Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

There were plenty of close games over the weekend as the 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 season continued. Melbourne continues to impress, celebrating 14 straight wins in the East while Footscray White and Red dominate at the top of the North West. Cheltenham secured a win to stay first in the South with two teams close behind.

Division 4 East

Waverley Wildcats Red 13 v Waverley Wildcats Black 12

Needing six runs for the walk-off victory, Waverley Black fell just short as the Waverley Red team were the ones cheering at the end of the game.

The first inning saw a lot of runs being scored with Wildcats Black holding the edge 7-4 until Wildcats Red responded with seven of their own in the second.

By the time the bottom of the fourth rolled around, Waverley Red were up 13-8 and had to put the foot down to have a shot of beating their opponents.

However, Waverley Black tallied four runs at the bottom as they lost their third game of the season.

Stephen Brown, Paul Davison and Tony Page aided the Red side while Daniel Crockett, John Darby and Dean Ferris had solid contributions for Waverley Black.

Waverley Black will want to bounce bag in a big way against Monash Uni this weekend.

Waverley Red moved up a spot from seventh to sixth on the back of this win and will only look to be going further up the standings when they take on Melbourne.

Malvern Braves 3 v Fitzroy Lions Gold 11

The Braves just never strung their offence together at key moments like Fitzroy Gold did and that went a long way to deciding the victorious team in this game.

The Lions got their account moving in the first with four runs, adding another in the third while Malvern scored one and two in the second and fourth.

A six-run fifth inning was the final nail in the coffin for the Braves who succumbed to their 10th loss of the season while Fitzroy Gold sits third with a 8-5-1 record.

Malvern is now on a four-game losing streak heading into a game v St Kilda while Fitzroy Gold takes on Blackburn.

St Kilda Saints 8 v Monash University Farmers 8

It was a great job by St Kilda to shut down the Farmers after the home team held an 8-3 lead after the second inning.

Seven runs in Monash Uni's first dig was what set the pace early for the Farmers who added another run in the second before not scoring the rest of the game.

Not going down without a fight, the Saints rallied together to find three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth that tied things up.

It was the Farmers' third draw of the season as they sit fifth with a 5-6-3 record, on the same winning percentage as fourth-place St Kilda with a 6-7-1 record. St Kilda will play Malvern this weekend while Monash Uni is away to Waverley Black.

Blackburn Orioles 0 v Melbourne Demons 14

Melbourne remain undefeated this season as the score in this game reflected their record for the season; 14-0.

Not dropping a game all year, the Demons continued that against the lower-ranked Blackburn. The Demons started their first inning off with five in the first, ahead of a strong finish to the game with nine runs across the final two innings.

Melbourne Coach Bryce Webb says the first and fourth innings were impressive with the Demons' bats coming alive. "The first three innings of defence were also highlights as we were looking at a no-hitter going into the 4th," Webb said. "Liam Jackson was impressive, as he pitched a complete game shutout. He had never gone more than 3 innings before."

Sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder with just Waverley Black anywhere near first place, Melbourne will look to ramp up their game going forward. "Solid defence has been the biggest strength for the season, followed by big bats in the middle of the line up," Webb added. "We need to increase our efforts going into the final rounds and look to work on the areas that we need to improve."

Blackburn will hope to find a win over Fitzroy Gold this weekend while the Demons will see if they can make it 15 straight against Waverley Red.

Division 4 North West

Fitzroy Lions Maroon 6 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 8

Fitzroy Maroon were up 6-1 ahead of Fitzroy Blue's third dig but that was when Blue got ahead, scoring six runs in a display of great hitting.

Throughout the final three innings of the game, Lions Blue were able to shut down the Lions Maroon bats and extend their own lead by one in the fifth.

This was an especially exciting and historic game for Fitzroy with three father-son duos taking the field for Fitzroy Blue, including Ethan and Mario Epifanio, Michael and David Jones and Ryan and Cameron Knight.

The Maroon team is close to entering the top four, sitting fifth with an 8-5 record whereas Fitzroy Blue isn't far behind in seventh with a 5-8-1 record. Fitzroy Maroon will be away to MItchell Majors Yellow while Fitzroy Blue will be away to Mitchell Majors Black.

Photo: Fitzroy Lions Baseball Club

Mitchell Majors Black 15 v North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1

North Coburg Maroon salvaged one run in the final dig of the game against Mitchell Majors Black who came up with a hefty tally of runs across five innings.

Their account started with back-to-back three-run innings before seven runners crossed home in the third. Mitchell Majors Black then closed the game with back-to-back one-run digs.

It was Mitchell Majors Black's third win of the season as they've won the last two games, hoping that continues against Fitzroy Blue. North Coburg Maroon will hope to find their second win against Essendon Jets this weekend.

Footscray Bulldogs Blue 5 v Essendon Bombers 7

While each team found at least one dig where runs were pouring in, the Bombers acted upon the chances they created more than Footscray Blue.

The Bombers scored four in the first and were up by five runs before Essendon had a four-run dig of their own in the third.

The Bombers had back-to-back one-run digs in the fourth and fifth as Bulldogs Blue ended the game after scoring one at the top of the sixth.

The Bombers now sit on three wins for the season ahead of a meeting with Footscray Red. Footscray Blue will play Mitchell Majors Black, hoping to win once more after winning the two games prior to this meeting.

Mitchell Majors Yellow 2 v Footscray Bulldogs White 10

Footscray had back-to-back four-run digs to open their offensive accounts while getting single runs in the third and fourth innings.

Mitchell Majors Yellow scored a run in the second and a run in the fourth to form a bit of a reply but never got going further.

Bulldogs White are on a two-game win streak and sit second on the ladder with an 11-1-1 record, not far behind first as they now turn their attention to North Coburg Gold. Mitchell Majors Yellow, who had won seven in a row before now, are third with a 10-4 record as they take on Fitzroy Maroon next.

Footscray Bulldogs Red 7 v Essendon Jets 3

Footscray Red have cemented their spot at the top with a win over Essendon Jets.

The game was tied 1-1 going into the top of the third, when the bulldogs tacked on three runs. Another three runs came in the top of the sixth, with the Jets putting together two runs in the final frame but that was it.

Bulldogs Red have been good this season, just losing one game to sit with a 12-1-1 record while the Jets are 4-8-1. The Jets will travel to face North Coburg Maroon this week while Bulldogs Red will take on Essendon Bombers at home this weekend.

North Coburg Rebels Gold v BYE

The Rebels are in fourth place with an 8-4-1 record ahead of a big game at Footscray Bulldogs White.

Division Four South

Berwick City Cougars 13 v Melbourne Demons 6

The Demons were only behind by one run as the second innings finished when the Cougars were ahead 4-3.

However, the next two Berwick digs elicited nine runs as the lead grew to 10 runs, the Demons able to peg it back by a few in the final two innings of the game.

The Cougars' second win in a row puts them further away and allows them to cement a top four finish as the season has four rounds to play, sitting third with a 10-3 record. They take on St Kilda this weekend. Melbourne has a chance to enter the top four this weekend as the Demons come face-to-face with Ormond Glenhuntly.

Cheltenham Rustlers 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 4

Cheltenham put three runs up in both the first and the second, although Ormond Glenhuntly got on the board at the bottom of two, scoring one.

Each team scored another in the third to make it a 7-2 ballgame in favour of the Rustlers. By the fifth the score was 8-4 to Cheltenham.

Putting the result to bed in the sixth, Cheltenham scored seven runs as the margin was too much for Ormond Glenhuntly to come back from.

Cheltenham sits atop the South competition with a 9-1-1 record going into a bye week. Ormond Glenhuntly has lost the last seven and will take on Melbourne in the upcoming round.

Pakenham Pumas FORFEIT v St Kilda Saints

Pakenham is 1-14 at the bottom of the ladder while St Kilda stays in fourth place with a 6-5 record heading into the next round. Pakenham plays Monash Uni and St Kilda plays Berwick in round 16.

Monash University Farmers v BYE

Monash University is 10-2-1 in second place, narrowly ahead of Berwick. The Farmers play the Pumas next.

Springvale continues to set the pace in the firsts with Ormond Glenhuntly Gold in tow as the 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 season heads towards finals. The Lions are also in prime position in the reserves, holding top spot after beating Ormond Glenhuntly Blue while Pakenham walked it off against Chelsea.

Division 3 Firsts

Springvale Lions 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 3

The Lions scored the bulk of their runs in the final three innings of the game, collecting nine throughout the sixth to eighth innings.

Springvale got out to a four-run lead as the score read 6-2 after three complete innings and 9-2 before Ormond Blue scored another run.

Scott Baillie got the win on the mound for Springvale as he pitched two innings and only gave up one hit and seven runs.

Lucas Anderson had four hits from five at bats as he had one run and two RBIs. Mark Richards had two hits and three RBIs while Lucas Price got one hit from two at bats for the Lions and in the process, brought in two runs plus came home himself.

Tim Hanson got on base three times during his time at the plate and came around to score three times while Baillie had two hits which included a double which he converted into runs plus an RBI. Rydge Hodge had a double-base hit which brought in two runs. Cory Hart scored two runs too as Springvale kept on rolling.

But it was Adam Thatcher that stole the show even more. Thatcher went 3-for-4 including a home run with three RBIs and five runs scored. It continues an excellent strong of games for Thatcher - in the past three games, he's had seven hits and eight runs.

The win for Springvale gives the Lions a 14-1 record, six wins in front of second-place Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, meaning they've secured the top spot for the competition with four rounds to play.

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue has a 5-8-1 record in fifth place and plays Pakenham this weekend while Springvale faces North Western Titans.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 12 v North Western Titans 0

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold has moved into the top two on the back of this shutout win over North Western Titans.

The Hunters have won six in a row to get into the position they're in now and won't look like slowing down when they face Chelsea next weekend.

Sungwoo Back, manager of Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, says the team's hot start in the top of the first made a difference. "We always have a great performance if we score in the beginning of the game," Back said. "This match was important for us to achieve a good result for our season ranking."

Jiwon Choi was a standout on the field. "He had an unbelievable performance as a pitcher for our team - he was amazing," Back added. "All my team members hope to be champions this season."

North Western Titans' campaign only gets tougher, a trip to Springvale this weekend as they look to improve on their 3-11 record.

Chelsea Dolphins 16 v Pakenham Pumas 4

Chelsea downed second-place Pakenham to record win number six of the season and further distance themselves from the bottom of the pack.

The Dolphins got out to a 14-0 lead after the fourth inning before the Pumas struck with two runs at the bottom. Each team scored two more in the sixth inning.

Chelsea coach Gavin Smith was full of praise to his team on both sides of the game.

"Offence was the main reason for the win, smart and aggressive batting throughout the lineup helped by Cam Hubbard launching a grand slam. Adam Burton kept Pakenham's bats quiet on the hill, minimal errors on the field helped him out," Smith said. "We play our best when we play aggressive baseball, picking pitches, swinging hard. This is what we have to keep doing up to, and in finals."

The Pumas are on a three-game losing streak right now and don't want that continuing against Ormond Blue. Chelsea meanwhile will take on Ormond Gold next week.

Division 3 Reserves

Springvale Lions 13 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 5

Springvale had the upper hand over Ormond Glenhuntly Blue for the majority of the game.

The Lions pounced first with one run in the second, although the Hunters briefly took a lead by scoring five runs in the third.

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue led 5-4 at the end of four innings, but the Lions weren't done yet. Springvale mounted an impressive display of power hitting to see off the threat from Ormond Blue with nine runs in the fifth, which with all their might, the Hunters couldn't chase down.

The Lions are first with a 12-3 record ahead of a game against the Titans while Ormond Blue sits at 9-5-1 in third place and faces Pakenham next.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 9 v North Western Titans 4

The Hunters have kept the pace with the top two with this win over North Western Titans as the home side remains winless this season despite some solid team efforts.

Second place Ormond Glenhuntly Gold has an 11-4 record ahead of this next game v Chelsea, while the Titans will face tough competition this weekend with Springvale.

Chelsea Dolphins 3 v Pakenham Pumas 4

Pakenham secured the walk-off win in the seventh inning after being down 3-1 after five.

The Dolphins struck first in the first inning as Pakenham brought it back to even in the second. Chelsea scored the next two runs in the third and fifth.

The Pumas scored two in the sixth to tie the scores at three-all until they were faced with scoring one to win in the seventh, which they managed.

Pakenham secured win number five of the season but remain in fifth place with Chelsea ahead of them. The Pumas will play Ormond Blue and the Dolphins will play Ormond Gold this weekend.

There were plenty of shocks over the weekend as round 19 got underway in the 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season. Despite a big upset by Bonbeach as the Bluejays claimed their first win of the season, Williamstown still holds a slight edge in the firsts. Williamstown and Moorabbin are tied for first with 12-3 records in the reserves as third-place Malvern fell to eighth-placed Mulgrave. Unbeaten Malvern lost to Mulgrave in the thirds competition that also saw the Giants beat the Panthers. Geelong beat St Kilda in the Fourths, but that competition is still being dominated by Williamstown and Malvern.

Division 2 Firsts - Round 19

Port Melbourne Mariners 6 v St Kilda Saints 2

The Mariners prevailed to record their 10th win of the season against St Kilda and snap a two-game skid.

The Mariners were helped by some great pitching outings by Aaron Petri and Tyson Cox-Davis, something coach Ben Burke was pleased with. "It was really important for us to return with a win this week after a loss either side of the Christmas break," Burke said. "We were able to gain Aaron Petri back on the mound who worked well through 6 innings for us, after a lay off in the first half of the season."

Petri got the win as he pitched six innings, allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts. Cox-Davis pitched the remaining three innings, allowing five hits and one run.

It was a 14-hit day including multiple home runs for the Mariners with Chris Doyle, Sam Morris and Zane Chavez all going deep in the five-run second inning. Doyle went three from five which included a double and two RBIs while Morris' hit brought in two runs also. Chavez had three hits on the day which also included a double and two RBIs. William Parsons went two from five which included a double as he came home on both occassions.

Daiksuke Hebara was credited with the loss, pitching five innings and giving up nine hits and six runs in the process.

On the offensive end for the Saints, Roland Curiel scored from one of his two hits that included a double while Paul Paskar was the other runscorer for St Kilda. Eduardo Escalona had two hits, one of which was a double, bringing in a run. Daniel Hogg got on base with a double that brought a run home also.

St Kilda will again host a game against Port Melbourne this coming weekend as the Mariners host Pink Sports Day in support of Breast Cancer Network Australia. The Mariners are looking forward to supporting a good cause and working hard on the field. "We still have a fair bit of work to go for the remainder of the season," Burke said. "We just want to concentrate on doing the basics of the game really well, and we feel the results will take care of themselves.

Malvern Braves 0 v Mulgrave Rebels 4

The Rebels were able to shut out the Braves in this contest but Malvern kept their opponents on their toes too, not allowing them too get out to too big of a lead.

The Rebels kicked off the scoring with one in the first before adding another two in the third. The final run for the home team came in the eighth inning as Malvern couldn't find a run at all.

It was a surprise result as the third-placed Braves are still in that position but now with an 11-6 record. The Rebels have moved up a spot to seventh on the back of this win as the attention turns again to Mulgrave when these teams do battle once more.

Jayson Athur got the win for Mulgrave after pitching 8.1 innings, just allowing seven hits and zero runs with five strikeouts. Liam Richardson picked up the save.

Caleb Poole continued his great year with two hits, including a double, for two runs while Nick Coy also had a double and a single, adding one run and two RBIs. To round out the offensive side for the Rebels, Nick Thompson had three hits and one run.

Sean Cruz was credited with the loss for Malvern, going five innings with eight hits and three runs, although he did have four strikeouts.

The Braves only had seven hits on the day with Henry Hayman leading the way with two which included a double as MItchell Kennedy also picked up an extra-base hit. Gavin Woolger, Jack Hanger, Lachlan Fuda and Geoff Holland each had singles.

Doncaster Dragons 0 v Preston Pirates 5

Doncaster has picked up the pace in recent rounds, but Preston squashed the Dragons' hopes of three in a row. The Pirates formed a vital win to boost their campaign as they stay in touch with some of the top teams in the division, resting in fifth place on 11 wins for the season in which two other teams sit on the same amount.

The shutout win for the Pirates is their fourth win in a row and it was Ben Donnell who led the way from the mound, picking up the win as he pitched a complete game giving up five hits and zero runs while striking out six batters.

On the offensive end for the Pirates, Oscar Hargreaves scored from his single, Mitch Legge had one run from two hits as did Donnell while Jean Alvarado picked up a run from two hits which included a double. Matt Fordham had two hits including a double that brought in two runs. Herbert Rodrigeuz was the other beneficiary of scoring for his team and drove in two runs on an extra-base hit.

John Britton took the loss for the Dragons, going six innings for 11 hits and five runs with three strikeouts. Luke Utting and Marcel D'Avoine combined for two innings with one hit between them.

Brian Chen was responsible for two of Doncaster's hits with Callum Lethborg and John Britton the others to record hits.

Doncaster and Preston will meet again in round 20 at Preston.

Werribee Giants 8 v Moorabbin Panthers 3

The Giants keep on fighting for top spot, a small percentage away from claiming it as their own and the win over Moorabbin inches them closer.

The two top-four sides battled it out as the score was tied at 3-3 after four as each team found single scores throughout the first half of the game.

Werribee broke away from the Panthers in the sixth with three runs and continued the run-scoring in the seventh and ninth with singles as the Giants recorded their 14th win of the season and fifth in a row.

Werribee was helped along by Joshua Lee on the mound who pitched seven innings for seven hits and three runs along with four strikeouts. Trent Pantalleresco and Wesley de Jong combined for two innings with two hits between them.

For the Giants, Justin Gil picked up three hits and two RBIs and Oliver Box hit a double that drove in two runs also. Evan McPherson scored twice from his two hits, the same for Lee who added an RBI to that too. de Jong too got the bat working with two hits, one run and an RBI.

Nick Bertucci got the loss for Moorabbin, pitching 0.1 innings and giving up two hits, three runs and four base on balls. Stewart Mathieson was on the mound for 3.2 innings and in the process gave up four hits and zero earned runs.

Mitch Barr picked up two hits for the Panthers while Bertucci did well with the bat, getting on base twice through hits, one of which was a triple where he drove in a run and later scored himself. Adam Harris, Zach Kamerman and Mathieson each had hits that lead to RBIs.

Werribee will be hoping to clinch top spot with another win over Moorabbin in round 20.

Evan McPherson of Werribee Giants Baseball Club. Photo: Baseball Victoria.

Bonbeach Bluejays 9 v Williamstown Wolves 6

This was an entertaining game that ended with the Bluejays collecting their first win of the season against the top-placed Williamstown.

The surprising result had definitely been building throughout the previous Bluejays matches but the loss for the Wolves was tough considering they were on a seven-game winning streak.

Adam Shoppe got the win for Bonbeach, going five innings with seven hits, three earned runs and four strikeouts. Tomomi Tokubo was good as back-up, going four innings for three hits and one earned run.

Tokubo was great in the box too, collecting two runs from one hit, a triple while Matthew Bucci starred with two runs from two hits and an RBI. Jim Crowe had two hits that included a double as he was responsible for driving in two of his team's runs as was Adam Major who picked up a run, a hit and two RBIs. Dylan Aldridge made it to second on his one hit for the game, scoring one in the process and later adding a run to his name, just his second for the season. Nathan Keilar had two hits for one run.

"The highlight of the game would have to be the performances by starting pitcher Adam Schoppe and closer Tokubo Tomomi," Bonbeach coach Robert Novotny said. "Jim Crowe our catcher is great with our pitchers, like an on-field coach. Also, our outfielders Matt Bucci and Mitch Sheldon-Collins made some outstanding catches in critical situations with the wind blowing out a gale."

This exciting matchup gave the Bluejays a chance to challenge themselves, and their hard work paid off. "We are in the middle of a process at Bonbeach, and our record shows it," Novotny said. "My hat is off to our remaining core players who are working hard to recreate our club for a new era. Playing against a high quality side like Williamstown was simply an opportunity to measure our progress within this process. At the end of the day, its one win and we're glad to have it...but Williamstown is on top for a reason."

For the Wolves camp, Daniel Chircop took the loss, going four innings and letting in three earned runs from four hits with five strikeouts.

Kevin Desmedt continued a fine start to 2020 as he had three hits that included a double and a home run! Desmedt brought in two runs in total. Bill Maher made it to second on his one hit of the game however recorded three runs in total for the game, a feat he also achieved in the final game of 2019. Justin Gourlay had one hit for the game that was a double, bringing in a run and scoring himself later on. Hiroshi Narasaki got on base with a double which he too later scored from.

The Bluejays will almost certainly have more confidence than ever now and it'll be interesting to see how Williamstown bounce back when the two teams meet again this week.

Division Two Reserves - Round 15

Port Melbourne Mariners 1 v St Kilda Saints 16

Two big offensive innings from St Kilda catapulted them to a huge win over Port Melbourne on Saturday.

Scoring four runs throughout the first two innings, the Saints then scored six in the third before finishing off the game with five in their final hitout in the sixth.

The Mariners found a run in the sixth themselves but weren't anywhere close to what the Saints were putting on display, with big contributions from Elijah Bate, Felix Brunner, Bryan Livett and more.

The Saints are now in double-digits for wins this season and seven of their past eight games have been victories, showing to the rest of the competition their capabilities going forward.

The next fixture between these two will see the game played at Port Melbourne as the Saints look to continue their streak.

Werribee Giants 0 v Moorabbin Panthers 5

Moorabbin got a shutout over the Giants but it was only a one-run game up until the sixth.

Moorabbin struck with the first run in the fourth, however the Panthers went the extra mile in the sixth when they scored four more.

The Panthers are locked at 12-3 for the season but are behind ladder leaders Williamstown with 99 runs scored compared to 127 for the Wolves.

The loss would hurt Werribee a little bit but the Giants will try not to repeat those efforts at home against Moorabbin this weekend.

Malvern Braves 5 v Mulgrave Rebels 7

Malvern had the upper hand as a high-scoring first innings came to a close, the Braves leading 4-3.

The Rebels would go on to score four runs of their own in the second, taking the lead and forcing Malvern to come back from the deficit.

The Braves brought the margin back by one but it wasn't enough as Mulgrave won against the third-placed team in five innings.

Mulgrave had a five game losing streak prior to this with a few one-run losses however the Rebels will look to improve a 5-10 record in the coming weeks, being especially confident when they face Malvern once again this weekend.

Bonbeach Bluejays 3 v Williamstown Wolves 16

A big win to Williamstown over Bonbeach in this matchup, but it wasn't until late in the game that the scoreline grew out.

The Wolves lead 2-1 before the bottom of the fourth, which was when Williamstown went crazy, batting in five in that dig and then nine in the preceding inning.

The Bluejays managed two runs in the fifth to improve their score however they still have the one win for the season, something they will hope to change in front of home fans this weekend against Williamstown.

Doncaster Dragons 6 v Preston Pirates 5

Doncaster prevailed in a close one against Preston, the Pirates unable to come back as the game wound down.

The Dragons are just on the outskirts of the top four right now which is why this win was crucial to their season and helping them with a 9-6 record currently.

For the Pirates, they'll hope to bounce back in a positive way next weekend but it'll have to be done away from home as they travel to Doncaster.

Division Two Thirds - Round 15

St Kilda Saints 15 v Port Melbourne Mariners 1

St Kilda scored in each frame of the four-inning game against Port Melbourne, starting with four in the first, three in each of the second and third and finishing with five in the fourth.

A lineup featuring the likes of Malcom Davis, Shaun O'Reilly and Mark Segal kept things rolling for the Saints.

The Mariners single run came in the fourth when they had an almighty chase but it wasn't to be as the Port Melbourne dropped loss number 12 of the season.

The Saints meanwhile are 9-6 and will be playing away this weekend against Port Melbourne, looking to replicate this particular game.

Preston Pirates 6 v Doncaster Dragons 13

Doncaster has continued their excellent season with a fine win over Preston where many runs were scored. Wayne Allen, Shannon D'Avoine and Peter Ervin helped Doncaster's efforts on the day.

The Dragons sit third with a 10-4-1 record, just behind Moorabbin while the Pirates are sixth with a 6-8-1 record heading into round 16 where the two sides will meet at Preston.

Moorabbin Panthers 4 v Werribee Giants 5

Moorabbin had the chance to beat the Giants but couldn't gain enough runs at the top of the sixth.

Werribee had scored five runs by the time the second innings came to a close and the Panthers scored two at the top of the third to start their comeback.

Single runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings were the other times Moorabbin got on the scoreboard as eighth-place Werribee upset the second-place team.

The Panthers will be hoping this was just a small bump in the road when they host Werribee next round.

Williamstown Wolves 11 v Bonbeach Bluejays 0

A big seven-run first innings opened Williamstown's account and provided the framework for a shutout win over Bonbeach.

Adding one run in the second and three in the sixth, the lead grew to a point where the Bleujays couldn't contain it.

The Wolves remain in fourth place while Bonbeach remains stranded at the bottom but will want to produce some powerful offence when these teams meet again next weekend.

Mulgrave Rebels 6 v Malvern Braves 5

The first-placed Braves fell to the seventh-placed Rebels in this match, Malvern seeing a loss for the first time this season.

The Rebels got out to a 4-0 lead after four innings as they scored three in the third but the Braves always fought back, starting with three themselves in the bottom of the fifth.

In need of more runs, Mulgrave added two more to the tally in the sixth, which left Malvern needing four for victory.

Instead, the Braves, while fighting hard, only secured two more runs as the Rebels celebrated an unlikely victory.

The Rebels will be hoping that they can topple the ladder-leaders once again, this time at home, next week.

Division Two Fourths - Round 15

St Kilda Saints 18 v Geelong Baycats 3

St Kilda got into Geelong pretty early on with nine first-innings runs with the Baycats unable to string any hits together to get them back into the game.

From there, the Saints managed nine more runs, helped by another big innings in the third when they came up with six runs.

Geelong registeried three runs throughout the first three innings but that would be it for the day. Daniel Dobbie and Sean Hughes covered pitching duties for Geelong.

The Saints are 9-3-1 sitting third while the Baycats are fifth with a 7-8-1 record. St Kilda hosts the next game.

Preston Pirates 7 v Doncaster Dragons 20

Although these two teams were pretty evenly matched on the ladder, this game was lopsided in Doncaster's favour.

The Dragons extended their lead at every possibility, with solid performances up and down the lineup.

The Dragons have claimed their sixth win of the season while Preston sits 5-8 ahead of another meeting this weekend.

Mulgrave Rebels 1 v Malvern Braves 12

Malvern got the ball rolling in the first with four runs before the Rebels found their only score of the game in the second.

From that point, the Braves were economical collecting eight runs throughout the third to fifth innings including five in the fifth.

The Braves are secure in second spot with a 12-2 record while the Rebels are 2-13 before they face each other again in a few days time.

Moorabbin Panthers 10 v Werribee Giants 10

The Giants were tasked with just getting one run to win it at the bottom of the sixth after Moorabbin tied the score at the top when they got two runs in.

Werribee got things started in the first with three runs and another four in the second as the Panthers scored eight in reply across the second to fourth innings.

The Giants took the lead again in the fourth with two runs and gave themselves a two-run buffer after the fifth before Moorabbin came out in the sixth with enough runs to tie the game.

The draw sees Moorabbin sit fourth with a 6-5-2 record while Werribee is eighth with a 3-10-1 record ahead of another outing this weekend.

Williamstown Wolves v BYE

The Wolves are 12-1-1 in first place as they chase their third premiership in a row.

Another awesome weekend of VSBL action saw plenty of close games for Division 1 teams, as well as a few blowouts with big margins. In the firsts, Sunshine continues to break away from the rest of the pack while in the reserves, Blackburn holds the edge but not without a bit of pressure from Newport. The same can be said for the thirds with the Orioles leading after a big 27-run win while Melbourne continues a hot run in the fourths.

Division 1 Firsts - Round 19

Fitzroy Lions 7 v Berwick City Cougars 9

The Lions traveled to Mulgrave to take on the Cougars but it was the home team that came away with a much-needed win after a 4-3 loss to Fitzroy the round before.

Berwick had big hits from Craig Barnett, who doubled and singled for an RBI, as well as Jordan Bradley who was just a home run away from the cycle with three RBIs on the day. Bradley went 3-for-4 while teammate Cain Bumpstead batted .500 with a pair of singles.

Cain Hillier chimed in with a base hit as John King doubled and Nick O'Shea brought two runners home. Mark Surtees had an RBI double, Lucas Taylor picked up two hits of his own and Aiden Willis singled.

The Cougars gave up 17 hits to Fitzroy but still managed to walk away with the win. Matthew West gave up four earned runs in four innings of work on the mound, while Jordan Bradley allowed three in 3.1 innings. Luckily Berwick's offense was enough to keep the game under control, with Barnett recording his second save of the season.

The Lions had won their previous two matches this season to record six for the year while Berwick has tasted success seven times. With eight rounds to go, anything is still possible for these two teams who will be fighting hard this weekend. Fitzroy is away to Sandringham while Berwick takes on Melbourne.

Waverley Wildcats 3 v Essendon Bombers 0

In this top-four clash, each team was able to get runners on the bases but it was the Wildcats who capitalised on these chances, scoring all three of their runs in the fourth dig while shutting Essendon out in the process over the nine innings.

Mohi Kahui, Reece Longstaff and Adam Blackley were Waverley's run scorers while Jamie Papanicoloau and Damon Hill each drove in a run from their hits. Longstaff enjoyed a good day in the box recording three hits including two doubles on his way to a 1.000 batting percentage.

On the mound for Waverley, Andrew Russell got the win as he started for the Wildcats. He pitched seven innings, giving up five hits, zero runs and three base on balls but also recording six strikeouts. Darcy Longstaff came in in the eighth to pitch 1.2 innings, giving up three hits, zero runs and picking up four strikeouts. Papanicoloau got the save as he was responsible for the final out of the game.

Essendon's lineup seemed to run out of steam, although Ross Bament, Cody Rodwell, Adam Merzel and Jack Giles all singled and Scott McIntyre had two hits. Darby Sexton doubled and Peter Stokes had a single on the day too. Pitcher Michael Formisano took the loss, giving up those three runs to Waverley in his five innings of work. He gave up eight hits, three walks and struck out four during that time. Gareth Formisano and Bedford filled in with quiet relief appearances.

Looking ahead for these two teams, Waverley is set to travel to Blackburn in a top-four clash while Essendon will be pressing further to enter the top four with a win over Sunshine.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 5 v Geelong Baycats 3

The Tigers struck well in the first inning with three runners coming home as Geelong managed to peg one back at the bottom.

The Baycats were able to tie it up in the seventh but the Tigers had other plans, scoring two more themselves at the top of the eighth as Geelong couldn't get around the bases for the remaining two innings.

Ryan Darcy was the pick of the bats for the Baycats recording four hits which included a double however Kelli Zablan hit a long shot that cleared the fence for a solo home run. Darcy and Joshua Davies were the other scorers for Geelong. Rudy Jaramillo got two hits and Tyler Luther-Wilson picked up a double.

Jaramillo unfortunately though picked up the loss as well on the mound, going eight innings, letting five runs in from eight hits, however he did have six strikeouts.

For the Tigers, the first inning started with an RBI double from Travis Murphy and then a two-run home run by Josh Hendricks over left field. Nick Rice was another standout player offensively, with two hits to give the Tigers a boost.

Donovan Hendricks threw seven innings before Jarrod Turner came on with two scoreless innings to preserve the win and get his first save of the season.

As coach of Upwey Ferntree Gully, Hendricks says the team is steadily chipping away to get the desired results. focusing on small goals as the season enters the pointy end of the competition.

"Our focus for upcoming weeks is to focus on small goals - winning each at bat, winning each inning and providing nine innings of complete performances from the whole group," Hendricks said. "In last week's game v Geelong we did that and it was great to see, and great for the guys to get the reward. Now we must carry on and repeat that effort.

Second-placed Geelong carry a 12-7 record to Newport for the midweek games while Upwey Ferntree Gully has a chance to enter the top four as the 8-7-1 Tigers are at home to Cheltenham.

Photo: Donovan Hendricks of Upwey Ferntree Baseball Club - Baseball Victoria

Sunshine Eagles 7 v Melbourne Demons 2

Top-placed Sunshine broke away from the other teams with another victory, this time over Melbourne as Jeremy Young picked up the win on the mound.

Young pitched three innings, giving up one hit and zero runs with six strikeouts. Adam Irons was also good on the mound for two innings, giving up two hits, zero earned runs with five strikeouts. Riley Barr and Griffin Weir also recorded outs on the mound.

The game was scoreless through the bottom of the fourth when Melbourne took a 1-0 lead. It didn't last long as Sunshine answered with three in the top of the fifth. The score was 3-2 Sunshine's way for the rest of the game up until the top of the ninth, when the Eagles ran wild and scored four more for a solid victory.

It was a good day offensively for the Eagles with many players doing their part. Jordan Young got on base twice with hits, one of which earned him an RBI but he was also able to round the bases and come home to score two times. Nikau Pouaka-Greco recorded two hits (both doubles) with one translating into a run, while also getting an RBI. Joshua Byrne enjoyed another good week as he went three from four which included a double, also scoring two runs himself. Jeremy Young and Russell Letts were other runscorers for the Eagles.

Kurtis Smith, Adam Pahos and Finn O'Connell took turns on the mound for Melbourne, keeping the Demons in the game all the way through. Tim Sullivan had two singles, while Finn O'Connell, Bronson Neave and Slade Squire all had a base hits. Harvey Mitchelhill was responsible for knocking in one of Melbourne's two runs, recording a pair of singles and a walk on the day.

Melbourne is in the bottom three with a 7-11 record ahead of the next series v Berwick, while Sunshine sits at 14-4 heading into a clash with Essendon.

Photo: Sunshine Eagles - Baseball Victoria

Newport Rams 6 v Blackburn Orioles 15

Newport looked good early on and kept up with the Orioles, enjoying a 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.

Once the Orioles got a move on in the fourth though, they kept powering on and never looked like slowing down as they scored three in the fourth, two in each of the fifth and sixth and another three in the eighth.

Blackburn had 18 hits throughout the day and 11 base on balls as batters certainly got a hold of the Rams defence and pitching stocks, although Newport put up 15 hits themselves.

David Asp picked up the loss for the Rams, throwing three innings and giving away 11 hits and seven runs with three base on balls.

Hitting-wise for Newport, Scott Hillier starred in his second game of the season, recording four hits including two doubles with a run and an RBI attached to his statistics. Jason Jarvis ended the day with three hits for one run, as did Nathan Smith.Cameron Lyons made it to second on his one hit of the game which brought in a run while he got home once himself.

For Blackburn, every starter recorded a hit with Liam Hopkins, Ben Leslie and Jacob Evans combining at the top of the lineup for nine hits between them. Luke Hughes made his return to the Orioles lineup and made an immediate impact with a three-run home run, Evans another recipient of a good ball that he sent sailing over the fence too which brought in three runs.

Evans had three hits for three runs, Hopkins the same with a double, and Leslie the same but with two RBIs added on. Cooper Goodman got two hits as did Ryan Berg, with the latter credited with three RBIs also. David Dicker had two hits for two runs from three at bats.

Sam Bucello recorded the win for Blackburn in the middle, pitching four innings, letting three batters get hits but he didn't concede any runs.

Blackburn coach Matthew Tayler says "it was a big day for the hitters" as they were bolstered by Luke Hughes' return to the lineup.

"Luke started us off with a big three-run home run and a strong hitting display right through the lineup with all starters recording a safe hit," Tayler said.

Next up for these teams, Blackburn (10-8-1) hosts a fellow top four side in Waverley while Newport hosts Geelong.

Sandringham Royals 1 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

Sandringham travelled to Cheltenham this weekend and the Royals were shut down by the Rustlers, until the away side managed to sneak in a run in the ninth inning.

Before that though, the Rustlers were gradually pressing the Royals and got their first run in the first, with an extra two in each of the fourth and seventh innings.

Jack Enciondo got the win for the Rustlers, pitching seven innings, giving up just two hits and zero runs while striking out nine batters.

Sam Michael had got two runs from two hits while Lars Ligouri had two hits from four at bats, driving in a run as well. Dylan Trevorah got one run from two hits with Conor Myles with two hits also.

Declan Croker had two hits in three quality at-bats for Sandringham, while Cody Anderson threw 20 first-pitch strikes with five strikeouts in seven innings of work. Brandon Stenhouse put in an inning of work on the mound with two strikeouts.

The win was an important one for the Rustlers as they continue with their sights set on the top four, currently on a three-game win streak, looking to make it four when they take on Upwey Ferntree Gully.

The Royals are on a three-game losing streak right now but still in the hunt as they begin to face Fitzroy.

Division 1 Reserves - Round 15

Fitzroy Lions 6 v Berwick City Cougars 8

The Cougars secured a vital win over Fitzroy in their Saturday afternoon matchup, their third win in four games as they continue to climb the ladder.

The Lions are sitting 10th on the table and have a good shot over overtaking their opponent Sandringham this weekend. Berwick is 7-6-1 before playing Melbourne which will prove a test but one the Cougars can take on strongly.

Essendon Bombers 3 v Waverley Wildcats 2

Waverley let this game slip as Essendon prodded along and eventually overtook the Wildcats on Saturday.

The fourth-placed Wildcats scored two runs in the first but were shut out after that from the Bombers who would gradually score from the third inning, starting with cutting the margin in half, then tying the game in the fourth.

In the fifth inning, the Bombers would score another run that saw them go ahead and the score remained that way until the end.

Essendon has won four of the past five games to sit sixth with an 8-6-1 record before playing Sunshine this week while Waverley will try and make up for the loss as the Wildcats take on Blackburn and look to improve upon a 10-4-1 record.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 4 v Geelong Baycats 4

The Tigers seemed to have more control throughout the day, however the end result was a draw for Upwey Ferntree Gully and Geelong.

Geelong got the first run in the first, the Tigers immediately responding in the second before the visiting side got out to a 4-1 lead on the back of a three-run dig in the fourth.

That margin was brought down to one after the Baycats scored two at the bottom, the Tigers just holding onto the slightest of margins until the bottom of the sixth.

The final inning saw Geelong claim a run but the Tigers made sure it was the only run scored when the last out was made, settling for a draw.

Sean Meldrum was strong over six inning on the mound for the Tigers while with the bats, Michael Oxworth, Jason Garland and Kaioh Sato were good on the day. Will Richardson collected two hits and played well at second base.

Despite the draw the Tigers are still second on the ladder at 10-2-1 and will face Cheltenham at home this week while Geelong goes home to Newport with a 4-8-2 record.

Sunshine Eagles 0 v Melbourne Demons 6

Melbourne picked up the shutout win over Sunshine, a handy win for their top-four aspirations.

The Demons scored two apiece in the second and third before putting up one more in the fourth and one in the sixth. Consistent offense and strong pitching did the trick for Melbourne, led by the likes of Nathan Aron, Jacob Bald and Matthew Blackmore.

It was a disappointing day for the Eagles who had won just their third game of the season last weekend however they'll hope to get back on the winner's list against Essendon this weekend.

For the Demons, they'll continue their season with a game at home against Berwick as they sit just outside the top five with a 8-6 record.

Newport Rams 4 v Blackburn Orioles 6

Newport had a good start in this game, picking up three runs at the top of the second before ladder-leading Blackburn scored the next five runs - two in the second and three in the third.

Each team scored one more in their respective fourth digs as the Orioles picked up the win to remain on top of the ladder.

Fielding errors were credited as the reason the Orioles were behind early on, before carefully curating patient at bats which resulted in walks and sacrifice hits. Blackburn hit the front after walks to Cam Vance, Pat White and Mitch Whiting.

It was another close game for the Rams who have just one win for the season, but will carry a great deal of confidence after taking it to the top team of the division.

Newport has a game against Geelong this weekend while Blackburn (13-2) is at home v Waverley.

Sandringham Royals 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7

Sandringham got out to a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the second but Cheltenham quickly found footing, scoring four in that second innings before gaining the lead in the fourth with two more runs.

The Rustlers added one more in the fifth to record the two-run win to keep in third place before travelling to Upwey Ferntree Gully this weekend. The Royals will host Fitzroy.

Melbourne Demons 11 v Sunshine Eagles 7

In a see-sawing game that saw the lead change a few times, Melbourne was able to shut out the Eagles in the middle parts of the game to hold on to win.

Sunshine scored three in the first before a big inning from the Demons in the second provided a one-run lead with four runs. The Eagles got the lead back with another three in the second before Melbourne scored seven runs in the next three innings to somewhat take the game away from the home side.

The Eagles, in their attempt to regain the lead (and win) in the sixth, managed a solitary run as they couldn't capitalise on their one win for the season.

Melbourne though has a 6-7-1 record and will face Berwick this weekend while the 3-11 Eagles will play Essendon.

Essendon Bombers 7 v Waverley Wildcats 7

Both Essendon and Waverley played in an exciting game on the weekend which ended up in a draw.

The Bombers led 7-5 after the top of the fourth on the back of a three-run second inning but it was also Waverley's four-run second inning that did a lot of damage.

The Wildcats scored two in the fourth, with plenty of time left in the game. Unfortunately, neither side could get a runner home as the gametime wound down.

It's Waverley and Essendon's fourth draws of the season but it still sees them sitting third and fourth respectively. The Wildcats will take on Blackburn this weekend while Essendon face Sunshine.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 4 v Geelong Baycats 5

Each team batted in two runs in a tight first inning until the Baycats scored another two in the second to the Tigers' one.

The Tigers would even up the score though in the third before the Baycats came back to put themselves in front once more in the fourth, with no other scores coming in the following three innings that were played.

For Geelong, Travis Duxton started on the hill and threw three innings which included three strikeouts, fighting to find his way through the zone with the defence backing him up at every opportunity. Daniel Anson came onto the mound in the fourth and immediately made an impact, throwing plenty of strikes.

Alex Hockey and Anson each had two hits, the former also credited with an RBI. Matthew Sage had two RBIs from a single and Brody Stokoe had an RBI single also.

The win to Geelong sees them remain in second, not far behind Blackburn in first place while Upwey Ferntree Gully remains in the mix. Geelong faces Newport while the Tigers take on Cheltenham this week.

Berwick City Cougars 9 v Fitzroy Lions 6

The Cougars have won their fifth game of the season, coming against Fitzroy, both sides on four wins before this clash.

Fitzroy led 2-0 early before the Cougars put up six in the third. Fitzroy answered with four in the bottom frame to tie things up, but another burst of offense from Berwick in the final inning sealed the deal.

The Cougars will host Melbourne this weekend while the Lions play host to Sandringham.

Newport Rams 3 v Blackburn Orioles 30

Riley Hodgson got his first start of the year on the mound and was pretty good for a player who regularly catches. He threw the whole game and was well supported by his defence.

It was equally a dominant display with the bats, most of the lineup recording a hit as all 30 runs were scored through hits.

The huge win proved how strong Blackburn is in this competition with Waverley having to lookout this weekend when the Orioles host a big game. Newport will be feeling down, but hopefully can pick it up against Geelong.

Sandringham Royals 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

A five-run fourth inning is what set these teams apart in the end, Sandringham holding a one-run lead until that point.

Credit to the Royals though they did respond but just didn't get enough runs onto their score, instead scoring three in the fifth.

The two evenly-matched teams are in a tight tussle around the middle of the table, Cheltenham playing Upwey Ferntree Gully this weekend while Sandringham will take on Fitzroy.

Division 1 Fourths - Round 15

Melbourne Demons 9 v Sunshine Eagles 8

The Eagles tried their hardest to come back from a 9-5 deficit in the last inning but fell short, giving the Demons a one-run victory, their 14th for the season.

The almost-upset was helped by the Eagles scoring three in the fifth and final inning, responding to Melbourne's four runs in the second and five runs between the third and fifth.

Sunshine did actually hold onto a slight lead after the first inning when they scored one but it was the only time through the game that they lead.

The first-placed Demons take on Berwick this weekend while Sunshine will want a win against Essendon.

Essendon Bombers 6 v Waverley Wildcats 9

In a top-four matchup, both teams are now 10-5 for the season after Waverley came away with a win over Essendon.

Waverley now turn their attention to Blackburn while the Bombers will play host to Sunshine.

Upwey Ferntree Tigers 9 v Geelong Baycats 19

A big win for the Baycats over the Tigers as they built slowly to a grand finale in the fourth.

Throughout the first to third innings, Geelong scored four in each of them before going the distance in the fourth with a total of seven.

The Tigers seeing Geelong scoring the maximum amount of runs, responded with seven of their own in the fifth, adding onto their two scored earlier in the game.

Doug Oaten did a great job in his first pitching appearance for the Tigers, keeping his team in the game and having fun on the hill.

The Baycats are 7-6-1 for the season now and play Newport next while the Tigers are 3-10-1 ahead of a fixture at Cheltenham.

Berwick City Cougars 9 v Fitzroy Lions 4

Berwick made easy work of Fitzroy in this contest and stay in fifth position, a few wins out from the top four.

The Cougars led 5-4 after the first before scoring one extra run in all but one of the last five innings. Fitzroy's offence quickly ran out of steam against a strong Berwick side.

The Cougars face Melbourne this weekend while the Lions will host Sandringham.

Newport Rams 8 v Blackburn Orioles 14

The scoreline was looking good for the Rams, a team that hadn't won a game all season.

Newport had a 8-6 lead going into the bottom of the fourth, but that's when the Blackburn bats fired more than they had all game, the Orioles batting in seven to take a big lead which they extended by one in the final dog of the game.

Earlier, Newport scored three in the first and four in the second while Blackburn's first big innings was a five-run effort in the second innings.

Blackburn has a 12-3 record on the season, sitting second before taking on Waverley this weekend. Newport will be feeling good ahead of having to travel to Geelong.

Sandringham Royals 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3

Sandringham came back in a big way against Cheltenham, recording four runs at the top of the sixth and final inning.

After scoring the first run of the game in the second, the Royals found themselves on the backfoot soon after as the Rustlers scored three at the bottom.

Sandringham and Chetlenham almost can't be split on the ladder, eighth and seventh respectively but will go their seperate ways this week as the Royals take on Fitzroy and the Rustlers host Upwey Ferntree Gully.

Baseball Victoria is pleased to announce the 2020 Youth Women’s State Team.

The 2020 Youth Women’s State Team will represent Victoria at the 2020 Australian Youth Women’s Championships from 11-16 April in Canberra.

Ursula Howard will return as head coach for the fourth consecutive year as the Youth Women’s team looks to build on a bronze medal finish last year and a gold medal win in 2018.

“We have a terrific, experienced leader in Ursula Howard and a talented group of athletes who will be working hard in the next few months to prepare for the championships,” Baseball Victoria Talent Development Manager Damian Shanahan said. “We’re confident that this will be a fantastic opportunity for these girls to continue to develop and compete at a high level.”

Howard is looking forward to working with this team of bright and determined athletes and having a positive impact on them as their coach. “We have a lot of raw new talent this year, lots of athletic young girls who will be great additions to the team,” Howard said. “We've also been lucky to keep a few girls who were pivotal to last year's efforts like Lily Bell-Tanner, Ruby Dale, Keeley Harrison and Felicity Clissold among others. Our goal is to bring out the best in each player's ability, and finish among the medals again.”

16 players make up the Victorian Youth Women’s State Team. The team also includes several players who will take part in the development squad as they continue their training, part of Baseball Victoria’s commitment to establishing a bright future for the Youth Women’s State Team Program.

First baseman and pitcher Jack Romanin is on a mission to make the most of the rest of the 2019/20 VSBL season.

Taking the field for Malvern Braves U18 State team, Jack is chasing his baseball goals, a beloved pastime he shares with his younger sister Lauren. He’s also been getting game time in Malvern’s Division 2 seconds as he works hard to improve his skills week in and week out.

Jack has spent much of his childhood playing at Malvern, a nearby local club that first drew him in with a come and try day. As a young child, Jack was eager to take on America’s favourite pastime as his mother hails from the U.S. He hasn’t looked back since.

After a strong start to the season, Jack is looking forward to continuing his work with the club’s new coaches as the Braves make a tilt for the top prize. “We have really experienced guys who are able to improve everybody’s game,” Jack said.

With years of junior baseball under his belt, Jack knows how important it is to maintain a positive mentality as a player. He’s been nursing a sore arm for a long time now and can’t wait until it gets back to full health so he can contribute to his team in a stronger way. “I’m looking to get my arm healthy. It’s been pretty weak over the last couple of years and I’d also like to get some more power in it,” Jack said. “I’ve been going to the gym to get more strength and more muscle.”

Giving it his all out there on the field is easier with supportive teammates who feel the same way. Jack recognises the great culture at the club and the Braves’ welcoming nature as key contributors of why they’re able to find success, especially after a special grand final win last season.

“Last year in the thirds, we won the grand final. That was pretty cool after we started pretty bad and just got on a roll,” Jack said. “We didn’t really lose after that because we got tighter as a group. I would say we probably weren’t the most talented, but when we play together and focus, you can do a lot as a team.”

Jack thinks one of the keys to success is how he and his team are always willing to give 100 percent to every play, every pitch and every at-bat. Practicing helps the team out in the long run, and that’s the attitude Jack shares with his teammates, even players who are experiencing the sport for the first time. “I tell the newer players to give it a try. Don’t be angry or mad if you’re not hitting it if it’s your first time cause it’s quite hard,” Jack said. “Just keep your patience up and you’ll get better over time. You’ll find that you like it a lot.”

The 2019/20 VSBL season continues this weekend with Malvern’s U18 State sitting in the top four with a 7-4 record and the reserves rounding out the top three with a 9-4-1 record.

In the first round of midweeks in the new year, three teams got huge victories while another two games were washed out.The night saw VSBL Division 2's top side Williamstown get a win over St Kilda to keep top spot while there were also wins to Doncaster and Preston.

Division Two Firsts

Port Melbourne Mariners 3 v Doncaster Dragons 5

The Dragons got another much-needed win as they beat Port Melbourne in a close game.

Doncaster had only five hits on the day but it was enough to win the game. Brian Chen and Brendan McDonald both doubled while Dakota Gibson, Adam Marshall and Marcel D'Avoine singled.

The Dragons sit seventh with a 6-11 record while the Mariners are a spot above with a 9-8 record. Next up for these sides will see Port Melbourne away to St Kilda, while Doncaster are away to Preston.

Williamstown Wolves 5 v St Kilda Saints 0

The Wolves have won their seventh game in a row as they shut out the Saints away from home last night.

It was a tight game through the first two innings before Williamstown scored twice in the third and once in the fourth. Two more runs followed in the fifth while St Kilda had no answer offensively.

The 15-3 Wolves are first on the ladder, two games clear of Werribee while for the Saints, it continues their losing streak, now sitting at three.

St Kilda is at home against Port Melbourne on Saturday, whereas Williamstown is at home against Bonbeach for round 19.

Bonbeach Bluejays 3 v Preston Pirates 9

The Piates have improved their chances of cracking into the top four with a big win over Bonbeach.

The Bluejays scored first but by the time the opening inning was over, Preston led 2-1. The Pirates put up five more in the second and two in the third while keeping the Bluejays to just two more for the game.

The Pirates sit fifth with a 10-7 record and will look to keep streak going against Doncaster this weekend while the Bluejays have a tough game against Williamstown to snap their losing streak.

Werribee Giants v Mulgrave Rebels - WASH OUT

The game between Werribee and Mulgrave at Melbourne Ballpark was washed out, with 13-4 Werribee playing Moorabbin while 5-11 Mulgrave plays Malvern.

Malvern Braves v Moorabbin Panthers - WASH OUT

The game between Malvern and Moorabbin was also washed out after a week of wild weather. Moorabbin takes a 11-5 record into a series with Werribee and Malvern also hits at 11-5 before playing Mulgrave.

Jennie Moloney has been named Baseball Scoring Director for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

As a life member of Williamstown Baseball Club and a long-time scorer in the Victorian baseball community, Jennie has made countless contributions to her beloved sport over the years, and her dedication has earned her another exciting opportunity.

This will be Jennie’s third time at the Olympics, having scored at the 2020 Sydney games and the 2008 Beijing games. She was also named 2019 Scorer of the Year by the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC).

Find out that she will lead the baseball scorers at the Olympic was a lovely surprise. “I had my fingers crossed that I might get appointed to be a scorer, but scoring director was a shock,” Jennie said. “It's a big responsibility to be the scoring director at an Olympic Games so hopefully I'll be up the challenge.”

Jennie is excited about reuniting with fellow scorers and technical officials she’s worked with in the past, as well as visiting a new city she hasn’t been to before. “I’m looking forward to seeing how Tokyo compares,” Jennie said. Although she loved the Sydney Olympics, she’s sure Tokyo will put on a great show. “Knowing how the Japanese operate I'm sure it will be an amazing Olympics.”

Having experience at previous Olympics has helped Jennie prepare to take on the role of scoring director. “I think that what I'll take into this from the other Olympics, and the other tournaments I've been to, is that you're part of a great team of officials all working to the same goal, to produce the best baseball competition that we can,” Jennie said. “That the experience that we've all gained from past events will stand us in good stead.”

Two Victorian players recently signed with Major League Baseball organisations.

Congratulations to pitcher Cameron Gibbens and pitcher/infielder Mitch Ellis on taking the next step in their baseball careers. Gibbens has played with Berwick City Cougars since he started T-Ball in 1999, and he earned a spot on the Melbourne Aces roster this ABL season.

Ellis spent his junior years and many senior seasons with Doncaster Dragons Baseball Club. He also represented Victoria in state teams before attending college in the U.S. and taking the field with the Aces.

Baseball Victoria Talent Development Manager says these players should be proud of their endless determination in the sport they love.

“It’s a testament to themselves, their families and their individual clubs that they’ve got this opportunity,” Shanahan said. “Gibbens and Ellis are both examples of players who have developed a bit later in life through self-driven accomplishment.”

Gibbens acknowledges how exciting this achievement is, but also how it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of his family and the Berwick baseball community. “Berwick City Cougars Baseball Club has given me so much belief in myself to perform at the highest level, and the confidence to go out there and compete no matter the outcome,” Gibbens said. “I’m looking forward to reaching my full potential.”

Regardless of what the future holds, making his childhood dream come true is something Gibbens will never forget. “It’s not every day that you get to sign with an MLB organisation, and to sign with a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers is incredible.” Gibbens said. “I want to show the world what Australians can do and make my country proud. Growing exposure of the sport for Australia would be amazing.”