The 2025 BBF Playoffs are over and the respective champions have been crowned.
Following last weekend’s NBL finals, won by the London Mets, and the Women’s Baseball League final, won by the Sheffield Bruins, this weekend saw the culmination of the AAA, AA, and A playoffs.
AAA Playoffs
After last weekend’s rainout at Farnham Park, the London Metros and Bristol Badgers played their semi-final at a revised location in Croydon. Down 8-1, a fourth-inning home run from Badgers RF Seyi Awofadeju wasn’t enough to spark a comeback, and the Metros advanced to the afternoon’s final with a 10-4 win.
In Game 1 of the AAA final, the Metros kept their momentum going against the Richmond Roebucks, who had beaten the Manchester A’s in their semi-final a week earlier. Metros pitcher Harris Williams held Richmond to 3 runs through five innings while his offense put 7 on the board. Unfortunately, Richmond were unable to field a team on Sunday, resulting in forfeit victories for the Metros, securing them the 2025 AAA crown.
AA Playoffs
The AA Final between the Cardiff Merlins and Milton Keynes Bucks began in Bracknell. In Saturday’s opener of the best-of-three championship series, the Bucks struck early with a run in the first but didn’t score again until a 5-run fifth inning. Bucks pitcher Toshihiro Kondo kept the Merlins scoreless until the sixth, when Cardiff RF Eiki hit a 2-run home run. That was all the Merlins could muster as the Bucks took Game 1, 9-2.
Play moved to Farnham Park on Sunday. After five innings, Cardiff led 2-1. Both sides put up 4 runs in the sixth, leaving the Merlins ahead by one heading into the final inning. Fresh pitchers entered in the seventh, but it was the Bucks who broke through with 6 runs to take an 11-6 lead. John Blose then shut down the Merlins in order, strikeout, flyout, groundout, to secure the 2025 AA Championship for Milton Keynes.
Single-A Playoffs
Farnham Park also hosted the Single-A playoffs. On Saturday, the Hurricanes dominated the last remaining quarter-final, beating the Exeter Spitfires 14-2. They carried that form into the afternoon semi-final against the Bristol Buccaneers. Despite trailing 10-7 after two innings, the Kent side flipped the game on its head and powered to a 22-14 win, booking their spot in the final.
Sunday opened with the other semi-final between the Cambridge Royals and the Milton Keynes Bucks (Single-A). The Bucks led 12-8 going into the last inning, but Cambridge’s bats came alive. Leonard Kung’s 4-run homer was part of a 10-run seventh inning, while pitcher Mo Tin Cygnus Cheung shut down the Bucks to send the Royals to the final.
In the championship game, the Hurricanes jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first and doubled it by the third. Cambridge rallied to tie things up in the top of the sixth, but the Hurricanes answered back immediately with 5 runs to make it 16-11. Despite two fielding errors, Hurricanes pitcher Ben Carter held Cambridge hitless in the top of the seventh to secure the 2025 Single-A Championship.
Congratulations to the London Metros (AAA), Milton Keynes Bucks (AA), and Hurricanes (Single-A) on their 2025 championships!
For a full roundup of results and play-by-play action, visit British Baseball Stats.