Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

Baseball Victoria is saddened to hear of the passing of Michael Trevorah, a beloved life member of Cheltenham Baseball Club, at the age of 66.

Michael was elected as a Life Member of Cheltenham Baseball Club in 1985 for his many years of service as a player, coach and an administrator where he served as the Chairman of Selectors as well as in senior executive roles including Chairman of the Board.

Michael started his baseball career with the old Cheltenham Baseball Club prior to the amalgamation in 1972 and was an outstanding catcher and hitter throughout his senior playing career between 1973 to 1985. In 1975, playing in Division 1, Michael batted .411 including a 6-hit game against Footscray which remains the club record for a game day performance to this day. Michael was elected as one of “Finest Fifty” players at Cheltenham's Century Celebrations in 2014.

Following his retirement as a player, Michael continued to be heavily involved over many years coaching senior men and women’s teams as well as junior teams at all levels, always with considerable success.

Michael recently celebrated his 50 years association with the cub and his passion and commitment to the club and his unwavering support of all members was clearly evident to all those who attended. He cared really deeply about Chelteneham Baseball Club and all those within it and he will be very sadly missed.

Cheltenham Baseball Club extends condolences to his family - Lyn, Shannyn, Dylan and Abbey and his many friends throughout Victorian baseball.

Baseball Victoria was provided this memorial notice by Cheltenham Baseball Club.

VSBL Division 3 firsts action has seen Springvale fall to their first defeat of the season but it hasn't toppled them from top spot. In the reserves, Springvale and Ormond Gold are tied at 9-3 each as every team hopes to get into a better position before the break comes around.

Division 3 Firsts

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 5 v Springvale Lions 4

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold won a nailbiter against Springvale, giving the Lions their first loss of the season.

Matt Cameron started for Springvale, and by the top of the sixth in this close game Ormond was leading 2-1. The Hunters kept up with the offense, challenging Springvale all the way.

Lucas Price smashed his first home run of the season to bring Springvale within one run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Lions couldn't make anything else happen.

The Hunters have picked up their fifth win of the season and are in fifth place but a win next week against Ormond Blue could move them up a couple of spots. Springvale will hope this loss was just a minor hiccup when the Lions face North Western Titans.

Chelsea Dolphins 6 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 8

The Blue Hunters have won their fifth game of the season, beating Chelsea in a close matchup.

Chelsea led 2-1 after the first and by the end of the fifth the Dolphins were up 5-1, but Ormond Glenhuntly wasn't down and out yet. The Hunters scored two in the sixth and five in the ninth to come back and take the win.

Colin Trigellis-Smith got the win for Ormond Blue, pitching the full nine innings. He gave up nine hits for five earned runs with eight strikeouts in only his third outing for the club.

Trigellis-Smith collected a hit, a run in a great display of offence as Jarrod Barrow had the same, Trigellis-Smith with an RBI also. Ashley Fisher collected three hits which included a double and a triple and recorded two RBIs with a run themselves. Michael Sullivan collected two hits for one run with two RBIs as well. Tim Carracher found his way on base twice, including a triple as he drove in two runs and one himself.

It was the Hunters 'second win in a row after they were sitting on a six-game losing streak, now hoping that they can finish the season strongly against Ormond Gold. 5-7 Chelsea hosts North Western Titans for round 13.

Pakenham Pumas 19 v North Western Titans 2

The Pumas asserted themselves in the competition with a huge victory over North Western Titians in round 12.

Despite going down the last two weeks, the Pumas have put themselves in a good position before the break, placed second at 7-4-1 before taking on Springvale. The 2-10 Titans face Chelsea in the last weekend before the break.

Division 3 Reserves

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 6 v Springvale Lions 10

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold went down to the Lions who are getting on a roll in the past fortnight after giving up two games in the rounds before.

The Hunters' had won round seven over Springvale 8-5, but they couldn't replicate the same success in this matchup. Both sides struggled pitching-wise early, with the Hunters taking a 5-4 lead after the first. Springvale put two on in the bottom of the third to steal the lead, with both teams scoring once in the fourth. Springvale scored three in the fifth to put the game out of reach.

The Lions sit first still at 9-3 while Ormond Gold has the same record, just one place below with five less runs scored on the season. Springvale has scored 136 and allowed 55 while Ormond Gold has scored 131 and given up 73.

Next weekend, Ormond Gold comes up against Ormond Blue whereas Springvale hosts Pakenham.

Pakenham Pumas 9 v North Western Titans 6

The Pumas won over North Western for their third win of the season, two of those wins coming in the past fortnight.

For the Titans, they'll hope to find their first win this weekend against Chelsea while the Pumas will want to end the season with a three-game win streak against Springvale.

Chelsea Dolphins 4 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 17

Ormond Blue is just one game from the top two after this win over Chelsea.

Chelsea scored three early runs but Ormond Blue was right there, scoring five before the inning was over. The Dolphins tacked on one more in the second but the Hunters answered with six runs. Chelsea was quiet for the rest of the game while Ormond Glenhuntly Blue scored four more in the fourth.

Warren Boustead, Benjamin Bull and Andrew Clark helped lead the Hunters to victory with contributions from up and down the lineup.

The Dolphins are 5-7 heading into a clash against North Western Titans while Ormond Blue clash with Ormond Gold as they have a chance to swap positions heading into the break.

There's just one round left of VSBL Division 2 before the break, and Williamstown has powered past Moorabbin in the standings. Teams are looking to finish off the year on a strong note heading into 2020, and this upcoming weekend will showcase that with some big matchups.

Division 2 Firsts - Round 15

Preston Pirates 9 v Malvern Braves 10

Preston had the chance for the sweep but in the final moments the Pirates dropped what would have been their fifth straight win. The Braves were up by two runs as the first inning came to a close but they needed a walkoff to get the win they wanted.

Preston went ahead by one run after scoring three in the third as Malvern tied the scores in the fifth, and then were ahead once again as the Braves scored two to the Pirates' one in the sixth inning. The seventh inning produced a run each for both sides.

In the eighth, the Pirates were happy to end their dig with a three-run lead and shut out Malvern in the bottom of the eighth with no more runs coming for them at the top of the ninth.

The Braves had the equation in front of them and they succeeded in getting the win with crucial at-bats.

Geoff Holland led the way on the mound picking up the win but the Malvern defence was started by Tyler Dale who pitched four innings with five hits and two earned runs and Mitchell Kennedy with four hits and one earned run.

Kennedy picked up three hits with two RBIs while Tyler Dale picked up two runs from two hits. Gavin Woolger recorded one hit to second and three RBIs as Justin Burke had one hit but two runs overall with Henry Hayman coming home twice too.

7-7 Preston will face Bonbeach this upcoming weekend whereas 10-5 Malvern will look to finish the year in the top four after the Braves face second-placed Moorabbin.

Moorabbin Panthers 4 v Port Melbourne Mariners 5

Moorabbin got the first run of the game in the first but were on the backfoot after the third came to a close when Port Melbourne scored two and took the lead, adding another two in the fourth also.

The fifth produced one run apiece until Moorabbin edged closer and closer to beating the Panthers late in the game. The Panthers managed to restrict the Mariners to no more runs for the game while getting one run in the eighth, but fell short in the ninth where they scored one more.

Chris Neilson picked up the loss for the Panthers as he gave up 10 hits and four earned runs within 4.2 innings.

Moorabbin's Mitch Barr and Neil Johnston had two hits, while Travis Finney had one hit but produced two runs for the afternoon after watching the ball closely to record three walks.

Moorabbin is now second with an 11-4 record while Port Melbourne is fifth at 9-6 and face Malvern and Doncaster respectively next round.

Doncaster Dragons 3 v Werribee Giants 14

The Giants beat the Dragons comfortably as they move to an 11-4 record for the season.

John Curnow picked up the win for the Giants. Through two innings he only let one batter on base but it was Joshua Lee who got things started in the middle. Lee went for six innings with six hits and three runs with seven strikeouts.

Offensively for Werribee, Justin Gil racked up two runs from two hits, including a home run and two RBIs. Andrew Christou snatched a hit and a run with two RBIs. Another home run recipient was Curnow who hit a three-run home run, one of two of his runs for the game. Lee was good at the plate too with three hits and two runs, Wade Balzer had two runs from two hits, as did Simon Riches and Oliver Box got two runs for the game too including an RBI.

Ben Palensky picked up the loss for the Dragons as he went six innings for seven hits and three earned runs with six strikeouts.

Nic Unland continued his good run of form for Doncaster, picking up a run in 10 of his last 12 games - this time it was a home run! But the home runs didn't stop there as Marcel D'Avoine also hit a solo home run. Brian Chen picked up two hits.

For the next round, 4-11 Doncaster takes on Port Melbourne while Werribee hosts Mulgrave.

Mulgrave Rebels 4 v Williamstown Wolves 5

The Wolves continue to put in hard work, climbing up the ladder and enjoying the feeling of first place now that they're 12-3 ahead of 11-4 Moorabbin.

The game was tied 1-1 after the first, which led into a quiet second inning before Mulgrave put up one in the third and another two in the fourth. Williamstown responded later with one in the sixth and two in the seventh to tie the game, making it 4-4. The Wolves eventually prevailed in extra innings for a fantastic win, their fourth in a row.

Jayde Thorne earned the win on the mound in seven scoreless innings of work, giving up just three hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Dennis Neal started for Williamstown, giving up four runs - two of them earned - across four innings with two hits, four walks and four strikeouts.

Williamstown's Aaron Green had a pair of singles while Robert Higginson singled and doubled. Jason McDonald had three base hits and an RBI. Hiroshi Narasaki doubled and Kevin Desmedt singled. Thorne also picked up two hits and two RBIs.

Mulgrave split up pitching duties between Jayson Arthur, who gave up two earned runs and two unearned runs in 6.2 innings with eight hits, three walks and five strikeouts, as well as Liam Richardson and Zeke Howie. Richardson gave up two hits and four walks across three frames but he kept Williamstown from scoring, while Howie gave up just that one key hit in the extra innings to seal Mulgrave's fate.

Mulgrave is now 5-9 going into round 16 at Werribee while Williamstown is confident ahead of a home game v St. Kilda.

St KIlda Saints 5 v Bonbeach St Chads 3

St Kilda has done well in this series with Bonbeach, staying competitive and getting a few much-needed wins on the board.

This is St Kilda's first series sweep of the season, and three wins in a row has given the Saints some confidence heading into the final round of the year.

Bonbeach started out strong, opening with two early runs but St Kilda responded with the same in the second. The tied ballgame continued through the top of the fourth before the bottom frame saw Bonbeach go up 3-2. Undeterred, St Kilda kept battling, finally breaking through with one run in the seventh and two in the eighth that made all the difference.

Disappointed by letting the lead slip late, Bonbeach will keep trying for that win all the Bluejays want so badly.

Now 5-10, St Kilda moves on to play Williamstown while Bonbeach hosts Preston.

Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays - Facebook

Division 2 Reserves - Round 12

Preston Pirates 2 v Malvern Braves 14

Malvern denied Preston a three-game winning streak with a huge performance on Sunday, a far cry from the 8-5 result to the Pirates from the week prior.

The first inning was quiet but the Braves got one runner home in the second and three in the third before a massive seven-spot in the fourth sealed their fate in a good way. Malvern managed three more in the fifth as Preston got two in the late stages and that was it.

Josh Brown, Lachlan Duckett and Jack Hanger helped Malvern's cause on the day as the team improved to 9-2-1 on the season, jumping to second place. Preston is 3-8-1 near the bottom before playing Bonbeach as Malvern moves on to play Moorabbin.

Moorabbin Panthers 3 v Port Melbourne Mariners 6

George Camov celebrated his 600-game milestone at Port Melbourne in style as the team won for the second week in a row over one of the top teams.

The Mariners scored all six runs in the first inning while Moorabbin scored early and struggled to make anything happen in the second half of the game. Moorabbin was 9-1 at round 10 but now the Panthers are 9-3, out of the top spot and in third place currently. Port Melbourne improves to 5-7 before playing Doncaster while Moorabbin plays Malvern next.

Mulgrave Rebels 2 v Williamstown Wolves 12

The Wolves had a huge game, giving themselves a big buffer after a close 8-7 call last week. Sean Best, Gerard Carter and Shane Dunn helped lead Williamstown to victory at the plate.

Mulgrave had a 2-0 lead after the second but it didn't last long as Williamstown had tied it up by the fourth before putting together a huge 10-run inning in the fifth to wrap up the game on a high note.

Williamstown is looking good at 10-2 atop the reserves ladder while Mulgrave has room to improve with a 4-8 record.

The Wolves play St Kilda next while Mulgrave has Werribee.

St Kilda Saints 8 v Bonbeach Bluejays 2

Although this was a quieter game offensively than St Kilda's 15-4 rout of Bonbeach in round 11, this was still a good game offensively for the Saints as they cruised to victory.

St Kilda was consistent in scoring, putting runs up in all but two of seven innings. Bonbeach scored once in the third and once in the sixth but it didn't make much of a difference as St Kilda had the win under control.

The Saints remain in fourth place, now at 7-5 before playing Williamstown, while the Bluejays fall to 1-12 with that lone win coming all the way back in round two. Bonbeach prepares to play Preston next.

Doncaster Dragons 6 v Werribee Giants 3

Doncaster has four wins in a row now after another strong performance at Werribee. After an up-and-down start the Dragons are improving, climbing the ladder now with a 6-6 record.

Werribee is 4-6-2 after four straight losses before playing Mulgrave while Doncaster plays Port Melbourne.

Division 2 Thirds - Round 12

Werribee Giants 11 v Doncaster Dragons 12

This was a fiery matchup with loads of offense but ultimately Wayne Allen, Peter Ervin and the rest of the Doncaster crew got the job done.

12 was Doncaster's lucky number in this series as the Dragons also reached that run total the week before when they held Werribee to just five runs.

Werribee has lost three straight games while Doncaster has four consecutive wins. Doncaster sits in fourth place at 7-4-1 while Werribee is in seventh at 4-8.

Round 13 has Doncaster playing Port Melbourne and Werribee playing Mulgrave.

Port Melbourne Mariners 1 v Moorabbin Panthers 11

The Panthers pounced on Port Melbourne's pitchers, taking advantage of scoring opportunities and getting the job done for the third straight week.

Moorabbin is 10-2 in second place behind undefeated Malvern, as Port Melbourne sits much lower on the ladder with a 3-9 record.

Port Melbourne plays Doncaster and Moorabbin plays Malvern next in what will be a huge matchup between the top teams.

Williamstown Wolves 6 v Mulgrave Rebels 7

Williamstown won last week 18-3, but Mulgrave came back in much more competitive fashion this time around.

The Wolves have now dropped two of the last three as they sit in third with an 8-4 record, while Mulgrave improves to 2-8.

St Kilda is next for Williamstown as Mulgrave prepares to take on Werribee.

Bonbeach Bluejays 2 v St Kilda Saints 9

The Saints led 3-2 after the first but they quickly added to their advantage, tacking on another three in the second and one in the third.

St Kilda scored twice more in the fourth to reach the final scoreline. The Saints are just outside of the top four with a 7-5 record after three in a row, while Bonbeach is at 1-11.

St Kilda plays Williamstown and Bonbeach plays Preston in round 13.

Malvern Braves 19 v Preston Pirates 0

In a game the Pirates would rather forget, Malvern completely dominated on the mound and at the plate.

The Braves scored eight in the first and four in the second to effectively put the game out of reach, but they weren't finished offensively. Malvern continued to keep Preston quiet while scoring one in the third, two in the fourth and four in the fifth.

David Beaumont, Luke Bettles, Tom Copping and the rest of the Braves were thrilled to stay undefeated and keep up the momentum going into the next game at Moorabbin, while 4-7-1 Preston looks forward to playing Bonbeach.

Division 2 Fourths - Round 12

Werribee Giants 6 v Doncaster Dragons 16

The Dragons enjoyed a great outing, putting together one of their highest scorelines yet as they improved to a 4-6 record. Werribee is 3-9 and on the search for another win after dropping the last few.

Doncaster plays Geelong next and Werribee plays Mulgrave.

Williamstown Wolves 7 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

The back-to-back champs at Williamstown kept ahead of Mulgrave for an undefeated record, now sitting at 12-0. The Rebels are 1-11 but ready to get a win on the board in round 13 against Werribee, something Williamstown will also hope to achieve against St Kilda.

Geelong Baycats 9 v Moorabbin Panthers 9

Both sides battled hard but this game finished in a draw after Geelong came back to tie it up in the final frame. The Baycats had given up a five-run fifth to let Moorabbin right back into the game.

Scott Wise pitched well for Geelong and Marc Weakley handled third base nicely.

Geelong takes on Doncaster and Moorabbin plays Malvern for the final round of the year.

Malvern Braves 0 v Preston Pirates - FORFEIT

St Kilda Saints - BYE

St KIlda Saints 5 v Bonbeach St Chads 3

St Kilda has done well in this series with Bonbeach, staying competitive and getting a few much-needed wins on the board.

This is St Kilda's first series sweep of the season, and three wins in a row has given the Saints some confidence heading into the final round of the year.

Disappointed by letting the lead slip late, Bonbeach will keep trying for that win all the Bluejays want so badly.

Now 5-10, St Kilda moves on to play Williamstown while Bonbeach hosts Preston.

Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays - Facebook

Division 2 Reserves - Round 12

Preston Pirates 2 v Malvern Braves 14

Malvern denied Preston a three-game winning streak with a huge performance on Sunday, a far cry from the 8-5 result to the Pirates from the week prior.

Moorabbin Panthers 3 v Port Melbourne Mariners 6

George Camov celebrated his 600-game milestone at Port Melbourne in style as the team won for the second week in a row over one of the top teams.

Mulgrave Rebels 2 v Williamstown Wolves 12

The Wolves had a huge game, giving themselves a big buffer after a close 8-7 call last week. Sean Best, Gerard Carter and Shane Dunn helped lead Williamstown to victory at the plate.

Williamstown is looking good at 10-2 atop the reserves ladder while Mulgrave has room to improve with a 4-8 record.

The Wolves play St Kilda next while Mulgrave has Werribee.

St Kilda Saints 8 v Bonbeach Bluejays 2

Although this was a quieter game offensively than St Kilda's 15-4 rout of Bonbeach in round 11, this was still a good game offensively for the Saints as they cruised to victory.

Doncaster Dragons 6 v Werribee Giants 3

Doncaster has four wins in a row now after another strong performance at Werribee. After an up-and-down start the Dragons are improving, climbing the ladder now with a 6-6 record.

Werribee is 4-6-2 after four straight losses before playing Mulgrave while Doncaster plays Port Melbourne.

Division 2 Thirds - Round 12

Werribee Giants 11 v Doncaster Dragons 12

This was a fiery matchup with loads of offense but ultimately Wayne Allen, Peter Ervin and the rest of the Doncaster crew got the job done.

12 was Doncaster's lucky number in this series as the Dragons also reached that run total the week before when they held Werribee to just five runs.

Werribee has lost three straight games while Doncaster has four consecutive wins. Doncaster sits in fourth place at 7-4-1 while Werribee is in seventh at 4-8.

Round 13 has Doncaster playing Port Melbourne and Werribee playing Mulgrave.

Port Melbourne Mariners 1 v Moorabbin Panthers 11

The Panthers pounced on Port Melbourne's pitchers, taking advantage of scoring opportunities and getting the job done for the third straight week.

Moorabbin is 10-2 in second place behind undefeated Malvern, as Port Melbourne sits much lower on the ladder with a 3-9 record.

Port Melbourne plays Doncaster and Moorabbin plays Malvern next in what will be a huge matchup between the top teams.

Williamstown Wolves 6 v Mulgrave Rebels 7

Williamstown won last week 18-3, but Mulgrave came back in much more competitive fashion this time around.

The Wolves have now dropped two of the last three as they sit in third with an 8-4 record, while Mulgrave improves to 2-8.

St Kilda is next for Williamstown as Mulgrave prepares to take on Werribee.

Bonbeach Bluejays 2 v St Kilda Saints 9

The Saints led 3-2 after the first but they quickly added to their advantage, tacking on another three in the second and one in the third.

St Kilda scored twice more in the fourth to reach the final scoreline. The Saints are just outside of the top four with a 7-5 record after three in a row, while Bonbeach is at 1-11.

St Kilda plays Williamstown and Bonbeach plays Preston in round 13.

Malvern Braves 19 v Preston Pirates 0

In a game the Pirates would rather forget, Malvern completely dominated on the mound and at the plate.

Division 2 Fourths - Round 12

Werribee Giants 6 v Doncaster Dragons 16

Doncaster plays Geelong next and Werribee plays Mulgrave.

Williamstown Wolves 7 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

Geelong Baycats 9 v Moorabbin Panthers 9

Both sides battled hard but this game finished in a draw after Geelong came back to tie it up in the final frame. The Baycats had given up a five-run fifth to let Moorabbin right back into the game.

Scott Wise pitched well for Geelong and Marc Weakley handled third base nicely.

Geelong takes on Doncaster and Moorabbin plays Malvern for the final round of the year.

Malvern Braves 0 v Preston Pirates - FORFEIT

St Kilda Saints - BYE

With fresh new series getting underway over the weekend in VSBL Division 1, there were plenty of close matchups and surprise results. Now with just one week to go teams are looking to finish off 2019 strong and head into 2020 with some much-needed momentum.

Division 1 Firsts - Round 16

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 2 v Sandringham Royals 10

The Royals are on a roll! After putting up a strong fight against table-toppers Sunshine, including a 3-2 stunner after a pitcher's duel last weekend, Sandringham put on a strong showing on Saturday.

Sandringham opened with three runs in the first and another three in the second as the Tigers floundered, struggling to get any offense started. The Royals scored two more in the third and one in the fourth for a 9-0 lead before the Tigers finally managed to get some scoring put together. Upwey Ferntree Gully brought two runners home in the fifth to avoid the shutout, although it wasn't enough to stage a comeback.

Sandringham scored one more run in the bottom of the seventh as the team went on to collect 14 hits on the day while giving up just five to the Tigers. The Royals made two errors in the field while the Tigers made one.

It was a great outing offensively for Sandringham, as Declan Ferguson, Zak Skinner and Jack Wills all had three hits on the day. Skinner had four quality at-bats with three RBIs, while Wills knocked in three runs of his own.

Justin Swanton was responsible two RBIs in support of Upwey Ferntree Gully. Sean Meldrum and Donovan Hendricks split the pitching duties for the Tigers, with each throwing four innings. Cody Anderson had another terrific start for Sandringham, going the whole nine innings with 24 first-pitch strikes and 14 strikeouts.

Sandringham keeps climbing the ladder, now tied with Blackburn at 8-8, while Upwey Ferntree Gully is 6-6-1. The Tigers host the final game of the year this upcoming weekend.

Cheltenham Rustlers 4 v Geelong Baycats 14

The Baycats have won six straight after a dominating performance at home on Saturday, keeping the Rustlers under control as the Geelong baseball community enjoyed a special Hawaiian-themed round before the holidays.

Cheltenham put up a good fight early, scoring three in the opening frame off of Rudy Jaramillo before he settled into things. Luckily the Baycats' bats were right there to back him up, leveling the score at 4-all after the second inning. From there on out Geelong dominated, keeping the Rustlers off the base paths while slowly but surely getting things moving offensively.

Geelong scored two in the bottom of the fourth before a few quiet innings, leading into the seventh inning when the Baycats created a huge eight-run frame. Tyler Luther-Wilson, Jordan Baumann and James Wood all had three hits on the day, with three RBIs for Baumann, three for Lewis Weldon and two for Josh Davies. Kobe Greenhalgh took three walks to keep getting on base for the Baycats, too.

The Baycats collected a total of 16 hits while holding Cheltenham to just six. Andrew Campbell and Ben Fierenzi took on pitching duties for the Rustlers, although Geelong's Jaramillo outlasted them with seven innings of work, 23 first-pitch strikes and nine strikeouts.

Geelong is 11-5 in second place while Cheltenham is 7-9 going into Round 17.

Photo: Geelong Baycats Baseball Club - Facebook

Melbourne Demons 4 v Essendon Bombers 1

The Bombers have let some games slip lately, losing their past two whereas Melbourne has broken a three-game losing streak with this upset win over Essendon.

Melbourne managed to get two hits and a run off Essendon's Michael Formisano across four innings. Gareth Formisano pitched 2.1 innings, allowing three hits and one run, while Luke Abels took the loss, giving up two runs to the Demons.

Essendon's Liam Bedford hit a triple that turned into a run in his first outing for the club this season. He was supported by Scott McIntyre who had two hits including a double, as did G Formisano with Cody Rodwell also recording two hits.

Essendon has a 9-7 record while Melbourne is 6-9 looking ahead to round 17. Ahead of this weeks game at Melbourne, Essendon will want to stay within the top four however the Demons will be hoping to win the series.

Blackburn Orioles 11 v Fitzroy Lions 4

A big six-run first inning to the Orioles was enough of a lead to begin proceedings in this game as the Lions never caught up, even after scoring three of their four in the sixth where Blackburn also scored the same amount.

The Lions' first run came in the second inning but it was quickly cancelled out by the Orioles in the third. Blackburn took the lead to seven following a single runner score in the seventh.

Blackburn accrued 13 hits for the day, Cooper Goodman (two doubles) and Ryan Berg each having three, Goodman along with three RBIs. Nick Rossell and Jacob Evans brought two runs in also. Charlie Collins and Evans (one double) tallied two hits. Berg, Liam Hopkins and Harrison Smith were the top run-scorers with two each.

Evans pitched five innings for the Orioles for four strikeouts and 13 first-pitch strikes, not allowing an earned run to cross home plate. Blake Hodgson earned the save from 3.1 innings out of the bullpen, restricting the Lions to three hits.

James Little pitched five innings for Fitzroy and he too managed 13 first-pitch strikes as they got batters on the back foot early. On the bats for Fitzroy, Gavin Juchnivcus was the top hitter with three hits, a third of his side's total hits for the game.

Blackburn could end the year in the in the top four with a win next weekend at home to the Lions who could also move up a spot.

Berwick City Cougars 4 v Newport Rams 3

Newport was down by four runs as the game entered the bottom of the seventh, the Rams producing three runs with more chances to win in the following two innings.

The Cougars defence didn't let another run slip through as they finished with a one run win, their fifth for the season while Newport will hope to go one better and record win number five against Berwick next weekend.

For the Rams, their runs came from David Land, Keenan Spence and Tyler Comben but it was Nathan Smith who was perfect at the plate, gathering three hits from three at bats.

On the pitching side of things for Newport, Jason Jarvis pitched the full eight innings giving up eight hits but just one earned run. Jarvis had four strikeouts and didn't give up any walks but was still credited with the loss.

Matthew West got the win for the Cougars when he didn't give up any runs from three hits with four strikeouts over six innings. Craig Barnett got the save from 2.1 innings where he didn't give up any hits, nor runs.

Cain Bumpstead had two hits that included a double but it was Jordan Bradley, Nick O'Shea, John King and Aiden Willis who each recorded one hit that subsequently turned into runs for each of them too.

Waverley Wildcats 4 v Sunshine Eagles 1

It was Sunshine who drew first blood in this Sunday matchup but that was where the Eagles' offence stopped as Waverley ensured as few runners got on bases as possible.

The Wildcats evened the scores in the third before going ahead by two runs the next inning. Waverley scored once more in the ninth, leaving the Eagles with four runs to win however the away side was able to control the batters.

Andrew Russell got the win for the Wildcats as he pitched seven innings giving up one run on one hit with zero base on balls and eight strikeouts. Jamie Papanicoloau got the save as he gave up one hit and struck out two in one inning where 14 of his 17 pitches were strikes.

Papanicoloau had two hits for one run with Jacob Sheldon-Collins and Reece Longstaff each having one-hit, one-run games. Mohi Kahui was the other beneficiary of a run scored.

Adam Irons took the loss for the Eagles as he gave up five hits and one earned run throughout six innings. Griffin Weir was the relief and pitched three innings for three hits and one run.

Jordan Young made it on base with a double which turned into the Eagle's only run of the game. Bryce Aldridge got three hits while Nikau Pouaka-Greco got two hits in the game.

The win over Sunshine sees three teams now sitting on 11 wins, bridging the gap and setting the Wildcats and Eagles up for a great game this weekend upcoming.

Division 1 Reserves - Round 12

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 8 v Sandringham Royals 7

Both Upwey Ferntree Gully and Sandringham exhibited strong offensive outings, culminating in the Royals falling just shy of victory. Bryce Taylor impressed in his first start back for Upwey Ferntree Gully, while Chad Hendricks and Mitch John both had two hits and Riley Light doubled.

Sandringham led 2-1 after the first inning and it remained that way until Upwey Ferntree Gully scored three in the fourth, backing that dig up with another two in the fifth.

Sandringham tied the scores again with a four-run inning at the bottom of the fifth before the Tigers managed an extra two to lead once again.

The equation for the Royals was to get three at the bottom for a win however, Jason Garland on the mound with a tight defense didn't allow it to happen as the Tigers improved their record to 8-2, sitting second. The Royals will go into the final round of the year with a 3-7-1 record.

Cheltenham Rustlers 8 v Geelong Baycats 4

Two four-run offensive innings propelled the Rustlers past the Baycats on Saturday, their fourth win in a row and Geelong's third consecutive loss.

Cheltenham never trailed in this match as four runs were scored in the fourth, the Baycats getting to within one as the sixth came to a close. The Rustlers doubled their score in the seventh, prompting the need for a massive fightback from Geelong, but were only able to cut the deficit by one.

Emerson Rickard gave the Baycats a quality start to the game but was struggling for support across the rest of the diamond by allowing a few unearned runs.

Harper Rickard and Dion Kirchner picked up two hits each, as did Will Brennan who continued his good form as the catcher while Connor Hughes hit a triple.

Cheltenham now take a 9-3 record into the next week while Geelong will want to climb back up the ladder after sliding two places in the past month.

Melbourne Demons 4 v Essendon Bombers 5

Essendon stole the game from Melbourne in the sixth inning after the Bombers lead for the entire game

The Bombers scored their first two runs in the third and doubled that lead at the top of the sixth but giving credit to the Demons, they rose to the challenge and came away with the walk-off win with five runs at the bottom.

Three of Essendon's last four games have resulted in one-run margins, indicating that the Bombers are always in the contest but will be hoping they can get away from Melbourne next weekend as each team look to improve on their six wins for the year.

Blackburn Orioles 12 v Fitzroy Lions 0

The Orioles provided their first shutout of the year in this round 12 matchup against Fitzroy to see them remain in top spot heading into the final round of the season.

The offence was started in the second when the Orioles brought five across the plate, followed by three in the fourth and four more throughout the final two innings.

The dominant pitching performances of Sam Buccello and Pat White was covered well as they hardly troubled the Fitzroy batters, backed up massively by Mitch Whiting at short stop.

In similar fashion to Blackburn's lineup last week, every starter got a hit or an RBI with Owen de Vries right in the mix with a couple of hits, as well as to Whiting. Cal Vance, David Dicker, Tom Kerr-Chapman and Tim Holland all had great at bats that kept the lineup ticking over regularly.

Berwick City Cougars 10 v Newport Rams 2

The Cougars left it late but it worked out for them as they ran away with a eight-run win over Newport.

The Rams, as has happened a few times this season, were very much in the game on the weekend, trailing by one heading into their fifth dig after tying the scores on two separate occasions.

In the sixth and seventh though was when the Cougars did the most damage with four and three runs respectively while limiting the Rams hitters.

Newport will be hoping to close out the year with a win next weekend as the Rams travel to Berwick in round 13.

Waverley Wildcats 9 v Sunshine Eagles 4

Each team started their first dig well, recording three runs each but it was largely Waverley from there.

Triple two-run digs in the following innings was more than enough to keep the margin rolling along, even if the Eagles scored one in the third.

Sunshine is on a six game losing streak, hoping to break that whereas the Wildcats haven't lost since Round 5.

Division 1 Thirds - Round 12

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11 v Sandringham Royals 4

Sandringham led 2-1 after the first inning of this game against Upwey Ferntree Gully but could only muster up two more runs for the game (singles in the fourth and sixth).

The Tigers got the lead back in the third with two runs, and again in the fifth by scoring another two. Their biggest offensive action came in the sixth though when they scored six, putting the result beyond doubt.

Upwey Ferntree Gully sits just outside the top four with a 7-3-1 record and will want to finish the year in the top four with a win over Sandringham this weekend who could jump a few places also with a win themselves.

Cheltenham Rustlers 4 v Geelong Baycats 8

The one dig that allowed Geelong to breeze through to a four run win was at the bottom of the third when the Baycats took four runs across the plate.

Besides that, it was an even affair with each team cancelling out the other, the scores tied at one apiece after the first and the Rustlers advancing to a two-run lead at the top of the third before playing catchup.

The Baycats improve their season record to 8-2-2, still in second thanks to a sizeable runs for tally, while Cheltenham is sixth at 5-5-2 as the two teams square off again next weekend.

Fitzroy Lions 4 v Blackburn Orioles 9

Another game that was tied as the first inning came to a close, the score being 2-2, Blackburn taking charge as the game wore on.

The Orioles took their lead in the third with two runs and never looked back, scoring a further three in the fourth as the Lions managed one.

In the final inning, the Lions again scored a solitary run with the Orioles ending the game with two more added to their score.

Gerard Kingston pitched a solid game, working well with catcher Mitch Flett. Those two were well supported by the field, none more so than short stop Brendan Kane who made some diving plays to save a few runs. Kane, along with Hayden Roe each recorded four hits on a dominant hitting display that prompted other batters to drive in the runs.

The Orioles are 9-1-2 on top of the ladder and won't want to let their position slip when they take on Fitzroy next week who, at 3-8-1 are hoping to end the year on a high.

Melbourne Demons 6 v Essendon Bombers 7

The Bombers claimed a walkoff win in the sixth to record their eighth win (and fourth in a row) of the season to still sit within the top four. The Demons unfortunately have lost four in a row as slip to seventh with a 5-6-1 record.

In this matchup though, the Demons got the first run in in the first and added two more in the third before at the bottom, Essendon tied things up.

Melbourne penciled in another three runs at the top of the sixth as the Demons were feeling good about their chances however they couldn't contain the Bombers who went on to drive in the four runs they needed.

Melbourne will be hoping for vengeance this weekend and turn the result around as the team's clash in the last fixture of the year.

Sunshine Eagles 1 v Waverley Wildcats 11

Waverley got proceedings underway with a four-run bottom first inning before consecutive three-run digs helped the lead grow to double digits.

Sunshine scored one run in the fourth but it was quickly cancelled out by the Wildcats at the bottom.

The Wildcats look to finish the year strongly as they remain inside the top four whereas the Eagles will want to see their second win come through to end the year well for the club.

Berwick City Cougars 10 v Newport Rams 7

Some quickfire one and two-run innings from Berwick were enough to beat Newport on Sunday as the Rams mustered their seven runs within the first three innings, highlighted by a four-run dig in the second.

Newport led until the fourth inning when the Cougars were able to shut out their opposition, the lead even getting out to three runs as the second inning concluded.

The Rams will be looking to maintain their leads next weekend as each team has two wins for the season so far and a third will provide a bit of relief to each side.

Division 1 Fourths - Round 12

Cheltenham Rustlers 3 v Geelong Baycats 13

Geelong has exhibited some strong offensive displays within the last fortnight and this week was no different.

Cheltenham was leading 2-1 after the third dig and took that lead until the fourth as the Baycats scored seven runs in that inning. The Rustlers added one more to their total but Geelong, displaying strong batting abilities scored another five to take the game.

Geelong's Jake Warren and Jake Elderfield lead the way with the bats, each going three-for-three. Jackson Viney and William Fitzgerald picked up two hits each as each player had quality at bats. On the mound, youngster Adam Jirik got the start on the mound and was great over four innings, allowing two runs.

It was a game that Cheltenham let slip as the Rustlers were on a win streak of three and now hold a 6-6 record while the Baycats are 4-6-1 and looking to see more offense in the new year.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 1 v Sandringham Royals 11

The Royals put together their most complete game of the season and finished the game strongly with five runs in the fourth and three runs in the fifth as before that point, the Royals led 3-1.

The Royals now have the edge over the Tigers as they sit ninth with a 4-6-1 record. The Tigers will want to get their fourth win of the year as they're one spot down from Sandringham.

Fitzroy Lions 2 v Blackburn Orioles 7

Two good displays of batting in the first and fourth innings from Blackburn produced three runs in each as they cruised to a big win over Fitzroy.

The Lions got the runs on the board first with one in the first and the other in the fourth.

Blackburn's Hamish Govenlock winded back the clock and provided another quality start on the mound, well supported by John McBride to close out the game. All of the Orioles hitters had good at bats throughout the game.

Blackburn is firmly entrenched in the top four with a week to go before the break while Fitzroy will be searching for the third win of the season when the two teams square off next round.

Essendon Bombers 2 v Melbourne Demons 9

In the battle of the top-two and each team having similar fortnights, Melbourne prevailed to now extend the gap between them and Essendon by two games.

A large sum of the Demons runs came in the final dig of the game where they scored four in the sixth as Essendon was behind by one after their third inning.

The Bombers will hope to bridge the gap in the final game of the year and take some momentum into the second half of the season.

Sunshine Eagles 4 v Waverley Wildcats 6

Sunshine remained competitive and on track but ultimately fell to Waverley in this fixture.

The Eagles tied the scores in the third after back-to-back one-run digs to the Wildcats prior.

The Wildcats then had three runners make their way around the bases in the bottom of the third, the Eagles pressing in the fifth to cut the deficit by one run to stay in the game. Waverley added an extra to their own total in the fifth too and shut the Eagles out in the final dig.

With the win, Waverley has managed to gather enough wins for the year to remain in the top four while Sunshine is 4-6-1 as the Eagles push to turn things around and record their first win since Round 5.

Berwick City Cougars 13 v Newport Rams 0

The Cougars shut out the Rams as they improve their winning percentage to 50 percent, leaving Newport on the bottom of the ladder still heading into the final round of the year.

Four runs in the first and eight runs in the third was more than enough to cover the Cougars in this big win where they'll look to do the same against the Rams next weekend, whereas perhaps there's a win for Newport around the corner as the break draws near.

VSBL Women's Division 1, 2 and 3 continue to impress as teams look to wrap up the year on a strong note before the summer break. There's just one weekend of VSBL women's baseball left in 2019 as teams try and get the job done while enjoying fantastic competition.

Women's Division 1 - Round 12 (Midweek Games)

Essendon Bombers 4 v Springvale Lions 15

This was a game that gathered plenty of scoring opportunities but it was Lions who capitalised most as they responded to the Bombers two-run top inning to start the game.

That response included five runs at the bottom for Springvale, however Essendon bounced back with another two runners coming home. By the end of the inning Springvale still led, now with a score of 8-4. From there on out the offense belonged to the Lions, as they scored one more in the first and another three in both the fifth and the sixth.

Springvale collected a total of 16 hits on the day, with three players recording three hits. Lili Cavanagh had two doubles and a single, while Maddy Patrick had one extra-base hit and two singles. Ayumi Ikeyama has a nice hitting streak going on after three singles. Teammates Kelly Manzie and Siobhan Stephenson had two singles each, while Sinead Flanigan and Emily Devine both doubled. Shae Lillywhite also had a hit and two walks to support Springvale's offensive efforts.

The Lions looked good, finishing strongly as they cruised to their ninth win of the season. Ikeyama covered two innings with no hits allowed and three strikeouts after Manzie started the game. She gave up five hits to Essendon across four innings with four runs allowed - three of them earned - and four strikeouts.

Springvale has a 9-2-1 record while Essendon is 4-6-2 going into the next round.

Footscray Bulldogs - FORFEIT v Doncaster Dragons 0

Women's Division 1 - Round 13 (Saturday Games)

Essendon Bombers 19 v Doncaster Dragons 4

The Bombers have announced themselves in the competition in a big way since winning one game in the first seven rounds, beating Doncaster by 15 runs in their Saturday matchup.

This is Essendon's best performance of the year, and the second time in just a few weeks that the Bombers have scored more than 15 runs. Essendon beat Footscray 16-3 in round 11.

Kayla Adams, Allie Bebbere, Jasmine Bentley and Emma Davenport helped Essendon rack up the runs, with contributions up and down the lineup making a huge difference.

Essendon has won two of the last three and now has a 5-6-2 after 13 rounds whereas the Dragons have dropped two games behind Springvale to sit second with a 8-3-2 record.

In their next fixture, the last one before the break, Doncaster hosts Springvale in a top-two clash while Essendon hosts Footscray.

Springvale Lions 10 v Footscray Bulldogs 4

This game started quietly, but it wasn't long before the Lions turned things up a notch. Springvale got out to a handy six run lead after scoring five in the third before Footscray made it a game when the Bulldogs scored four in their following three digs.

With the Lions holding onto a 6-4 lead going into the top of the seventh, their experienced lineup brought the bats out once more to ensure four runs crossed the plate. Springvale then shut the Bulldogs out in the bottom to secure the win.

Springvale had 13 hits in total on the day, with Lili Cavanagh extending her hitting streak to eight games with a double and two singles. Kelly Manzie, Emily Devine and Hanami Campitelli all had two singles in the game, while Sinead Flanigan doubled and Shae Lillywhite singled. Siobhan Stephenson and Ayumi Ikeyama also had base hits to help out the Lions.

Gabby Bevan pitched six innings for the Lions, giving up nine hits and four runs - three of them earned - with three strikeouts. Cavanagh filled in for the last inning, a quiet pitching appearance that allowed Springvale to come away with the victory.

Springvale has won four in a row and is two games clear on top with a 10-2-1 record as the Lions prepare to travel to Doncaster for the final game of 2019. Footscray will be searching for a win before the break when the Bulldogs contest against Essendon.

Women's Division Two - Round 11

Essendon Bombers 3 v Wheelers Hill Warriors 12

Essendon got runs on either side of the game but could never recover from the Warriors' seven-run dig in the first.

A further five runs through the second to fourth innings saw the lead extend to double digits before the Bombers scored two in the fifth.

Essendon currently as a 1-10 record while Wheelers Hill is in third place at 5-4 before playing Footscray and Springvale, respectively.

Springvale Lions 18 v Fitzroy Lions 3

Some early bursts of offence helped Springvale gain a nice four-run lead after two innings but it was the fourth and fifth innings that did the most damage - seven runs in each.

Fitzroy cut the early lead in half with two in the third before the lineup faced the mammoth task in the fifth where they only scored one.

Fitzroy is 2-9 and off to play Doncaster this upcoming weekend, while 9-1 Springvale faces Wheelers Hill.

Doncaster Dragons 15 v Footscray Bulldogs 12

A Doncaster lineup featuring the likes of Maddy Davis, Keeley Harrison and Michelle Love got the job done, despite a great effort from Footscray. This was a close game but it finished with the Dragons extending their winning streak to 10 games.

The Dragons will be hoping they can go into the break with an 11-0 when facing Fitzroy this weekend. Footscray carries a 3-6 record into an away game at Essendon.

Women's Division Three East - Round 11

Springvale Lions 4 v Melbourne Demons 15

The Demons have continued their strong season, adding another win to their now 8-1 record.

The fourth-placed Lions saw a slight lead as they got their account going with two runs in the first and tied things up again in the second as the Demons scored three in their first dig.

Melbourne scored in each of their innings as the lead grew, highlighted by five runs in the fourth. Melbourne enjoys an extended break due to a bye next round but for the 3-5 Lions, they host Mulgrave in round 12.

Mulgrave Rebels 1 v Moorabbin Panthers 21

A large margin has put Moorabbin ahead of Doncaster on the ladder, sitting second with a considerable runs for tally. The Panthers have scored 95 runs while giving up only 63 so far.

The Panthers relied on three consecutive seven-run innings for their total score, with the Rebels' lone run coming through in the third. The fourth and five innings were much quieter to wrap the game up with neither side scoring.

Caitlin Bann, Janelle Campbell, Ruby Dale and the rest of the hardworking Panthers will hope to make it two in a row before the first half of the season concludes when they take on Doncaster in round 12. That matchup between Moorabbin and Doncaster will see one of those teams finish in second ahead of the break, while Mulgrave prepares to play Springvale.

Doncaster Dragons v BYE

Doncaster faces Moorabbin in a top-three matchup in Round 12, both teams at 5-3 so the Dragons will be feeling refreshed after the bye to overtake the Panthers.

Women's Division Three South - Round 11

Pakenham Pumas Black 10 v Bonbeach Bluejays Blue 14

Bonbeach Blue got the job done in two and a half innings as two seven-run innings proved enough, even after Pakenham Black mounted a late charge.

The Pumas were on the back foot early after scoring four in the first two innings before a big offensive display saw them score six runs but still fall short of the target.

Jessica Brown, Fiona Glover, Bronwyn James and Joanne Myers helped Bonbeach to the win as the entire team came together to make win number seven a reality.

Bonbeach Blue has just the one loss this season and will want to keep it that way with a game against Pakenham White at home. Pakenham Black has a bye this week as the Pumas start their break early.

Pakenham Pumas White 2 v Sandringham Royals 17

Pakenham White scored the first run of the game but it was the Royals who were on top after that.

After scoring seven at the bottom of one, the following three innings produced 10 runs for Sandringham to counter the Pumas one extra in the fourth.

Each team is now 4-4; the Royals play Bonbeach White next weekend while Pakenham White is playing Bonbeach Blue.

Cheltenham Rustlers 21 v Bonbeach Bluejays White 0

Three consecutive seven-run innings was plenty for Cheltenham to take a commanding win over Bonbeach White.

Carolyn Allen, Josie Broad, Pia Dunkley and the rest of the Rustlers had a great day at the plate and out on the field.

The shut-out win to the Rustlers ensured they kept their top spot with a 8-1 record ahead of next round's game against Berwick. Bonbeach White will host Sandringham.

Berwick City Cougars v BYE

The third-placed Cougars will be fresh from the bye and out to improve on their five wins for the year when they take on Cheltenham in the next round.

Women's Division Three West - Round 11

North Western Titans 10 v Sunshine Eagles 14

In Sunshine, the Eagles win was enhanced by big offensive offerings, led by four in the first, adding another 10 during the third and fourth innings.

For the Eagles, Andrea McKenner and Kat Salkovic each hit in-the-park home runs.

The Titans remained close but fell short in the sixth inning, seeing the Eagles improve to 8-1 and despite this week's bye, Sunshine will remain on top through the new year with some breathing room. The Titans host Baycats White in round 12.

(Photo: Sally Hand/Sunshine Baseball Club Facebook)

Geelong Baycats White 12 v Geelong Baycats Blue 14

In the battle of the Baycats, Blue proved victorious with White continuously pressing with a late surge.

It was a 7-1 lead to Blue after two complete innings as White scored five in the third but that effort was outdone by Blue who recorded seven at the bottom.

White would go on to score six in the fourth for a narrow loss as they sit at 0-8-1, hoping to end the year on a high against North Western Titans. Baycats Blue host Fitzroy in the upcoming round.

Fitzroy Lions v BYE

Fitzroy had the bye however the fourth-placed Lions will come out strong against Baycats Blue this weekend.

Round 14 of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 firsts competition featured five stellar matchups as Williamstown and Moorabbin enjoy their spots at the top. The series finales are this weekend as teams look to wrap up the final two weeks before the break in style.

Port Melbourne 2 v Moorabbin Panthers 3

Moorabbin took a 9-0 record through the first part of the season, but the team has slipped a bit lately, losing some offensive firepower and dropping some close games. The Panthers managed to avoid three straight losses with a decent performance on Thursday night.

This game was an improvement offensively from the weekend when Port Melbourne cruised to a 10-0 victory, marking Moorabbin's first shutout loss of the season. It was a quiet start to the game before Moorabbin broke through and got two up on the board in the third and one more in the fourth. Port Melbourne's runners scored in the top of the fifth, but the Mariners couldn't quite pull off the comeback win they were hoping for by the end of the seventh inning.

Game three will be a big one with Port Melbourne hosting as the Mariners hope to continue climbing the ladder after a few recent wins have seen them improve to 8-6 in fifth place. Moorabbin is tied with Williamstown at the top with 11 wins and three losses, but the Wolves have them beat in runs scored, with 114 compared to 98 for the Panthers.

This weekend Moorabbin will rely on the team leaders at the plate in Stewart Mathieson, currently batting .400, and Nick Bertucci batting .391 with a .462 on-base percentage. Port Melbourne's Chris Doyle (.349) and William Parsons (.340) are players Moorabbin needs to keep off the base paths.

Malvern Braves 4 v Preston Pirates 6

The Pirates are aiming for the sweep this weekend after two big wins over Malvern, including a 14-11 victory over the weekend. Preston hasn't lost a game since round nine at Williamstown, and the Pirates want to continue this strong surge right up to the break.

Giving up six runs to Preston in the bottom of the first sealed Malvern's fate as even a late push in the third and fourth couldn't get the Braves caught up. Now the Pirates are 7-6 in hot pursuit of 8-6 Port Melbourne, while Malvern is 9-5 after losing a few games.

Preston heads to Malvern for the final game of the series as the Pirates hope Mitch Legge and Darcy Byrnne-Connell can keep improving on their .400 batting averages.

Bonbeach St Chads 2 v St Kilda Saints 7

The Saints are thrilled to get some solid wins on the board after a challenging season so far, now sitting at 4-10 going into round 15. Bonbeach still hasn't won a game as the Bluejays try to avoid the sweep this weekend at home.

Both teams need to improve their runs scored for and against ratios, with St Kilda currently at 61 and 88 while Bonbeach has allowed 100 more runs than the Bluejays have scored.

Bonbeach will need to stay on top of St Kilda early on in Sunday's game for the highest chance of a win, while also looking to team batting leaders Kris Bouker, Tomomi Tokubo and Matthew Bucci to get the job done at the plate. Tom Snowden, Daisuke Hebara and Eduardo Escalona all have on-base percentage above .400, so Bonbeach needs to watch out for these players in the box too.

Williamstown Wolves 17 v Mulgrave Rebels 2

The Wolves wasted no time getting on the board, with the first two runs scoring in the opening frame. Williamstown collected 11 hits in total with an eight-run second and a seven-run third. Mulgrave didn't stand much of a chance, although the Rebels did score one in the first and one in the fourth to avoid a dismal shutout.

Robert Higginson and Kevin Desmedt both had a single and a double for Williamstown, while Nick Gray and Hiroshi Narasaki had two singles each to give their team a boost. Chris Jackson tripled and Jayde Thorne doubled with Aaron Green recording an RBI single too.

All but two players in the lineup had at least one RBI, with Desmedt leading the way at three runs batted in. Desmedt gave up three hits and a run in three innings on the mound, while Chircop handled the other inning, striking out two but giving up a hit and three walks.

Mulgrave's quiet offense is something the team will want to improve upon heading into the series finale. Ricardo Anaya had two of Mulgrave's four hits on Thursday night while Caleb Poole and Zeke Howie had the other two.

Williamstown has caught up to Moorabbin with an 11-3 record and Mulgrave is trying to improve upon five wins and eight losses as the Wolves host on Sunday.

Werribee Giants 3 v Doncaster Dragons 2

With nine hits on the night including five doubles, Werribee was able to sneak past for the win, the team's tenth of the season.

Ryan Balzer, Wade Balzer, Daine Gregory all hit for extra bases while Justin Gil had two doubles. Evan McPherson and Harvey Garrett had singles on the night. Werribee struck out just three times in the game while taking four walks.

Doncaster collected eight hits on the night as Marcel D'Avoine led the way with two singles. Callum Lethborg and Brendan McDonald both doubled while Nic Unland, Derek Medlin, Brian Chen and Ben Palensky all chimed in with singles.

Winning pitcher Wesley de Jong handled six innings on the mound for Werribee, allowing eight hits and three walks for two earned runs with two strikeouts.

Simon Fitzmaurice pitched 4.1 innings for Doncaster, giving up just five hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts in his third scoreless pitching appearance in a row.

Angus Stals took the loss for Doncaster after giving up three earned runs across 1.2 innings on four hits and three walks in his fourth outing for the Dragons on the mound.

After winning the first game 6-5, Doncaster still has a shot at a series win as the 10-4 Giants host on Sunday.

With nine hits on the night including five doubles, Werribee was able to sneak past for the win, the team's tenth of the season.

Winning pitcher Wesley de Jong handled six innings on the mound for Werribee, allowing eight hits and three walks for two earned runs with two strikeouts.

Simon Fitzmaurice pitched 4.1 innings for Doncaster, giving up just five hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts in his third scoreless pitching appearance in a row.

Angus Stals took the loss for Doncaster after giving up three earned runs across 1.2 innings on four hits and three walks in his fourth outing for the Dragons on the mound.

After winning the first game 6-5, Doncaster still has a shot at a series win as the 10-4 Giants host on Sunday.

Charlie Pierson has a big summer ahead of him. Not only is the 15-year-old playing for his beloved Sandringham Royals, but he’s also got a spot on the U16 Victoria Blue State Team.

With so much to look forward to in the rest of this season, Charlie is keeping his eyes on the prize and focusing on improving all the time. “This summer I’m just working hard trying to achieve my goals and see how far I get,” Charlie said. “I’m just trying to become a better team player in the field and batting.”

The third baseman first got into the sport because of friendly family encouragement, and he hasn’t looked back since. “My brother started playing baseball and he kept on nagging me to play,” Charlie said. “I had a try and I really enjoyed my first season of it.”

For Charlie, baseball quickly became a passion for him, and he holds fond memories of big moments like hitting his first home run with his teammates cheering him on. “It became addictive, kind of like having coffee in the morning,” Charlie said. “You just can’t go without it. At school during the week, I’m looking ahead to baseball training and games on the weekend.”

Earlier this year, Charlie went to the 2019 Australian Junior League Championships as part of Southern Mariners Junior League All-Star team and came back with a silver medal. His exciting year continues as the U16 player has gotten game time with Sandringham’s Division 1 Thirds this VSBL season as he keeps developing his skills and growing stronger in his game techniques. “It’s a great club with good people and good teams,” Charlie added.

With a bright future ahead of him, Charlie hopes to succeed in his athletic ambitions, and he encourages others to do the same. “If you want to go far with it, put in the hard work and it’s a really good sport,” Charlie said, “If everyone does their job it makes for a better team.”

Junior baseball has opened up many opportunities for Lauren Romanin at Malvern Braves Baseball Club, and she’s looking forward to the rest of the VSBL season.

As a valued contributor on Malvern’s Intermediate League team in Eastern Athletics baseball charter, Lauren loves taking the field every week and going out and trying her best.

Baseball is a family affair for Lauren, as she’s followed in her brother Jack’s footsteps. She first became involved in baseball five years ago after watching him play. “I got excited and learned to play the game,” Lauren said. “Because we are different ages and different genders, whatever he does, I don’t really need to compete with it.”

Lauren is focused on herself and making constant improvements, and her intense determination has helped her go far. Her athleticism and willingness to work hard earned her a spot on the Victorian Youth Women’s Team, and after doing a great job at the national championships in April, Lauren is more driven than ever before to keep up the good work. Throughout the tournament she batted .333 and pitched well to support Victoria as the team finished with a bronze medal.

For Lauren, her coaches’ feedback and advice has been invaluable as she progresses with her training. She credits the skills she learned from the state team as key takeaways she’s now using in her summer season with Malvern. “I got to learn all new skills from them. It was just really fun going with all the girls and playing with them,” Lauren said. “One of the things I took out the most was just learning how to work with your team and using your skills on the field. If you know what the other person can do it’s really helpful and you can see it when you’re playing.”

Lauren couldn’t wait for the VSBL season to begin because she enjoys spending time with her teammates and welcoming new players into the fold. Seeing how everyone has improved last season is also exciting. “The goal is just to practice more and use everyone’s knowledge,” Lauren said. “I think my teammates’ batting is really strong.”

Week-in and week-out, Lauren is showcasing her pitching and fielding skills to try and get the Braves into winning positions as they compete for the championship. No matter what the result is at the end of the season, Lauren is happy regardless because she loves playing for Malvern. “My club has lots of families and they’re really nice,” Lauren said. “It’s fun and it’s just a really good time.”

Lauren is especially interested in encouraging new players to join in and get involved in the sport. She stresses how important it is to give it time when starting out, just as it took her lots of practice to adapt to the rigours of baseball.

“I would tell new players to just try it and if you like it, keep going,” Lauren said. “It becomes more fun after you learn more skills.”

Lauren and the Braves are currently 5-3 in the top four of the Twins/Eastern Athletics Intermediate League competition at the halfway point. Their next game is against Essendon Jets.

Dates for the 2020 Australian Little League Championships have been announced, including the Australian Intermediate League Championship in Mildura.

Sunraysia Baseball League will host the Intermediate League event for the second straight year from 26-30 May 2020 at Aerodrome Sports Park.

The national Little League circuit will begin with the Australian Junior League Championship from 5-9 May in Adelaide’s West Beach, followed by the Australian Senior League Championship from 17-21 May in Lismore, NSW.

After the Australian Intermediate League Championship in Mildura, the Little League event will close out the championships calendar once again from 4-8 June in Lismore.

All four champions will represent Australia Region at their respective World Series events in the US throughout August 2020.

Little League® Baseball announced dates for the four events last month. The Senior League World Series gets a month of baseball underway on August 1 with the Little League World Series championship game slated for August 30.

Baseball Victoria looks forward to an exciting year of national championships, especially having another prestigious tournament take centre stage in regional Victoria.