Capitals extend winning streak after Bournemouth Bears sweep
London Capitals extended their National Baseball League winning streak to five games following their two-game series victory against Bournemouth Bears at Finsbury Park.
The Capitals' best run of form in 2024 has propelled them to second place in the table. They are strong contenders for the regular season title and are now just one game behind the leaders Essex Arrows.
The Bears’ second and third defeats of 2024 to the Capitals have seen them fall below the Sheffield Bruins to the foot of the table. They now have just one win in their last five matches.
Centre fielder Louis Wampler opened the scoring at the bottom of the first inning after being driven home by a Julio Almonte double down the left field line. Four further runs in the same inning followed as the Londoners stormed into a strong lead.
Wampler turned provider at the start of another five-run inning in the third after his single up the middle batted in Kenichiro Murata and Johan Villanueva.
Masa Hashiguchi pitched an exceptional game on the mound in his team’s 10-0 victory. He completely shut out the south coast club’s batting order allowing them just two hits and zero runs in five innings of work.
The pitcher punched out seven batters to bring his season total up to 43- the most of any pitcher in the division.
Game two was a much closer affair with the Capitals winning 7-4. They scored in each of the opening four innings to build up a 6-1 lead which proved to be insurmountable for the away team.
One hit in each game for Julio Almonte has brought up his season batting average to 0.452. The second baseman now has the highest batting average of any player with over 35 at-bats.
The Capital’s return to North London in a fortnight, this time to Enfield Playing Fields, for a crucial series against top-of-the-table Essex Arrows. The Bears have one month until their next, match against reigning NBL champions the London Mets.
BBF AAA
In Hampshire, two shutout pitching performances by Chris Lawson (10Ks) and Al Banerjee (6Ks) gave New Forest Thunder a sweep of Cardiff Merlins. Lawson and Banerjee gave up just two hits each.
New Forest Thunder’s Chris Lawson (left) shutout the Cardiff Merlins on Sunday giving up just two hits
Cardiff Merlins 0-15 & 0-6 New Forest Thunder
Herts Cardinals 23-5 & 5-15 Richmond Roebucks
BBF BBL HIgher
Manchester A's 17-9 & 13-8 Sheffield Kodiaks
BBF AA
Richmond 7-14 & 15-16 Formosa Islanders
Milton Keynes 12-3 & 15-6 Norwich Iceni
BBF A
Hastings Pirates 15-7 & 28-15 Brighton Jets
BBF BBL Lower
Wragby Warhammers 16-5 & 10-11 Bootle Trojans
Sheffield (2) 12-7 & 16-13 Leeds Locos
Manchester Bees 21-8 & 1-11 Sheffield Bladerunners (1)
Canal League
Suez Tomb Raiders 11-4 London Mayhem
London Mayhem 12-13 Limehouse Cutter
Limehouse Cutter 15-2 Suez Tomb Raiders
Report by Michael Thomas
