The 2026 British Baseball Federation senior league season got underway on Sunday, with teams from several divisions in action.
In a repeat of the 2026 final, the reigning NBL champions, London Mets, played host to Herts Toucans at Finsbury Park. Game 1 was a tightly contested affair, with the Mets overturning a three-run deficit in the 7th inning to walk off with an 8-7 victory. Herts led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the 5th in Game 2, but the Mets responded by plating four runs in the inning. A scoreless 6th left the game tied going into the final inning. Herts then piled on the pressure, scoring four runs in the top half, and pitcher Masa Hashiguchi kept the Mets at bay to secure an 8-4 win.
Croydon welcomed Essex Arrows in the other NBL South matchup. In an exciting first game in which the lead changed hands five times, the Pirates rallied for six runs in the 6th to take a 12-8 lead into the final inning. Essex scored two runs off errors before veteran Timo Ssali was called in to close out the game and give Croydon a 12-10 opening win.
A dominant performance from Essex pitcher Christopher Mercedes was the story of Game 2. Mercedes allowed just one hit across five innings, while an eight-run third inning—adding to an early 2-0 lead—saw Essex bounce back from the opening defeat to secure a 10-0 win.
The Northern division of the NBL was hampered by bad weather, with Sheffield Bruins vs. Liverpool Trojans postponed. Leicester Blue Sox hosted Manchester A’s, but with the A’s leading 15-3 thanks in part to home runs from Carlos Solada and Jorge Peña—the downpour brought play to a halt, and the games will be completed at a later date.
Only one fixture was completed on opening day in Division 3, as SWWBL sides Exeter Spitfires and Taunton Muskets faced off. Game 1 was a closely fought contest, with the Spitfires edging a 5-4 victory. Game 2 saw the Muskets take an early lead, scoring four runs in the first inning to go up 4-2, before seeing out a 9-3 win in 4.5 innings.
Other Results
Division 4
Cardiff Merlins II 9 – 10 Bristol Buccaneers
Cardiff Merlins II 3 – 15 Bristol Buccaneers
Plymouth Outlaws 4 – 15 Cornish Claycutters
Plymouth Outlaws 10 – 4 Cornish Claycutters
Wellington Khaki Sox 1 – 6 Weston Jets
Wellington Khaki Sox 10 – 18 Weston Jets
Division 5
Taunton Pistols 2 – 15 Bristol Brunels
Taunton Pistols 15 – 17 Bristol Brunels
Plymouth Mariners 10 – 9 Exeter Wyverns
Plymouth Mariners 14 – 7 Exeter Wyverns
Torrington Riptides 15 – 5 Plymouth Outlaws II
Torrington Riptides 19 – 13 Plymouth Outlaws II