Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

There was plenty of baseball action over the weekend in VSBL Division 1 as teams are looking at making their offence count with many games producing a large number of runs. As we close in on the first half of the season, Sunshine has lost two of the past three games but still remain on top, with three teams one game away from overtaking first place. In the seconds, Blackburn is the team to beat as the Orioles took care of Upwey FTG. The thirds have the Orioles in first but the other three teams that round out the top four could pounce at any moment. Melbourne is atop the ladder for the fourths despite going down for the first time this season.

Division 1 Firsts - Round 14

Sunshine Eagles 2 v Sandringham Royals 3

The Royals made up for their 10-1 midweek loss to the Eagles with a win this time around, handing the Eagles their third defeat of the season and second in three games in the process.

Sunshine took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second before a few quiet innings. The Royals managed to tie things up in the bottom of the fifth, and eventually the go-ahead run came home in the sixth.

Sandringham managed to keep Sunshine from coming back and the Royals held on for a narrow one-run victory. NIkau Pouaka-Grego had three hits for Sunshine while Rory Meddick had two.

Harrison Wills had a pair of hits for Sandringham while Declan Ferguson and Paul Rutgers batted in the Royals' runs.

Cody Anderson threw the whole game for Sandringham, hurling 25 first-pitch strikes with six strikeouts on the day. Scott Riley Barr started for Sunshine and covered seven innings with three strikeouts before handing things over to Griffin Weir to close out the game.

Adam Irons made a fantastic catch in the outfield as a highlight for Sunshine as the Eagles collected nine hits in total on the day while allowing only five. The Royals made two errors and the Eagles had one.

Sunshine still sits on top of the ladder although with three teams each one win behind, the Eagles will be looking to steady themselves heading into the midweek matchup against the 7-7 Royals at Melbourne Ballpark.

Photo: Lee Dare/Sunshine Eagles Baseball Club - Facebook

Geelong Baycats 4 v Fitzroy Lions 0

The Baycats have improved their record to 9-5 after a shutout win over Fitzroy.

Geelong scored once in the first and three times in the ninth in an otherwise quick and quiet game. The Baycats relied on two RBIs from Tyler Luther-Wilson and two hits each for Rudy Jaramillo, Kelli Zablan and Lewis Weldon.

Brock Pawley got the loss for the Lions as he pitched a full nine innings, giving up three earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout.

Sam Gibbons was the winning pitcher, covering the entire game for Geelong with just two hits allowed in the shutout. He threw 23 first-pitch strikes with 11 strikeouts on the day.

Pawley and Jordan Walker were the only Lions players to collect hits in the game, one each.

Geelong has a chance to go top with a win in the midweek whereas Fitzroy hopes to find win number six on the season.

Newport Rams 2 v Essendon Bombers 12

A commanding 10-run win to the Bombers over the Rams sees them retain second place.

The Bombers collected 14 hits on the day as they cruised to their ninth win of the season.

Newport's dismal tenth loss in 13 games did have some bright spots, with Jarrod Berman and Connor Schibeci getting the runs for the Rams. Berman collected three hits for the day including two doubles as he also was credited with an RBI. Trenell Hutchins had one hit for one RBI.

David Asp started for Newport, pitching 3.1 innings and giving up six runs from eight hits but Tyler Comben took the loss from pitching 2.1 innings with four runs from four hits.

The Bombers go for the sweep and their fifth win in a row on Tuesday night at Newport.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11 v Blackburn Orioles 3

Upwey Ferntree Gully claimed the series against Blackburn with a big win away from home. The Tigers held a steady two-run lead after two innings but they went on to score six in a dominant third dig as Blackburn collected five errors for the game.

Upwey FTG tallied 17 hits for the day, Staci Rogers leading the way with four. Harvey Chinn, Michael Oxworth, Wade McConnon and Justin Swanton were each credited with two hits. Travis Murphy collected three hits including a solo home run. Murphy and Oxworth each led the game in RBIs with three.

Donavan Hendricks pitched a full game for the Tigers as he had 25 first-pitch strikes and gave up just six hits.

Blake Hodgson was on the mound for the Orioles for two innings but made light work of the Tigers as he collected a game-high three strikeouts. Jacob Evans, Sam Bucello, Rohan Johnstone and Harrison Smith all pitched in as well.

Berwick City Cougars 4 v Waverley Wildcats 7

Another win for the Wildcats keeps them in the race of second place along with Essendon and Geelong as all three teams are 9-5 now, a few games clear of Upwey Ferntree Gully.

A quiet first inning led to the second when Waverley scored twice. Lone runs in the fourth and the fifth added to Waverley's lead before the Wildcats plated a pair in the sixth. Berwick scored two runs in both the seventh and eighth but couldn't come back to challenge the Wildcats fully.

Waverley's Reece Longstaff went 2-for-3 as he managed two runs as well as an RBI while Damon Hill had a hit to second on his way to collecting two runs and two RBIs.

Andrew Russell got the win on the mound as he led his Wildcats, only giving up two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Adam Bright also gave up two runs on four hits as he relieved for the last two innings.

For Berwick John King hit a solo home run as one of three hits for him on the day as Aaron Ouwehand had two hits, one run and an RBI. King and Ouwehand hit back-to-back homers in a huge highlight for Berwick. Aiden Wills and Jordan Bradley each had one hit and one run.

Matthew West and Jordan Bradley were the pitchers for Berwick, Bradley allowing six runs from seven hits and four base on balls. West gave up one run in two innings of work.

Berwick could jump up two places with a win in the midweek game at home.

Melbourne Demons 0 v Cheltenham Rustlers 2

Cheltenham avoided a three-game losing streak with a strong performance on Sunday, outlasting the Demons in a pitchers duel.

Kurtis Smith threw six scoreless innings to for Melbourne, only conceding two hits while getting batters out in strikes on three occasions.

Liam Davine took the loss for the Demons; in one inning he gave up one run on one hit, facing only four batters. Adam Pahos gave up one run on one hit within seven batters.

Tim Sullivan singled and Jarryd Rogers had a double for Melbourne as otherwise the Rustlers kept things completely under control.

The Rustlers will be hoping to replicate their form from this game heading into the midweek and beyond as they are in touch of the top half of the ladder, while Melbourne needs a boost after winning just one of the last five.

Division 1 Reserves - Round 11

Sunshine Eagles 4 v Sandringham Royals 6

Each team had two wins heading into this game but it was the Royals who improved that record at the end of it.

Sunshine led 2-1 after the second but Sandringham battled back with four runs in the bottom of the third. The Eagles added two more runs across the fourth and the fifth while the Royals tacked one more on for the two-run victory.

Sandringham hosts Upwey Ferntree Gully on Saturday, whereas Sunshine hosts Waverley on Sunday as both sides look to climb the ladder.

Geelong Baycats 6 v Fitzroy Lions 7

After a one-run loss last weekend to Upwey Ferntree Gully, Fitzroy emerged victorious by one run over Geelong.

The win sees the Lions claim their third of the season before taking on Blackburn while the Baycats will look to get back in the winner's column when they meet Cheltenham.

Newport Rams 2 v Essendon Bombers 5

The Rams have had their loss streak extended to double digits as Essendon took care of proceedings.

The Bombers have improved their record to 5-5-1 heading into a clash with Melbourne next weekend. Newport faces Berwick for round 12.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 2 v Blackburn Orioles 8

The top-of-the-table clash between Upwey Ferntree Gully and Blackburn ended in a 8-2 win to the Orioles, in part to the home team's five-run second dig as the Tigers scored theirs late.

Gerard Kingston opened the scoring with a base hit and then he dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt a few innings later. Julian Vance executed a great hit and run for Blackburn, too.

The Orioles relied on Pat White who threw seven innings with the first six scoreless. Owen de Vries was a big contributor offensively while Nick Rossell had a pair of double to knock in runs.

The Tiger's offence was lead by Simon Ratcliffe who had three hits, while Nick Rice had two.

Jason Garland threw well in relief to ensure Blackburn didn't put anymore runs on the board, going through three scoreless innings.

Blackburn is now two games clear of Upwey Ferntree Gully as the team looks forward to taking on Fitzroy while the Tigers travel to Sandringham.

Berwick City Cougars 10 v Waverley Wildcats 10

The result couldn't be split between these two sides, Waverley now just half a percent behind second place.

The game was quiet through the second before both sides scored four times in the third. Berwick tacked on five runs in the fourth and one in the sixth while Waverley added two runs in each of the final three innings.

For the Cougars, they've now found themselves with a 4-5-1 record along with Geelong. Berwick will look to make it five wins after taking on Newport while the Wildcats travel to Sunshine.

Melbourne Demons 2 v Cheltenham Rustlers 9

The battle for fourth ended with the Rustlers keeping their spot, moving to 8-3 for the season.

A six-run third inning was crucial for Cheltenham as the Rustlers stole the lead back from Melbourne and continued to pile on the runs.

The Rustlers are now on a three-game win streak and hope to keep that alive on Saturday at Geelong whereas the Demons travel to Essendon in the hopes of entering the top four once again.

Division 1 Thirds - Round 11

Sandringham Royals 9 v Sunshine Eagles 2

The Royals got their account underway in the first inning and by the middle of the sixth were leading 6-0.

Sunshine managed their two runs at the bottom of the sixth before the Royals again attacked, netting three in the seventh.

This win gives Sandringham three in the last four games as the Royals hold a 5-6 record before facing Upwey Ferntree Gully this upcoming weekend. Meanwhile the 1-8-1 Eagles prepare for a matchup at Waverley.

Essendon Bombers 7 v Newport Rams 0

The Bombers achieved their first shutout victory of the year as they secured a three-game winning streak as they're climbing up from the sixth place position they held a month ago.

Essendon scored two runs in the top of the third before following up with one in the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the seventh, all while keeping Newport quiet.

The 7-2-2 Bombers take on Melbourne next weekend while the Rams take a 2-8 record into a game at Berwick face in what should a be close encounter.

Waverley Wildcats 14 v Berwick City Cougars 1

Berwick has been left at the bottom of the ladder following the defeat to Waverley on the weekend.

The Wildcats are one of three teams tied with 7-2-2 records and they will hope to break that when they take on Sunshine. The Cougars meanwhile will face Newport.

Cheltenham Rustlers 7 v Melbourne Demons 4

Melbourne claimed the first runs of the day when they brought two in at the bottom of the first.

Cheltenham chimed back with four in the second and another three in the third as the Demons found their final two runs in the following three innings.

The Rustlers have leapfrogged the Demons into sixth place before playing Geelong. Melbourne on the other hand will take on Essendon at the Bombers home ground.

Fitzroy Lions 14 v Geelong Baycats 14

A high-scoring game between Fitzroy and Geelong has ended in a draw, the result meaning that the Baycats are trailing behind in second but only by a small percentage.

Travis Duxson threw the first two innings for Geelong as Fitzroy put up three in the opening frame and four in the second.

Matthew Sage took over on the hill in the third, settling in nicely with just two hits allowed over three innings, two of them scoreless. Geelong took this time to regroup and get the offense back up and running. The Baycats scored one in the second and three in the third.

The fourth inning was quiet while both sides scored a pair of runs in the fifth. Fitzroy scored five in the sixth to extend the lead, but Geelong wasn't going down without a fight. The Baycats put up nine runs in the sixth to tie the game and achieve the draw, a much better result than a defeat. That huge inning started with a lead-off homer from Sage over the left field fence. Lachlan Stott followed up with a homer himself as the Baycats started getting on base and scoring consistently.

Geelong kept the inning alive for a long time, long enough for Jake Warren to come up to bat and score the game-tying run with a hit to centre.

Other key players for Geelong included Chris Rickard with a double and a single for two RBIs, William Fitzgerald with a pair of singles and three RBIs, and two base hits for both Duane Davenport and Jake Elderfield.

Geelong hosts Cheltenham next weekend while Fitzroy is away to Blackburn.

Blackburn Orioles 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 2

Coming up against the top team, the Tigers went down as the young pitching stocks couldn't get a tight grip on the Orioles batters.

It was a 3-2 ballgame Blackburn's way after the first inning, but from there the Orioles continued to score with a three-run second inning and a four-run fifth inning. Two more runs came around in the final inning while the Tigers couldn't make anything happen offensively.

Brendan Kane pitched well for Blackburn and Mitch Upton had a double as highlights for Blackburn.

The Orioles are on top with an 8-1-2 record as they prepare to host Fitzroy while Upwey Ferntree Gully will travel to Sandringham after they fell on the ladder due to the loss.

Division 1 Fourth - Round 11

Sandringham Royals 5 v Sunshine Eagles 5

The Eagles have jumped up a place and the Royals down a spot on the ladder despite a five-all finish.

Sandringham (3-6-1) takes on Upwey Ferntree Gully at home in round 12 while Sunshine (4-5-1) heads to Waverley.

Essendon Bombers 15 v Newport Rams 1

The game was tied at one-all as the first inning came to a close, but Essendon turned the tables with a strong finish.

The Bombers added two more in the next three innings as they managed to shut the Rams out in each of those innings also.

It was the sixth inning when the game became unstuck for the Bombers. They managed a collective 12 runs in the top dig, silencing Newport in the process for a dominant win.

The big win and margin sees Essendon in second spot with the divsion's least amount of runs given up in 36. The Bombers look to continue their strong season against Melbourne while the Rams hope for their first win when they take on Berwick.

Blackburn Orioles 5 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 8

The Tigers fought hard against one of the top teams and held the lead for most of the game but lost it in the dying stages as they went down by three runs.

The Orioles were able to press steadily and were up 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth when the Tigers snatched the lead again to lead by one.

The Tigers were able to shut Blackburn out in the top of the sixth before scoring another two as the game came to a close.

Hayden Roe homered for Blackburn in the game, a huge highlight despite the loss.

This was a much-needed win for the Tigers, their third of the season as they look to keep the momentum when facing Sandringham. Blackburn has let a game slip but remains in third as the Orioles prepare for Fitzroy.

Waverley Wildcats 18 v Berwick City Cougars 7

With the Wildcats leading by 11 runs heading into the bottom of the third, Berwick fought back.

A five-run dig kept the Cougars within it, but like the third for the Wildcats, Waverley scored another seven in the fourth.

The Cougars managed a further two to their score but the double-digit margin was still too much to overcome.

The Wildcats maintain their fourth place spot as they look to Sunshine while Berwick plays Newport and hopes to get back on the winner's list.

Cheltenham Rustlers 6 v Melbourne Demons 3

Melbourne was outdone for the first time this season, with this first loss of the year coming at the hands of Cheltenham.

This was a tight game right throughout as Melbourne drew first blood in the first, until Cheltenham scored two at the top of the next inning. Another one run to the Demons saw it a tied ballgame.

A strong defence from both sides over the next three innings left both sides unable to produce any runs however in the sixth, the Rustlers put everything into their at bats and came away with a four-run lead.

The Demons could only muster one run at the bottom as the Rustlers won their third in a row and will want it to continue at Geelong. Melbourne takes on Essendon with a 10-1 record. .

Fitzroy Lions 1 v Geelong Baycats 15

The Baycats third inning produced 11 runs as they took the game away from the Lions. The score was 2-1 to Geelong before that dig.

The Baycats scored another two in the final inning of the game to take the 14-run win and lift them from higher on the ladder. They play Cheltenham this weekend.

Fitzroy has moved down one spot, still with the two wins this season as the Lions hope all that changes with an upcoming trip to Blackburn.

The 2019/20 VSBL season has featured fabulous efforts from Women's Division 1, 2 and 3 teams, and this past weekend was no exception. There was a big showdown between Women's Division 1 powerhouses and Essendon had a solid round of performances. There's two weeks to go before the break as every team looks to make the most of the season.

Women's Division 1 - Round 11

Springvale Lions 11 v Doncaster Dragons 5

Springvale and Doncaster have put on quite a show thus far this season, with both sides looking very strong through the first half of the season. Springvale won the last meeting 17-1 while Doncaster won the round 5 clash 20-4. These two teams drew 7-7 in the second week, but Springvale shut down Doncaster's hopes of a big win this past Saturday.

Gabby Bevan and Lili Cavanagh did a great job on the mound for Springvale. The top two teams have flipped flopped once again as a result, with Springvale retaking first place with a 8-2-1 record. Doncaster isn't far behind at 7-2-2 ahead of the next game at home v Footscray. Springvale hosts Essendon for the midweek game on Wednesday night.

Essendon Bombers 16 v Footscray Bulldogs 3

Footscray hasn't had much luck this season, carrying a 0-9-1 record into the first 10 weeks of the season. Now the Bulldogs have dropped another game to a hard-hitting Essendon side that was clicking on all cylinders.

Essendon scored seven runs in both the first and the second inning to put the game out of reach for Footscray. The Bulldogs did manage to get two runs in the third and one in the fifth but it wasn't enough as Essendon scored two more runs before the game was done.

Kayla Adams, Claire Costa, Jasmine Bentley and Abbey Kelly helped lead the Bombers to their fourth victory of the year as they stay in third place and look to keep climbing the ladder.

Footscray has another shot at a win this week at Doncaster while Essendon has high hopes as the team heads to Springvale.

Women's Division 2 - Round 10

Springvale Lions 3 v Doncaster Dragons 6

The Lions battled hard but the Dragons prevailed in this matchup, taking their record to 9-0 on the season to lead the competition. Maddy Patrick and Aspen McGovern had a great game for Springvale despite the loss.

Springvale came into this matchup as the other undefeated team but now the Lions have an 8-1 record to stay firmly in second place. Round 11 sees Footscray host Doncaster and Springvale head to Fitzroy.

Fitzroy Lions 4 v Essendon Bombers 13

The Bombers got their first win of the season on the board with a strong performance. Essendon remains at the bottom of the ladder but the Bombers will be hopeful they can make a second-half climb after their success this weekend.

Fitzroy is 2-8 after back-to-back losses before taking on Springvale this weekend. Essendon will head to Wheelers Hill in search of win number two.

Footscray Bulldogs v Wheelers Hill Warriors

Women's Division 3 East

Melbourne Demons 13 v Moorabbin Panthers 5

The Demons were dangerous in the box once again, racking up the runs as they overpowered the Panthers in a highly-anticipated between the top team and one of their closest competitors.

Moorabbin started strong, exiting the first inning with a 2-1 lead but it wasn't to last. A quick and quiet second inning gave way to the third, when Melbourne put up four unanswered runs. Another run followed in the third, and Moorabbin just couldn't get anything going offensively.

The final damage came in the top of the sixth when Melbourne put on a fantastic team display, scoring seven runs. The Demons held the Panthers to three runs in the final frame as they won their seventh game of the year.

Moorabbin's quiet offense aside from the opening and closing innings proved problematic, but the Panthers are ready to go out and improve their 4-3 record as they host Mulgrave in round 11. Melbourne hosts Springvale this upcoming weekend.

Doncaster Dragons 21 v Mulgrave Rebels 6

The Dragons put on an impressive display of offense as they secured another dominant double-digit win. Doncaster's lineup got the job done, with players including Kathrine Colclough, Keeley Harrison and Kathy Hutton working hard all day along with the rest of the Dragons.

After this weekend Doncaster switches with Moorabbin to take second place. The Dragons have a 5-3 record while Moorabbin is 4-3.

Doncaster has a bye for round 11 while 1-5 Mulgrave goes to Moorabbin.

Springvale Lions - BYE

Women's Division 3 South - Round 10

Cheltenham Rustlers 12 v Bonbeach Bluejays Blue 14

The Bluejays put on an impressive show to overcome the ladder-leading Rustlers and hand them their first loss of the season.

Cheltenham was previously undefeated and despite a great offensive performance, the Rustlers just couldn't quite hold on in the end. Bonbeach took a 7-0 lead in the first and from there Cheltenham had to play catch-up, coming close but never quite making it in the end.

Kat Doherty, Bronwyn James, Joanne Myers and the rest of the Bonbeach side kept up the momentum throughout the rest of the game, scoring one more in the second and six in the third.

Cheltenham scored seven in the second, four in the third and one in the fourth but the comeback win eluded the Rustlers. They remain at the top of the ladder with a 7-1 record, but Bonbeach Blue is definitely catching up with a 6-1 record now.

Round 11 features matchups between Pakenham Pumas Black and Bonbeach Bluejays Blue, Cheltenham Rustlers and Bonbeach Bluejays White and Pakenham Pumas White and Sandringham Royals. Berwick has the bye.

Berwick City Cougars v Pakenham Pumas Black - FORFEIT

Bonbeach Bluejays White - FORFEIT v Pakenham Pumas White

Sandringham Royals - BYE

Women's Division 3 West - Round 10

Fitzroy Lions 9 v North Western Titans 12

In a strong game offensively for both sides, North Western prevailed for win number three of the season. That makes three in a row for the Titans as they now sit in third place with a 3-3-1 record. After losing back-to-back games, the Lions are 3-4 before this next week's bye, while the Titans take on Sunshine.

Geelong Baycats White 9 v Sunshine Eagles 20

The Eagles have won five in a row to cement their spot at the top of the ladder with seven games to go in the regular season.

Sunshine's shortstop Makayla McKenner made an amazing unassisted double play to keep the Eagles tracking along smoothly. Sunshine has a 7-1 record while Geelong White is still searching for that first win of the season with seven losses and one draw thus far.

Geelong Baycats White plays Geelong Baycats Blue and Sunshine hosts North Western this upcoming weekend.

Geelong Baycats Blue - BYE

Baseball Victoria is accepting applications for a head coach of the 2020 Victorian Youth Women’s State Team, which will compete at the Australian Youth Women’s Championships from 11-16 April in Canberra.

This is an excellent opportunity for individuals who want to lead Victorian junior female players to success at the national championships.

Individuals who are well-suited to this role and the responsibilities required leading up to and during the tournament are encouraged to apply.

Please view more details on the requirements and application process below.

Victorian Youth Women’s State Team Head Coach applications

Baseball Victoria is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2020 Victorian Youth Women’s and Women’s State Team Tryouts. Victoria will send a Youth Women’s Team to the Australian Youth Women’s Championships and a Blue and White team to the Australian Women’s Championships from 10-17 April 2020 in Canberra.

This is a fantastic opportunity offered through the Baseball Victoria Development Pathway that gives female players the chance to compete at a high level while representing their state.

Tryouts for the Youth Women’s and Women’s State Teams are set for the following dates:

Saturday, 14 December at Springvale Baseball Club 9am – 11am

Tuesday, December 17 at Melbourne Ballpark 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Saturday, December 21 at Springvale Baseball Club 9am – 11am

Baseball Victoria Talent Development Manager Damian Shanahan will be joined by women’s head coaches Dean Anglin (Blue) and Ursula Howard (White) at the tryouts. All athletes wishing to participate in the tryouts MUST register via TeamApp beforehand.

Baseball Victoria looks forward to another amazing year for the Victorian Youth Women’s and Women’s State Teams, and we wish all athletes the best of luck in tryouts.

Baseball Victoria is pleased to announce the head coaches for the 2020 Women’s State Teams, which will compete at the Australian Women’s Championships from 10-17 April 2020 in Canberra.

Women’s Blue – Dean Anglin

Dean returns to his role as head coach of Victoria Women’s Blue, a role he has held since 2014. Dean led the 2019 Victoria Women’s Blue team to a gold medal finish last April, and he is looking ahead to another successful campaign in 2020.

Women’s White – Ursula Howard

As a former player and coach in women’s baseball, Ursula Howard looks forward to taking on the role of Victoria Women’s White head coach. For the past three years Ursula has been the head coach of the Victoria Youth Women’s State Team, as well as the women’s program at Doncaster Baseball Club.

Together these individuals will lead the Victorian Women’s State Team Program through another fantastic year.

“I’m pleased we have Dean Anglin and Ursula Howard ready to guide our talented players through the Victorian Women’s State Team program,” Baseball Victoria Talent Development Manager Damian Shanahan said. “They are proven leaders who are committed to player development and helping our women’s players to achieve their baseball goals."

Details on registration for the Women’s State Team tryouts will be released in coming days.

As the first half of the 2019/20 VSBL season draws to a close, Fitzroy Lions Baseball Club is on the hunt for Division 1 success under the leadership of Ryan Mitchell.

This season has seen Ryan embrace his new role as Fitzroy’s Club Coach, an exciting move for the passionate baseballer who has been playing since he was five years old. Ryan has spent more than a decade at Fitzroy, making memories with his fellow Lions.

When he took over as club coach, Ryan had some clear goals in mind. “This season at Fitzroy I’m really looking forward to seeing the club succeed again,” Ryan said. “We have had a lot of success through from the juniors to the seniors and we really want our higher levels again to hopefully be knocking on the door in the finals.”

Fitzroy’s top nine will have a bit of catching up to do after falling behind 0-3 in the first few weeks of the season. Since then the Lions have won four of their last six as they slowly but surely make their way up the ladder. Ryan is pushing his team to remain strong and keep striving toward their high hopes for the season. “It would be good to see the club succeed like they did last year, especially for the firsts to miss out so closely on finals last season,” Ryan said.

After finishing 16-10-1 in the 2018/19 season, the Lions would love to keep improving and make it back to the playoffs. A few missed opportunities and close losses hurt Fitzroy last year, and Ryan wants the Lions to learn from their mistakes and continue working hard. “I’m hoping that if we stick together, we can put forth that little extra step,” Ryan said. “It’s a good group of guys and girls we have down at the club. I really think that’s the thing that helps us succeed - playing together as a team.”

Ryan has seen his share of baseball success over the years, but one of the sweetest moments came when he coached Research Lower Plenty’s seconds and they won the Grand Final in the 2015 season, a huge comeback from finishing last the year before. Ryan would like to replicate such triumph with the Lions, but no matter what happens this season he’s happy playing and coaching the sport he can’t get enough of. “Unfortunately I’ve had a fair share of injuries that have put me off for a while but I always come back and I love it,” Ryan said. “I love playing the game and I will keep playing until I can’t walk or throw.”

Being at a club like Fitzroy, with well over 100 years of baseball history and a family-friendly environment, makes Ryan feel right at home. “I think it’s a really good club to be around,” Ryan said. “Our women’s and men’s teams are getting bigger and bigger, so is the number of teams we’re having this season.“

In his first season as a Division 1 head coach, Ryan knows anything is possible. "We’re really excited to see what the season brings and hopefully we can see some finals.”

Ryan encourages people of all ages to try baseball and discover the great experiences the sport offers. “Just give it a go, you won’t know what you achieve or like until you do,” Ryan said.

Fitzroy (5-7) hosts Geelong this weekend for game two out of three.

Division 1 Firsts midweek games showcased some fantastic team performances as Sunshine bounced back from a surprise loss over the weekend and Geelong secured a three-game win streak heading into this weekend. There's four games to go before the break as the competition continues to heat up.

Sunshine Eagles 10 v Sandringham Royals 1

The Eagles were stunned by the Orioles over the weekend as Blackburn hit multiple home runs for a 15-3 win, but Sunshine bounced back in style on Tuesday night in the first game against Sandringham.

The scores were level at one after the first inning, but Sunshine kept up with the scoring. One run in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth helped the Eagles put the game out of reach. Two more Sunshine runners came around to score in the top of the seventh as the team racked up a massive 17 hits, while giving up only six to Sandringham throughout the game.

With things covered on the mound, Sunshine could focus on hitting, and that's exactly what the lineup did. Rory Meddick had four hits on the day while Allan de Dan Miguel had three hits including a home run and two RBIs. Nikau Pouaka-Grego also had three hits and an RBI.

Declan Croker and Riley Trad pitched for Sandringham, trying their best to keep Sunshine under control but falling short. The Royals made one error on the day as they took a 6-7 record while Sunshine improves to 10-2 to stay firmly in first place.

Sandringham hosts this weekend's meeting before the midweek game heads to Sunshine.

Newport Rams 1 v Essendon Bombers 5

The Bombers are looking good after winning their last three games. The game was tied at one before Essendon broke it open in the final few innings, securing win number eight of the season.

Newport is lagging behind at 3-9, despite a strong effort for much of the midweek game. Stephen Pengelly, Connor Shibeci and Trenell Hutchins picked up Newport's three hits on the night, all singles.

David Asp threw three scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. Nathan Smith handled 2.1 innings, giving up four hits, one walk and three earned runs with two strikeouts. Tyler Comben also contributed on the mound.

Essendon's highlight of the night came from Charlie Sutherland as he picked up his first safe hit in Division 1 top nine with a 2-RBI shot to propel the Bombers to victory.

Essendon is now 8-5 in second place along with Geelong and Waverley.

The Bombers are looking good after winning their last three games. The game was tied at one before Essendon broke it open in the final few innings, securing win number eight of the season.

Newport is lagging behind at 3-9, despite a strong effort for much of the midweek game. Stephen Pengelly, Connor Shibeci and Trenell Hutchins picked up Newport's three hits on the night, all singles.

Essendon's highlight of the night came from Charlie Sutherland as he picked up his first safe hit in Division 1 top nine with a 2-RBI shot to propel the Bombers to victory.

Essendon is now 8-5 in second place along with Geelong and Waverley.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 2 v Blackburn Orioles 0

This was a tight game as both sides relied heavily on their pitchers, but the Tigers got the job done. Upwey Ferntree Gully scored one run in the second and one in the seventh.

Upwey Ferntree Gully had six hits, with Peter Schroders and Justin Swanton knocking in the runs. Jarrod Turner pitched the whole game for the shutout, throwing 17 first-pitch strikes with four strikeouts.

Blackburn collected just five hits on the night, two of those singles to Ryan Berg. Liam Hopkins and Thomas Kerr-Chapman both doubled, while Tim Holland singled.

Harrison Smith threw two innings, giving up two hits, two walks and a run along with two strikeouts. Andrew Jones covered three innings of scoreless ball, allowing just one hit and one walk.

The Tigers are just ahead of the Orioles on the ladder with a 5-4-1 record, compared to a 6-7 record for Blackburn. The Orioles host on the weekend before next week's midweek at Upwey Ferntree Gully.

Melbourne Demons 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 2

Melbourne finally got a win on the board after a rough few weeks. The Demons lost the last three games and had only one win since round four, so the team was thrilled to secure the victory last night.

Cheltenham has now lost back-to-back games, although the Rustlers pitching was still pretty good on Tuesday night with just five hits allowed. Melbourne's Mitchell Ellis picked up a pair of base hits and Tim Sullivan, Jarryd Rogers and Harvey Mitchelhill also got on base with singles. Mitchelhill knocked in two of Melbourne's runs.

Cheltenham is just slightly below Melbourne on the ladder with a 5-8 record while the Demons are 5-7.

Berwick City Cougars 0 v Waverley Wildcats 1

The game was scoreless through the first few innings, before the Wildcats finally got on board with one in the fifth.

The Cougars were quiet all throughout the game, and as it turned out that one run they gave up proved to be the decider.

Jordan Ley collected two of Waverley's seven hits while Mitchell Wilhite doubled and Andrew Russell, Mohi Kahui, Reece Longstaff and Mitchell Homfray got involved with base hits of their own.

Jamie Papanicoloau threw seven scoreless innings with just two hits and four walks allowed along with four strikeouts.

Matthew Beattie contributed one inning of scoreless pitching with two strikeouts. Adam Bright also pitched a solid inning in relief.

This was a quick midweek game that went nine innings as Waverley kept pace with the other second-place teams, now holding onto a 8-5 record.

After a decent start the Cougars have slipped in recent weeks, with their last win coming in round six.

Geelong Baycats 13 v Fitzroy Lions 1

The Baycats took care of business in this midweek meeting, racking up 16 hits while only giving up four to the Lions.

Jarryd Wood and James Wood made a big difference in this win, as did Ryan Darcy and Rudy Jaramillo with two hits each. Jordan Baumann did a good job getting on base, taking two walks while Wood knocked in three runs and Lewis Weldon brought in two. Tyler Luther-Wilson also had an RBI on the night.

Jaramillo was fantastic on the mound, throwing seven innings with just one run allowed and 15 first-pitch strikes. He also struck out seven.

Ryan Mitchell covered five innings on the mound for Fitzroy and Carl Wilson handled three.

Geelong has an 8-5 record and Fitzroy is 5-7 heading into this weekend.

As Division Four moves past the halfway point of the season, the results from the past weekend of baseball action has set up some great matchups as teams look towards Round 11. Melbourne is at the top of the ladder for the East Division despite a washout this weekend with nine wins but Waverley Black are hot on their tail. Footscray Bulldogs White is 9-0 in the North West Division after a win over fellow Bulldogs, Blue. In the South Division, upcoming matchups involving all top-four teams will certainly shape the positions heading into the final rounds before the break.

Division 4 East

St Kilda Saints 6 v Waverley Wildcats Black 13

Waverley Black is still keeping on Melbourne's toes as the Wildcats go to a 9-1 record on the back of this win over St Kilda.

The Saints were on a three-game winning streak and scoring at a rapid rate in those games however their momentum from recent weeks was undone by the Wildcats.

St Kilda faces Waverley Red next weekend while Waverley Black hosts Fitzroy.

Waverley Wildcats Red 16 v Blackburn Orioles 2

The two bottom teams battled it out but it was the Wildcats who produced an emphatic win, their second of the season, with that last win coming in Round 5.

Daniel Crockett, John Darby, Paul Davison and Stephen Brown helped Waverley's efforts.

Waverley Red plays St Kilda at home while Blackburn takes on sixth-placed Malvern in the next round.

Monash University 5 v Fitzroy Lions Gold 7

Fitzroy got the better of Monash University in the end, but throughout the game the Farmers were always prodding along in search of a victory.

Monash University struck with the first run of the game until the Lions produced four in the bottom of the first, the next inning unable to be split between each team who allowed two runs to cross.

The third didn't produce any runs, and Fitzroy still held the three-run lead after the fourth when each team scored one. Monash University took another runner home in the fifth but weren't able to keep that going to overtake the Lions.

The Farmers hosts the Demons next weekend and the Lions travel to Waverley to play Wildcats Black.

Malvern Braves v Melbourne Demons - WASH OUT

Division 4 North West

Footscray Bulldogs White 10 v Footscray Bulldogs Blue 5

Footscray White claimed bragging rights between the two teams this time around with a resounding win over Footscray Blue.

White scored in each inning, capping off the game with three runs in the fifth while Blue managed two in the first (to lead at bottom) before getting within one run in the third, but running out of legs as they scored just one more in the fourth.

The win keeps White on top where they've stayed since Round 4 before facing Footscray Red while the Blue team is 4-5 ahead of a meeting with Mitchell Majors Yellow.

Fitzroy Lions Blue 12 v Essendon Jets 13

Mitchell Miller scored the walk-off RBI single to give Essendon the win over Fitzroy Blue.

The Jets were on a two-game losing streak before this and will hold high hopes of adding another to the win column when they play Mitchell Majors Black. Fitzroy Blue will hope to bounce back as the Lions now look to the Bombers.

Essendon Bombers 12 v North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1

The Bombers scored their 12 runs within the first three innings of the game, starting off with five at the top of the first.

Rebels Maroon scored a run in the final dig of the game, disallowing Essendon to have the shutout.

North Coburg Maroon now has a break for this weekend but the action continues for the Bombers who host Fitzroy Blue.

Mitchell Majors Black 2 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 9

Fitzroy Maroon achieved the victory over Mitchell Majors Black and the difference was a grand slam to Aidan Cressar, his maiden home run.

Fitzroy Maroon has won four of the past five games and find themselves in third place ahead of their meeting with North Coburg Gold. Mitchell Majors Black take on the Jets as they look to make a move up the ladder.

Mitchell Majors Yellow 16 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 10

This was a high-scoring game which produced some excellent offensive work from each side.

Mitchell Majors Yellow kicked things off with two at the top of the first but it was Rebels Gold who stole those runs back and a few more to lead 7-2 at the end of the inning.

Mitchell Majors Yellow responded to that challenge with seven of their own in the next dig and kept North Coburg scoreless at the bottom.

A 4-3 third innings score to Mitchell Majors Yellow saw the score at 13-10 and Rebels Gold within reach however, Mitchell Majors Yellow had three runners scoring at top four, their defence holding tight at the end of the game.

Mitchell Majors Yellow is now even with Rebels Gold with a 6-3 record as they take on Footscray Blue while North Coburg prepare for Fitzroy Maroon.

Footscray Bulldogs Red v BYE

Division 4 South

Cheltenham Rustlers 7 v Melbourne Demons 0

The game started well for the Rustlers with four runs at the top of the first, adding another three in the corresponding two innings while performing the shutout on Melbourne.

The Rustlers will be hoping they can grab top spot when they play Berwick while the Demons will want to prove they belong in the top four with what will be a competitive game against Monash University.

Pakenham Pumas 8 v Berwick City Cougars 15

Pakenham always looked like they were ready to pounce at any moment and when they levelled the scores at the top of the fourth, the Cougars knew the situation they were faced with.

At the bottom of the fourth, Berwick got the bats working and claimed seven runs to give them the win.

The Pumas were very close to recording their first win of the season, letting this one slip at the last possible moment but will hold that belief going into next week when they face Moorabbin. Berwick have a 7-2 record, a few games clear in third as they host second-place Cheltenham.

St Kilda Saints v Moorabbin Panthers (FORFEIT)

Ormond Glenhuntly 1 v Monash University Farmers 7

Monash University has maintained an unbeaten record this season with a win over Ormond Glenhuntly, ahead only slightly as winning percentage comes into play.

The Farmers have a top-four clash with Melbourne this weekend while Ormond Glenhuntly is up against St Kilda.

The 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 season is more than halfway done, and Springvale continues to dominate with strong campaigns coming from Pakenham and Chelsea in the firsts and Ormond Glenhuntly Blue and Gold in the Reserves. There's three rounds to go before the break and teams will be looking to finish the year on a high note.

Division 3 Firsts

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 0 v Springvale Lions 5

The rain stayed away just long enough for Springvale to secure the victory and a stellar 10-0 record, thanks to a mid-game burst of offense.

The game was scoreless through three before the Lions got one home in the bottom of the fourth. Springvale scored twice in both the fifth and the sixth to add to the run total.

Matt Cameron batted in two of Springvale's five runs, while Lucas Anderson had two base hits and Adam Thatcher singled for two RBIs. Rydge Hogan had a double and a walk to bring a run home, while Neal Cavanagh, Myles Barnden, Scott Baillie, Brandon Mize and Mark Richards all singled.

Myles Barnden got the win on the mound, throwing seven strong innings with just four hits and three walks given up, along with seven strikeouts. Matt Cameron threw one quiet inning with just four batters faced.

Springvale continues to lead the competition while Ormond Glenhuntly Blue remain in fourth place with a 3-6-1 record. In round 11 the Lions play North Western, a team they beat 15-1 in round six, while Ormond Glenhuntly Blue hosts the reigning premiers of Pakenham.

North Western Titans 1 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 20

The Titans enjoyed an exciting 10-7 win over Ormond Glenhuntly Blue the week before, but they couldn't replicate the same success against the Gold side.

The Hunters were relentless in this matchup, scoring in every inning to put the game firmly out of reach. This included three runs in the first, five in the second and two in the third. The fourth inning was quiet in comparison with just one run coming around to score.

The Lions biggest inning was the fifth with seven runs as well as two in the sixth. North Western's only run came around in the sixth.

The Hunters improve to 3-7 and the Titans slip to 2-8 ahead of round 11 games against Chelsea and Springvale respectively.

Pakenham Pumas 6 v Chelsea Dolphins 7

The Dolphins squeaked past for a hard-fought win over the 2018/19 premiers. Chelsea scored one in the opening inning, holding on to that lead for a bit before Pakenham tied it up in the third.

The Pumas scored two runs in both the fourth and the fifth to take a four-run lead, and one more run followed in the eighth. Chelsea scored in the eighth as well before putting up five runs in the ninth for a thrilling comeback victory. The Dolphins are now 5-5 and the Pumas are 6-3-1 to make up the top three along with Springvale.

Chelsea hosts Ormond Glenhuntly Gold on Sunday and Pakenham heads to Ormond Glenhuntly Blue.

Division 3 Reserves

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 8 v Springvale Lions 1

The Hunters kept the Lions quiet in a contrast to the round five meeting between these two teams, when Springvale won 9-4.

This time around, Ormond Glenhuntly Blue's offense was on the ball from the get-go, holding a 2-1 lead after the first before tacking on two runs in the second and four in the third.

Benjamin Bull, Connor de Fina, Jason Maxwell and the rest of the Ormond Glenhuntly Blue team are excited to continue climbing the ladder as they sit second with a 7-2-1 record. Springvale falls to third with a 7-3 record ahead of Sunday's clash with North Western.

North Western Titans 2 v Ormond GH Gold 25

The Titans didn't have much control in this game as the Hunters ran wild, racking up 25 runs for the second time this season.

North Western enjoyed a 2-0 lead after the top of the first, but it didn't last long as Ormond Glenhuntly Gold piled on 14 runs in the first and 11 in the second.

This monstrous result allowed Ormond Glenhuntly Gold to assume first place with an 8-2 record, while North Western remains winless. The Titans have another chance as they host the Lions this weekend, while the Hunters look to go three in a row over Chelsea.

Pakenham Pumas 6 v Chelsea Dolphins 7

In the same scoreline as the firsts, Chelsea prevailed with a late final push after letting Pakenham back in the game.

Chelsea scored one early and kept Pakenham off the scoreboard through two. The Pumas tied things up at one in the top of the third, but Chelsea quickly responded with four runs to retake the lead.

A quiet fourth inning gave way to a boisterous fifth frame when Pakenham piled on five runs to get in winning position. Unfortunately for the Pumas, they couldn't quite hang on, giving up two runs to the Dolphins as the home team won the game.

Pakenham is 1-7-2 and Chelsea is 5-5 ahead of games with Ormond Glenhuntly Blue and Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, respectively.

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 8 v Springvale Lions 1

The Hunters kept the Lions quiet in a contrast to the round five meeting between these two teams, when Springvale won 9-4.

This time around, Ormond Glenhuntly Blue's offense was on the ball from the get-go, holding a 2-1 lead after the first before tacking on two runs in the second and four in the third.

North Western Titans 2 v Ormond GH Gold 25

The Titans didn't have much control in this game as the Hunters ran wild, racking up 25 runs for the second time this season.

North Western enjoyed a 2-0 lead after the top of the first, but it didn't last long as Ormond Glenhuntly Gold piled on 14 runs in the first and 11 in the second.

Pakenham Pumas 6 v Chelsea Dolphins 7

In the same scoreline as the firsts, Chelsea prevailed with a late final push after letting Pakenham back in the game.

Chelsea scored one early and kept Pakenham off the scoreboard through two. The Pumas tied things up at one in the top of the third, but Chelsea quickly responded with four runs to retake the lead.

Pakenham is 1-7-2 and Chelsea is 5-5 ahead of games with Ormond Glenhuntly Blue and Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, respectively.