TAUNTON Baseball Club's two senior sides were both in action in the South West and Wales Baseball League on Sunday, June 14, with mixed fortunes for the club.

The Pistols secured their first win of the season by splitting a double-header against the New Forest Knights, while the Muskets were swept by the Bristol Bats at Taunton Green.

The Pistols travelled to face the Knights in the Severn Division and, after several competitive performances without reward this season, finally recorded a breakthrough victory.

The opening game followed a familiar pattern as the Pistols matched their opponents early on but were unable to convert enough scoring opportunities. With the teams tied 4-4 after two innings, the Knights took control, scoring nine unanswered runs to claim a 13-4 victory.

Game two proved far more dramatic. The lead changed hands several times, with the Knights holding a narrow advantage heading into the final inning. The Pistols responded in style, scoring five runs to edge ahead by a single run before producing a superb defensive display to seal a 14-13 victory.

A crucial double play with the winning run on first base put the visitors in control before pitcher Dan Brown struck out the final batter, leaving the tying run stranded at third base. Steve Coles, Sam White and Dan Adams led the offence, combining for seven hits and eight RBIs.

Pistols assistant manager Sam White said: "This was a fantastic result for us after the disappointment of previous games this season. Everyone played their part, whether at bat or in the field. It's great to get that first victory and hopefully now we can push on for the rest of the season."

Back in Taunton, the Muskets faced Bristol Bats for the second time in a month as they looked to improve their fortunes in Division Three.

The first game was a closely contested affair. Despite striking out eight batters, Muskets pitcher Andrés Bianco was left on the losing side as Bristol did just enough to secure a 4-1 win.

With a depleted squad available, the hosts struggled to maintain that level in the second game. The Bats' powerful batting line-up proved decisive, with home runs from Luca McCurdy and Darius Tamosiunas helping Bristol to a commanding 20-5 victory.

Muskets manager Jake Palmer said: "This was a tough day all round. We competed in the first game, but we couldn't quite follow that through into the second game. We'll regroup and go again in a couple of weeks."

The club's Tricky Cider MVP awards went to Chris Chantrey and José Bobadilla for the Muskets, and Richard Hingston and Dan Brown for the Pistols.

Chantrey caught both games against Bristol and made several important plays at home plate, while Bobadilla impressed on the bases and in the field.

Hingston enjoyed an excellent full debut for the Pistols, collecting three hits, three stolen bases and an RBI. Brown contributed three RBIs and three stolen bases before closing out the victory with the game-ending strikeout.

Both Taunton sides have a weekend off before returning to action on Sunday, June 28. The Muskets travel to Cardiff to face the Merlins, while the Pistols host the Yeovil Whirlwinds at Taunton Green.