With a grand final score of 7-6 over Geelong, Latrobe Valley prevailed as winners of the 2024 Under 18 State Winter Championship, played at Wangaratta Rangers Baseball Club from 6-7 July.
Congrats to the finalists and well done to everyone involved on a fantastic weekend. A special shoutout to MVPs Austin McConville (LV), Callum Boltan (Bendigo), Nate D'Atri (Diamond Valley), Josh Wells (NEBA), Ebony Sutherland (Ringwood), and Riley Peoples (Geelong).
Thank you to Wangaratta Rangers and North Eastern Baseball Association for the wonderful hospitality.
You can check out Field of View Sports Photography images HERE.
Stay tuned to BV Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more SWC updates and read GameChanger recaps published below.
Latrobe Valley 12, Ringwood 5
Latrobe Valley won big over Ringwood 12-5 on Sunday. They got started early, scoring in the top of the first on a Jarrod Thomas single and a wild pitch.
Ringwood took the lead in the bottom frame after an error, an RBI groundout by Ebony Sutherland, a single by Paul Schultz, and a bases-loaded walk by Archie Hooper, each scoring one run.
A groundout by Cameron Branson extended the Ringwood lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the second inning.
Latrobe Valley flipped the game on its head in the top of the third, scoring five runs on three hits to take a 8-5 lead. The biggest blow in the inning was a single by Austin McConville that drove in two.
Jesse Wilson opened the game for Latrobe Valley, giving up two hits and five runs (one earned) over two innings, striking out three and walking four.
Rui Ota led things off on the mound for Ringwood, giving up five hits and eight runs (seven earned) over two and one-third innings, striking out two and walking six.
Connor McKenzie tossed two innings of zero-run ball for Latrobe Valley in relief, giving up one hit with two walks and three strikeouts.
McConville set the tone at the top of the lineup, leading Latrobe Valley with two hits in three at-bats. McConville joined Liam Duncan and Tristan White with 3 RBIs in the game.
Latrobe Valley had a strong eye at the plate, tallying nine walks with two apiece for Kaiden Hicks, Thomas, and White. Hicks and McConville also stole multiple bases with seven total in the game.
Number seven hitter Schultz showed the depth of Ringwood’s lineup, leading them with two hits in two at-bats. Hooper, Schultz, and Sutherland each drove in one run while Macy Priamo stole two bases and took two of the team’s six walks.
Bendigo 9, North East 7
Bendigo built a seven-run lead in the second inning and then held off North East’s charge for a 9-7 victory on Sunday. North East closed the gap by scoring on three singles and two errors.
Bendigo got on board in the bottom of the second inning after and error and 2-RBI base hits by Marcus Murphy, Callum Bolton, and Elliot Harrington.
North East scored six runs on four hits in the top of the third inning. Josh Wells and Austin Clear singled, both scoring one run, and Liam Quinton singled to bring home two. An error scored two more runs before the end of the inning.
Bendigo added one run in the third as Bolton hit a sacrifice fly to make it 8-6.
Bolton led things off on the bump for Bendigo, giving up four hits and six runs (five earned) over three innings, striking out six and walking four. Murphy appeared in relief.
Clear stepped on the hill first for North East, giving up five hits and seven runs (four earned) over one and two-thirds innings, striking out none and walking four.
Bolton provided pop in the middle of the lineup, leading Bendigo with three runs batted in as the 3-hole hitter went 1-for-2 on the day. Hayden Rogers set the tone at the top of the lineup, going 2-for-2.
Rogers joined Hudson Castle and Travis Shanahan with multiple stolen bases – 10 total in the game plus six walks.
Wells, Clear, Quinton, and Tanner Godenzi each collected one hit for North East. Clear and Quinton drove in one run while Lachlan Rosser led the team with two out of six walks.
Wells, Clear, Rosser, Quinton, Michael Nistico, and Oliver Clear each stole multiple bases with 18 total in the game.
Geelong 10, Diamond Valley 3
Geelong scored seven runs in the third inning on their way to a big victory over Diamond Valley.
Bradyn Barker singled, Jordan Ellis and Luca Delaney doubled, and Zack Hurstfield drew a walk, each scoring one run. Josef Glass followed up with a 2-RBI double and Athena Koulis grounded out to score another.
Diamond Valley got on board in the second inning after Jordan Bell grounded out, scoring two runs.
An error extended the Diamond Valley lead to 3-0 in the top of the third inning.
Thomas McKee stepped on the hill first for Geelong, giving up three hits and three runs (two earned) over four innings, striking out seven and walking three. Hurstfield appeared in relief.
Samuel Blakely started for Diamond Valley, allowing six hits and seven runs over two and one-third innings, striking out four and walking one.
Glass and Ellis each collected two hits and 2 RBIs for Geelong. Hurstfield also plated two while Barker, McKee, and Ellis stole multiple bases for eight total in the game.
Joshua Antonacci went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Diamond Valley in hits. Blakely and Bell each drove in one run while Jai Mithen stole two bases.
The DV defense was sure-handed and didn’t commit a single error as Nate D’Atri made the most plays with five.
Latrobe Valley 19, North East 1
Jesse Wilson drove in six runs on two hits to lead Latrobe Valley past North East 19-1 on Sunday. Wilson doubled in the first inning, scoring one, and tripled in the fifth inning, scoring three.
North East got on board in the first inning after Josh Wells drew a walk, scoring one run.
Latrobe Valley jumped back into the lead in the bottom of the first inning after Wilson doubled, Kaiden Hicks grounded out, and Tristan White singled, each scoring one run.
Latrobe Valley added to their early lead in the bottom of the second inning after Michael Coulthard, Jack Thomas, and Hicks singled, all scoring one run. A passed ball added another to the tally.
Austin McConville singled, Wilson grounded out, and North East made an error to add three runs in the bottom of the third.
Latrobe Valley scored five runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth inning. Riley Duncan drew a walk, scoring one run, McConville singled, scoring one run, and Wilson tripled, scoring three runs.
Thomas started the game for Latrobe Valley, allowing one hit and one run over three innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Connor McKenzie tossed two innings of shutout ball in relief, giving up zero hits or walks with three strikeouts.
North East starter Wells struck out three and walked three in three innings with nine hits and 10 runs (five earned).
Latrobe Valley tallied 15 hits in the game, including three apiece for McConville and Ryan Glass plus a 2-for-2 day by Duncan. They stole six bases and were sure-handed in the field with zero errors as Wilson had eight chances, the most on the team.
Michael Nistico went 1-for-2 at the plate to lead North East in hits.
Ringwood 6, Geelong 5
Ringwood prevailed over Geelong, although the latter scored on an error in the first and added a run on Cruz Appeldorff’s single in the second.
Geelong added to their early lead in the bottom of the third inning after Jordan Ellis doubled and Riley Peoples singled, each scoring one run.
Ringwood jumped into the lead in the top of the fifth when Aiden Burt drew a walk, scoring one run, Cameron Branson doubled, scoring two runs, and a wild pitch scored another.
Macy Priamo started the game for Ringwood, giving up three hits and five runs (zero earned) over three and one-third innings, striking out one and walking three.
Bradyn Barker started the game for Geelong, allowing one hit and zero runs or walks over two innings with four strikeouts.
Archie Hooper tossed two and one-third innings of zero-run ball for Ringwood in relief, giving up one hit with two strikeouts and no walks.
Paul Schultz went 1-for-2 at the plate to lead the winning team with two runs batted in. Branson went 3-for-4 while Rui Ota went 2-for-3. Schultz paced the team with two out of seven walks. The defense turned a double play, too.
Ellis went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead Geelong in hits. Peoples, Ellis, and Appeldorff each drove in one run. Tyson Sherry, Barker, Peoples, Diego Appeldorff, and Ellis stole multiple bases with 12 total in the game.
Bendigo 10, Diamond Valley 9
Bendigo got out to a seven-run lead in the first inning and held on for a 10-9 victory over Diamond Valley on Sunday. DV closed the gap on a single, four walks, and a groundout.
Bendigo took an early lead in the top of the first after Callum Bolton walked, James Grainger singled, Lachlan Dennis doubled, Phoebe Martin walked, and Hudson Castle walked, each scoring one run. A wild pitch added another.
Bendigo added to their early lead in the top of the second inning after Bolton singled and Grainger doubled, each scoring one run. They added one run in the third as Josh Ralston stole home, making it 10-4.
Diamond Valley scored five runs on two hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. Joshua Antonacci singled, scoring two runs, Samuel Blakely grounded out, scoring one run, Ethan Raynor drew a walk, scoring one run, and a wild pitch scored another.
Marcus Murphy earned the win for Bendigo, giving up zero hits and four runs (one earned) over one and one-third innings, striking out five and walking seven.
Kay-er Yang struck out six in three and one-third innings for Diamond Valley.
Bolton tossed one and two-thirds innings of zero-run ball for Bendigo in relief, giving up zero hits or walks with two strikeouts.
Grainger provided pop in the middle of the lineup, leading Bendigo with two runs batted in on a 2-for-2 day.
Grainger and Deon Strahan each collected two hits for Bendigo. Grainger, Strahan, Martin, and Ralston stole multiple bases with 13 total in the game.
Nate D’Atri and Antonacci each collected one hit for Diamond Valley. Blakely, Antonacci, and Diego Surace each drove in one run. Blakely and Yang took two walks with 11 total in the game while Antonacci and Yang stole multiple bases for 12 total in the game.
Grand Final: Latrobe Valley 7, Geelong 6
Despite a five-run deficit in the third inning, Geelong almost came all the way back, but Latrobe Valley hung on for the 7-6 grand final win. Geelong closed the gap by scoring on three singles and a double.
Latrobe Valley got on board in the first inning after Jesse Wilson singled, scoring one run. They added one in the second on Austin McConville’s doubled, making it 2-0.
Geelong tied it up in the bottom of the second thanks to a single by Rivi Zdraveski and a steal of home by Luca Delaney.
Latrobe Valley flipped the game on its head in the top of the third, scoring five runs on five hits to take a 7-2 lead. The biggest blow in the inning was a single by Rhys McKenzie that drove in two.
Riley Peoples stepped on the mound first for Geelong, giving up two hits and one run over one inning, striking out one and walking none.
Jarrod Thomas stepped on the hill first for Latrobe Valley, allowing eight hits and five runs over four and one-third innings, striking out four and walking two.
Geelong tallied 10 hits in the game as Tyson Sherry and Bradyn Barker collected two hits. Barker, Peoples, Zdraveski, Diego Appeldorff, and Jordan Ellis each drove in one run.
Geelong’s defense turned two double plays in the game.
Latrobe Valley tallied 11 hits as leadoff hitter McConville went 3-for-3. Thomas, Tristan, White, and Wilson also collected multiple hits while the steady defense didn’t commit a single error. Liam Duncan had the most chances in the field with six.
3rd Ringwood 13, 4th Bendigo 0
Ringwood finished in third place after a shutout victory over Bendigo.
They scored seven runs in the first inning as Rui Ota scored after tagging up and Matthew Brache hit an RBI single. Zach Berryman drew a walk, scoring one run, an error scored two runs, and Ota drew another bases-loaded walk. A wild pitch added one more.
Ringwood added to their early lead in the bottom of the second inning after Ebony Sutherland singled, Berryman walked, and Hayley Mather grounded out, each scoring one run.
Ringwood added to their tally in the bottom of the third inning after Bendigo committed an error, Sutherland hit a sacrifice fly, and Brache grounded out, each scoring one run.
Cameron Branson started on the mound for Ringwood, allowing one hit and zero runs over four innings, striking out nine and walking three.
Deon Strahan stepped on the mound first for Bendigo, giving up four hits and nine runs (seven earned) with a strikeout.
Brache and Sutherland were a one-two punch in the lineup, both driving in two runs for Ringwood. Sutherland led the side with two hits in two at-bats while Berryman took three of the team’s nine walks.
Patrick Watson stole two out of six bases while Ringwood’s defense was sure-handed and didn’t commit a single error. Sutherland made ten plays, the most on the team.
Marcus Murphy went 1-for-1 at the plate to lead Bendigo in hits.
6th Diamond Valley 11, 5th North East 3
Diamond Valley scored seven runs in the fifth inning, helping them defeat North East 11-3 on Sunday. They got on board in the top of the first inning after Baxter Maynard hit a sacrifice fly and Jordan Bell grounded out, each scoring one run.
North East tied the game in the bottom of the first thanks to a single by Tanner Godenzi and a wild pitch.
Diamond Valley took a 3-2 lead on a wild pitch in the top of the second before Austin Clear’s groundout helped North East tie it back up in the bottom frame.
A groundout by Ethan Raynor gave Diamond Valley a 4-3 lead in the top of the third. They scored seven runs on three hits in the top of the fifth with bases-loaded walks to Maynard, Lincoln Dauparas, and Hugh Clivaz, plus an error and RBI singles by Kay-er Yang and Nate D’Atri.
Godenzi started the game for North East, allowing two hits and three runs (two earned) over two innings, striking out four and walking two.
Maynard stepped on the bump first for Diamond Valley, giving up two hits and three runs over four innings, striking out five and walking five.
Liam Quinton and Godenzi were a force together in the lineup, each collecting one hit while batting back-to-back. Godenzi went 1-for-1 with an RBI and multiple stolen bases alongside Rosser. There were seven SBs total in the game.
Leadoff hitter D’Atri led Diamond Valley with three hits in three at-bats. Maynard, Raynor, and Yang each drove in one run while Maynard took two of the team’s nine walks. Maynard, Jai Mithen, Clivaz, and D’Atri stole multiple bases, too.
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