TWO baseball fanatics from Worcester are hoping to hit some home runs in the city when they launch a new team this summer.

Lee Jackson and Luke Borton have created Worcester Sorcerers and are looking to conjure up a squad of players who have also caught the “baseball bug”.

Sorcerers will be holding their first training session this week with the hope of joining an independent league next spring.

Jackson’s love of baseball began when he watched Toronto Blue Jays defeat New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre while he was on his honeymoon.

The 29-year-old has since been playing for Stourbridge Titans along with Borton but the duo are now keen to bring a baseball club to Worcester.

“I got the baseball bug this time last year, so I started looking at teams to play for and Stourbridge was the closest” Jackson said.

“There are a couple of teams in Birmingham but there is nothing between Stourbridge and Bristol.

“Me and Luke have been sharing lifts to Stourbridge and when we heard that I guy was starting a team in Wolverhampton it spurred us on as it made sense to have one in Worcester.”

Borton, 28, added: “Our plan is to set up an independent league in the Midlands, which will include at least four clubs all within about an hour of Worcester.

“I only started playing baseball in 2015, so it's my fourth season this year, but I knew after the first couple of sessions it would be a sport I'd love to play every week.”

Sorcerers have already struck up a relationship with King’s School Worcester and have been allowed to form a diamond on their playing fields next to New Road cricket ground.

Jackson and Borton are now aiming to secure sponsorship and recruit a bunch of players at their introductory session at Perdiswell Leisure Centre on Thursday from 6.30pm until 8pm.

“If you're 16 and over, get in touch and try your hand at baseball,” Borton said.

“Baseball is obviously a very popular sport in America and we're trying to bring some of that interest over to England.

“Although the game itself can be very technical, the basics of the sport are very simple so I'd encourage anyone who is interested to come along to a session to have a go."

Jackson believes the popularity of baseball in England will increase when Boston Red Sox take on New York Yankees in London next year while the sport will also feature at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

“It is really exciting,” added Jackson on creating a team in Worcester.

“Since doing the Facebook and Twitter posts we have had 30 messages so people seem willing to give it a try which has filled us with confidence.”

To sponsor Worcester Sorcerers and for more information, email worcestersorcerers@gmail.com