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League champions and playoff spots are\u00c2\u00a0being decided now that\u00c2\u00a0the regular season nears its close.<\/p>\nLeague champions and playoff spots are\u00c2\u00a0being decided now that\u00c2\u00a0the regular season nears its close.<\/p>\n
There were celebrations in Leicester as the\u00c2\u00a0Blue Sox sealed\u00c2\u00a0a first regular season championship, while Richmond Knights made it seventeen wins in a row to end their season.<\/p>\n
We round-up all of the action from last Sunday’s games and preview the big clashes scheduled for this coming weekend.<\/p>\n
NBL: Blazers secure a top-two finish<\/strong><\/p>\n The top two positions in the National Baseball League were confirmed on Sunday as Bracknell Blazers (19-3) won both games of a double-header against Southampton Mustangs (13-13).\u00c2\u00a0 The Blazers, defending NBL champions don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t forget, cannot now be caught for the second and final automatic qualifying spot for the National Baseball Championships, although the battle between them and London Mets (21-3) for the regular season title is still alive.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n Herts Falcons (8-16) and Croydon Pirates (10-16) split a double-header at the latter\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Roundshaw Field.\u00c2\u00a0 No details of the other two scheduled double-headers have been published at time of writing.<\/p>\n This Sunday, the third-placed Richmond Flames (12-10) host the Mets, the Pirates host the Blazers, the Falcons host the Essex Arrows (3-21) and Mildenhall Bulldogs (6-14) host the Mustangs at RAF Feltwell.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/p>\n AAA: Patriots take two to set up a Sunday showdown in Liverpool<\/strong><\/p>\n Liverpool Trojans (17-5) and Menwith Hill Patriots (16-4) are confirmed as the top two teams in the AAA North. The league has a different look to it now that Harrogate Tigers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 results have been removed from the competition.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n Manchester A\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s (14-10), finished their season by splitting a double-header with Halton Jaguars (6-16).\u00c2\u00a0 The Jaguars enjoyed a walk-off 2-1 win in the first game<\/a>, although the A\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got their revenge in the second game<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 With the teams tied at 5-5 after the standard seven innings, the A\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s plated four runs in the top of the eighth and closed the door in the bottom of the frame for a 9-5 victory.\u00c2\u00a0 However, the A\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s results were academic when it came to the playoff spots as Menwith Hill Patriots picked up two comfortable wins over Glasgow (1-19)\u00c2\u00a0 to ensure they would join the Trojans in the AAA NBC.\u00c2\u00a0 The two teams are scheduled to meet on Sunday at Bootle Stadium and a sweep for either team will win them the championship.\u00c2\u00a0 If the Pats at least earn a split then you would expect them to win their two games in hand against Glasgow on 22 August to take the title, so Liverpool need to make home-field advantage count.<\/p>\n Things are still up in the air in the South as details of the scheduled game between Oxford Kings (17-3)and Bracknell Inferno (13-7) have not been published as yet.\u00c2\u00a0 Both Herts Eagles (17-5) and Essex Redbacks (11-9) swept double-headers, over the London Metros (4-14) and Bristol Badgers (7-13) respectively, but how those results affect the playoff race is unclear until official confirmation of the Kings-Inferno scores.\u00c2\u00a0 Hopefully we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be able to update the picture in the Comments section below.<\/p>\n AA: Leicester crowned as champions<\/strong><\/p>\n There were celebrations in front of the TV cameras in the Midlands as Leicester Blue Sox (15-5) defeated Birmingham Maple Leafs (12-5) in a 9-8 thriller to secure their first league title.\u00c2\u00a0 Leicester saw a 7-0 lead wiped away by the visitors, only for the home team to win it in extras.\u00c2\u00a0 No surprise that it was labelled by the Blue Sox<\/a> as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153one of the most nail biting, and ultimately exciting finishes seen at Western Park to date\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0 The Maple Leafs won the second game 13-12, but the Blue Sox\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s spirits could not be dampened, particularly with the Blue Sox 2 (4-14) having\u00c2\u00a0two wins added to their total thanks to forfeit victories over Mildenhall Bulldogs 2 (0-17).<\/p>\n In the North, Bolton Robots of Doom (16-6) and Sheffield Bladerunners (14-8) split a double-header, while Humber Pilots (14-6) piled on the runs in a sweep over Manchester Torrent (9-13).\u00c2\u00a0 Bolton and Humber meet on Sunday with two wins from either side sure to be decisive in the AA playoff race.\u00c2\u00a0 The Bladerunners are likely to pick up two wins over the 0-22 Oldham North Stars, although they may still have to settle for third place and the A playoffs.<\/p>\n In the South, Richmond Knights collected two wins against Croydon Pirates III (7-11) to finish their season atop Pool B with a 17-1 record, an achievement made all the more remarkable by the solitary loss coming in their opening game of the season against Sidewinders (12-6).\u00c2\u00a0 Sidewinders picked up two wins against Brentwood Stags (0-14), but they just fell short of a playoff spot, trailing Essex Archers (13-5) by one game in the standings.\u00c2\u00a0 In Pool A, Windsor Bears (11-7) got the two wins they needed against Herts Hawks (3-13) to secure second spot behind Poole Piranhas (13-4).\u00c2\u00a0 The Piranhas will finish up their regular season with a game against Thames Valley Bisons (7-10) on Sunday.<\/p>\n A: Pyros and Marauders keep things interesting<\/strong><\/p>\n In the British A league, Old Timers (7-4) put themselves in pole position to win the Pool B title with a 22-5 home victory over Herts Raptors (1-12).<\/p>\n Guildford Mavericks (8-4) lost 19-11 to Bracknell Pyros (5-7), while London Marauders (5-6) edged Tonbridge (3-9) by a score of 9-8.\u00c2\u00a0 Despite their loss, the Mavericks just need to win their game against London Marauders at Finsbury Park on Sunday to book second spot in Pool A, but that will be no easy task as London are one of several teams that could still make the playoffs from Pool B.<\/p>\n