Staindrop’s County Durham Spartans strike gold at first attempt

28 Aug 2026

Staindrop’s County Durham Spartans won their British Baseball Federation Division Championship at the first time of asking.

Spartans’ general manager and Staindrop resident Cameron Martin said: “It’s an amazing feeling.

“It is our first time most of these players have been in a BBF League and we have so much to be proud of.

“Every member of the club has contributed to the title we have clinched.

“It’s been a brilliant season, and we hope we can take this energy into what comes next.”

After seeing off the competition in Division IV North, it’s a step into the unknown when the play-offs start on September 5.

The Spartans face the longest possible road trip to meet Plymouth in the quarter-final of the National Baseball Championships.

For an amateur team, a 750-mile round trip is a daunting test.

To help cover the cost of getting the players down to Devon, the club has set up an online fundraiser at gofund.me/9f8a79cb6

The division championship came down to Sunday’s decisive meeting against Leeds Locos.

The Spartans needed one win from the two games scheduled for the day to secure top spot and deny their Yorkshire rivals.

Two wins for Leeds would see the Locos snatch the title at the last.

The early exchanges were promising: starting pitcher Liam Tweddle looked to have game one under control, and a three-run homer from Soni David opened an 8-6 lead going into the fourth inning.

But the Locos fought back and opened an imposing 18-9 lead as they looked to keep their season alive.

The Spartans clawed a few runs back but lost 11-18.

With everything riding on the second game, the Spartans came into their own.

With the maturity of a team that’s had their fair share of being the underdog, they pulled together and focused on what needed to be done.

In only his second appearance as a pitcher, Soni David took his turn on the mound.

Showcasing a delivery speed that stunned spectators and batters alike, David faced down batter after batter.

Oskar Studholme was equally brilliant, unflinching behind the plate as catcher.

Offensively, each batter played their part in building the lead: disciplined in drawing walks and firing back anything that looked hittable.

There were doubles from Nik Home, Mike Hayman and Studholme and a second home run of the day for David.

Despite the pressure the team looked at ease, out there for the love of the game.

A spectacular catch deep in right field by Scott Hughes ended the game, with the Spartans securing a 10-5 victory and clinching the division championship.