Baseball is Back: Nairobi Community Championship Series Kicks Off Second Season

Players from various teams gather for a photo on opening day of 2025.

Just five months after Samurai United hoisted the inaugural championship trophy, the Nairobi Baseball Community roared back to life on Saturday, February 15 for the opening day of Season Two of the Nairobi Community Championship Series - once again hosted at the iconic Nairobi Field of Dreams at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

With 8 teams now competing (up from 6 last season), this year’s league builds on last year’s success and represents another landmark moment for Kenyan baseball. The series, Kenya’s only 18+ community baseball league, is proudly sponsored by IfWeBuildIt.org and support for our dedicated game officials once again provided by Baraka.

The series while organized and supported by IfWeBuildit.org is truly operated by a community of players and youth leaders that comprise the Nairobi Baseball Community, including game officials who are trained by IfWeBuildIt volunteers to build up game officiating experience.

The first of 7 regular-season match days, with four full games played between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. each game day, opening day kicked off an 8 month period for the series. Following the opening day games, the action will continue throughout the 8 month period with scheduled match days on:

• Saturday, March 8

• Saturday, March 28

• Saturday, April 12

• Saturday, April 26

• Saturday, May 10

• Saturday, May 24

Following a two month break the season culminates in a two-day championship playoff weekend in September:

• Saturday, September 13: Semi-finals (1st vs 4th, 2nd vs 3rd)

• Sunday, September 14: Championship Game at 1 p.m. at the Field of Dreams

  (preceded by the Nairobi Little League championship at 10 a.m.)

  
  

Returning teams include:

• Samurai United – Defending champions, featuring a blend of Japanese nationals and elite players from the Kabete Cares Baseball Academy

• Nairobi Wreckers – Last season’s regular-season leaders and championship runners-up

• JKUAT Generals – Our hosts and local powerhouse

• MMU Stormerz – A force to watch this season

• Nairobi Buffaloes – Skilled and hungry for redemption

• Thika Rangers – The pride of the outer counties

  
  

New to the Series this season:

• Maasai Warriors – Representing Ongata Rongai with passion and flair

• Mombasa Infernos – The first coastal team to join the Nairobi league, bringing serious heat to the capital

  
  

Players to Watch

Among the returnees is none other than Joseph Wani, the South Sudanese student from USIU whose legendary 10-strikeout performance in last year’s final earned him the nickname “The South Sudanese Stallion.” He’ll be looking to lead his team back to the big game, this time with redemption in mind.

League Format

This year’s league continues to break new ground as one of Africa’s first co-ed baseball leagues. Team rosters include:

• 25 players (18+ years old)

• Up to 2 players aged 16-17 allowed per team

• At least 2 female players required per team

• Games are played on time-limited schedules (maximum 2 hours), allowing for 4 games per day

• Follow a league table format where teams accrue points for wins (3) and ties (1) - ties are permitted due to space and time restrictions. Officials will do everything to attempt to complete games.

Opening Day Highlights

The Samurai United picked up right where they left off, with Joseph Wani on the mound dominating and their bats leading them to an 11 - 1 win over the Thinka Rangers.

Nairobi Buffaloes who finished in 3rd place last season were the ones that came out hot in their first match up of the season against the Mombasa infernos, leading 9-0 in the second. The three inning game, shortened due to time, witnessed Kevin Schreiber go 2-2 with 2 RBIs and Omar Harris Jr. easily handle the Infernos from the mound with 5 strike outs.

Last season's 2nd runner up the Nairobi Wreckers didn't have an easy first match up against the hosts, and last season's 4th place team, the JKUAT Generals. Down 2-1 going into the second, the Wreckers held on to a 7-4 lead going into the last inning and pulled away with a 7 run rally to put some space between themselves and their opponents who couldn't pull out any runs in the bottom of the 4th. Derrick Chagira drove in 2 runs on 3-3 batting putting up 3 single and scoring 2 runs on the basepaths.

And finally, the new kids on the block, the Maasai Warriors, a young team stormed the MMU Stormerz knocking in 15 runs and announcing their arrival to the series.