens 17

Consolation Bracket

Consolation Semi-Finals 5th Place Play-Off
    
Croydon Pirates
New Forest Thunder Knights w/o
New Forest Thunder Knights 12
Kent Mariners 13
Guildford BC 6
Kent Mariners 7 7th Place Playoff
Croydon Pirates
Guildford BC w/o

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References

  1. 1 2 "Opening Day is the 16th April for BBF league". British Baseball Federation. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  2. "Three Regional Leagues Affiliate to Baseball's National Governing Body for 2023". British Baseball Federation. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  3. "METS AND CAPITALS MEET IN REMATCH TO DECIDE 2023 NBL CHAMPIONS". British Baseball Federation. Retrieved 27 August 2023.