Plymouth Outlaws D4 Vs. Cardiff Merlins
28th June 2026
Plymouth Outlaws completed their second sweep of the season with two wins over Cardiff Merlins II at Plymstock School, sealing a 4-0 record against Cardiff for the year.
It was a hugely enjoyable day at Outlaw Ranch, with the Outlaws winning 12-8 and 19-5 in a Division 4 double header packed with home runs, momentum swings, milestone moments and plenty of attacking baseball.
The opener could hardly have started better for Plymouth. Greg Staniforth stepped in to lead off the bottom of the first and sent the first pitch he saw for his first ever home run, immediately setting the tone for the day.
The Outlaws added four more runs in the inning to take early control, with Mac Macdonald, Jack Parsons, Penny Muscat, James Platten and Matt Ball all involved as Plymouth raced into a 5-0 lead.
Muscat was making his debut for the Outlaws, bringing with him the experience of a former Maltese international baseball player. He made an immediate impact, collecting two hits, scoring twice and causing Cardiff problems on the basepaths throughout Game 1.
The power kept coming in the second. James “Jimmy” Pollard, playing in his first ever Division 4 game after earning promotion, reached base before Staniforth joined him on the bases. Macdonald then launched a three-run home run to left field, his first as an Outlaw. Austin Lister followed with the first home run of his baseball career, giving Plymouth a commanding 9-0 lead after two innings.
For the first half of the game, the Outlaws were firmly in the driver’s seat. Macdonald was sharp on the mound, striking out the side in the second and keeping Cardiff scoreless through the third.
But Cardiff refused to let the game drift away.
The Merlins put real pressure on in the fourth inning, with Rhodri Cavell doubling home two runs, Iestyn Dallimore adding a two-run single, and Rhys Hope launching a three-run home run to left field. The seven-run inning dragged Cardiff right back into the contest and forced Plymouth to sharpen up quickly.
The Outlaws responded well. Iman Samarakoon drove in Macdonald in the bottom of the fourth to steady the game, before Ball gave Plymouth breathing room in the fifth with a two-run home run to deep centre field.
Macdonald completed 5.2 innings on the mound with nine strikeouts and only five hits allowed. He also helped himself at the plate with two hits, three runs scored and three RBIs.
Plymouth finished Game 1 with 14 hits, including home runs from Staniforth, Macdonald, Lister and Ball. Ball went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and three RBIs, Muscat added two hits, two runs and four stolen bases on debut, while Pollard marked his first D4 appearance with two hits from the bottom of the order.
There were also important defensive contributions in the opener. Platten was heavily involved behind the plate as Macdonald struck out nine Cardiff hitters, and the Outlaws sharpened up late after Cardiff’s fourth-inning rally threatened to swing the game.
Cardiff continued to show their threat at the plate, with Hope and John Geoffroy both homering, but Plymouth held firm to take the opener 12-8.
Staniforth was named Game 1 MVP after setting the tone with his first ever home run on the first pitch he saw and helping spark a big offensive performance from the top of the lineup.
Game 2 had a different rhythm, but the Outlaws kept the pressure on from the start.
Cardiff struggled to find consistency on the mound, but Plymouth still had to stay patient, take their chances and keep making things happen on the bases. The Outlaws did exactly that, working 19 walks, stealing aggressively and forcing mistakes through constant pressure.
Iman Samarakoon opened the scoring with a two-run double in the first inning, before Plymouth added further runs through aggressive baserunning and defensive pressure.
The Outlaws scored five runs in each of the first three innings, building a lead Cardiff could not pull back. Platten, Parsons, Lister, Pollard, Ball and Leo Back all drove in runs, with Ball finishing Game 2 with five RBIs.
Daniel Herrera took the win on the mound, throwing four innings and allowing five runs, four earned, while striking out three and walking just one.
Pollard marked his first Division 4 appearance with a composed game behind the plate, helping guide Herrera and Ball through five innings in which Plymouth allowed just one walk. Back was busy at first base, while Ball came in from second to close the game and ended it himself with a pickoff at second.
Cardiff again had moments of quality, with Hope hitting his second home run of the day and Geoffroy driving in two runs, but Plymouth’s patience, speed and pressure proved too much as the Outlaws ran out 19-5 winners.
Pollard was named Game 2 MVP after stepping up in his first D4 appearance and playing an important role behind the plate as Plymouth completed the sweep.
Across the two games, Plymouth had contributions throughout the lineup. Staniforth delivered the headline moment in Game 1 with his first ever home run and MVP performance, Macdonald delivered on both sides of the ball, Herrera gave the Outlaws a strong start in Game 2, and Muscat made an impressive debut with two hits, two runs and four stolen bases. Ball also had a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and eight RBIs across the double header.
It was a fun, high-scoring day at Outlaw Ranch, with Cardiff making the Outlaws work hard in Game 1 before Plymouth pulled away strongly in Game 2.
