The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season features fantastic baseball action week in and week out, and this latest round was no exception. Williamstown got the series win over ladder-leading Moorabbin, while Malvern and Werribee continued to stay in pursuit of the first place position. There's three weekends of play left before the break, and teams are looking to make a strong push toward the end of the year.
Division 2 Firsts - Round 12
Werribee Giants 11 v St Kilda Saints 0
Werribee secured the shutout on St Kilda to keep themselves in line with two other teams at a 9-3 record within the top four.
The Giants got the result on the back off 11 hits, each player on the lineup recording at least one; Daine Gregory and Kyle Newman getting on base twice.
Wade Balzer and Harvey Garrett each hit doubles but it was John Curnow that stole the show as his home run brought in three runs. Newman brought in three runs also as he was one of four players who tallied two runs - the others being Joshua Lee, Gregory and Garrett.
Lee was on the mound for the whole seven innings and got the win as he gave up three hits and zero runs. He also struck out 12 batters out of the 25 he faced.
Williamstown Wolves 10 v Moorabbin Panthers 4
The Wolves have gotten the better of their competitors in the past two weeks, handing the Panthers their only two losses of the season as they won the series.
This top-of-the-table clash saw both Williamstown and Moorabbin getting off to hot starts, the scoreline reading 3-2 to the Panthers as the first inning came to a close.
The next couple of innings produced some great defensive displays and it was the Wolves who extended their lead when they found four runs in the fourth, which was followed by an extra two runs the next inning.
Moorabbin got the next two runs in the fifth and seventh, holding onto a glimmer of hope but the Wolves packed it up with another run in the eighth before shutting the rest of the Panthers out of advancing on their at bats.
The Wolves tallied 11 hits on the day, three coming from Robert Higginson including a double, Higginson also collecting two runs and two RBIs. Aaron Green had two runs from two hits. Jayde Thorne had two hits including a double, bringing in a total of four runs.
Dennis Neal pitched five innings to get things started, giving up eight hits and three runs while striking out three. It was Neal's eighth win of the season in 10 pitching outings. Kevin Desmedt pitched three innings for two hits, one run with three strikeouts.
The Panthers will be hoping they don't add anymore to the loss column when they face Port Melbourne, while the Wolves take on Mulgrave as they look to grab top spot.
Bonbeach St Chads 2 v Doncaster Dragons 11
Doncaster won big against Bonbeach, led largely by a huge home run from Brendan McDonald, one of two hits that brought in six runs in total.
Marcel D'Avoine scored three runs off of three hits that included a double. Nic Unland scored four times from two hits and four base on balls.
John Britton was on the mound for six innings where he gave up three hits and one earned run, coupled with eight strikeouts. Simon Fitzmaurice pitched three innings for one hit, zero runs and two strikeouts.
The Bluejays are still searching for win number one as they travel to St Kilda while Doncaster host Werribee as the Dragons look to go for four in a row on the back of their three-game winning streak.
Port Melbourne Mariners 2 v Malvern Braves 1
Solid pitching kept this game moving along quickly as Port Melbourne held on for the win. The game was scoreless through six innings before Port Melbourne finally got on the board with two runs in the top of the seventh.
Malvern managed a lone run in the bottom of the eighth but the Mariners steadied the ship to secure their seventh victory of the season after some tough losses in recent weeks.
Tyler Dale covered 6.1 innings, giving up six hits, three walks and two runs - one unearned - to Port Melbourne. Mitch Kennedy came in to relieve him, keeping things scoreless for the rest of the game as the Braves tried but couldn't make up the deficit.
Malvern sits at a 9-3 record along with Williamstown and Werribee, while Port Melbourne attempts to catch up, currently at 7-5.
Malvern moves on to Preston and Port Melbourne faces a challenge against the top team on the ladder, Moorabbin.
Mulgrave Rebels v Preston Pirates - WASH OUT
The game between Mulgrave and Preston was washed out.
Division 2 Reserves - Round 10
Werribee Giants 0 v St Kilda Saints 10
This was a great result for the Saints as they achieve a .500 record and continue to climb up the ladder after winning three in a row.
St Kilda managed 10 runs in both games against Werribee, except this past Sunday the Saints got the satisfaction of a sweet shutout victory.
Werribee is in the middle of the road with a 4-4-2 record as the Giants gear up to face Doncaster. St Kilda hosts Bonbeach this weekend.
Bonbeach Bluejays 7 v Doncaster Dragons 19
The Dragons squashed the Bluejays hopes of win number two with a dominant performance at the plate.
Travis Cutt, Simon Fitzmaurice, Campbell Hutton and Angus Stals made a difference for Doncaster as the team improved t 4-6 on the season. Bonbeach is 1-9 at the bottom of the ladder as the Bluejays prepare for St Kilda.
Doncaster hosts Werribee for round 11.
Port Melbourne Mariners 4 v Malvern Braves 6
Another close match-up saw Port Melbourne and Malvern continue to battle hard, although in this game the Braves managed to get revenge after a 5-4 loss the week before.
Port Melbourne tied the game at four in the fifth before the Braves came back in the final frame to score two runs and get the win.
Malvern improves to 8-1-1 ahead of Sunday's matchup with Preston while Port Melbourne sits at 3-7 as the team hits the road to visit Moorabbin.
Mulgrave Rebels 4 v Preston Pirates 5
The Pirates were thrilled to get a win thanks to a late push, scoring three in the bottom of the fifth to get the win.
Mulgrave hopped on the board first with one run in the second, before the Pirates scored one run each in the third and the fourth.
Both sides scored three in the fifth, but the Pirates were able to get the job done. Now Preston is 2-7-1 while Mulgrave is 4-6 before games against Malvern and Williamstown, respectively.
Williamstown Wolves 7 v Moorabbin Panthers 6
Moorabbin won 6-2 the week before but Williamstown bounced back with a narrow victory on Sunday.
The Panthers took an early one-run lead before the Wolves scored three in the third. Moorabbin answered with four runs in bottom frame and an additional run in the fourth. But a late offensive burst from Williamstown saw the Wolves emerge victorious, improving to 8-2.
Moorabbin still sits at the top of the ladder with a 9-1 record but Malvern and Williamstown are hot on their heels.
Williamstown plays Mulgrave next and Moorabbin plays Port Melbourne.
Division 2 Thirds - Round 10
Port Melbourne Mariners 1 v Malvern Braves 20
Malvern has improved their season record to 10 wins on the back of a blistering defeat of Port Melbourne.
The Mariners would've been hoping for a closer result given they went down by six runs last week, however the Braves piled one 20 runs, their third score of 20 runs or more this season, asserting their complete dominance over the rest of the competition.
For Port Melbourne it's the team's sixth loss in seven games as the Mariners currently sit eighth with a 3-7 record as they look forward to playing against Moorabbin while Malvern will want the streak to continue this weekend v Preston.
Preston Pirates 4 v Mulgrave Rebels 4
Mulgrave and Preston were unable to be separated on the scoreboard, drawing the match in a competitive game.
It was the Rebels second draw this season, that and a couple of narrow losses could've seen them a bit higher on the ladder at this stage.
Mulgrave travel to Williamstown this weekend, determined to see the result fall in their favour while Preston face ladder-leaders Malvern in a tough matchup.
Moorabbin Panthers 13 v Williamstown Wolves 0
Moorabbin proved too good for Williamstown, performing a shutout win.
It was a different result to last week when the Wolves prevailed to give the Panthers their second loss of the season, but the Panthers made up for that this week to remain in second as they look towards a game with Port Melbourne. Williamstown will want to try to break into the top two when they play host to Mulgrave.
Doncaster Dragons 12 v Bonbeach St Chads 3
Doncaster kept themselves in the top four with a good win over Bonbeach, leaving the Bluejays stranded in last placed with their one win.
Bonbeach takes on St Kilda this week, hoping to make their way up the ladder while Doncaster plays fellow mid-table team Werribee.
Werribee Giants 2 v St Kilda Saints 23
With both teams on four wins heading into this game, St Kilda blitzed through the Giants offensively and defensively to record a 21-run win and take their record to an even 5-5.
The 1-1 series result sees the two clubs separated by a game once again but the Saints couldn't crack back into the top four where they were before Round 9.
Though. the Saints will be feeling confident that they can enter the top four as they start a series against Bonbeach while the Giants will want a tighter defence if they were to keep up with Doncaster next weekend.
Division 2 Fourths - Round 10
Preston Pirates 5 v Mulgrave Rebels 4
Preston beat Mulgrave in a tight encounter as the Rebels looked close to breaking through and recording their second win of the season.
The Pirates are now in fourth place with at an even 5-5 for the season ahead of a match between third-placed Malvern. The Rebels on the other hand are 1-9 on a six-game losing streak but it doesn't get any easier as a meeting with first-placed Williamstown is scheduled for this weekend.
Moorabbin Panthers 1 v Williamstown Wolves 4
The Wolves kept their perfect record intact at 10-0 as they were victorious against the Panthers who have lost their past three games.
Williamstown host Mulgrave this weekend while the Panthers face Geelong, both teams putting up the same amount of runs thus far this season with 81 so they each know how to work the bats, setting it up for a good game in Round 11.
Geelong Baycats 12 v Malvern Braves 7
It was a hard-fought win for the Baycats in the home leg of their series against Malvern which has ended at one-all.
Malvern started the top of the first with an early run but the Baycats were able to keep their other runners on base throughout the innings to hold them to that single run.
The Baycats responded in a big way with five at the bottom, their batters staying in the box and seeing the pitches closely to draw hits and walks.
Geelong was sloppy in the field at the top of the second, the Braves taking full advantage as they made their way back to the plate three times in that dig. However, the Baycats managed to score another couple of runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, much in the same fashion in the preceding inning.
The third inning was an up-and-down affair on both sides, the Baycats impressed by the fielding at centre from Harry Sim.
The Braves levelled the scores in their fourth turn at the plate by scoring three runs, the Baycats answering that by taking the lead back but only by the smallest of margins.
Geelong performed a three-up, three-down of Malvern's bats at the top of the fifth and finished the innings with four runs.
Daniel Dobbie pitched well and managed a few hits himself as the rest of the team performed well with the bats; Marc Weakley went four from four as Darren Turner went three from four. Jennifer Mason drew three walks in a display of working the count in her favour.
Werribee Giants v St Kilda Saints - WASH OUT
Doncaster Dragons v BYE
Each game in VSBL Division 1 is as fierce as the other. In the firsts, Sunshine was outdone by Blackburn, closing the gap on the rest of the top four who all sit at 7-5. Upwey FTG remains on top in the Reserves as winning percentage plays a part in standing, multiple teams within reach. Blackburn and Geelong are the top two teams in the Thirds while Melbourne is 10-0 in the fourths, sitting two games clear on top after Essendon's shock loss to Berwick.
Division 1 Firsts - Round 11
Sandringham Royals 7 v Waverley Wildcats 8
A stunning walk-off win for Waverley was just what the Wildcats needed after a close midweek loss.
Waverley achieved the three runs they needed to reverse the result of last week's walk-off loss to the Royals after being behind for most of the afternoon.
A strong four-run account in the third saw the Royals take the lead from Waverley who had led 1-0 after the first.
Each team kept pushing the other and generating runs in different digs, until Sandringham held a 7-5 lead after seven, which didn't change throughout the Royals next two innings either.
Harrison Wills had four hits on the day for one run and one RBI while Will Tucker had two hits, one run and one RBI.
Cody Anderson was on the mound for the Royals for a total of 8.2 innings, giving up 15 hits and eight runs but his nine strikeouts were a positive.
For the Wildcats, Jacob Sheldon-Collins and Reece Longstaff had three hits each, the former grabbing three runs from his hits that included a double. Jordan Ley had two hits for two runs and an RBI with Andrew Russell and Ben Anslett also collecting two hits, the latter bringing in three runs courtesy of his double.
Russell was in the middle for six innings, giving up 10 hits and four earned runs while striking out four. Darcy Longstaff pitched the remaining three innings for two hits and two earned runs as he got the win.
Essendon Bombers 5 v Berwick City Cougars 1
The Bombers enhanced their position within the top four with a win over Berwick on Saturday.
The Bombers' Peter Stokes stole the show with three hits as he crossed home once but also gave opportunities for two teammates to score. Jared Cruz, Michael Formisano and Scott McIntyre each had hits, McIntyre heading to second on his.
Cruz rounded the bases on two occasions with Ross Bament, Darby Sexton and Stokes each coming home for runs.
Gareth Formisano pitched six innings for the Bombers and gave up zero earned runs from three hits. He struck out five throughout his time in the middle. Luke Abels pitched two innings, making light work of Berwick as he faced eight batters, giving up zero hits, striking out one.
Berwick hasn't seen victory since Round 6 while Essendon is looking to make the most of a midweek game v Newport. The Cougars will be hoping to get something brewing ahead of the midweek matchup at Waverley.
Sunshine Eagles 3 v Blackburn Orioles 15
Up 5-3 at bottom six, Blackburn put on the burners to finish the game with a 12-run win on the back of some long balls that cleared the fence and eight runs in the seventh alone.
The Orioles scored 10 runs on home runs as Ben Leslie, Liam Hopkins and Jacob Evans went deep, Evans with two over the fence. Those three combined brought in 11 runs. Evans and Charlie Collins had three hits each as Ryan Berg scored three runs on two hits.
Blake Hodgson, Sam Bucello and Rohan Johnstone shared duties on the mound to restrict Sunshine to six hits and two earned runs while Hodgson struck out four.
Bryce Aldridge had two hits and two RBIs for Sunshine in the team's second loss of the season. Sunshine is now 9-2 while Blackburn evens out with a 6-6 record after a few tough losses last month.
Melbourne Demons 0 v Geelong Baycats 2
Defence made a big difference in this matchup with just two runners crossing the plate in nine innings. All of those runs were added to the home team's score; one in the first and the other in the sixth.
Geelong had 12 hits for this game, led by Ryan Darcy who collected five which included a double. He was rewarded for his efforts as he came home but also paved the way for Tyler Luther-Wilson to score as he singled for an RBI. Luther-Wilson and Jordan Baumann tallied two hits each.
Cameron Forbes pitched for the first time this season, giving up one hit in two innings, striking out one but Sam Gibbons was on the mound for six innings where he allowed two hits and recorded his highest strikeout count of the summer with eight.
Melbourne had just three hits on the day while both teams made two errors in the field. Liam Davine covered 4.2 innings for Melbourne, throwing 15 first-pitch strikes with two strikeouts.
Geelong improves to 7-5 and Melbourne drops to 4-7.
Tyler Luther-Wilson, Geelong Baycats. Photo: Baseball Victoria.
Newport Rams 7 v Cheltenham Rustlers 4
The Rams recorded their third win of the season against Cheltenham as they look to move upwards from the ladder position they've held for the past six weeks - 12th.
Newport led 7-2 after the seventh and Cheltenham managed to score two more but it wasn't enough to close the gap.
The Rams were led on the afternoon by Trenell Hutchins who scored two runs, with David Land and Keenan Spence each getting one run off two hits. Mason Wray got a triple in his one hit of the game, the hit bringing around two runners who scored.
David Asp pitched three innings for the Rams giving up zero runs from three hits with Tyler Comben getting through four innings, giving up two runs from four hits.
Fitzroy Lions v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers - WASH OUT
This game between Fitzroy and Upwey Ferntree Gully was washed out.
Division 1 Reserves - Round 10
Sandringham Royals 3 v Waverley Wildcats 5
The first innings alone was almost the final margin as Waverley lead 5-2 at the end of the first.
In the corresponding five innings, neither team added to their scores however at the top of the seventh, the Royals were able to score one more.
Waverley has a 8-2 record after a four-game winning streak and face Berwick this weekend while Sandringham has lost the last four before hosting Sunshine.
Essendon Bombers 6 v Berwick City Cougars 7
A one-run margin went the way of Berwick as these two mid-table teams battled it out.
The two are tied on four wins now as Essendon faces Newport and Berwick faces Waverley.
Sunshine Eagles 4 v Blackburn Orioles 11
The early stages of this game was a definite pitchers duel, the turning point being Blackburn awaking with the bats, led by Jorey Hubble getting a few hits.
Sunshine tied the scores again in the third after seeing the Orioles pick up the first run in the first. From that point on, Blackburn were seeing the ball well and hitting often, securing 10 runs in the following three innings highlighted by two four-run efforts in the third and fifth.
The Eagles redeemed themselves in the sixth when they fought to come back, their three runs helping their score but still seeing them suffer their fourth defeat in a row. Blackburn on the other hand is enjoying a four-game winning streak and will take on Upwey FTG this weekend.
Melbourne Demons 11 v Geelong Baycats 7
A big eight-run inning from the Demons in the third looked enough at the time, Melbourne up 9-4 heading into the bottom, the margin stretching out to 11-4 as the top of four was completed.
The Baycats did a lot right at the bottom, scoring three runs which put them within a chance to produce more however the final inning of the game saw each team's defensive work on show.
Both teams had different recent records going into this game; Melbourne at 5-3 and Geelong at 4-3-1. Melbourne has improved that by one and is now slightly behind the top four as the upcoming matchup with Cheltenham will be good to watch and for the Baycats, they'll want to win over Fitzroy next week.
Newport Rams 1 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7
The runs piled on late in this game that went four innings as scores were locked at nil-all going into the bottom of the third.
In the next dig though, the Rustlers produced three runs to take a good lead into the fourth, one that Newport could only score once in. Cheltenham would then score another four before the game was called.
Cheltenham is still nestled in the top four as the Rustlers come up against Melbourne this week whereas Newport remains on the hunt for win number one, hoping it comes against Essendon next round.
Fitzroy Lions 3 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 4
The game was scoreless through two when Fitzroy scored first in the third. The Tigers made it 3-1 by the end of the third. The Lions scored twice in the fifth but the Tigers got one more run to take the lead and keep it that way.
Upwey FTG has won three in a row now and it's enough to keep the Tigers in the top spot with a winning percentage slightly higher than Blackburn and Waverley.
Fitzroy meanwhile has lost the past two games as the Lions look forward to starting fresh in a game against Geelong next week whereas the Tigers are at Blackburn.
Division 1 Thirds - Round 10
Sandringham Royals 13 v Waverley Wildcats 7
The Wildcats got off to a flying start, batting in three runs in their first chance of the game but Sandringham doubled that effort the very next dig.
The Wildcats then added two runs in the third and fourth as the Royals added one in the fourth also as scores were tied heading into Sandringham's fifth inning.
Another six runs in that inning was more than enough to confirm the result went the way of the Sandringham as they sit with a 4-6 record ahead of a drive to Sunshine. The loss sent Waverley from equal-first to fourth in the matter of one game as the Wildcats have a 6-2-2 record ahead of a game against Berwick.
Melbourne Demons 2 v Geelong Baycats 13
The Demons scored their runs either side of the game, at the top of the first and the top of the fifth.
In between that, Geelong scored 13 runs after nine came through in the first two innings. Daniel Anson had a great start with 60 pitches thrown over four innings, 48 of them for strikes. He struck out seven while giving up only two hits.
Geelong was strong up-and-down the lineup with plenty of quality plate appearances. First baseman Jackson Viney impressed with three RBIs at crucial moments, while catcher Brody Stokoe had a double and a single. Anson had two singles along with Alex Hockey. Plus, Jake Warren, Cooper Rickard and Martin Bouma all singled, with Warren and Rickard recording two RBIS each.
The Baycats sit second behind Blackburn with a 7-2-1 record as they're on a four-game winning streak while the Demons have three losses and a draw from their past month of games. Geelong plays Fitzroy next week, whereas Melbourne faces Cheltenham.
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 4 v Fitzroy Lions 3
A defensive display for the first two innings from both Upwey FTG and Fitzroy culminated in an offensive approach from each team in the third, the Tigers holding the edge 3-2 at the end of the innings.
Each team added one each in the following two innings, but the game went in favour of Upwey Ferntree Gully. The Tigers sit third at 6-2-1, setting themselves up for a big matchup with Blackburn. The Lions take on Geelong and will be confident of their performance after coming close against the Tigers.
Blackburn Orioles 5 v Sunshine Eagles 4
Defence played a part in the first two innings of this game as Blackburn and Sunshine ended the second without any runs.
The Orioles got up early with two runs in the third before the Eagles doubled that effort in the fourth to take the lead.
An even fifth inning that produced no runs, the Orioles did what they know they can do and buckled down to control the game back into their favour with three runs, which Sunshine couldn't wrestle back due to the tight Blackburn defence at the end.
The fightback sees the Orioles retain top spot on the ladder as they travel to Upwey FTG while the Eagles are ruing their chance to expand on their one win of the season but will face Sandringham this week.
Essendon Bombers 9 v Berwick City Cougars 6
An even first two innings, each team scoring one in the first and then five each in the second, but unfortunately for the Cougars, the Bombers came out in the second half of the game as they scored three runs in the third and fourth.
Essendon has skipped into the top four on the back of this result as the Bombers prepare for Newport and the Cougars haven't added to their one win as they travel to Waverley this weekend.
Newport Rams 3 v Cheltenham Rustlers 10
Cheltenham took the series from Newport in two games that produced big wins in both meetings.
Cheltenham's two wins in a row sees them move up to seventh ahead of a clash with Melbourne and Newport take on Essendon.
Division 1 Fourths - Round 10
Sandringham Royals 5 v Waverley Wildcats 13
The Wildcats got into the swing of things quickly as they got four across the plate in the second, following seven in the third.
Sandringham's runs came throughout the third to fifth, as the Wildcats added two to their score in the fourth in another dominant display.
The Waverley win sees them sitting fourth with a 6-4 record before taking on Berwick, while the Royals face Sunshine as they look to improve on their 3-6 record.
Melbourne Demons 19 v Geelong Baycats 7
Starting big, the Demons got their first at bat going with eight runs before the Baycats managed the final out.
Geelong got one run through in the second but the Demons wanted to expand on their sizeable lead and did so by adding another seven runs in the third.
Geelong tried hard to come back and a four-run fourth inning was good for the Baycats, however the Demons were pressing also.
The Demons kept their season record going strong with 10-0 and take on Cheltenham this weekend. Geelong takes on Fitzroy as both teams look for their third win of the season.
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 7 v Fitzroy Lions 7
For the most part it looked like the Tigers were in the box seat to take out the game, given they led 5-1 after two thanks to a three-run first inning.
The Lions though produced four runs of their own to tie the scores at the conclusion of the fourth innings.
The Tigers scored two in the fifth as they hoped that would be a steady enough lead and were nervous as Fitzroy added two in the bottom. The Tigers managed to get the final out before anymore damange was done, the game ending in a draw.
The Tigers are eighth with a 3-5-1 record as they prepare for Blackburn with the Lions 2-6-2 after this round with a game in Geelong on the agenda next week.
Blackburn Orioles 15 v Sunshine Eagles 3
A big win for Blackburn over Sunshine was their fifth in a row which sees the Orioles sitting third on the ladder ahead of a game against Upwey Ferntree Gully.
The Eagles will turn their attention to a game over Sandringham as they look to break a four-game drought.
Essendon Bombers 7 v Berwick City Cougars 11
The Cougars got things started in the first as they batted in four runs but it was wiped out later as Essendon secured five runs in the third.
More big innings followed, as in the fourth the Cougars ran in seven runs, the scoreboard showing an 11-5 Berwick lead.
Essendon added two more in the fifth with time winding down as Berwick got the final out to end the dig and celebrate their win.
The loss to the Bombers, their second of the season (the first in Round 5) was surprising although Berwick did lose by one run last week against the Bombers so the result was within reach for the Cougars.
Essendon have now set some futher distance from first place but will be seeking a better result when taking on Newport. The Cougars have gone up a place on the ladder as they look to claim another big victory in Waverley next week.
Newport Rams 2 v Cheltenham Rustlers 8
Cheltenham produced two innings of handy scores, collecting three in their first inning and five in their third.
Newport scored one run in each of their first two innings before and only saw a one-run deficit heading into the third however the Rustlers defence was sharp to not allow the Rams to come too much closer to their lead.
Cheltenham's series sweep sees them end the round in fifth place ahead of a meeting with Melbourne. Newport will be looking to be competitive, still in search of that elusive first win when they face Essendon.
The 2019/20 VSBL Women's Division 1 teams had their first midweek games on Wednesday, 27 November, and the season continued with round 10 on Saturday. VSBL Women's Division 2 and 3 kept up the pace in some exciting games over the weekend as well.
Women's Division 1 - Round Nine (Midweeks)
Springvale Lions 6 v Essendon Bombers 8
Essendon got a much-needed win thanks to a solid night offensively, with six runs coming in the second inning alone.
Springvale led 2-1 after the first, but Essendon kept the Lions quiet in the next inning before that big burst of offense to shake things up. Springvale put one on in the third and three in the final frame but it wasn't enough to catch up to Essendon.
Sinead Flanigan started for Springvale before handing things over to Ayumi Ikeyama, who kept the Lions in the game with just three hits and one earned run allowed in 3.2 innings. Flanigan had an RBI single in one of her at-bats. Jade Hough brought two runners in on a blazing double, while Ikeyama's two singles, a double and a walk certainly made a difference. She came around to score twice.
Simone Wearne recorded an RBI, Kelly Manzie had a pair of base hits and a walk as well, Aspen McGovern knocked in a run on her hit and Emily Devine singled. While Springvale's offense was obviously doing well, the Lions were not quite as strong as Essendon at the plate.
Allie Bebbere earned the win for Essendon with four hits and three unearned runs allowed across three innings. Jasmine Bentley gave up five hits and three earned runs. Offensively, Kayla Adams had two walks and an RBI, while Bebbere's solid night carried on at the plate with a double and two RBIs. Bentley chimed in with two base hits while Claire Costa singled and Emma Davenport knocked a run in.
Offensive contributions also came from Sam Deeble and Courtney Foura with an RBI double. Abbey Kelley had a triple and a single for an RBI.
With this important victory, Essendon improves to 3-4-2 while remaining in third place. Springvale and Doncaster flip-flop in first and second as the Lions are now 6-2-1.
Doncaster Dragons 14 v Footscray Bulldogs 1
Footscray's woes continued with a dismal outing on Wednesday night. Doncaster wasted no time getting on the board, racking up the runs to secure win number six on the season.
Doncaster's lineup tallied 13 hits, three of which went to Amy McCann with her double and two singles for two RBIs. Erin Collins had two base hits while Bronwyn Gell knocked in two runs on a triple and a double. Jessica Johnston doubled and singled as Doncaster's fiery lineup showed no signs of slowing down.
Jamie Bastian, Ursula Howard, Vanessa Clifford and Belinda Cannington also had big hits for Doncaster. Cannington contributed a scoreless inning of relief work on the mound after Johnston got the job done, giving up just five hits and one unearned run with four strikeouts in four innings.
Footscray, now at 0-8-1, will try once again for that elusive first victory in upcoming games at Springvale (round 10) and Essendon (round 11). Doncaster swapped with Springvale for first place, with the Dragons at 6-1-2 on the season.
Women's Division 1 - Round 10 (Saturday Games)
Footscray Bulldogs 0 v Springvale Lions 20
The Lions bounced back from a tough midweek loss with a dominant display over Footscray. With this game, Springvale records win number seven while improving to a total of 97 runs scored for on the season. The Lions have given up 51, the fewest runs in the competition thus far.
Footscray is still searching for a win, now sitting at a 0-9-1 record ahead of round 11 v Essendon and round 12 v Doncaster.
Doncaster Dragons 14 v Essendon Bombers 7
Essendon had a win in midweeks but the Bombers couldn't quite secure back-to-back victories. The Dragons got the job done with their bats to take a 7-1-2 record into round 11.
Essendon is 3-5-2 going into the last few weeks of the season before the break. Next up for Doncaster is a home game v Springvale while Essendon hits the road to take on Footscray.
Women's Division 2 - Round Nine
Essendon Bombers 1 v Doncaster Dragons 16
Doncaster scored upwards of 15 runs for the fourth straight game to stay undefeated with an 8-0 record. Essendon has yet to win a game, something the Bombers will be eager to change moving forward into round 10 v Fitzroy and beyond.
The Dragons have scored 111 runs this season while allowing only 16, while the Bombers have reversed numbers with 16 runs scored and 116 given up.
Doncaster hosts close competitor Springvale for a big game on Saturday.
Footscray Bulldogs 5 v Springvale Lions 21
The Lions once again displayed why they are undefeated in this competition, racking up the runs like no tomorrow after a much quieter Footscray side.
The Bulldogs struggled to contain Springvale's offense as the Lions cruised to another big win, their second highest run tally of the season other than a 27-2 win over Essendon in round three.
Footscray is now 3-5 before this weekend's clash with Wheelers Hill, while Springvale is at risk of losing an undefeated record as they face the only other unbeaten team in Doncaster.
Wheelers Hill Warriors 16 v Fitzroy Lions 7
The Warriors put two tough losses behind them with a convincing win over Fitzroy. Wheelers Hill scored six in the first while keeping Fitzroy to just one before a third-run second inning. Six more runs in the third brought the score to a comfortable 15-3.
The Warriors tacked on one more run in the top of the fourth while Fitzroy added four more, but the Lions were unable to bounce back from such a large deficit. Wheelers Hill has now won both of the meetings between these teams so far this season, with the Warriors in the top three with a 4-4 record. Fitzroy is 2-7 and eager to improve in the second half of the season.
Melissa Batty, Eva Gottschling, Lori Lygris and the rest of the Wheelers Hill lineup will take on Footscray in round 10 while Fitzroy plays Essendon.
Women's Division 3 East - Round Nine
Springvale Lions 5 v Doncaster Dragons 14
The Lions are 3-4 after losing just one out of their last three games. Springvale had won 19-2 and 16-11 in the past two rounds, but the offense lost its momentum against this Doncaster side.
Katherine Colclough, Keeley Harrison and Amelia Richardson helped lead the Dragons to victory. After this game the Dragons are 4-3 and the Lions are 3-4. Doncaster plays Mulgrave this weekend and Springvale has a bye.
Mulgrave Rebels 2 v Melbourne Demons 22
Melbourne continues to dominate the competition with another double-digit victory. This marked the third game in which the Demons have scored 20 runs or more.
Melbourne scored five in the first, six in the second and four in the third before giving up two lone runs to Mulgrave. The Demons scored seven more to end the game on a high note.
The Demons are 6-1 and the Rebels are 1-4 before this weekend's games at Moorabbin and Doncaster respectively.
Moorabbin Panthers - BYE
Women's Division 3 South - Round Nine
Bonbeach Bluejays White 7 v Berwick City Cougars 20
The Cougars ran away with this one, scoring seven runs in both the first and the second as they dominated at the plate early on. The Bluejays weren't completely defeated, coming back to score seven in the third.
Berwick responded with six more runs to finish the game on a strong note.
Emma Arnett, Tanya Bryant and Alyssa Jones contributed to the big win as the lineup was busy getting on base. Berwick has won two of the past three for a 4-3 record, while Bonbeach White is 1-5 thus far this season. The Cougars play Pakenham Black next while Bluejays go to Pakenham White.
Cheltenham Rustlers 13 v Pakenham Pumas Black 4
A late burst by Cheltenham put the game well and truly out of reach. The Rustlers took an early 4-1 lead after the first, and by the end of two the score was 6-3.
Seven runners came home in the third for Cheltenham while Pakenham managed only one in the final frame.
Carolyn Allen, Pia Dunkley, Sue Leslie and the rest of the Rustlers had a great game collectively with their bats, winning their seventh straight game to stay undefeated.
The Pumas are still looking for a win and will be hoping for a favourable outcome when they play Berwick this upcoming weekend, while Cheltenham heads to Bonbeach Blue.
Bonbeach Bluejays Blue 12 v Sandringham Royals 4
Bonbeach Blue holds on to second place after another strong outing. The Bluejays are feeling good with a 5-1 record, as their only loss came against Cheltenham in round three.
Sandringham heads into a bye with a 3-4 record in fifth place, while Bonbeach Blue gears up to play Cheltenham once more in round 10.
Pakenham Pumas White - BYE
Women's Division 3 West - Round Nine
Sunshine Eagles 11 v Fitzroy Lions 8
This was a fierce competition but ultimately Sunshine pulled away for the win. Some terrific defensive plays in the field helped the Eagles stay in front for a good chunk of the game after bouncing back from a 6-3 deficit after the first.
Sunshine scored four in the second and four in the fourth while Fitzroy managed just one run in both the third and the fourth. That final burst of offense did the trick for the Eagles as they went on to win their sixth game of the season to protect their first place position. Fitzroy is in third place at 3-3, with the next round taking the Lions to North Western while Sunshine has a home game v Geelong Baycats White.
North Western Titans 21 v Geelong Baycats Blue 7
The Titans turned the tables on the Baycats after Geelong won the first meeting in round four by a final score of 16-13.
Seven proved to be a lucky number for the Titans as that's how many runs they put up in each of the three innings. The Baycats were competitive to start with six runs in the first, but they dropped off from there with just one lone run coming around in the final frame.
The Titans haven't lost since round six and will be looking to keep up with their winning ways against Fitzroy to improve on a 2-3-1 record, while Geelong Blue carries a 5-3 record into the bye week.
Geelong Baycats White - BYE
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season continued with another round of midweek games, which saw Moorabbin bounce back from a tough loss on the weekend and Preston achieve a season-high run tally. Moorabbin, Malvern, Williamstown and Werribee remain in the top four heading into this weekend's series finales.
Division 2 Firsts
Port Melbourne Mariners 3 v Malvern Braves 4
The Braves narrowly escaped with a one-run victory to remain in second place with a 9-2 victory. Since starting the season 5-0, Port Melbourne has dropped five of the last six, something the Mariners will hope to overcome in the next few weeks.
Chris Wall and Mitchell Kennedy shared pitching duties for Malvern, giving just four hits between the two of them. Kennedy got the win with just one unearned run allowed in three innings along with a double when he went up to bat.
Gavin Woolger, Chris Burke and Tyler Dale singled while Lachlan Fuda collected two base hits. 2020 Victorian U18 Blue State Team player Henry Hayman recorded a pair of RBIs with a double and a single on the night.
Out of Port Melbourne's 10 hits on the night, Sam Morris, Jack White and Tyson Cox-Davies had two each. Daniel Imoto, Chris Doyle, Ryan Lea and Matt Morris singled as well.
Malvern goes for the sweep on Sunday as Port Melbourne looks to turn things around before another tough series coming up, this time against top team v Moorabbin.
St Kilda Saints 2 v Werribee Giants 4
St Kilda has come close in both games at Werribee, but the Giants have just managed to keep the game in their favour with another stellar pitching performance from Trent Pantalleresco. He covered the whole game, giving up seven hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts in seven innings. Plus Pantalleresco recorded an RBI single for his team.
Werribee's Ryan Balzer had two hits, a walk and an RBI, while Oliver Box contributed with an RBI single. Base hits from Wade Balzer, Daine Gregory, Josh Lee, Harvey Garrett and Simon Riches also helped Werribee's cause.
Now Werribee has the chance for the sweep on the weekend, as the Saints try to get out to an earlier start offensively while stopping the Giants from jumping on the board right away.
St Kilda is 2-9 after dropping back-to-back games while Werribee is hanging out in the top four at 8-3.
Doncaster Dragons 7 v Bonbeach Bluejays 5
The Dragons made it through another tight game, holding on for a much-needed win and improving to a 2-9 record for the season. Bonbeach was disappointed by another loss, but the Bluejays remain hopeful they can beat the sweep and get a win on the board this weekend, as their offense has almost been keeping up with Doncaster's.
Bonbeach gave up just six hits on the night to Doncaster, with Marcel D'Avoine collecting a single and a double for the Dragons. Teammates Nic Unland, Brendan McDonald, Jimin Lee and Ben Palensky also had hits on the night.
Nic Unland and Angus Stals contributed with work on the mound for Doncaster, managing to keep Bonbeach at bay when it mattered most.
Doncaster hosts Sunday's series finale.
Preston Pirates 19 v Mulgrave Rebels 7
Preston ran wild on the base paths, racking up double-digit runs quickly and efficiently. The Pirates opened with three runs in the first before putting up 10 in the second in a painful inning for Mulgrave. It took a long time for Preston to finally be retired, and by then the damage was done.
Mulgrave scored three apiece in the second and third with one more run coming in the final frame, but it wasn't enough as Preston kept adding to the run tally too. Preston scored in every inning, a welcome change from some quiet offensive performances earlier this year.
There were contributions up-and-down the lineup for Preston with Cam Deeble, Ryan Golledge and Ben Donnell all making a big difference.
Preston heads into this weekend's home game with a 5-6 record and a chance for the sweep.
Moorabbin Panthers 6 v Williamstown Wolves 1
After stunning the previously undefeated Panthers on Sunday with a 5-1 win, the Wolves struggled to produce on Thursday night.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third, when Williamstown scored that lone run. From there the Wolves let things slide, with Moorabbin's bats coming alive for three in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Williamstown faced some pitching shortages while the lineup collected just four hits on the day, all singles going to Jason McDonald, Robert Higginson, Chris Jackson and Scott Meager.
In comparison, Moorabbin had 12 hits in the midweek matchup, with Jon Ballantyne leading the way with three singles. Ben Laux had two doubles and Mitch Barr had two base hits while Neil Johnston tripled. Stewart Mathieson, Nick Bertucci, Zach Kamerman and Travis Finney all singled as well.
Kamerman did great on the mound once again, covering six innings with ease and striking out six along the way. His ERA has dropped to 1.74 on the season.
Moorabbin hosts Sunday's huge series decider as the Panthers are 10-1 and the Wolves are 8-3.
The 2019/20 Australian Baseball League (ABL) season opened last weekend, and Melbourne Aces and Geelong-Korea have selected a group of development players to train with the team and get some game time during home series.
While the ABL does have its fair share of imports, Victorian teams are eager to expand the opportunities for local players to get involved, giving these young athletes a chance to improve their skills and prepare for bright futures.
Both the Aces and Geelong-Korea have selected a few development players who will gain exposure and experience this ABL season. Jon Deeble, Manager of Melbourne Aces, says the season holds a lot of potential, especially with the quality of local Victorian players. “We are looking to win the championship. It’s a new start for the Aces and we’ve been knocking on the doors for the last few years, so we feel it’s our time this year,” Deeble said. “We need to develop our local players first and foremost. We need to find a place for them to play and we hope to give our local kids the chance to go ahead.”
Four Melbourne Aces development players have been selected from the Victorian State Team Program, including Zak Skinner, Henry Hayman, Conor Myles and Dante Caruso. These athletes will train alongside the Aces, work with experienced coaches, sit on the bench and possibly get some game time in home series. “This is a really important part of the Aces,” Deeble said. “It’s about developing baseball in Victoria and getting more kids to play, with a pathway they can look up to.”
Deeble has watched the success of these development players in recent seasons. “The last couple of years we’ve been able to play a lot of the kids and we feel that it’s helped them perform well at the National Championships,” Deeble said. “We want to give them that exposure and potentially have college and professional scouts see them. At the end of the day, we’ve made a path to developing them whether they become major league, professional, Australian or college players. We’ve played a part in helping along the way.”
Looking at the bigger picture is key for the Aces as they work with development players. “We have to tie the whole thing together, it’s not just about us but it’s about how we make baseball better in Victoria,” Deeble said.
Development players will also be capitalising on awesome ABL opportunities with Geelong-Korea. Manager Graeme Lloyd says Kobe Greenhalgh, Lachlan Hockey, Jarryd Wood and Connor Hughes will have access to extensive training and skills development with Geelong-Korea. “Hopefully we are seeing the next generation of baseballers in the ABL and helping them out,” Lloyd said. “We are here to win, there’s some really good teams in the ABL but we’ve got a good young professional team here and I can’t wait to see them work.”
Hockey has already had some practice in the bullpen, while Hughes took the mound for Geelong-Korea in Sunday’s game against Sydney Blue Sox, much to the delight of his Geelong baseball community. Lloyd looks forward to seeing these athletes do more this season. “This is a group of good young kids and I think they can help us this year,” Lloyd said. “Watching them train with the boys, they are joining in beautifully. It’s going to be a lot of fun and hopefully we can get them into a few games to help develop their careers.”
2019/20 ABL tickets and memberships are on sale for Geelong Korea HERE and Melbourne Aces HERE.
View the broadcast guide for the 2019/20 ABL season HERE, and sign up for a free 14-day Kayo Trial to get started.
One of Victoria’s bright young umpires is heading overseas to continue his education and training in umpiring, thanks to the support of the Baseball Umpires Association of Victoria (BUAV).
Casey Cooke has been selected for funding by the BUAV to attend the Minor League Baseball Umpiring Training Academy at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, FL. Casey will head overseas for five weeks next January/February to take part in this extensive umpire training, which provides a pathway to higher levels of umpiring.
This is a big accomplishment for Casey, who began umpiring softball in 2015 before making the switch to baseball a year later, umpiring with Melbourne Winter Baseball League. He’s no stranger to the game, having played and coached juniors before taking up umpiring, something he now shares with his dad. “He helped me put a lot of effort into getting some of the basics right.”
Now, Casey is ready to improve his umpiring skills surrounded by seasoned umpires with years of experience. “It feels amazing to be selected,” Casey said. “This is an opportunity I've heard of from players and other umpires throughout the seasons, and it seemed really interesting to get a chance to learn from the best of the best.”
Thinking ahead to his first international trip apart from New Zealand, Casey is excited to have a month of dedicated practice time at a world-class training facility. “Even with our training nights, umpires have very few chances to practice rulings, see the same plays over and over or experiment with how they do things,” Casey said. “I’m coming internationally, as someone with such a different experience compared to some of the other students, which is something I’m looking forward to. I’m always keen to put myself under a whole lot of pressure.”
Being part of this prestigious training academy could open up new doors for Casey as he continues to pursue his umpiring passions. “There is a chance that I can be selected from the academy directly to the minor league system in America, which would be really cool,” Casey said. “But even without that, I have the opportunity to come back and help improve the quality of umpiring at a national or even regional level.”
Evan McPherson and his teammates at Werribee Giants Baseball Club have their sights set on a successful season in VSBL Division 2.
Werribee has been competitive this season, winning seven of the first ten games to stay firmly in the Division 2 race. Evan credits a boost in batting and reliable pitching as keys to Werribee’s favourable results so far. “There’s strong competition in Division 2 this year which will be a barrier for us, but we’ve got the team,” Evan said. “We’ve been competitive obviously in the past five, six years but we identified a need to improve our batting.”
Evan looks forward to getting back out on the field and playing every week as the Giants are looking to make a big statement and go all the way. “Hopefully we can get the club back up to Division 1, that would be a big goal for us,” Evan said.
After finishing third in the standings last season with a 16-7-1 record, the Giants want to keep things consistent this year. Evan says their strong friendship and sense of teamwork will help them do just that, even in tough games. “I keep playing baseball because of the mates,” Evan said.
Winning a premiership in his first-ever season of baseball has driven Evan to keep working hard to make it happen all over again with his teammates. As an athlete who is passionate about his sport, Evan encourages new players to come down and get involved in the fun at Werribee. ““If someone wanted to give the sport a try, I’d say give it a shot,” Evan said. “You’ll make great mates.”
Werribee plays St Kilda at home on Thursday night for a big midweek matchup before rounding out the series on the road, with the Giants currently sitting in third place on the ladder.
Competitions & Tournament Manager Kelsey Quinn has resigned from her role at Baseball Victoria in order to focus on her studies and complete her PhD.
Baseball Victoria thanks Kelsey for her contributions and wishes her all the best as she continues her education.
Baseball Victoria will undertake the process of filling this role to ensure we provide the same level of services for our members throughout this seamless transition.
The role will be advertised (including but not limited to the Baseball Victoria website) to attract a broad spectrum of candidates from experienced sports administrators internal and external to the baseball community.
Kelsey will complete her role at Baseball Victoria on 20 December 2019.
Baseball Victoria thanks Kelsey for her contributions and we wish her well as she continues her education.
Jennie Moloney, a well-known scorer in the Victorian baseball community, received recognition for her dedication to scoring as she was named Scorer of the Year by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
WBSC presented its Individual Awards during last week’s Gala Dinner, and Jennie was recognised with the 2019 Scorer of the Year Award for her support in the global effort of scorers.
This is a well-deserved accomplishment for Jennie, who is one of five members of the WBSC Scoring Commission and a life member of Williamstown Baseball Club where she has been scoring for more than 40 years.
Jennie was surprised to receive such this prestigious award. “I had no idea that I was even in contention to be considered as the WBSC Scorer of the Year, so it was a huge shock, but a wonderful one,” Jennie said. “I feel very honoured to have been selected from many very deserving International scorers. But scoring is about being part of a team and working together so I have to thank all the other scorers I've worked with over many years for their friendship and support which has helped me in being selected to receive this award.”
It’s been a big year for Jennie as she continued to pursue her passion, heading overseas to score at the Premier 12’s in Seoul and Tokyo earlier this month while also working with a Korean company to develop the software that will be used for scoring baseball at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Other highlights for Jennie this year included attending a Scoring Commission conference in Switzerland, instructing a softball clinic in Bangkok and scoring at an Olympics Softball Test in Fukushima.
Jennie’s love of scoring began in 1976, when she began dating her husband and went to Williamstown to watch him play. She quickly got roped into scoring, and she hasn’t stopped since. “Scoring has given me fabulous experiences to look back on, like being selected to score at two Olympic games (Sydney and Beijing) and to travel the world and meet great people,” Jennie said. “Being involved in baseball has created lifelong friendships.”
Over the course of Jennie’s scoring career, she has earned her CABS Australia Level 5 Accreditation and scored for a variety of events, ranging from club games to national championships and international competitions. She’s also one of the official scorers for Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League.
Jennie looks forward to continuing her scoring efforts for many years to come. “I just want to keep enjoying what I’m doing and help other scorers pursue their scoring dreams so that one day they might be in the position I'm in now,” Jennie said. “Scoring baseball is a fabulous hobby. It helps you understand the game and fall in love with baseball. It is a great way to make lifelong friends and keeps your brain active. It can be challenging but hugely rewarding.”