WB-UK: Title is coming north. Sheffield Bruins are the new champions without losing a game
WB-UK League, currently the only women’s baseball league in Europe, saw its final played over the weekend. After a dramatic game Bruins snatched the title from Belles.
The league started in April with eight teams. In the end, South Division was only played with three teams, as WB-UK Nomads, consisting from players without a core team, left the league.
The final saw the best team from each division play one another. Sheffield Bruins dominated North Division, as they got through the regular season without losing a game. They faced the winners of the first edition Belles, who got their final ticket in the last game of the regular season.
Saturday’s final, played at a neutral ground of WB-UK League newcomer The Leicester Diamonds, promised an interesting baseball. Belles started quickly, scoring their first run in the first inning after a single from Amy Trask scored in Jess Vernon. The score remained unchanged until the third inning, when southern bats came alive again and Belles scored 5 runs. The game wasn’t going well for Bruins, as Vernon stole the home base and added seventh Belles run in the fourth inning.
Bruins entered the bottom half of the fourth inning being seven runs behind and knowing, they needed to get going if they didn’t want the title to slip between their fingers. Their first run came soon after, as Caitlin Walsh single scored in Kelly Wright. Belles starting pitcher Oona Ylinen was pitching well up to that point, however, she then walked three batters allowing Walsh to score the second Bruins run. This made Belles change the pitching and Amy Trask came in for Ylinen.
Few knew how would the change affect Bruins chances for the win. Sheffield scored four runs in the following inning and Belles decided to change the pitching again. The sixth inning started 7-6 for Belles, however, it was clear Bruins had the momentum. Belles scored a run to get some cushion, but Sheffield wasn’t done just yet. After scoring five runs in the sixth inning they got their first lead of the game.
The seventh inning thus started with score 8-11 for Bruins, and Belles knew they needed to at least tie the game to have a chance on the title. In the end, they were only able to score one, which came after a double from Oona Ylinen who scored in Stella Veski.
Sheffield Bruins thus took the title of the second edition of WB-UK League from Belles Baseball without losing a single game. After a successful season the title moves from the south to the north.
