Portsmouth Pirates softball team eager to recruit new players

Portsmouth Pirates are on a recruitment drive. Back (from left): Danny Parker, Rob Wilkinson, James O'Toole, Paige Faithfull, Martyn Barnett, James Baddeley, Matt Parker, Shaun Roberts, Paul Harrison, Simon Archer. Front: Lucy Wood, Karina, Emily Cooke, Chappie Russell, Katie Ellis, Emily Wentworth, Karen Mary Battle, Debbie Ellis. Little League players - Ted and Tilly

They are aiming to boost their playing numbers for the 2021 indoor season and next year’s outdoor season.

Established in 2019, the Pirates are one of the Solent Softball League's newest teams.

In their debut season, 2021, they finished third in Division 2, with six wins, five losses and a draw.

Pirates were one of seven teams in the second tier, with six competing in the top flight of a league that was started in the mid-1990s with just four clubs - Southsea Sharks, Portsmouth Dodgers, Solent Sluggers and Bordon Tomahawks.

Trips to Bristol and Slough saw the Pirates win the Slowpitch Cup and they also lifted the Solent League’s Lastball bronze trophy.

Pirates teamed up with the Chichester Falcons and supplied coaches and sponsorship to the latter’s Little League Baseball programme for 8-11 year olds, with Pirates Juniors winning the league.

Softball originated in the United States in the late 19th century. Games are played between two teams of ten players each in the field with the option to have up to two extra hitters in the batting line-up.

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