The 2013 BSF Single-Sex National Championships were held over the weekend of 20-21 July alongside the official Opening Ceremony for the new Farnham Park baseball and softball facilities. Twenty-two men’s and women’s teams competed over the two days and on Saturday Nationals play was a feature around the Opening Ceremonies. The match-up between Godzillas and Guernsey was selected to run alongside the exhibition baseball game and the intra-squad GB fastpitch game that were also showcased.
The men’s competition was split into Comp and Rec levels with 6 teams in each, and the ten women’s teams were divided into 6 Comp and 4 Rec.
Round Robin Results
The Women’s Rec competition played a double round-robin to determine placings and Pitch Slap came out on top courtesy of a head-head tie breaker over Pink Ladies with the Sheriffs close behind.
Pitch Slap (4-1-1)
Pink Ladies (4-1-1)
Sheriffs (3-3)
Dragon Warriors (F) (0-6)
In the Women’s Comp division Pink Bunnies led the way, with Diamonds, Besoms and Bluebirds all qualifying for the playoffs. Minx and Hooters were left to fight out the Gold title.
Pink Bunnies (6-1)
Diamonds (5-2)
Besoms (4-2-1)
Bluebirds (2-4-1)
Minx (2-5)
Hooters (1-6)
The Men’s Rec standings saw Nottingham Exiles go unbeaten in 7 games, and the London Knights finishing second. The London Knights had an offensive explosion in their Sunday morning games scoring 44 runs, pushing their round robin total to 121.
Notts Exiles (6-0-1)
London Knights (5-1-1)
UPSU Shafters (4-3)
Big Baws (2-5)
Dragon Warriors (M) (2-5)
Gargoyles (1-6)
The Men’s Comp section was closely contested, with the Teabags, Hoggs and Godzillas all finishing with nearly identical records. The Puppies were the team to complete the round-robin stage undefeated, conceding a mere 35 runs in 7 games.
Puppies (7-0)
Teabags (4-3)
Hoggs (4-3)
Godzillas (3-3-1)
Guernsey (2-5)
Cockney Rebels (0-6-1)
Playoffs
The round-robin stages were completed by midway through Sunday and the rest of the day was the playoffs when the competition divided into Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze levels and some riveting games were played.
Women’s
The Women’s Platinum semi-finals saw Besoms sneak past Diamonds 9-7 and Pink Bunnies destroy the Bluebirds 24-0. However in the Final the Besoms turned the tables beating the Bunnies 13-9. Women’s Gold was taken home by the Minx in a 9-2 win over the Hooters.
Pitch Slap took made their way through the first semi-final in Women’s Silver against the female Dragon Warriors 14-0, to face the Pink Ladies who defeated the Sheriffs 9-2 in the other semi-final. The Final was the third time Pitch Slap and the Pink Ladies had faced each other, with Pitch Slap undefeated in their match-ups with a win and a draw, they rounded out the weekend as 11-9 winners.
MVP’s
Women's Platinum: Chihiro Sasajima (Besoms)
Women's Gold: Bev Neil (Minx)
Women's Silver: Emma Bennett (Pitch Slap)
Men’s
In the Men’s Platinum semi-finals Puppies defeated Godzillas 14-7 and Hoggs edged past the Teabags in a close 4-1 game. The Final then matched up ‘perennial runners-up’ Puppies with the Hoggs, and this time the Puppies continued their unbeaten streak to take the final 24-7 after 5 innings, despite missing several players to the European Slowpitch Championships. The Men’s Gold Final was played between Guernsey and the Cockney Rebels, finishing 16-14 in favour of the Islanders.
The Men’s Silver playoffs began with the Exiles handling the Big Baws 16-7 and UPSU Shafters holding off the Knights in the last inning to run out 10-9 winners. The Final was a tense game with the lead changing hands nearly every inning, but the Exiles did just enough to come out 17-16 winners. And in the Men’s Bronze final the Gargoyles beat the Dragon Warriors 13-11.
MVP’s
Men's Platinum: Brad Gilmour (Puppies)
Men's Gold: Ben Henley (C-Rebels)
Men's Silver: Phil Kielthy (Exiles)
Men's Bronze: Andrew Beardman (Dragon Warriors)