The 2022 U14 State Winter Championships opened on a beautiful day in Bendigo, with 11 teams taking the field for action-packed games.
Check out game recaps below and follow along on Facebook for the latest updates.
Pool A
BV Allstars Blue 9 v Diamond Valley 3
BV Allstars Blue got on the board in the first inning when Caitlin Hoy doubled on a 2-2 count, scoring two runs.
Diamond Valley evened things up at two in the bottom of the first inning as Brody Stokes grounded out, scoring one run.
The Allstars pulled away for good with Lily McKenner's RBI double in the second, followed by a five-run fourth with an RBI single from Lily Simpson and an error on a ball put in play by Eden Neave.
Hoy gave up two runs on two hits over one inning, striking out one and walking one. McKenner went 2-for-3 and Simpson had three stolen bases to help the Allstars.
Diamond Valley starter Lachlan Brennan threw one-third of an inning, allowing one hit and two runs while striking out one. Oscar Naughton, Darcy Squire, and Reeve Hammond pitched in relief. Squire and Thomas King each managed one hit to lead Diamond Valley.
Dandenong 13 v City West 4
City West watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 13-4 loss to Dandenong. The winning side's scoring started with a bases-loaded walk Thomas Hill in the first, followed by three more walks and a fielder's choice.
Dandenong scored five more in the third with RBIs by Euan Clarkin and Joash Xavier. City West responded with three runs on singles from Parks Halasz and Rhys Rayner, although it wasn't enough to make up the deficit.
Rutgers led things off on the pitcher's mound for Dandenong, throwing one inning, allowing one hit and one run while striking out three.
Alex Papadopolous toed the rubber for City West. The bulldog allowed four runs on one hit. Harley Chamberlain and Alyssa Jamieson entered the game from the bullpen, throwing one and one-third innings and one inning respectively.
Halasz, Ryan Harris, Christopher Woodney, and Onni Zdraveski each managed one hit for City West.
Dandenong stole 11 bases during the game as four players stole more than one. Clarkin led the way with two.
Diamond Valley 10 v Ringwood 9
Despite seeing an eight-run lead whittled down by the end, Diamond Valley still held off Ringwood for a 10-9 victory. Ringwood put up five runs in the fourtg-inning comeback effort with RBIs from Jess Marsh, Jiah Cosgrave, Romesh Guntilake, and Jonathan Park.
Diamond Valley fired up the offense in the first inning on Darcy Squire's double before adding five in the second. The big inning was driven by walks to Lachlan Brennan, Reeve Hammond, and Eric Webster, a single by Sawyer Fisher, and a double by Thomas King.
Brody Stokes got the start for Diamond Valley, allowing three hits and two runs over one and one-third innings, striking out two and walking zero.
Park led things off on the hill for Ringwood. Park went one-third of an inning, allowing three runs on two hits and walking one. Tom Bowden and Alessio Petruzziello entered the game as relief, throwing one inning and one-third of an inning respectively.
Diamond Valley tallied eight hits on the day. Fisher and King had two hits apiece while the team stole 10 bases to keep things moving.
Ringwood was sure-handed and didn't commit a single error. Bowden made the most plays with two.
Dandenong 7 v Diamond Valley 6
After an 11-3 win over BV Allstars Blue, Dandenong kept up the momentum with a 7-6 victory against Diamond Valley.
Lachlan Collier, Ishant Dittakavi, Mitchell Langworthy, Thomas Hill, and Matt Fielden all had one hit for Dandenong. The side was sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error as Lachie Wright had the most chances with six.
Diamond Valley stole seven bases during the game, including two by Brody Stokes.
Pool B
BV Allstars Grey 12 v North Eastern 10
Despite a 5-run deficit in the first inning, North Eastern almost came all the way back, eventually falling 12-10 to BV Allstars Grey.
North Eastern scored five runs in the second inning, led by Noah Boyd's RBI single. Makiah McCallum, Josh Wells, and Blake Boon also got on base.
Saya Turnley handled pitching duties while BV Allstars Grey racked up five runs in the first, two in the second, and a final five in the third.
Grace Castello was on the pitcher's mound for North Eastern, covering one-third of an inning, allowing five runs on zero hits and striking out one. Clarence Lampa and Sophie Berry entered the game from the bullpen, throwing one and one-third innings and one-third of an inning respectively.
Ashsh Basnet, Wells, and Boyd all had one hit to lead North Eastern as two players stole at least two bases. Wells led the way with three.
Kendra Rutgers had two of the Allstars' eight stolen bases.
Latrobe Valley 8 v Bendigo 7
Bendigo's effort to come back from down five runs in the third inning came up just short as they fell 8-7 to Latrobe Valley. Bendigo scored three runs in the comeback campaign with walks from Fabian Gray, Asha Murphy, and Travis Shanahan.
Jack Thomas led things off on the mound for Latrobe Valley. The fireballer lasted one and two-thirds innings, allowing two hits and two runs while striking out three. Connor McKenzie led the side offensively.
Ronan Clarke was on the pitcher's mound for Bendigo. Clarke went one-third of an inning, allowing four runs on zero hits. Murphy, Deon Strahan, and Shanahan each contributed in relief.
Marcus Murphy went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead Bendigo in hits. The team went on to win 8-5 over North Eastern in their next game.
Latrobe Valley 4 v Geelong 2
Geelong watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 4-2 loss to Latrobe Valley, who took the lead on an passed ball in the first inning.
Geelong lost despite out-hitting Latrobe two to one. An error scored the first two runs for Latrobe in the opening inning.
Connor McKenzie got the start for Latrobe. The hurler went one and two-thirds innings, allowing zero runs on one hit, striking out three and walking one.
Xavier Gardner led things off on the pitcher's mound for Geelong. He threw two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on zero hits with a pair of strikeouts. Sid Grimmer, Beau Spencer, and Charlie Bell each contributed in relief for Geelong. Bell and Spencer had one hit apiece, too.
Blake Duncan led Latrobe with one hit in two at bats. The team tore up the base paths, as two players stole at least two bases. Duncan led the way with four. There were no errors either as Jack Thomas had seven chances in the field, the most on the team.
Geelong 7 v North Eastern 3
North Eastern fired up the offense in the first inning when Blake Boon singled on a 1-1 count, scoring one run.
Both sides put up two runs in the third. Geelong's Xavier Gardner grounded out to bring home a run while an error scored another. Cooper Kimball drew a bases-loaded walk to support North Eastern's scoring.
Geelong pulled away for good with five runs in the second inning. Reid Sexton singled on a 3-2 count, scoring two runs and Charlie Davenport singled on a 2-0 count, scoring two more.
Reuben Millar led things off on the mound for Geelong. The ace lasted one inning, allowing one hit and one run while striking out three and walking zero.
Tanner Godenzi pitched for North Eastern, giving up five runs on four hits over two innings with three strikeouts. Makiah McCallum threw one and one-third innings in relief.
Sid Grimmer and Harry Davenport had four of Geelong's nine hits while three players stole at least two bases.
BV Allstars Grey 13 v Bendigo 0
Bendigo watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 13-0 loss to BV Allstars Grey on Saturday. The Allstars scored on a single by Kendra Rutgers and a walk by Amelia Wright in the first inning.
One bright spot for Bendigo was a single by Chad Mannes in the first inning.
Leah Antonacci pitched well for the Allstars, giving up just one hit over two scoreless innings with a strikeout.
Mannes picked up a hit and led things off on the pitcher's mound for Bendigo, allowing five runs on two hits. Archer Etherton and Marcus Murphy entered the game from the bullpen, throwing one and two-thirds innings and two-thirds of an inning respectively.
Emma Sullivan went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Allstars in hits. She also had four fielding chances, the most on the team.
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