Several top teams put on great performances over the weekend as the 2019/20 VSBL Division 1 season returns for the last six weeks before finals. Sunshine finished 2019 atop the ladder with a 12-4 record and the Eagles have continued that form in the new year with a win over Melbourne. Essendon upset Waverley in the Reserves although Blackburn still leads that competition and the thirds with plenty more matchups on offer that could change standings.
Division 1 Firsts - Round 18
Waverley Wildcats 1 v Essendon Bombers 2
In a hot matchup to begin with, Essendon took the honours in a tightly contested game.
Both teams scored a run early, with Essendon tacking on what would be the winning run in the bottom of the second. The rest of the game was quiet and quick, with seven scoreless innings wrapping things up.
The Bombers 10th win of the season sees them jump up two places to fourth, one spot down from the Wildcats who are 11-7.
Essendon were on a three-game losing streak heading into this one so back-to-back wins would be nice, but when they take on Waverley this weekend, the Wildcats will be keen for revenge.
Berwick City Cougars 3 v Fitzroy Lions 4
All the action of this game seemed to take place in the ninth, as Fitzroy scored one run to in the eighth to counter Berwick's one run they managed in the fourth.
The Cougars extended their lead by two at the top of the ninth as third baseman John King homered over centre field, but an impressive display of offense from the Lions allowed them to score three runs and steal the win.
The win to Fitzroy sees both teams now with six wins for the season, however Berwick is just ahead on the ladder.
Next weekend, Fitzroy will hit the road to take on Berwick, looking to leapfrog the Cougars as the season draws nearer to a close.
Geelong Baycats 4 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 2
The Baycats were out to a 4-0 lead as their fifth inning came to a close and managed to shut out the Tigers until they scored late in the eighth and ninth innings.
With each team managing six hits on the day, Kobe Greenhalgh and James Wood each had two for the Baycats while Donovan Hendricks had two for the Tigers. Wood also scored all four of the Baycats runs, helped by a homerun.
Sam Gibbons was great on the mound, pitching five innings for one hit, zero runs and four strikeouts, getting the win. For Upwey Ferntree Gully, Jarrod Turner pitched six innings where 18 of his first pitches were strikes.
The Tigers will be the ones having to travel the furthest next week as Geelong plays at home, hoping to keep in touch with the top two with Upwey Ferntree Gully just shy of sixth place.
Melbourne Demons 3 v Sunshine Eagles 7
Melbourne jumped out of the blocks early in this game, but unfortunately for the Demons, they couldn't maintain that intensity as Sunshine piled on the runs and shut them out across the remainder of the game.
Melbourne's 3-1 lead lasted through the top of the fourth before the Eagles got one home in the bottom frame. Sunshine added another in the fifth but it was the sixth inning that did the most damage to the Demons, the Eagles scoring four which would be the final margin.
Josh Bryne, Russell Letts and Jason Tutt did a great job of getting on base for Sunshine, putting the team in prime position to score, while import catcher Bryce Aldridge had two hits and and threw out a couple of runners from behind the dish.
Riley Barr settled after the first inning, pitching five solid innings for Sunshine while Jeremy Young stepped in for a strong relief performance.
Riley Barr settled after the first inning, pitching five solid innings for Sunshine while Jeremy Young stepped in for a strong relief performance.
The Eagles have got their season back on track after a 4-1 loss to Waverley in round 16, recording their second win in a row but 13th overall to sit first while the Demons are 7-10. The return fixture will be played at Surrey Park this weekend where the Eagles will want to continue their high-flying season.
(Photo: Lee Dare/Sunshine Baseball Club)
Blackburn Orioles 8 v Newport Rams 8
This game was halted after nine innings because of bad light, resulting in a draw for both teams although Blackburn would've been disappointed at letting a 6-0 lead go in one inning.
The Orioles had built up the six-run advantage after scoring five in the first inning and adding one more in the next inning but it all came undone when Newport got a hold of them in the sixth - a total of eight runs scoring for the Rams.
Playing catchup for the rest of the game, and not wanting Newport to gain any more runs, Blackburn scored a run in the seventh and eighth innings but neither side was able to collect another vital run in the ninth.
Ben Leslie had two hits and three walks to get on base consistently for Blackburn, while Cooper Goodman and Nick Rossell both had a pair of hits as well. Jacob Evans took two walks for Blackburn with two RBIs, with #AYC2020 U18 hitting champion Charlie Collins keeping his good month rolling with two RBIs on the board too. Leslie and Collins both had four quality at-bats while Evans had three.
Newport's David Land took two walks and Mason Wray batted in two runs. Jason Jarvis threw 22 first-pitch strikes in five innings of work and four strikeouts before handing things over to Tyler Comben. Blackburn's Andrew Jones pitched four innings with 13 first-pitch strikes and four strikeouts, followed by Evans and Blake Hodgson.
The Orioles had the better game numbers-wise, with 13 hits and one error compared to just six hits and two errors for the Rams. Blackburn remains on the cusp of the top four and will be looking to go one better than this result in a home game at Newport. The Rams would have liked the win and although it wouldn't have lifted them off the bottom, they will be out to prove they can win it next weekend.
Cheltenham Rustlers 6 v Sandringham Royals 3
The Rustlers have evened their season record to 9-9 after this win over Sandringham, while the Royals are sitting at 8-10 going into round 19.
Sandringham had a 2-0 lead from the first, carrying that through five innings before Cheltenham scored three in the sixth and three in the seventh to turn the game. The Royals got one back in the bottom of the ninth but that's all they managed.
Conor Myles had a big hit that led to a big play at the plate in an exciting moment for Cheltenham, while Dylan Trevorah, Ben Fierenzi, Michael Leslie and Sam Michael all had nice plays on defense.
Pitching was another strong point for Cheltenham. "Lars Liguori threw a complete game for us on the mound and really settled into the game nicely. In my opinion it was the best he has looked all season," Cheltenham Club Coach Bryan Kloppe said. "We’ve got to continue to believe in ourselves as a unit, when we have fun and play for each other we find ways to come away with the wins."
Conor Myles had a big hit that led to a big play at the plate in an exciting moment for Cheltenham, while Dylan Trevorah, Ben Fierenzi, Michael Leslie and Sam Michael all had nice plays on defense.
Pitching was another strong point for Cheltenham. "Lars Liguori threw a complete game for us on the mound and really settled into the game nicely. In my opinion it was the best he has looked all season," Cheltenham Club Coach Bryan Kloppe said. "We’ve got to continue to believe in ourselves as a unit, when we have fun and play for each other we find ways to come away with the wins."
Cheltenham has won four of the past five games while Sandringham has dropped three of the last four.
With both teams still in contention, this weekend's game is crucial to both the Rustlers and the Royals.
Division 1 Reserves - Round 14
Waverley Wildcats 9 v Essendon Bombers 14
The Bombers scored all 14 of their runs in the first two innings, starting with eight in the first and six in the second meaning Waverley had a hefty target ahead of them.
As a credit to the Wildcats, they hung tough, always pressing for runs, getting their nine over the final four innings and sensing a comeback in the fifth where they managed four. Ultimately though, Essendon's lineup featuring the likes of Zachary Breen, Cooper Carrison and Joel Prpic had the upper hand.
This was the Wildcats' third loss of the season (the last being in round six) while the win for the Bombers' was their seventh of the season and sees them take sixth place.
Waverley hosts the return game on Saturday.
Melbourne Demons 2 v Sunshine Eagles 4
Sunshine came back from a one-run deficit in the second and third innings before going ahead and scoring another two in their fourth time up at the plate.
It's the perfect start to the second half of the season for the Eagles, it being their third win of the season while the Demons sit fifth with a 7-6 record.
Sunshine and Melbourne will meet again in Round 15 where the Demons will look to keep in touch with the top four while Sunshine will hope this sparks their season as they look to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
Geelong Baycats 7 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11
The Tigers have beaten Geelong to keep their second placing on the ladder as their win streak extends to three.
The Baycats on the other hand have suffered their fifth loss in a row but the return fixture is at their home ground this weekend, so they'll be hopeful of turning the result around.
Connor Hughes, Hayden Peoples and Blake Witham all had a turn on the hill and did well.
Offensively, Witham was terrific with three hits, as was Harper Rickard and Hughrs who each picked up three hits also. Chris Durston had two hits while singles to Dion Kirchner and Lachlan Hockey rounded out the batting.
Berwick City Cougars 11 v Fitzroy Lions 6
The Cougars have just one loss from the past five matches as they improve to a 6-6-1 record on the back of this win over Fitzroy.
Attention now turns to next weekend as these teams will battle it out once again, this time Berwick's time to host as Fitzroy look to break a three-game losing streak.
Blackburn Orioles 9 v Newport Rams 1
A mammoth seven-run first innings kickstarted ladder-leader Blackburn's victory over Newport.
The 12-2 Orioles started strongly and managed a further run in each of the third and fifth innings, meanwhile the Rams claimed their only run of the game in the first.
Jorey Hubble had two hits as almost every player on the Orioles lineup getting on base via a hit or walk which provided plenty of run-scoring opportunities.
Sam Buccello and David Tierney provided five quality innings of pitching with multiple strikeouts between them and barely any free passes issued.
Newport unfortunately couldn't start this half of the season the way that they finished the first - with a win - but still hold belief they can cut it with other teams and will prove it this weekend.
Cheltenham Rustlers 10 v Sandringham Royals 2
The scores were tied at two apiece as the first inning wound down, but then it was all Cheltenham who didn't allow Sandringham to score any more runs.
The Rustlers gradually performed well over the next couple of innings, getting in three runs before a huge five runs were scored in the fifth to take their score to 10, also squashing any chance of a Royals comeback.
The Royals have lost three in a row now as they slip to 3-9-1 while Cheltenham is on a hot six-game winning streak to finds themselves in third place with an 11-3 record.
Fitzroy Lions 0 v Berwick City Cougars 6
The Cougars shut out Fitzroy to claim a six-run win, their third in a row in a four-win season thus far.
The Cougars were last just four rounds ago, but have jumped up two spots in the past month of games.
The Lions, who are just ahead of the Cougars, will hope to turn things around in the return leg this weekend.
Waverley Wildcats 2 v Essendon Bombers 2
Essendon had the chance to win in the seventh but could only muster one run that drew the scores level.
Waverley chalked up a 2-0 lead after their fourth inning but the margin was cut in half by the Bombers at the bottom.
Waverley and Essendon are both 9-2-3 which makes this weekend's matchup even more tantalising.
Blackburn Orioles 21 v Newport Rams 0
In a game that went for five innings, there was just one dig where the Orioles didn't manage to score, while the Rams couldn't get on the board at all.
The Orioles were out to a four run lead after their first time at bat and added another four in the third. They more than doubled their score with a fourth-innings effort of nine runs before a further four runs in the fifth.
Mitch Upton went four from four for the Orioles including two doubles while Mitch Flett got a couple of hits.
Blackburn are in double-digits in the wins column now with a 10-2-2 record, holding onto first place.
Cheltenham Rustlers 1 v Sandringham Royals 2
Each of the teams runs came in the second inning, with Cheltenham the first to score.
That was quickly cancelled out by the two runs Sandringham managed at the bottom and after that point, both teams proved well on the defence.
The Royals win takes them to 7-7 for the season, one spot ahead of Cheltenham who won't want that gap stretched any further when the two sides meet again this week.
Blackburn Orioles 21 v Newport Rams 0
In a game that went for five innings, there was just one dig where the Orioles didn't manage to score, while the Rams couldn't get on the board at all.
The Orioles were out to a four run lead after their first time at bat and added another four in the third. They more than doubled their score with a fourth-innings effort of nine runs before a further four runs in the fifth.
Mitch Upton went four from four for the Orioles including two doubles while Mitch Flett got a couple of hits.
Blackburn are in double-digits in the wins column now with a 10-2-2 record, holding onto first place.
Cheltenham Rustlers 1 v Sandringham Royals 2
Each of the teams runs came in the second inning, with Cheltenham the first to score.
That was quickly cancelled out by the two runs Sandringham managed at the bottom and after that point, both teams proved well on the defence.
The Royals win takes them to 7-7 for the season, one spot ahead of Cheltenham who won't want that gap stretched any further when the two sides meet again this week.
Geelong Baycats v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers - WASHOUT
Sunshine Eagles v Melbourne Demons - WASHOUT
Division 1 Fourths - Round 14
Fitzroy Lions 7 v Berwick City Cougars 7
Berwick got the first two runs of the game in the first but were on the backfoot for the remainder of the game, almost stealing victory in the sixth.
Down four runs after Fitzroy's three-run effort at the top, the Cougars pounced on any and all opportunities but came up short of claiming a proper win.
Earlier in the game though, Fitzroy scored three in the second before each team batted in a run in the third.
Both of these teams have experienced draws this season - it was Berwick's second versus Fitzroy's third.
The Cougars are on a three-game unbeaten run at the moment but won't want to slip up as they chase a spot in the top four while the Lions will take this result with them into the next few games to hopefully see their wins increase.
Waverley Wildcats 3 v Essendon Bombers 5
The Wildcats took the first lot of runs in the first innings, scoring their three at the top however it was then cancelled out as Essendon tied the scores in the bottom.
The Bombers would then go on to score another two runs in the third and after that point, no further runs were scored by either team.
The Wildcats were on a five-game winning streak prior to this loss. Waverley and Essendon have switched places on the ladder after the round, with the Wildcats sliding to fourth with a 9-5 record and the Bombers moving up to third, holding a 10-4 record.
Geelong Baycats 15 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 9
The Baycats have won their fourth game in a row with this win over Upwey Ferntree Gully, made memorable after the situation the Baycats were faced with after the first.
Geelong gave up six runs to the Tigers in the first inning but afterwards, Martin Bouma settled in on the mound allowing just one hit and five strikeouts over the next two innings before Jackson Viney closed out the last inning.
The Baycats improved their runs in each box during the game with three, four and eight in the first, second and third respectively as the players played the waiting game at the plate, drawing 10 walks. Tim Cruise led the way with two doubles, other doubles going to Bouma and Brody Stokoe. Daniel Stott and Alex Hockey had two singles each.
Sunshine Eagles 0 v Melbourne Demons 11
Melbourne performed a shutout on the Eagles in this matchup where the Demons scored in each inning, highlighted by four in the second.
The win keeps the Demons in first place with just the one loss in 14 games while the Eagles are 4-8-1, winless in their last eight outings.
Blackburn Orioles 7 v Newport Rams 4
While Newport scored the first run of the game in the first, Blackburn steadied to gain a 7-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth.
The Rams were able to score another three for their total over the fifth and sixth but weren't able to maintain enough control to win the game.
The Orioles keep within the top two with an 11-3 record while the Ram still search for their first win, being 0-12-1 after round 14.
Cheltenham Rustlers 11 v Sandringham Royals 3
Cheltenham got off to a good start in the first, scoring four, adding one more in the next inning and by the time the bottom of the fifth rolled around, the Rustlers were up 11-0 courtesy of back-to-back three-run innings in the fourth and fifth.
The Royals managed to get a few runs to their score to make matters better for them, scoring three within the final two innings of the ballgame.
Cheltenham has pulled away from Sandringham following the win, the Rustlers now at 7-7 for the season, a few wins out from the top four. Sandringham meanwhile is 5-7-1 on the year and will need to pick up the pace, starting with a return fixture against Cheltenham.