The 1912 Southern Union Baseball season was the eighteenth season of professional baseball within the Southern Union. It was the first season of professional status for Elon BF after they replaced Uckford Gemenskap in Koana Islands’ Division Ett. It was also the first professional seasons for HC Notendaal and Herksen-Heerenveen following Houtmansland’s Topklasse Divisie expanding to 10 teams. Following the end of the season, the Koanian Basebollförbundet agreed to expanding the Super Ligan to 14 teams, and increasing Division Ett to 16 teams from the 1914 baseball season.

Domestic Baseball

Koana Islands

Super Ligan

Ny Aucklanda IF repeated as champions moving to the top of the standings in mid-May halfway through a 13-4-0 record to put it beyond doubt. Omfattandestad BoIS came home second for the fifth time in their history, briefly slipping to third before overtaking cross-town rivals BK Salau who were swept in their final three games at home to Vizhune IS.

Glenton Kullar BbK matched their highest finish of 4^th, two points clear of Sandford Stad BF who dropped three of their last 4 games to have their worst finish since the 1909 baseball season. Vizhune IS’s mid-table obscurity continues, having a poor season all things considered. Huggormarna fans were subjected to the teams worst winning percentage since 1896 with a tied for league-worst number of fielding errors doing the team no favours as they finished 7th. Jordnot Kanjon BK relied on a strong home record to come home 8^th, an improvement from two-straight 10^th place finishes. They remained clear of the relegation battle in the latter half of the year due in large part to 6 wins in late June.

Centurio Conneaut’s return to the top flight for the first time since 1906 was eventful, securing their safety with a game to spare after beating champions Ny Aucklanda IF, 5-3. Spartaner were languishing in the drop zone throughout July, only climbing out of it following BK Embleton’s 1-1-8 record in August. A couple of wins leading up to the final weekend wasn’t enough for Embleton whose 9-year stay in the top flight came to an end. They will join Bryankeld Förenta BK in Division Ett next year, who made an immediate return to the second tier having moved into the relegation zone at the end of April and never recovering.

Division Ett

After a two-year stay in the second tier for the first time in the club’s history, “yo-yo club” Nyhaven SK were rarely troubled, rollicking to their second Division Ett title in 4 years. Despite a slow start to the year, Bina didn’t move to the top of the table until late July, overtaking BK Humoor 1893 who had been the early pacesetters along with SK Ryttare. A dip in form by the former, which included a run of 7-straight defeats in the middle of the year, allowed Nyhaven SK to build an unassailable lead at the top. They will play Super Ligan baseball next year with BK Humoor 1893, who finished out the year with a 17-2-2 record to make an immediate return to the top flight.

Atletisk Nyhamn’s poor form to start the year did the club little favours, but a strong finish of 19-5-10 lifted them to a 3^rd-place finish, having been predicted to be no better than mid-table at the start of the season. They finished above Portlethen Måndag GK who returned to Division Ett following their relegation from the Super Ligan.

As is becoming the norm in Division Ett, the mid-table was immensely tight, with only 8 points separating 5^th from 11^th. SK Ryttare led the way but struggled at home with an 18-3-18 record which included becoming the first team to lose to newcomers Elon BF who had a good debut season, finishing 8^th. Ruysdael Akademisk IF were rooted to the foot of the table to start out the year following only 1 win in their first 11 games, before recovering to finish 11^th.

At the bottom of the table, BK Randia and Prestons-Grenada were both re-elected, yet the Koanian Basebollförbundet agreed to expand the Super Ligan to 14 teams, which included three teams promoted from Division Ett next season and four new teams to turn professional in the 1914 baseball season which will increase Division Ett to 16 teams.

Günsovölk

Baseball Meisterschaft

SG 1632 Schönheit and Rasensport Sorgenfrei tussled all season, but the former managed to hold on to top spot and clinch their third straight Baseball Meisterschaft title. The reigning champions relied on their dominant home form once again, scoring 13 more points than Die Wildkatzen who had their worst win-loss record since 1903.

Mächtstadt VfL finished third, briefly moving into 2^nd on the penultimate day, but a 1-0 loss to Sorgenfrei saw them drop back behind their opponents for their highest ever finish. Fortuna Juemen had a good season, scoring triple points for the first time since the 1906 baseball season, aided by a fantastic record at the plate, with a league-leading 1.76 hits per run stat. The same could not be said of BV Küstestadt who had their worst season since 1902, hindered by an atrocious home record and a 3-3-9 record in April. BSG Geldstadt returned to mid-table after a dip in form last year finishing seventh, ranked behind Viktoria Grosstadt SV on run differential.

In the lower half, it was a season to forget for VfB Andacht who slumped to an 11^th place finish after placing fifth last season. Poor form throughout June and July was to blame, but two draws and two wins to see out the year lifted them above Hafenstadt BV who had a dreadfully slow start following a re-election last season; they tied on points with Gelb Kekerdom TuS.

Käseplatz SSV avoided a third straight election process, finishing a couple of points ahead of Blau-Weiss Ruigoord who were 11^th with 11 games remaining. At the bottom of the table was Ducibus BV who were all but consigned to last place with a number of games to spare, but successfully argued their place in the league in their first ever appearance in a re-election meeting.

Ianoia

I-League

McCutchen City claimed their fourth I-League title in six years, rarely dropping appoints along the way. Despite a sweep at the hands of Oldstead Irish, the Myrmidons moved clear at the top of the table following a 6-2 victory over Blenkinsopp Town in mid-June and were soon aided by a sweep of defending champions Racing Welford who went on to finish second by season’s end.

Ulcombe United finished third for the second straight year, briefly challenging for top spot early in the season before a drop on form over June saw them drop as low as fourth. Chatteris United had their best finish with a new record of wins in a season with 31, a far cry from their April form to start off the year, propping up the league in last place following a 4-2-10 record. Byfleet Hawks were the team of the season, rebounding from last place in 1912 to a strong 6th place finish, albeit with intermittent from.

Juniors finished last, a position they held since late June for their first ever re-election campaign in which they dually succeeded. They finished behind Sporting Cuckney who set a new team record in wins, both combined and away from home.

Social Cup

McCutchen City became the first team in Ianoian baseball history to clinch the double, winning both the league and Social Cup in the same year.

The eventual champions left it late in the final against Athletic Ivychurch having trailed 4-0 mid-way through the 7^th inning. After a run brought City within three, the Myrmidons started a rally in the bottom of the 8^th with a leadoff double by their second baseman, Jack Murray. After a sacrifice bunt moved Murray to third, Shortstop Jack White hit a sharp ground ball to his opposite number who couldn’t make the play, allowing Murray to score and White to reach first safely. The next batter hit a single, putting runners on first and second. First Baseman Adam Green hit a deep fly ball to right field that went over the outfielder’s head and bounced off the wall, scoring two runs. Green ended up on third with a triple. Harry Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing in the go-ahead run of the game.

Black Loco Works was the team of the tournament, knocking out Tyrant-Ilford away from home in the opening round, before eliminating Spartans of Martletwy in the Quarterfinals by a score of 6-to-4. They couldn’t reach the Final however, going down 7-3 in the Semi-finals.

QUARTER-FINALS
St. Pius (NON) 4-5 Athletic Ivychurch (ILG)
Racing Welford (ILG) 2-3 Oldstead Irish (ILG)
Spartans of Martletwy (ILG) 4-6 Black Loco Works (NON)
McCutchen City (ILG) 6-1 Littledean (NON)

SEMI-FINALS
Athletic Ivychurch (ILG) 7-3 Black Loco Works (NON)
Oldstead Irish (ILG) 2-4 McCutchen City (ILG)

FINAL                                                            R   H   E
Athletic Ivychurch (ILG)  0   1   2   0   0   0   1   0   0      4   8   0
McCutchen City (ILG)      0   0   0   0   0   0   1   4   1      6  11   0

Albaland

Baseball League

Sandwick City moved to the top of the table following the second Sunday of the season and never looked back, starting the year with 8 straight wins and, despite a patch of 9 draws in 10 games keeping the chasing pack semi-close, lost just three games in the first half of the season.

Melton Coss continued their improvement to as finish runners-up for the first time in history having sat as low as seventh by the mid-point of the year. Rigside Nine and Bridgebank finished tied on points whilst Terregles Collieries and Douglastown BC also couldn’t be separated despite both losing their final two games of the season.

Tower Hill finished eighth for the second time in three years, rebounding from a disappointing twelfth last season thanks in large part to their improved home record. A no-hitter against Strathmiglo Wanderers in late August away from home the icing on the cake for the Tees.

United Bankfoot was put up for re-election for the third straight year, but successfully won re-election with a vote of 13-2.

Alba Shield

Melton Coss capped off a fine season in the league to win their first Alba Shield, beating Bridgebank 5-4 in 12 innings.

After trailing the game heading into the seventh inning at Abner Arduaine’s home ground, Bridgebank tied things up for the second time, this time with a 2-run home run from Left Fielder Angus MacGregor. It wasn’t until Shortstop Ewan MacLeod plated Callum Robertson from second in the bottom of the 12^th that Melton Coss clinched victory.

Last season’s non-League stars Kellas Academical were stunned 12-11 in the second Qualifying Round by Stow Rangers. Having finished 9 innings tied 6-all, Stow scored three runs which Kellas matched, only to yield another three runs a frame later. Kersemill Railway tried to replicate Kellas’s performance last year but fell short at the Quarter-Finals.

QUARTER-FINALS
Kersemill Railway (NON) 5-9 Melton Coss (BL)
Sandwick City (BL) 6-2 Oxenfoord Athletic (BL)
Bridgebank (BL) 6-5 Strathmiglo Wanderers (BL)
Rigside Nine (BL) 7-8 Abner Arduaine (BL) (F/11)

SEMI-FINALS
Bridgebank (BL) 4-3 Sandwick City (BL) (F/10)
Melton Coss (BL) 8-1 Abner Arduaine (BL)

FINAL                                                                        R   H   E
Bridgebank (BL)           0   1   0   1   0   0   2   0   0   0   0   0      4  10   1
Melton Coss (BL)          0   2   0   2   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1      5  10   2

Houtmansland

Topklasse Divisie

In keeping with the run of consecutive seasons without a repeat champion, KBO Armweide stunned everyone to win their fourth Topklasse title. Predicted to hover around midtable of the first 10-team season, De Brouwers led for big chunks of the season, only briefly losing top spot to SHC Koedijk when they lost 5 of 7 leading into the winter break.

Early season favourites Eikenheuvel HC and reigning premiers Atletisch Bath sat in midfield for much of the year, with the former only climbing up to third after finishing the year 7-1-1. The biggest underperformers was without question HHV, who slumped to a 9^th place finish, narrowly avoiding the first re-election process in the league. Sitting in last place during the Winter Break, De Wespen struggled out of last place, relying heavily on a stunning sweep of Eikenheuvel HC in August.

Newcomers Herksen-Heerenveen had a decent season despite only narrowly avoiding the re-election process, hindered by a 10-run losing streak in July and August. HC Notendaal were unanimously re-elected for another year, finding form difficult to come by.