Four teams remain undefeated through the first five rounds of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 season. Melbourne and Waverley Black in East, Footscray White in North West and Monash University in South are proving to be some of the toughest teams to beat, although anything could happen with 14 games to go in the regular season.
Division 4 East
St Kilda Saints 0 v Melbourne Demons 13
Melbourne's Pat Cotter threw a complete game no hitter to shut out St Kilda at Myrtle Park, protecting the Demons' undefeated record for yet another weekend.
Melbourne scored in every inning, with a six-run fourth inning sealing the deal for a huge win. St Kilda has one win due to a forfeit in round four, and the Saints will be eager to take things up a notch as they host Fitzroy Lions Gold in round six.
Fitzroy Lions Gold 13 v Waverley Wildcats Red 14
Waverley Red finally got a win on the board with a dramatic come-from-behind win against Fitzroy Gold on Sunday.
The Lions were cruising with a 11-1 lead in the middle of the third, but the Wildcats weren't going down without a fight. Waverley put up seven runs in the bottom of the third to come within three, and a further six in the fifth gave the Wildcats a narrow one-run victory.
After an explosion of offense in the last inning, the Wildcats know they have what it takes to remain competitive in a tough East conference. Waverley will try and replicate this result against Malvern this weekend while Fitzroy can bounce back against St Kilda.
Waverley Wildcats Black 16 v Blackburn Orioles 13
Waverley's perfect record was in jeopardy for a moment, but the team held strong to go 5-0. Blackburn's best efforts fell just short in the end, although both teams battled hard throughout the duration of the game.
Waverley struck first with three runs to open the game, and Blackburn kept up the pace with the game tied at five at the end of the third. The Wildcats added seven in the fourth while Blackburn got six of those runs back. With a narrow one-run lead, the Wildcats tacked on four more in their final at-bats while the Orioles managed two.
Now 1-4, Blackburn is eager for a win heading into this weekend against Monash University while Waverley Black faces fellow undefeated side Melbourne for a must-see matchup.
Malvern Braves 3 v Monash University 12
Malvern endured a tough loss at the hands of Monash University. James Squire pitched well for the Braves to start, giving up two runs on two hits in the second before settling back down and cruising through the third.
In the end Monash pitching proved too tough of a task for Malvern, as the Braves struggled to connect until the third when they tied it up at two apiece. Malvern took the lead for a brief moment in the fourth before Monash added 10 unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth to improve to 2-2-1.
Monash last won in the opening round, so the team was excited about the victory.
Despite the loss, the Braves were pleased with Ian Hooper's timely 2-RBI hit, as well as an RBI single from Leah Trebilcock. Malvern has a 2-3 record heading into round six against Waverley Red.
Division 4 North West
Footscray Bulldogs White 12 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 4
In this highly-anticipated matchup between these two undefeated sides, Footscray White prevailed with a strong push late in the game.
The Bulldogs put two on the board in the first before the Rebels scored four unanswered runs for a 4-2 lead going into the third. Footscray went on to bring 10 runners home across the final three innings for a commanding victory.
Despite the tough loss, the Rebels can look forward to getting back to their winning ways as they face Footscray Blue on Sunday, with Footscray White heading to Rebels base to take on the Maroon side.
Footscray Bulldogs Red 9 v Essendon Bombers 3
Footscray Red proved too big of a challenge for Essendon as the Bulldogs won their third straight game. made their 4th win against Essendon Bombers. Both teams jumped on the board early with two-run first innings, but from then on it was all Footscray.
The Bulldogs had a brilliant second inning, scoring six runs before going on to hold Essendon to just one more run over the course of four innings. Footscray Red currently sits in second place behind Footscray White, while the Bombers are on a mission to get a win this upcoming weekend against Mitchell Majors Black.
Mitchell Majors Black 5 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 12
The Lions earned their second victory of the season with a convincing effort over Mitchell Majors Black. Fitzroy held a narrow 5-4 victory after the first inning, but seven unanswered runs put the Lions in an ideal position to win the game. Mitchell Majors scored once more in the final inning but it wasn't enough to put together a comeback.
Mitchell Majors Black is 1-4 after losing the last three games. Round six has Mitchell Majors Black facing Essendon Bombers while Fitzroy Blue gets a break with a bye.
North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1 v Essendon Jets 11
Essendon Jets got their first win this season against North Coburg Maroon by putting up their best offensive effort yet.
Essendon carried a 2-1 lead into the third before adding another two runs. North Coburg struggled to respond and kept falling behind as Essendon racked up seven runs in the final inning. This was a huge, exciting effort for the Jets as the team looks to keep the momentum going in the coming weeks while North Coburg Maroon gets ready for Footscray Bulldogs White.
Mitchell Majors Yellow 9 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 4
The reigning premiers got the job done again, improving to a 3-2 record after a solid outing against Fitzroy Maroon.
This is the Lions first loss this season, as a late four-run flurry wasn't enough to eliminate the deficit. Mitchell Majors Yellow was consistent all day long with runs in the first four innings. Next up for Mitchell Majors Yellow is a home game v Footscray Bulldogs Red, while Fitzroy Maroon takes on Essendon Jets.
Division 4 South
Monash University Farmers 8 v Berwick City Cougars 3
Monash University is proving to be one tough competitor after beating the reigning premiers by five runs.
Although Monash didn't have any huge innings, the lineup consistently chipped away at it, adding to the lead throughout the game to keep Berwick at bay. Monash scored two in the first and lone runs in the middle innings before a three-run effort in the sixth put the game out of reach.
Berwick managed three runs but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss before playing Moorabbin in round six. Monash will face Cheltenham on Sunday.
St Kilda Saints 0 v Cheltenham Rustlers 11
Cheltenham enjoyed a huge shutout win, made possible by persistence and patience at the plate. The Rustlers led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, when they stepped things up a notch and tacked on four runs. Six additional runs followed in the bottom of the sixth.
St Kila plays Melbourne in round six while Cheltenham visits Monash University.
Melbourne Demons 15 v Pakenham Pumas 5
A fantastic all-around team effort saw Melbourne take a 10-run lead at the end of the game. Five runs in the first and three in the second gave the Demons an 8-3 advantage before they added seven more runs in the final two innings.
Pakenham will look to finish strong this weekend against Ormond Glenhuntly, while Melbourne battles it out against St Kilda.
Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 10
This high-scoring matchup saw Moorabbin manage a big win despite Ormond Glenhuntly's commendable efforts.
Moorabbin scored in the first four innings, with the Hunters doing their best to keep up but ultimately falling short. A seven-run third inning for the Panthers was particularly impactful.
Ormond Glenhuntly visits Pakenham and Moorabbin hosts Berwick City in round six.
St Kilda Saints 0 v Melbourne Demons 13
Melbourne's Pat Cotter threw a complete game no hitter to shut out St Kilda at Myrtle Park, protecting the Demons' undefeated record for yet another weekend.
Melbourne scored in every inning, with a six-run fourth inning sealing the deal for a huge win. St Kilda has one win due to a forfeit in round four, and the Saints will be eager to take things up a notch as they host Fitzroy Lions Gold in round six.
Fitzroy Lions Gold 13 v Waverley Wildcats Red 14
Waverley Red finally got a win on the board with a dramatic come-from-behind win against Fitzroy Gold on Sunday.
The Lions were cruising with a 11-1 lead in the middle of the third, but the Wildcats weren't going down without a fight. Waverley put up seven runs in the bottom of the third to come within three, and a further six in the fifth gave the Wildcats a narrow one-run victory.
After an explosion of offense in the last inning, the Wildcats know they have what it takes to remain competitive in a tough East conference. Waverley will try and replicate this result against Malvern this weekend while Fitzroy can bounce back against St Kilda.
Waverley Wildcats Black 16 v Blackburn Orioles 13
Waverley's perfect record was in jeopardy for a moment, but the team held strong to go 5-0. Blackburn's best efforts fell just short in the end, although both teams battled hard throughout the duration of the game.
Waverley struck first with three runs to open the game, and Blackburn kept up the pace with the game tied at five at the end of the third. The Wildcats added seven in the fourth while Blackburn got six of those runs back. With a narrow one-run lead, the Wildcats tacked on four more in their final at-bats while the Orioles managed two.
Now 1-4, Blackburn is eager for a win heading into this weekend against Monash University while Waverley Black faces fellow undefeated side Melbourne for a must-see matchup.
Waverley Wildcats Black 16 v Blackburn Orioles 13
Waverley's perfect record was in jeopardy for a moment, but the team held strong to go 5-0. Blackburn's best efforts fell just short in the end, although both teams battled hard throughout the duration of the game.
Waverley struck first with three runs to open the game, and Blackburn kept up the pace with the game tied at five at the end of the third. The Wildcats added seven in the fourth while Blackburn got six of those runs back. With a narrow one-run lead, the Wildcats tacked on four more in their final at-bats while the Orioles managed two.
Now 1-4, Blackburn is eager for a win heading into this weekend against Monash University while Waverley Black faces fellow undefeated side Melbourne for a must-see matchup.
Malvern Braves 3 v Monash University 12
Malvern endured a tough loss at the hands of Monash University. James Squire pitched well for the Braves to start, giving up two runs on two hits in the second before settling back down and cruising through the third.
In the end Monash pitching proved too tough of a task for Malvern, as the Braves struggled to connect until the third when they tied it up at two apiece. Malvern took the lead for a brief moment in the fourth before Monash added 10 unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth to improve to 2-2-1.
Monash last won in the opening round, so the team was excited about the victory.
Despite the loss, the Braves were pleased with Ian Hooper's timely 2-RBI hit, as well as an RBI single from Leah Trebilcock. Malvern has a 2-3 record heading into round six against Waverley Red.
Division 4 North West
Footscray Bulldogs White 12 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 4
In this highly-anticipated matchup between these two undefeated sides, Footscray White prevailed with a strong push late in the game.
The Bulldogs put two on the board in the first before the Rebels scored four unanswered runs for a 4-2 lead going into the third. Footscray went on to bring 10 runners home across the final three innings for a commanding victory.
Despite the tough loss, the Rebels can look forward to getting back to their winning ways as they face Footscray Blue on Sunday, with Footscray White heading to Rebels base to take on the Maroon side.
Footscray Bulldogs Red 9 v Essendon Bombers 3
Footscray Red proved too big of a challenge for Essendon as the Bulldogs won their third straight game. made their 4th win against Essendon Bombers. Both teams jumped on the board early with two-run first innings, but from then on it was all Footscray.
The Bulldogs had a brilliant second inning, scoring six runs before going on to hold Essendon to just one more run over the course of four innings. Footscray Red currently sits in second place behind Footscray White, while the Bombers are on a mission to get a win this upcoming weekend against Mitchell Majors Black.
Mitchell Majors Black 5 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 12
The Lions earned their second victory of the season with a convincing effort over Mitchell Majors Black. Fitzroy held a narrow 5-4 victory after the first inning, but seven unanswered runs put the Lions in an ideal position to win the game. Mitchell Majors scored once more in the final inning but it wasn't enough to put together a comeback.
Mitchell Majors Black is 1-4 after losing the last three games. Round six has Mitchell Majors Black facing Essendon Bombers while Fitzroy Blue gets a break with a bye.
North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1 v Essendon Jets 11
Essendon Jets got their first win this season against North Coburg Maroon by putting up their best offensive effort yet.
Essendon carried a 2-1 lead into the third before adding another two runs. North Coburg struggled to respond and kept falling behind as Essendon racked up seven runs in the final inning. This was a huge, exciting effort for the Jets as the team looks to keep the momentum going in the coming weeks while North Coburg Maroon gets ready for Footscray Bulldogs White.
Mitchell Majors Yellow 9 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 4
The reigning premiers got the job done again, improving to a 3-2 record after a solid outing against Fitzroy Maroon.
This is the Lions first loss this season, as a late four-run flurry wasn't enough to eliminate the deficit. Mitchell Majors Yellow was consistent all day long with runs in the first four innings. Next up for Mitchell Majors Yellow is a home game v Footscray Bulldogs Red, while Fitzroy Maroon takes on Essendon Jets.
Division 4 South
Monash University Farmers 8 v Berwick City Cougars 3
Monash University is proving to be one tough competitor after beating the reigning premiers by five runs.
Although Monash didn't have any huge innings, the lineup consistently chipped away at it, adding to the lead throughout the game to keep Berwick at bay. Monash scored two in the first and lone runs in the middle innings before a three-run effort in the sixth put the game out of reach.
Berwick managed three runs but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss before playing Moorabbin in round six. Monash will face Cheltenham on Sunday.
St Kilda Saints 0 v Cheltenham Rustlers 11
Cheltenham enjoyed a huge shutout win, made possible by persistence and patience at the plate. The Rustlers led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, when they stepped things up a notch and tacked on four runs. Six additional runs followed in the bottom of the sixth.
St Kila plays Melbourne in round six while Cheltenham visits Monash University.
Melbourne Demons 15 v Pakenham Pumas 5
A fantastic all-around team effort saw Melbourne take a 10-run lead at the end of the game. Five runs in the first and three in the second gave the Demons an 8-3 advantage before they added seven more runs in the final two innings.
Pakenham will look to finish strong this weekend against Ormond Glenhuntly, while Melbourne battles it out against St Kilda.
Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 10
This high-scoring matchup saw Moorabbin manage a big win despite Ormond Glenhuntly's commendable efforts.
Moorabbin scored in the first four innings, with the Hunters doing their best to keep up but ultimately falling short. A seven-run third inning for the Panthers was particularly impactful.
Ormond Glenhuntly visits Pakenham and Moorabbin hosts Berwick City in round six.
Footscray Bulldogs White 12 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 4
In this highly-anticipated matchup between these two undefeated sides, Footscray White prevailed with a strong push late in the game.
The Bulldogs put two on the board in the first before the Rebels scored four unanswered runs for a 4-2 lead going into the third. Footscray went on to bring 10 runners home across the final three innings for a commanding victory.
Despite the tough loss, the Rebels can look forward to getting back to their winning ways as they face Footscray Blue on Sunday, with Footscray White heading to Rebels base to take on the Maroon side.
Footscray Bulldogs Red 9 v Essendon Bombers 3
Footscray Red proved too big of a challenge for Essendon as the Bulldogs won their third straight game. made their 4th win against Essendon Bombers. Both teams jumped on the board early with two-run first innings, but from then on it was all Footscray.
The Bulldogs had a brilliant second inning, scoring six runs before going on to hold Essendon to just one more run over the course of four innings. Footscray Red currently sits in second place behind Footscray White, while the Bombers are on a mission to get a win this upcoming weekend against Mitchell Majors Black.
Mitchell Majors Black 5 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 12
The Lions earned their second victory of the season with a convincing effort over Mitchell Majors Black. Fitzroy held a narrow 5-4 victory after the first inning, but seven unanswered runs put the Lions in an ideal position to win the game. Mitchell Majors scored once more in the final inning but it wasn't enough to put together a comeback.
Mitchell Majors Black is 1-4 after losing the last three games. Round six has Mitchell Majors Black facing Essendon Bombers while Fitzroy Blue gets a break with a bye.
North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1 v Essendon Jets 11
Essendon Jets got their first win this season against North Coburg Maroon by putting up their best offensive effort yet.
Essendon carried a 2-1 lead into the third before adding another two runs. North Coburg struggled to respond and kept falling behind as Essendon racked up seven runs in the final inning. This was a huge, exciting effort for the Jets as the team looks to keep the momentum going in the coming weeks while North Coburg Maroon gets ready for Footscray Bulldogs White.
Mitchell Majors Yellow 9 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 4
The reigning premiers got the job done again, improving to a 3-2 record after a solid outing against Fitzroy Maroon.
This is the Lions first loss this season, as a late four-run flurry wasn't enough to eliminate the deficit. Mitchell Majors Yellow was consistent all day long with runs in the first four innings. Next up for Mitchell Majors Yellow is a home game v Footscray Bulldogs Red, while Fitzroy Maroon takes on Essendon Jets.
Division 4 South
Monash University Farmers 8 v Berwick City Cougars 3
Monash University is proving to be one tough competitor after beating the reigning premiers by five runs.
Although Monash didn't have any huge innings, the lineup consistently chipped away at it, adding to the lead throughout the game to keep Berwick at bay. Monash scored two in the first and lone runs in the middle innings before a three-run effort in the sixth put the game out of reach.
Berwick managed three runs but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss before playing Moorabbin in round six. Monash will face Cheltenham on Sunday.
St Kilda Saints 0 v Cheltenham Rustlers 11
Cheltenham enjoyed a huge shutout win, made possible by persistence and patience at the plate. The Rustlers led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, when they stepped things up a notch and tacked on four runs. Six additional runs followed in the bottom of the sixth.
St Kila plays Melbourne in round six while Cheltenham visits Monash University.
Melbourne Demons 15 v Pakenham Pumas 5
A fantastic all-around team effort saw Melbourne take a 10-run lead at the end of the game. Five runs in the first and three in the second gave the Demons an 8-3 advantage before they added seven more runs in the final two innings.
Pakenham will look to finish strong this weekend against Ormond Glenhuntly, while Melbourne battles it out against St Kilda.
Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 10
This high-scoring matchup saw Moorabbin manage a big win despite Ormond Glenhuntly's commendable efforts.
Moorabbin scored in the first four innings, with the Hunters doing their best to keep up but ultimately falling short. A seven-run third inning for the Panthers was particularly impactful.
Ormond Glenhuntly visits Pakenham and Moorabbin hosts Berwick City in round six.