Baseball: Croydon Pirates win Double A League Championship

Croydon Pirates won the British Baseball Federation Double A League Championship on Sunday.

They defeated Kent Buccaneers 16-7 in Slough with standout pitching provided by starter Gerald Aguilar and MVP reliever Tim Ssali.

Veteran Nirson Gomez produced an inside-the-park home run. Dariel Moreta had a .600 batting average with Daryl Botes clutch hitting.

This year’s Championship follows Croydon’s 2021 season which saw them finish second in their division and third overall after a League Championship bronze medal game.

Player-manager Mark Bonney said: “Both teams played very well, as they have all season, but our pitching depth and strong batting helped us prevail in the end. We’re happy to have achieved promotion to the Triple A level of British baseball and look forward to welcoming new and returning players in 2023.”

Now the 2022 champions are hoping to field two teams next season – one at the BBF second tier Triple-A level and a second Single A entry-level team.

The Pirates play their home games at Roundshaw Playing Fields, Hannibal Way, Croydon, CR0 4RW and are always looking for new players of all levels.