Eastern Athletics vs. Central Coast
The tournament’s opening game did not disappoint, with a hard fought 7-6 victory to Central Coast. Central Coast starter Thomas Holland was absolutely lights out early on, striking out the first five Eastern Athletics batters. From there, the floodgates opened after Holland was relieved, with the Eastern Athletics plating four in the second. Julian Vance was a standout for the Eastern Athletics with bat in hand, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs. An offensive explosion for Central Coast in the fifth proved decisive, as they pulled back from two runs down to two runs up thanks to some costly errors, and smart hitting.
Brisbane South vs. Cronulla
A seesawing affair between Brisbane South and Cronulla on Diamond 2 culminated in some late game action, giving Cronulla a heard fought 7-6 victory. Darcy Edwards went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Cronulla, making him the most dominant offensive player in the game. Callum Pike pitched exceptionally for Brisbane South, throwing 60% of his pitches for strikes and conceding only one hit through three innings of work.
Adelaide Armada vs. Hills
In a tight tussle on Diamond one, Hills and the Adelaide Armada played out an enthralling contest, with Hills snatching the game 2-1 late thanks to a Jack Dormor RBI single. Hills’ pitchers threw exceptionally well, with a quality start from Liam Holm (4IP, 6K, 1ER),which was followed by three hitless innings from Lachlan McCarthy. Patient plate appearances from Hills saw the Armada only claiming three strikeouts during the game.
Adelaide Titans vs. Manly
An electrifying performance from starting pitcher Jack O’Loughlin led the Adelaide Titans to a 9-2 victory against Manly. O’Loughlin struck out 11 batters in his four innings of work. Kynan Skein opened the floodgates for the Titans, with a bases loaded triple to give the Titans a five run lead after two innings. Manly’s Sean Tanno impressed on the mound, striking out three in 1.2 innings of relief.
Brisbane South vs. Southern Mariners
In the most entertaining game of day one’s action, the Southern Mariners and Brisbane South needed extra innings to decide a winner, and it was the Mariners that prevailed 7-6 thanks to a Jordan Barnett RBI single in the 8th. Seemingly cruising, Brisbane South scored the first six runs of the game behind three hits from Conor Laverty, and a pair of RBIs from Callum MacDonald. However thanks to some quality relief work from Jai Lyttleton, Declan Croker and Jordan Barnett, the Mariners offense sparked. Two RBIs from Aiden Wills and some pinch-hitting magic lead the Mariners to an incredible seven run comeback victory.
Adelaide Armada vs. Eastern Phantoms
The day’s final game saw some tough moments early on for the Eastern Phantoms, but they rallied to defeat the Adelaide Armada 7-3 on Diamond 1. The Armada jumped the Phantoms early, scoring the first three runs of the game. Leadoff hitter Curtis Mead (2-for-4, RBI) and Harry Knuckey (3-for-4) lead the charge for the Armada. After some early struggles on the mound, the Phantoms went to Sam Collier who set the tone for the rest of the game, throwing 4.1 innings and giving up no earned runs.