Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

St Kilda’s reliable Canadian catcher has been working hard this season as the Saints look to move in a positive direction now that they’re back up to VSBL Division 2.

Robby Lewis is determined to see his team succeed at a higher level after dominating VSBL Division 3 in recent seasons. His loyalty to St Kilda flourished through a chance encounter at a festival in Albert Park five years ago. It was there that he met a Saints player who invited him to come along for training. “I didn’t realise there was such a big baseball community in Melbourne,” Robby said.

He’s been playing ever since, and now he knows just how important baseball is to the St Kilda community, especially as the club returns to VSBL Division 2. “We’ve worked hard the last three or four years to get up here,” Robby said. “Our primary goals are just staying up in Division 2 and also developing our junior program a bit more because we have a core group of juniors at the moment, so we want to hold onto them and get them playing competitive baseball.”

Robby is proud to play at the oldest baseball club in the southern hemisphere, where members look after one another and celebrate their success that spans the centuries. “We try and do things like past players day every year at Tom O’Halloran field,” Robby said. “There’s a lot of history around the club so we try to honour past players as often as we can, whether it’s with a day or naming a dugout after someone.”

Friendship is also key for the Saints, especially as they navigate the challenges of facing tougher competitors together. “Everybody gets along with one another and is willing to help each other out,” Robby said. “It’s a competitive club but we also appreciate the socialness of it as well.”

Robby grew up playing baseball, and his enthusiasm for the sport hasn’t wavered, especially now that he’s found his home at St Kilda. “I love the team atmosphere and meeting people,” Robby added. “It’s a good way to introduce yourself to different people that share like-minded activities. It’s not just Australians that make up the team, but basically people from all over the world. That’s one of the driving forces here so it’s just a fun place to be around.”

Robby is forever grateful that he decided to join St Kilda, and he encourages others to give the sport a try as it opens up so many opportunities for friendship, fun and fitness. “I’d say come down and give it a go, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” Robby said. “Somebody will be able to help you out, especially at our club because we prioritize bringing new people in and getting them trained.”

With sweet memories of last season when St Kilda solidified the promotion to Division 2, Robby has nothing but high hopes for the club moving forward. “I think there’s always going to be a lot of hurdles, and it’s a big jump in competition,” Robby said. "I think it’s going to be a bit of an eye-opener for most of the guys on the team, but we’re going to band together, keep training and continue preparing as much as we can for every game. I know if we get a hurdle, we’ll do our best to deal with it.”

St Kilda has one game left against top-side Williamstown before moving on to a series with Port Melbourne.

Several teams continued their strong 2019/20 VSBL seasons in Division 4 as play resumed after a few weeks break. Melbourne and Waverley Wildcats Black continue to set the pace in Division 4 East, while Footscray's Red and White teams prove dominant in the North West. Cheltenham and Monash Uni each chalked up victories in the South as they compete for the top two spots.

Division 4 East

Malvern Braves 2 v Waverley Wildcats Black 18

Back-to-back seven-run digs at the start of the game for Waverley Black set the tone for the home side as Malvern never really got going, scoring one run in each of the first and third innings.

The Wildcats capped off the game with another four runs over the last two innings to take a comprehensive win, a big comeback from the loss in the final round of 2019. Offensive contributions from Vaughn Evans, Dean Ferris and Mark Flintoff helped the Wildcats secure a huge advantage.

Waverley Black sits second on the ladder with a 12-2 record ahead of a blockbuster against Waverley Red this weekend while Malvern has lost three in a row as the Braves are 4-19 for the season ahead of a game against Fitzroy Gold.

St Kilda Saints 13 v Blackburn Orioles 4

The Orioles have had their losing streak extended to 10 on the back of this loss to the Saints who were on a two-game losing streak themselves.

The win puts St Kilda into the top four, switching places with Monash Uni as the Saints look at a 6-7 record before facing the Farmers this weekend. Blackburn will want to snap this streak soon and will begin with a trip to Melbourne.

Melbourne Demons 15 v Fitzroy Lions Gold 7

The Demons have gone 13-0 for the season as they continue to assert their dominance on the rest of the competition.

It was an evenly poised match as the third wound down, with the Lions in front 7-6 before Melbourne got away in the fourth.

The Demons would go on to score six in that inning and another three in the fifth while shutting Fitzroy out of any more chances for them to score runs.

Fitzroy sits in third place with a 7-5-1 record, and the Lions have won five of the past six games. Next up for them is a against Malvern this weekend, while Melbourne will look to make it 14 in a row v Blackburn.

Waverley Wildcats Red v Monash University Farmers - WASH OUT

Division 4 North West

Fitzroy Lions Blue 7 v Footscray Bulldogs Blue 12

The Bulldogs started their early couple of digs well with five and four in the first and second respectively as the score stood at 9-2 at the end of two.

Fitzroy outscored the Bulldogs in the next three innings five runs to three however, the Lions weren't able to get near enough to match the Bulldogs in the later stages of the match.

The win to Footscray Blue puts them in a good position for a chance at finals, sitting sixth with a 6-7 record before taking on the Bombers this weekend. Fitzroy Blue play Fitzroy Maroon to improve on their 4-8-1 record.

Mitchell Majors Yellow 15 v Essendon Jets 4

Seven runs in the fourth inning to Mitchell Majors Yellow was enough of a buffer to completely shut down the Jets.

Mitchell Majors Yellow started off with four runs in the first and again in the third, as Essendon joined in with four runs across the second and third innings themselves.

It was Mitchell Majors Yellow's 10th win of the season and seventh in a row, sees them placed third on the ladder as they face Footscray White next week. Essendon was on a three-game unbeaten run, and now has a 4-7-1 record before taking on Footscray Red in the next round.

Mitchell Majors Black 11 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 10

North Coburg Gold had a chance to steal victory at the bottom of the fifth, but credit to Mitchell Majors Black, they disallowed the Rebels from scoring in that dig - the only dig not to register a score.

Trailing by one run after the fourth inning, Mitchell Majors Black scored twice in the fifth to take a one-run lead, which would end up being the final result.

Earlier in the game, Mitchell Majors Black lead 3-2 after one, then in the second the Rebels brought five home in response to the Majors three, leading by one. The next two innings couldn't be split as each team came home three times.

It was just Mitchell Majors Black's second win of the season (their first was back in round two) so they've started the new year off well as they prepare to travel to Coburg to take on Rebels Maroon.

North Coburg Gold will have the bye to reflect on the loss, but the Rebels are still doing well in fifth place with a 8-4-1 record.

Essendon Bombers 8 v Footscray Bulldogs White 15

The Bombers got the start they wanted with a full seven runners scoring in the first inning of the game and took a 8-5 lead into the bottom of the third, even after Footscray White's four in the second.

The third inning is where it all started to fall into place to the Bulldogs though, snatching the lead with a dominant display that involved six runs before scoring another four in the fifth, all the while preventing the Bombers from ever looking like getting back into the game.

Footscray White remains a small margin away from taking top spot and could do it this weekend against Mitchell Majors Yellow but currently sits second with a 10-1-1 record. The Bombers play Footscray Blue next week, looking to their third win of the season.

Footscray Bulldogs Red 25 v North Coburg Rebels Maroon 5

This was a very dominant display from Footscray Red as they powered over North Coburg Maroon on the back of some impressive offence.

The Bulldogs scored the maximum seven runs three times in four innings, and in the third, they still scored four while the Rebels prodded along with five runs over four innings, their highlight being three in the fourth. Dennis Papadatos had his first inside-the-park home run for North Coburg.

Up next for Footscray Red, who are unbeaten in 11 games now, is Essendon Jets while North Coburg Maroon hasn't had a win since round four and will want that to change against Mitchell Majors Black.

Fitzroy Lions Maroon v BYE

Division 4 South

St Kilda Saints 9 v Monash University Farmers 14

Each team had big scores after the first, the result going the way of the Saints, five runs to four.

The Farmers tied the game in the second with one coming home before a compete attack was launched in the third where they picked up seven.

St Kilda tried to come back as they scored one in the fourth and three in the fifth but the margin was still too much, even more so when Monash Uni scored twice more in the fourth.

Farmers' team manager Mikiya Ichise says the best part of the performance was his team's patience in the batter's box. "We didn't chase pitches outside the strike zone, which frustrated their pitchers and enabled us to get lots of walks," Ichise said. "On the defensive end, while we did make a few errors the pitchers continued to throw good pitches throughout the game."

Ichise was impressed with the efforts of Tim Kibell at shortstop. "He dealt with all ground balls sent his way with aplomb," Ichise added. "Our main area for improvement is better game awareness - adjusting our plays and approaches based on the game situation. Where the opposition pitcher is struggling we need to make sure we are patient and not be too aggressive in the batter's box."

The Farmers are still very much looking for first place but are settling in second right now with a 10-2-1 record but have the bye in the next round. St Kilda however will play Pakenham and a win there could see them enter the top four.

Berwick City Cougars 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 9

Berwick improved to a 9-3 record on the back of this win with Ormond Glenhuntly's record reversed to the Cougars at 3-9.

The Cougars face Melbourne next up with their eyes on three in a row while Ormond Glenhuntly take on Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Rustlers 14 v Pakenham Pumas 1

The game was even at one all after the first but things started getting out of hand for the Pumas as they gave up many runs without scoring anymore themselves.

Cheltenham would go on to score six in the second and seven in the third as the Rustlers picked up their eighth win of the season which sees them still taking out top spot on the ladder.

The Rustlers face Ormond Glenhuntly next up while Pakenham travels to St Kilda.

After the break in action, the 2019/20 VSBL season picked up right where it left off for Division Three teams, as Springvale prevailed as the powerhouse in the firsts with a clear six games on top of the ladder. While the Lions are on top in the reserves too, they have competition from Ormond Gold and Blue.

Division 3 Firsts - Round 14

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 12 v Pakenham Pumas 8

Pakenham held a lead all the way until the fifth when Ormond Gold tied the game and eventually ran away with it.

The Pumas knocked in the first four runs of the game in their first inning, as Ormond Gold brought the margin to within one after their third inning was completed.

With the scores tied at 4-4 going to the bottom of the fifth, Pakenham scored another three runs, but it was again cancelled by Gold who scored three at the top of the sixth.

A tight contest kept on going as the Hunters took the lead for the first time that day when they scored one in the eighth before going rampant with four in the ninth, leaving Pakenham to battle hard.

Pakenham managed just one run in the final dig of the game as Ormond Gold now see themselves on the same number of wins as the Pumas.

Gold have had a dream past five games, winning all of them and six of the last seven to have catapulted into third place, from last where they were five rounds ago. Now 7-7, the Hunters will look continue this fine form when they play North Western Titans while second-placed Pakenham carry a 7-6-1 record into a matchup with Chelsea.

Chelsea Dolphins 2 v Springvale Lions 12

Chelsea came out hard in the first innings but unfortunately, that's where it stopped for the Dolphins who had scored two runs in that time.

In the second Springvale scored a run, as the Lions were still behind but that quickly turned into a lead as they brought in seven in the third.

Consecutive two-run innings in the sixth and seventh grew the lead further for the Lions who improved their season record to 13-1, now six games clear of second.

Lucas Anderson got the win, throwing a no-hitter across three innings with two walks the only blemish on his record. Scott Baillie gave up five hits and two runs - one unearned - in four innings.

The pitchers also did their jobs at the plate, as Anderson singled and knocked in a run while Baillie had a double and a single. Myles Barnden and Rydge Hogan had RBI base hits, while Matt Cameron and Neal Cavanagh got into the fun with hits of their own. Lucas Price led the team with three hits, two singles and a double, to bring his total to 21 on the season.

A pair of singles and an RBI for Adam Thatcher also made a difference to Springvale as the offence looks to maintain the momentum.

"The scoreline doesn't necessarily reflect how the games go. Our games our often tight through the sixth inning, and then we may capitalize on a pitching change to give us these big advantages," Springvale's Head Coach Tim Hanson said. "But it's the back half of the season now, and everyone's playing for a finals position. We're no different so we will be pushing ourselves to maintain our level of competitiveness."

Springvale is prepared for upcoming games to get tougher. "We fully expect for all the competitors to step up come finals and we're playing for that really," Hanson added. "We're always looking to improve. Early on in games we've been a little bit slow, so we're trying to get a strong start in each game. We've been finishing well and that's always important."

With this loss the Dolphins are 5-9 but they could enter the top four after this weekend's game against Pakenham. Springvale is away to Ormond Blue.

North Western Titans v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue - WASH OUT

Division 3 Reserves - Round 14

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 2 v Pakenham Pumas 19

Ormond Gold fell to the Pumas who picked up their fourth win of the season, although are still a couple of games away from fourth place.

Pakenham led 4-0 going into the third before putting on 10 runs to seal the deal. Five more runs followed across the fourth and fifth, with the Hunters scoring their lone runs in the second-to-last frame. Nicholas Barth, Jarrad Bell, Matthew Clements, Scott Dale and the rest of the Pumas lineup worked hard all day to score the most runs they have all season.

The Hunters are on a three-game losing streak right now and in the process, have given up their top spot but still sit second. Ormond Gold won't want this to become a habit with a game towards playing at North Western Titans next week. The Pumas will feel they can bring up another win when they take on Chelsea.

North Western Titans 2 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 11

The Hunters have shown they belong in the top section of the ladder with a big win over North Western Titans.

The Titans are still without a win in 14 games but hope something will change, starting this weekend against Ormond Gold. Now in third place at 9-4-1, Ormond Blue will be facing Springvale.

Chelsea Dolphins 4 v Springvale Lions 15

A bumper 10-run dig to get things moving from Springvale paved the way for the rest of the match.

The Lions were out to a 13-0 lead as the third inning was complete before two two-run innings from Chelsea got them on the board.

Springvale claimed another two runs at the bottom of the fifth, and after that, the Dolphins weren't able to come back into the game.

Top-ranked Springvale sits at 11-3 for the season and faces Ormond Blue this weekend in a top-three matchup. Chelsea, a team that has shown it can go well against any competitior, faces off against Pakenham in Round 15.

There was no shortage of exciting games over the weekend as the 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season got back in action. Williamstown lead the way in the firsts while the Wolves hold top spot in the reserves too, although they are tied with Moorabbin. Malvern is three games clear and undefeated in the thirds while the Fourths are set for a tight tussle between Williamstown and Malvern.

Division 2 Firsts - Round 17

Williamstown Wolves 8 v St Kilda Saints 4

The Wolves have once again proved they're one of the teams to beat, polishing off St Kilda in this matchup.

Jayde Thorne, Kevin Desmedt and Dennis Neal each took their turn pitching for Williamstown, combining for 13 strikeouts altogether. Justin Gourlay batted in four runs with a home run and a single, while Thorne knocked in two and Aaron Green and Desmedt both singled. Jason McDonald, Scott Meager, Bill Millar also had base hits. Hiroshi Narasaki singled and doubled to further boost Williamstown's busy offense.

The Wolves are now 14-3 in first place while the Saints are one of two teams locked on with a 5-11 record so any win is vital to them, and they can get back to those ways and try again against Williamstown this weekend.

Bonbeach Bluejays 6 v Preston Pirates 16

The Pirates were out to a 11-run lead as the sixth inning got underway, made possible by a seven-run inning in the fifth.

Bonbeach took one back in the sixth before starting to get on a roll in the seventh with five. But the experience from the Pirates proved otherwise when they were able to score five of their own at the bottom to end the game.

Preston relied on the pitching efforts of Ben Donnell, Nick Pascuzzi and Glenn Farrell to get the job done. Donnell started, throwing six innings with one earned run allowed and 11 strikeouts, giving the Pirates the chance to do what they needed offensively. "As a team we collected 17 hits, which was a great way to come back after the Christmas break with a solid team effort," said Cam Deeble, Preston's Head Coach. "If we can continue to work hard on the fundamentals at training and capitalise on our opportunities hopefully we'll continue to see results on the field."

Mitch Legge continued his great year with the bat, picking up another three hits while Jean David Alvarado went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Jaycob Pascuzzi was solid behind the dish for Preston as well.

For Bonbeach Adam Major threw 4.1 innings, while Jim Crowe handled 1.2 and Mitchell Sheldon-Collins came in for an inning. Matthew Bucci had two singles and a double, while Crowe knocked in a run along with Dylan Eldridge. Kaelan Green had two RBIs in his first appearance for Bonbeach this season as Ronin Green and Sheldon-Collins singled.

The Bluejays are without a win this season but have shown they can get a big innings in so will be hoping to replicate that this weekend against Preston who sit fifth with a 9-7 record.

Werribee Giants 10 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

Werribee scored first in the fourth before Mulgrave got on a roll throughout the following three innings as the Rebels took a 4-1 lead after the sixth.

The Giants were down but not out as they went through their lineup to record nine runs at the top of the seventh, and as a result Mulgrave couldn't catch up, just scoring one more in the eighth.

"Highlights for us were another solid start from Wes De Jong and Reece Haywood and Andrew Maki with the bat off the bench," said John Curnow, Werribee's Head Coach. "Justin Gil doing a great job catching the game and picking up two hits along with keeping the team focused on the job all day. We need to keep our offence firing and play solid defence."

De Jong threw 4.2 innings, giving up four runs - two of them earned - with 10 hits and three strikeouts. Joshua Lee got the win, giving up just one run in 15 batters faced across 3.1 innings and also recording two RBIs with a single and a walk at the plate. Wade Balzer had a single and a double, while Justin Gil singled and tripled. Andrew Christou and Daine Gregory knocked in a run as Reece Haywood had two singles and two RBIs in his first game with the top nine this season.

Andrew Maki had three RBIs on a bases-clearing double and Evan McPherson had a pair of hits to keep things moving smoothly for Werribee.

The Giants have won their 13th game of the season and fourth in a row to sit comfortably in second place, two wins clear of third. Mulgrave is 5-11 but still have plenty of chances to make a bolt to the playoff picture.

Malvern Braves v Moorabbin Panthers - WASHOUT

Port Melbourne Mariners v Doncaster Dragons - WASHOUT

Malvern Braves v Moorabbin Panthers - WASHOUT

Port Melbourne Mariners v Doncaster Dragons - WASHOUT

Division 2 Reserves - Round 14

Williamstown Wolves 1 v St Kilda Saints 5

The Wolves went down to St Kilda, it being their third loss of the season after being on a four-game winning streak since the last loss.

However, the Wolves have still managed to maintain their first place position with an 11-3 record, the same as Moorabbin. They'll have to be on their game this week against the Saints, as will the away side who sit fourth with a 9-6 record.

Bonbeach Bluejays 5 v Preston Pirates 14

Bonbeach lead 2-1 going into the bottom of the second however, the Preston second dig saw 10 runs cross the plate as they grew an unassailable lead.

The Bluejays pressed regularly but only saw another three runners score in the following three innings as Preston had three come home in the fourth.

The Pirates are 5-8-1 for the season in seventh while Bonbeach are 1-14, however both teams will still want to battle it out for their own reasons when they meet again this weekend.

Malvern Braves 2 v Moorabbin Panthers 6

Despite being down 3-0 after the third, Malvern stayed in the game with two runs at the top of the fourth, but that was unfortunately it for them.

Moorabbin added three more runs to take the game away from the Braves as they improved to an 11-3 record, now two games clear of the Braves. Malvern isn't that far behind in third place are 9-4-1 but it makes this weekend's return fixture all the more enticing to both sides.

Port Melbourne Mariners 0 v Doncaster Dragons 5

The Dragons got the shutout over Port Melbourne to record their eighth win of the season, keeping them in touch with the top four, in fifth place.

It's the Dragons sixth win in a row and they'll be wanting to make that seven against the 5-9 Mariners this weekend.

Werribee Giants 6 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

Mulgrave almost pulled off an amazing comeback but fell one run short of a draw as they fought from being 6-1 down in the seventh.

The Rebels scored four runs as the game was coming to an end after Werribee provided some damage early on, going towards a 5-0 lead after their third turn at bat.

The Giants are 6-6-2 for the season, a few wins out from the top four, while Mulgrave head into this week's games with a 4-10 record but could easily win a few more in the coming weeks.

Doncaster Dragons 6 v Port Melbourne Mariners 3

The Dragons won the game they needed to over Port Melbourne as they confirm their spot in the top three, sitting well with a 9-4-1 record with six wins in a row, looking to add another against Preston this weekend.

The Mariners, while on the bottom end of the ladder with a 3-11 record, are close to gaining a few spots and will start again at home this weekend to St Kilda, trying to avoid their seventh loss in a row.

St Kilda Saints 3 v Williamstown Wolves 1

The Saints gained their three runs of the game with one in the first and two in the second with Williamstown proving well defensively from then on.

Unfortuantely for the Wolves, while they shut the Saints down for the remaining four innings, they just managed one run for themselves in the third.

Williamstown remains locked into the top four at 9-5 before playing Bonbeach this weekend, but St Kilda is close behind with an 8-6 record ahead of a clash with Port Melbourne.

Preston Pirates 16 v Bonbeach Bluejays 5

The Bluejays were leaders 2-1 after the first, but it was Preston who held a lead for the remainder of the game, after scoring two in the second.

The crux of the Pirates score came from the third and fourth innings where they collected five and eight respectively when the Bluejays scored one and two in their respective innings also.

Preston is in the middle of the table in sixth with a 6-7-1 record ahead of playing Doncaster while Bonbeach is 1-13 and hoping another win comes against Williamstown this weekend.

Werribee Giants 0 v Mulgrave Rebels 11

The Rebels shut out the Giants in an impressive performance to record their fourth win of the season and in doing so, jump ahead of their opponents on the ladder.

Three of those Rebels wins have come from the past three games as they make a bolt in a crucial part of the season where positions are still up for grabs. Right now, they sit seventh with a 4-8-2 record before coming up against Malvern this week.

Werribee has lost five in a row now as they've slumped from fifth to eighth to be 4-10 after this round. The Giants will hope to get back to winning ways but will have to overcome the always hot Moorabbin.

Moorabbin Panthers v Malvern Braves - WASHOUT

Division 2 Fourths - Round 14

Doncaster Dragons 7 v Geelong Baycats 8

Doncaster scored two early runs in the first innings to start this encounter but Geelong jumped out of the blocks with five runs in reply as the Baycats batted through the order. The Baycats were kept scoreless in the next two innings where Doncaster were able to get a couple of runs back.

Daniel Dobbie performed well on the mound for Geelong as the Dragons players struggled to find a true and proper way to get on top.

The bats were swinging for the Baycats too, especially the last play of the day: an in-the-park grand slam for Harry Sim.

Geelong sits in fifth place with a 7-7-1 record but the Baycats aren't far behind entering the top four and will be hopeful of being there after this weekend's game against St Kilda. Doncaster will play Preston next round, looking to improve on their 5-8 record, especially as they were on a winning streak prior to this game.

St Kilda Saints 8 v Williamstown Wolves 8

The Saints have proved tough competitors for the Wolves in the last two weeks of competition, beating them in the final round of 2019 and now coming away with a draw.

A laregly similar scorecard from both teams as the home side regularly countered their opposition, but couldn't drive in that decisive run at the bottom of the sixth.

The highlight of this game was each team scoring five runs in the third inning, again, no team letting the other get away too easily.

The Wolves are still nestled on top with a 12-1-1 record and will be having some reflections with the bye this week. St Kilda will face Geelong away next week as they look to continue their red hot form, being third with an 8-3-1 record.

Moorabbin Panthers 1 v Malvern Braves 9

Malvern grew their lead in increments of two across the first two innings before Morrabbin scored their one and only in the third.

A further two runs to the Braves in the third saw them take a 6-1 lead which kept for most of the rest of the game, until Malvern again popped up on the scoreboard with three in the sixth, while the Panthers never added to their tally.

The Braves have come to be 10-2 after Round 14 and sit in second place ahead of a match against Mulgrave while Moorabbin play Werribee, hoping they don't slip from their 6-5-1 fourth spot.

Preston Pirates v BYE

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.

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.

Image may contain: one or more people, people playing sport and outdoor
(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.

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.

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.

The 2019/20 VSBL Women's Division 1, 2 and 3 competitions started back for the year and some teams have continued their red-hot form heading into the remainder of the season. Springvale is two games clear on top in Division 1, while Doncaster is in the same position in Division 2. Moorabbin and Melbourne racked up big wins in Division 3 East with some close games in Division 3 South and West too.

Women's Division 1 - Round 15

Springvale Lions 11 v Essendon Bombers 3

Springvale started 2020 with a victory over the third-placed Bombers. Essendon came into this game looking for a three-game winning streak but the Bombers fell short as Springvale got the job done.

Although missing veteran Sinead Flanigan with a back injury, Springvale relied on juniors to step up and take on more senior roles in their batting order and out on the field.

"It's always tough coming out the first game of the new year, as a lot of players take some well-deserved time off and are a bit rusty that first week back," Springvale Coach Simone Wearne said. "We were unsure what we'd get from our group against Essendon on the weekend, so we were pleased to see some good form both defensively and with the bat."

Springvale will be looking for some similarly strong performances to round out the season. "We will look to continue to focus on limiting the runs we give up with our pitching and defense as we lead into finals, that will be the difference for the four teams come the business end of the season," Wearne added.

This is the 11th win of the season for the Lions as they keep themselves two games clear on top of the ladder.

Springvale will aim to keep their hot season going at home v Footscray in round 16 while Essendon will look to bounce back at home against Doncaster.

Doncaster Dragons v Footscray Bulldogs (FORFEIT)

After a Footscray forfeit over the weekend, Doncaster has a 9-3-3 record in second place while the Bulldogs are still trying to get a win on the board.

Women's Division 2 - Round 13

Springvale Lions 17 v Essendon Bombers 3

After racking up the runs in dominant fashion over Essendon, the Lions are now three games clear of third place with four games to go in the season. Wins like this one will see Springvale take a great deal of confidence into the remainder of the season.

With a team split half and half between veteran players and developing juniors, Springvale is enjoying the ride this season and focused on improving together. "We're always trying to win, but that's not our main objective. Learning and enjoying the game is much more valuable for this group," Wearne said. "We know that Doncaster is very strong and has great depth with their young Division 2 players, so they are the benchmark for this Division and will likely remain undefeated this season. There's a long way to go for our team, but we want to challenge ourselves each week. Wheelers Hill and Fitzroy are also very competitive teams and they will be difficult to beat in the finals."

The Bombers have chalked up just one win this season, something they will hope to change in the coming weeks with a matchup against first-place Doncaster in the next round. The Lions take on Footscray next.

Fitzroy Lions 16 v Footscray Bulldogs 16

In a very tight affair between Fitzroy and Essendon with lots of offense, the two sides could not be split when time prevented any more play.

The 16-all draw was influenced by each team's desire to put runs on the board, and each did so at rapid rates.

The first innings went the way of the away side, Fitzroy getting up 4-3 as they headed into the second. Both teams put up seven runs in the second inning, with Fitzroy leading 11-10.

Fitzroy produced five runs at the top of the third, leaving the Bulldogs with a gap to fill. Footscray came back to score six and settle for a draw.

"The highlight of our game this weekend was seeing our pitching and team batting really start coming together. It was a quality team game," said Shannon Crawford, Fitzroy's Head Women's Coach. "Alex Giannakidis and Em Dimech were key players."

Fitzroy will travel to Wheelers Hill in the next round whereas the Bulldogs are away to Springvale.

Wheelers Hill Warriors 0 v Doncaster Dragons 16

The Dragons have continued to prove their strengths in this competition as they extend their winning streak to 12, sitting first as the runs keep coming in.

The Warriors had won their previous three games heading into this matchup, but the Dragons were able to stop them in their tracks. Doncaster got the shutout on the heels of a strong team performance with key contributions from starting pitcher Jessica Johnson. who kept things going smoothly before Vanessa Clifford and Brooklyn Hutton appeared in relief.

Clifford was a key hitter too for the Dragons as the team looks to keep up the momentum. "We just want to continue to improve and build going into the finals," said Ursula Howard, Women's Club Coach at Doncaster. "On the weekend we played some really solid defense, and Hannah Sowden had a nice running catch to save a run. We just need to keep improving game by game."

The Warriors will play Fitzroy next up while Doncaster takes on Essendon.

Women's Division 3 East - Round 13

Springvale Lions 0 v Moorabbin Panthers 10

A seven-run third innings and an impressive defensive display propelled the Panthers over the Lions in this matchup on the weekend.

The Panthers, who started the scoring in the first with two before ending the game with one in the fifth, improve to a 7-3 record for the season.

Springvale meanwhile has a 4-6 record and will take on a 5-5 Doncaster side on 1 Feb. Moorabbin has a bye in round 14 but will still be watching other results closely.

Melbourne Demons 16 v Doncaster Dragons 1

Melbourne blitzed through a Doncaster lineup on their way to win number nine on the season, putting the Demons two games clear on top with four games to go.

The Dragons remain in the top three and won't want to slip any further after dropping the past two games, especially with a tough matchup with Springvale coming up.

Mulgrave Rebels v BYE

Mulgrave had even more of a break with a bye but will be getting back into the swing of things when the team takes on Melbourne in two week's time.

The Rebels are 1-7 this season and will be trying everything possible to end the season on a high.

Women's Division 3 South - Round 13

Pakenham Pumas Black 12 v Bonbeach Bluejays White 14

Bonbeach White pulled off an amazing victory against Pakenham Black on the weekend, netting three runs at the bottom of the third for their second win of the season and in the meantime, denying the Pumas their first win of the season.

The Pumas scored three in the first before Bonbeach White responded with four to finish the inning with a one-run lead.

The second inning was directed more to Bonbeach White's liking, as they kept Pakenham Black to two runs and bringing in seven themselves.

It was a different story in the third though as Pakenham Black got a hold of Bonbeach White, collecting seven runs themselves at the top, the scoreline reading 12-11 to Pakenham Black.

Bonbeach steadied though when it mattered to bring the result back into their favour and in the process, took the game from the clutches of the Pumas.

In a fortnight's time, Bonbeach White (2-8) will take on Bonbeach Blue (8-1) while Pakenham Black travels to Sandringham to face the Royals.

Berwick City Cougars 5 v Sandringham Royals 13

The Royals have won their sixth game of the season in terrific fashion, beating Berwick by eight runs at home.

The Royals are on a hot three-game winning streak at the moment and will aim to keep climbing the ladder, as they have done throughout that form.

They'll be facing Pakenham Black next time around whereas Berwick takes on Pakenham White in what should be an even matchup.

Bonbeach Bluejays Blue v BYE

Bonbeach Blue had an extra week of rest but will come out firing when they take on Bonbeach White next round.

Bonbeach Blue sits second with an 8-1 record and have a six-game winning streak heading into the next matchup.

Women's Division 3 West - Round 13

Sunshine Eagles 13 v Geelong Baycats Blue 10

Sunshine looked strong early on, gathering nine runs in the first two innings to take a 9-2 lead heading into the bottom of the second.

Geelong however would go on to score the next four runs of the game, three in the second and one in the first as the deficit narrowed.

Sunshine found a way to respond with four in the fourth but it was quickly matched by Geelong Blue who also scored four, three runs shy of claiming a draw.

Melinda Sutherland had two hits, including a double, as well as an unassisted double play in the field to support Sunshine's victory.

The Eagles have a 9-1 record after the round whereas the Baycats round out the top two with a 6-4-1 record. Next round, Geelong Blue willing be facing North Western Titans whereas Sunshine hosts Fitzroy.

Fitzroy Lions 18 v Geelong Baycats White 12

Fitzroy got things rolling in the first by bringing in four runs and kept finding form in the next two innings to lead 11-2 after the top of the third.

Geelong White's first runs of the game came in their first innings and they added another three in the third.

The fourth inning produced seven-run efforts from both sides as the margin remained the same at the conclusion of the game.

Leah Trebilcock and Christine Busby had great performances in the game for Fitzroy, while Meg Wiseman tripled to give their offense another boost.

The Lions have won their fourth game of the season to sit 4-4-1, sitting fourth behind North Western Titans who are ahead on runs for. Baycats White came close to their first success of the season, currently with a 0-10-1 record. The Lions take on the Eagles in their next fixture.

North Western Titans v BYE

North Western Titans have had a good season which currently sees them in third place with a 4-4-1 record, those four wins coming in their last five games as they have catapulted into finals calculations.

They'll be back next round against Baycats Blue.

Baseball Victoria has received several queries on the Air Quality Policy, and with the 2019/20 VSBL season resuming this weekend, here are some clarifications for our members.

Q: Who is in control of determining the air quality/ checking current rating?

A: On days where there are concerns about air quality, it shall be the responsibility of the home club secretary (or his/her nominee) to monitor the air quality prior and during the game. The website for monitoring air quality is http://aqicn.org/here/. You must select the location closest to the playing field.

Air quality readings are taken on the hour and posted by the half hour (I.e. taken at 1pm and posted on website by 1.30pm). The home club secretary (or his/her nominee) is to advise the umpire of the reading prior to the game commencing, and then when each new reading becomes available.

Following the air quality policy, the umpire will confirm if the game is continuing, reduced or suspended. Play shall not resume until the reading is below 300.

Q: Should it reach very hazardous, will games be rescheduled or count as a no game played?

Same rules as a washed out game would apply.

Q: If game is to be reduced by two innings for "hazardous," does this have to happen previous to commencement of the game or can this happen during the game?

This can happen during the game. Once the game is reduced in innings it cannot revert back to a longer game.

Scenario 1 - If the game commences at 1pm, and the 12:30pm reading is above 300, the game is suspended. If at 1:30pm the posted reading is above 200 but below 300, the game would commence and be reduced by two innings.

Scenario 2 - If the game commences at 1pm, and the 12:30pm posted reading is between 200 and 300, the game commences. If the 1:30pm posted reading remains between 200 and 300, the game is reduced by two innings.

Q: Should a game be postponed, is the wait time for air quality to increase enough to resume the same as a rain delay?

Play is to be suspended until the next available reading. If the next reading (an hour later) is still above 300, the game is to be cancelled and the same rules as a washout would be applied.

Baseball Victoria has received several queries on the Air Quality Policy, and with the 2019/20 VSBL season resuming this weekend, here are some clarifications for our members.

Q: Who is in control of determining the air quality/ checking current rating?

Following the air quality policy, the umpire will confirm if the game is continuing, reduced or suspended. Play shall not resume until the reading is below 300.

Q: Should it reach very hazardous, will games be rescheduled or count as a no game played?

Same rules as a washed out game would apply.

Q: If game is to be reduced by two innings for "hazardous," does this have to happen previous to commencement of the game or can this happen during the game?

This can happen during the game. Once the game is reduced in innings it cannot revert back to a longer game.

Q: Should a game be postponed, is the wait time for air quality to increase enough to resume the same as a rain delay?

Play is to be suspended until the next available reading. If the next reading (an hour later) is still above 300, the game is to be cancelled and the same rules as a washout would be applied.

On Sunday, 19 January, Melbourne Aces will hold a special Bushfire Appeal benefitting BlazeAid for their final home game of their regular season.

BlazeAid is a volunteer-based organisation that is dedicated to helping residents of rural Australia recover and rebuild after the devastating bushfires.

Melbourne Aces have teamed up with F45 Training Hoppers Crossing, F45 Training Werribee, F45 Training Point Cook, Melbourne City Wrestling and Greyhound Racing Victoria - GRV to raise much-needed funds for communities impacted by the bushfires.

100% of every ticket sold for Sunday’s game v Adelaide Giants will be donated to BlazeAid, plus $1000 for every Aces home run.

There will also be a pre-game workout with F45 and a post-game live wrestling event with Melbourne City Wrestling. “To see our beautiful country ablaze is heartbreaking, and so we come together to fight the good fight,” said Justin Huber, General Manager of Melbourne Aces. “This is our home, our beautiful wildlife and animals, our farmers, family and friends. We physically cannot fight the fire but together we can put on a great fundraiser and do our part to help.”

Please join with Baseball Victoria and the Melbourne Aces as the Victorian baseball community shows support for BlazeAid.

Click HERE to learn more and purchase tickets for Sunday’s event.