Twenty-two teams came to Farnham Park on the final weekend of August for the NSL Nationals competition. With a full schedule both days the teams worked their way through ninety-five games in the journey to be crowned National Champions.
When everything drew to a close, Legends (NSL1), Blue Steel (NSL2) and Southern Stormers (NSL3) won the NSL Championship all for the first time.
NSL 1
NSL1 Page Playoff
G1 Legends 15 Mob 10
G2 Pioneers 14 H2O 8
G3 Pioneers 14 Mob 6
Final – Legends 13 Pioneers 12
The final proved to be an epic encounter - after a cagey start with the score 5-4 to the Pioneers after 5 innings, it started to become a game of 'punch & counter-punch'. In the top of the 6th, after the 'Red Team' put on two more runs, the Legends' bats finally woke up and batted around the lineup for 6 runs - kickstarted by a Brian Barrett moonshot solo HR, pinch-hitting for DJ Johnson. With the score 10-7 going into the 7th, the Pioneers took advantage of a couple of fielding errors with strong hitting and put five runs on the board, giving them a two-run lead going into the Legends' last at bat. Johnson, who re-entered the game, led off with a double to centre-left, followed by a single from Nathalie Hosten and another clutch single from Chris Yoxall to score DJ. With runners on 1st & 2nd with no outs, Gelske Huyer pinch-hit for Barbara Killer with a single down the left-field line to load the bases with Jeff Swindell coming to the plate. Jeff then hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to tie the game at 12-12 and advance all runners. With one out and the winning run on 3B, Melissa Rottiers (after fouling back two strikes earlier in the at-bat) nails a line drive up the middle over Dan Spinks' head for the walk-off single, giving the Legends their first Nationals title and a ticket back to the 2027 SuperCup! Duncan Waugh, Legends
Off of the back of the 2025 European Slowpitch Coed Super Cup final in Berlin that the Pioneers were involved in. There was an added motivation to perform and return in 2027 via winning the Nationals so soon after the European event, but it wasn’t meant to be. Throughout the weekend the team showed great character, tremendous resilience and pure determination to get the results required to reach the nationals final, taking the Legends extremely close. The team showed they can’t be written off and enjoy the challenge of any opposing team put in front of them. Congrats to the Legends on a well earned Nationals victory. Dan Spinks, Pioneers
NSL2
NSL2 Page Playoff
G1 Meerkats 16 Storm 15
G2 Blue Steel 17 Blitz Bombers 5
G3 Blue Steel bt Storm
Final – Blue Steel 26 Meerkats 14
What a weekend for Blue Steel at the NSL 2 Nationals! After 15 years together, starting out young, carefree, and kid-free!! our team now has 13 kids between us and a whole lot of shared memories. What began as just playing softball has grown into so much more: a true community of friends who support each other on and off the field. Over the years, we’ve seen the Diamonds Series evolve into the NSL, experienced the highs and lows of being demoted from NSL 1, and had weekends that tested us as much as they thrilled us. But this weekend, it all came together — six straight wins playing a level of softball we couldn’t have imagined when we started. We feel incredibly lucky and grateful for everyone who made the weekend possible - the organisers, umpires, first aid teams, and countless others who dedicate their time to keeping this game thriving. Thank you and see you next year! Jason, Blue Steel
NSL3
Having played a double RR the final was played between 1st and 2nd placed teams
Southern Stormers 19 Fuzzy Ducks 13
Southern Stormers started their NSL Nationals campaign having narrowly lost the last two finals determined to get top spot. They started with two dominate wins over MK Diamonds and Bristol Bees. The middle of the day was tough for the Southern Stormers as they battled the elements losing Cardiff, Game of Throws and Fuzzy Ducks. Despite the tough results Southern Stormers ended the strong with a win in the reverse fixture against the MK Diamonds.
Day two started with better weather and the opportunity to reach the final. With this in mind Southern Stormers came out strong hitting hard and defending well to end the round robins with four straight wins leaving them on 7-3. Southern Stormers finished second behind Fuzzy Ducks on runs against setting up a tense final. Southern Stormers continued their hard hitting, going through the order in the first inning. Fuzzy Ducks resurged after a few tight innings, but Southern Stormers were able to defend their lead well and be crowned NSL3 Nationals Champions, a first since they were established in 2021. Southern Stormers MVPs for the weekend were Kai Benaim and Kendull Ohman. Matt Perkins, Stormers
The Fuzzy Ducks closed out their season at a tough Nationals Weekend with all teams playing 11 games across two days filled with multiple double headers. Day 1 saw the Ducks go 6–0, an undefeated run built on close contests against very talented teams, before finishing the weekend at 7-4. In the final, the Southern Stormers came out strong with two big-hitting innings to open the game. The Ducks rallied towards the end, but it wasn’t quite enough to clinch it, as the Stormers kept their energy consistent and their gameplay tight to secure the win 19-13. Fuzzy Ducks MVP honours went to Brandon Hodakoski, the team’s big bat hitter of the weekend, and Mell Gentry, the defensive standout holding down third base all weekend. Congratulations go to all teams who competed, showing motivation and energy throughout a demanding schedule. It was a fitting close to a fantastic season, as the Fuzzy Ducks now look ahead to their promotion to Division 2.
A huge thank you goes to the BASU umpires, especially Crew Chief and BSF President Lesley Morisetti; to Liz Knight & Liz Graham for running Tournament Control
Photos by Jody Davies, Rocker Davies Media and the teams.
Previous winners
Below are the National Championship and NSL winners over time:
NSL1 or A-GRADE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
2025 – Legends
2024 - H2O
2023 - H20
2022 – H20
2021 - Travelling Dodgers
2020 - Cancelled due to Covid
2019 - Windsor Knights
2018 - Pioneers
2017 - Chromies
2016 - Pioneers
2015 - Chromies
2014 - Chromies
2013 - Chromies
2012 - Chromies
2011 - Pioneers
2010 - Pioneers
2009 - Chromies
2008 - Dragons
2007 - Chromies
2006 - Chromies
2005 - Slammers
2004 - Chromies
2003 - Stingrays
2002 - Pioneers
2001 - Baker Tomkins
2000 - Baker Tomkins
1999 - Baker Tomkins
1998 - Baker Tomkins
1997 - Chromies (then known as Superchrome)
1996 - Windsor Dodgers
1995 - Genies
1994 - Slammers
1993 - Isherwood
1992 - Slammers
1991 - Meteors
1990 - Sliders
1989 - Pirates
1988 - London New Zealand
1987 - Pirates
NSL2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
2205 - Blue Steel
2024 - Meerkats
2023 - The Mob
2022 - Tempest
2021 - Tempest
2020 - Cancelled due to Covid
2019 - Tempest
2018 - Manchester Mavericks
2017 - SPAM
NSL3 LEAGUE OR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
2025 - Southern Stormers
2024 - MK Diamonds
2023 - Storm
2022 - Blitz Havoc
2020-2021 - Cancelled due to Covid
2019 - Spittin’ Camels
2018 - Misfits