Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

The 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 competition continued on Sunday with some massive round nine matchups. Melbourne and Waverley Wildcats Black lead the way in Division 4 East, while Footscray White and Footscray Red are dominating in Division 4 North West. Monash Uni and Cheltenham remain the teams to beat in Division 4 South heading into round 10.

Division 4 East

Fitzroy Lions Gold 20 v Blackburn Orioles 10

The Lions find themselves in third place on the ladder after a huge outing on Sunday, putting together two seven-run innings to put the game out of reach. Blackburn had a 5-3 lead after the first inning, but from then on out Fitzroy had the upper hand offensively. Henry Formosa-Doyle, Andy Ramirez and Sam Hill helped Fitzroy's efforts.

Seven runs in the final frame put the game completely out of reach for Blackburn, a team that is still looking for another victory after the first and only one of the season came by forfeit backed in round three.

The Orioles will be eager to string together win number two when they play Waverley Red this weekend, while the Lions are feeling confident with a 4-3-1 record ahead of Sunday's clash with Monash University.

Waverley Wildcats Red 2 v Melbourne Demons 17

The Wildcats fell short in Sunday's big game as they've suffered back-to-back losses now. Waverley Red scored two in the top of the first but that was about it for the Wildcats offensively. Melbourne put up seven runs in the bottom of the first, followed by five apiece in the second and third while keeping Waverley Red off the board.

Melbourne remains comfortable at the top of the ladder with a 9-0 record, with Waverley Black coming up in second place at 8-1. The Demons have scored 107 runs while allowing only 17 across the first nine games, a phenomenal strength they will look to carry into round 10 and beyond as they play Malvern this weekend.

Waverley Wildcats Black 6 v Monash University Farmers 5

This battle between the second place and third place teams was a close one, but Monash ultimately left the tying and winning runs on base.

Now the Farmers will look to make amends against Fitzroy Gold this weekend, while Waverley Black has an 8-1 ahead of Sunday's home game v St Kilda.

Malvern Braves 1 v St Kilda Saints 15

Justin Ramirez, Omar Gomez and AJ Chalker propelled the Saints to a huge victory, their third double-digit win in a row. Malvern drops to 3-6 and St Kilda evens things out at 4-4.

St Kilda plays Waverley Black next and Malvern heads to Melbourne.

Division 4 North West

North Coburg Rebels Maroon 5 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 6

The Rebels came oh-so-close, but Joey Filardo hit a walk-off home run in thrilling fashion for the Lions. The Rebels have lost their last five and they will hope to turn things around at home v Essendon Bombers this weekend. Fitzroy Blue takes a 3-5 record into this weekend on the road at Essendon Jets.

Essendon Jets 3 v Footscray Bulldogs Blue 6

The Bulldogs are climbing up the ladder after evening their record at 4-4, back-to-back wins certainly helping their cause. The Jets are 2-6 now before playing Fitzroy Blue this upcoming weekend, while round 10 puts Footscray Blue v Footscray White.

Essendon Bombers 4 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 10

The Rebels are feeling good after back-to-back wins, now sitting tied for third with Fitzroy Maroon. The game was tied heading into the bottom of the fifth when the Rebels piled on six runs to get the win.

Now it's Essendon Bombers v North Coburg Maroon while Gold goes to Mitchell Majors Yellow.

Footscray Bulldogs White 7 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 4

Footscray White put four runs up in the second, two in the fifth and one in the sixth, although the Bulldogs did let the Lions back into the game late with two runs apiece in the fifth and seventh. It wasn't enough for Fitzroy Maroon, as the team holds steady in the top four with a 6-2 record. Footscray White remains undefeated at the top with an 8-0 record, something the Bulldogs will look to protect this weekend against Footscray Blue.

Fitzroy Maroon hosts Mitchell Majors Black.

Mitchell Majors Black 0 v Footscray Bulldogs Red 13

The Red Bulldogs side has scored the most runs in the comp, with 116 scored and just 22 given up so far this season. Six of Footscray's runs in this game came in the first inning, while three followed in the second, one in the third and three in the fourth.

Mitchell Majors Black (1-7) is hoping to improve offensively going into the season's second half, with the next game at Fitzroy Maroon. Footscray Red (8-1) has a bye this week.

Mitchell Majors Yellow - BYE

Division 4 South

Moorabbin Panthers 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 15

The Rustlers ran away with this one, taking a 9-1 lead by the end of the second and never looking back. Moorabbin's three additional runs came in the third but the Panthers still fell short.

Cheltenham has won four of five games with a draw, while Moorabbin is 3-5. Round 10 puts Moorabbin at home v St Kilda and Cheltenham on the road to Melbourne.

Melbourne Demons 14 v Ormond Glenhuntly 11

This high-scoring affair went in Melbourne's favour in the end, giving the Demons a 3-2 record while Ormond Glenhuntly falls to 2-6.

Ormond Glenhuntly will look to avoid four straight losses in round 10 v Monash University, while Melbourne hosts Cheltenham.

Monash University Farmers 22 v Pakenham Pumas 3

A huge burst of offense in the first set the stage for Monash Uni, scoring seven runs before another four came in both the second and the third.

The Farmers scored seven more runs in the fifth, although the Pumas finally got on the board in the final inning. Kyle Crutchley, Rory Gibson, Michael Hibbert and Lachlan Kibbell all helped the Farmers on their way to a 7-0-1 win.

Pakenham will look for that elusive first win against Berwick this weekend and Monash will head into a home game v Ormond Glenhuntly with more momentum.

Berwick City Cougars 6 v St Kilda Saints 10

The Saints scored four late runs to break the tie, earning a 2-3 record while the Cougars take their second loss of the season.

Berwick remains firmly in the top three going into this weekend's home game v Pakenham and St Kilda travels to Moorabbin.

Springvale shows no signs of slowing down in VSBL Division 3 this year, while North Western Titans is starting to turn things around. There's 10 rounds to go as the summer season heats up, with plenty of great VSBL Division 3 action left to look forward to.

Division 3 Firsts

Springvale Lions 9 v Chelsea Dolphins 2

The Lions are on a roll, showing no signs of dropping off anytime soon as they carry a 9-0 record into round 10. This most recent game saw Springvale jump out to an early 4-0 lead, carrying that through to the fifth when they added three runs.

Springvale's final two runs came in the top of the seventh, while Chelsea scored once in the sixth and once in the eighth.

Chelsea collected eight hits on the day, with Matthew Burton leading the way with a single and a triple. Rhys Tippet also had two hits - a pair of singles - while Adam Burton, Daniel Wong, Shane Jeffrey and Matt Hannan chimed in with base hits. However, 11 strikeouts on the day didn't help Chelsea's cause.

Springvale roughed up Trent Wilford over six innings as he gave up 14 hits and nine earned runs. Aden Rusden contributed three quiet innings on the mound for Chelsea, giving up just two hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Meanwhile the Lions relied on Lucas Anderson, who threw six strong innings, giving up six hits and a walk with three strikeouts and one earned run.

Rydge Hogan filled in for three innings in relief, giving up just two hits with eight strikeouts and one earned run.

Out of Springvale's 16 hits, three were base hits to Matt Cameron and two doubles and a single went to Anderson. Scott Baillie and Lili Cavanagh both had a pair of base hits, while Tim Hanson had a single and a double.

Myles Barnden, Adam Thatcher, Neal Cavanagh and Brandon Mize all had hits with Hogan being the only Lions player in the lineup without a hit on the day, although he did come around to score after being hit by a pitch.

9-0 Springvale plays Ormond Glenhuntly Blue this Sunday while 4-5 Chelsea hosts 6-2-1 Pakenham in a battle between the third and second place teams.

Photo: Springvale Lions Baseball Club - Facebook

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 7 v North Western Titans 10

The Titans are starting to hit their stride after stronger offensive performances in recent weeks. This result allowed North Western to improve to 2-7 on the season, thanks to big contributions from Danny Haymes, Dan Holmes and Stuart Tierney.

Geoff MacDonald, Ashley Fisher and Lachlan Carracher all helped Ormond Glenhuntly Blue's cause, but it wasn't quite enough as the Hunters dropped their fifth straight game, a far cry from their undeniable dominance in the past few seasons.

The game was quiet through the first two innings before North Western put three up in both the third and the fourth. The Hunters came back to make it 6-4, but the Titans soon pulled away again. Three runs in the final inning gave Ormond Glenhuntly a boost despite the loss.

North Western was thrilled to get this win over a normally tough competitor, and the Titans will hope to carry that momentum through round 10 at Ormond Glenhuntly Gold. Ormond Glenhuntly Blue moves on to play Springvale, a team that beat them 14-0 back in round five.

Pakenham Pumas 10 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 8

Both teams fought hard, but ultimately this one went in favour of the Pumas who had a 4-1 lead after two. The Hunters stole the lead in the fifth but the Pumas were right there to match it in the next inning, adding four runs to their tally.

The seventh and eighth were quiet and Ormond Glenhuntly tried to piece together a rally, scoring three in the final frame but still falling short. Shaun Fahy, Trent Job and the rest of the Pumas celebrated their sixth win for a 6-2-1 record in second place, while Ormond Glenhuntly Gold sits at 2-7.

Pakenham heads to Chelsea and Ormond Glenhuntly Gold hosts North Western for round 10.

Division 3 Reserves

Springvale Lions 9 v Chelsea Dolphins 14

The Lions let go of an early lead late in the game as Chelsea came back to win it. A huge 10-run third inning from Chelsea made the victory possible, while three more runs in the final inning sealed the deal. Mark Baneth, Gavin Smith and Jarryd Tippett helped Chelsea's cause considerably.

The Lions have dropped two of their last three games but still remain atop the ladder with a 7-2 record, although they're now tied with Ormond Glenhuntly Gold. Chelsea is making a sure but steady climb up the ladder with a 4-5 record currently.

Springvale plays Ormond Glenhuntly Blue and Chelsea plays Pakenham this weekend.

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 24 v North Western Titans 1

There weren't many strong points for North Western in this game as Ormond Glenhuntly Blue completely dominated, scoring 19 runs in the first inning before the Titans were finally able to record three outs.

North Western scored once in the bottom frame before Ormond Glenhuntly Blue tacked on another five. Lukas Bull, Geoffrey Miller, James Pask and Liam Robinson helped propel Ormond Glenhuntly Blue to victory.

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue is in third place with a 6-2-1 record ahead of Sunday's game at Springvale, while North Western is searching for a win with an 0-8-1 record as the Titans play Ormond Glenhuntly Gold this weekend.

Pakenham Pumas 2 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 6

The Hunters were leading 2-1 after two innings before scoring another three unanswered runs. Pakenham finally put another one on the board in the fifth but another run for the Hunters to end the game gave them the winning feeling they were after.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold carries a 7-2 record into round 10 while Pakenham is second-last with a 1-6-2 record.

The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season featured some highly competitive matchups over the weekend, with a huge highlight coming in the Moorabbin v Williamstown game when the Wolves denied the Panthers a 10-0 start to the season. Moorabbin, Malvern, Williamstown and Werribee make up the top four in the firsts, while Moorabbin is 9-0 in the seconds, Malvern is undefeated in the thirds and Williamstown is on top in the fourths.

Division 2 Firsts

St Kilda Saints 4 v Werribee Giants 5

St Kilda was forced to catch up from the first innings as Werribee came home twice at the bottom. It took until the fourth inning for the Saints to get their first runs, which tied the game.

Werribee doubled their score (and the lead) in the fifth before each side scored once more across the following two innings, with the score standing at 3-5 to the Giants at the end of seven.

St Kilda managed to keep the Giants at bay to end the game while adding one more run, yet the Saints still fell short of a win. The Giants recorded their seventh win of the season to sit fourth on the ladder, while St Kilda is at 2-8.

Wesley De Jong was the winning pitcher, throwing over 100 pitches for the Giants over seven innings, giving up one earned run with three strikeouts. Joshua Lee got the save from his two innings, giving up no earned runs.

Wade Balzer was the best of the bats for Werribee, leading the way with two hits for two runs including a home run with two RBIs. Ryan Balzer got two runs with Justin Gil being the other to score.

Franco Caramia was the losing pitcher, giving up four runs (although just one earned) in five innings with four strikeouts.

With the bats for St Kilda, Eduardo Escalona had two runs off of two hits while Roland Curiel and Tom Snowden had two hits each, the former with a run and RBI and the latter with two RBIs.

Moorabbin Panthers 1 v Williamstown Wolves 5

In a classic top-four clash, Williamstown broke Moorabbin's perfect record as the Panthers lost their first game of the season in a surprise defeat/

Williamstown started well and continued from there, gaining two runs in the first then another two in the fifth before Moorabbin scored their first in the seventh.

The Wolves made sure that was the only run that crossed the plate for the Panthers as they added one more in the eighth.

Dennis Neal was the winning pitcher as he covered seven innings, giving up one earned run and eight strikeouts. Chris Neilson for Moorabbin was the losing pitcher with four runs (two earned) and five strikeouts over five innings.

The Panthers just had five hits for the game, their lowest tally for the year as Mich Barr had one hit for one run, Xander Gunn providing the hit that got the run.

Jayde Thorne had three hits for the Wolves, returning with two runs and two RBIs. Jason McDonald also had two hits, each seeing a run score.

Moorabbin still sit in first but the gap between them and Malvern and Williamstown (8-2) has closed, however the Panthers will be hoping this was a minor hiccup in an otherwise stellar Division 2 season.

Doncaster Dragons 10 v Bonbeach St Chads 8

Bonbeach struck first in the first but Doncaster replied instantly the next dig and got a hold of the Bluejays as they'd secured another seven runs as they finished their sixth turn at bat.

It was on the back of five runs in the fifth that allowed them to lead by so much, but the next two Bonbeach innings registered seven runs, tying the scores at 8-all.

The home team brought two runs in at the top of the ninth and then were able to shut down the Bluejays to finish with a two-run win.

Simon Fitzmaurice and Ben Palensky shared duties on the mound for the Dragons, giving up seven earned runs between them but also combining for 13 strikeouts. For the Bluejays, Adam Shoppe got the loss, giving up eight hits, four earned runs with two strikeouts in his five innings.

For the batters, Doncaster had Palensky who had two hits, a triple and a home run for two runs and three RBIs. Nic Unland batted in three runners as he hit a triple in the fifth, and made it home himself shortly after.

Bonbeach had Matthew Bucci, Tomomi Tokubo each with three hits and two runs, Tokubi with a triple and Bucci with three RBIs. Andrew Webber and Jim Crowe had two hits each, Webber making it to second on both occasions, with those hits bringing in three runs across the game.

It was the Dragons' first win of the season as Bonbeach have struggled to get one themselves, but as the series continues, the Bluejays have another chance for a win.

Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Facebook

Malvern Braves 11 v Port Melbourne Mariners 3

Malvern got the win on the back of handy contributions from Gavin Woolger (three hits, two doubles, two runs) and Mitchell Kennedy (three hits, one home run, three RBIs). Justin Burke also had two hits for two runs while Henry Hayman had two hits, one run and two RBIs.

Tyler Dale pitched the full nine, giving up five hits, one earned run with two strikeouts. Those hits went to Port Melbourne's Tyson Cox-Davis, Sam Morris, Shaun Boothman and Chris Doyle.

The win puts Malvern in second place, ahead of Williamstown on runs against and it also provides them with their eighth win in a row after starting the season 0-2.

Preston Pirates 15 v Mulgrave Rebels 3

Both teams struck in the first inning, one runner making it home. It was Mulgrave who got the next lead of the game when they scored one in the second and it took until the fourth for Preston to make the game tied again.

After that moment, Preston used their bats to great effect with two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings. It all culminated in the Pirates securing nine runs in the seventh inning, that dominance ending with the Rebels just getting one run at the bottom and securing a big win for the Pirates for their fourth of the season.

Every player on the Pirates lineup got a run, Cameron Deeble scoring four times from three hits. Jaycob Pascuzzi, Nick Pascuzzi and Darcy Brynne-Connell each scored twice. Jaycob Pascuzzi was another who had three hits, as did Matt Fordham. Fordham was responsible for batting in four teammates throughout his at bats.

Ben Donnell pitched seven innings for five hits and two earned runs, his eight strikeouts taking his tally to 42 in six games.

Five hits were Malvern's total from the game, Nick Thompson picking up two, one of which was a double that brought in a run. Caleb Poole, Donnie Poole and Lincoln Lads were the Braves that came home safely.

Division 2 Reserves - Round Nine

St Kilda Saints 10 v Werribee Giants 5

Werribee got the first three runs of the game, in the first inning. From that point, it was a tight contest as neither team let up any runs until St Kilda got on the board and tied the game at the top of the fifth.

The Giants didn't want their lead to be cut for too long as they scored two at the bottom and again, it was a nil-all innings that followed.

The Saints came back hard again, tying the score at the top of seven, but scoring seven in total before the Giants could get three outs.

Unfortunately for the Giants, they couldn't produce the magic at the bottom, meaning St Kilda ran out winners. The Saints are still behind the Giants although both have four wins for the season.

Moorabbin Panthers 6 v Williamstown Wolves 2

Williamston got the first run of the game in the first but couldn't find another until the seventh, when they were playing catch-up to Moorabbin who'd scored six runs across the second to sixth innings.

It continues the Panther's perfect record to start the season, sitting first at 9-0 while the Wolves lost their second game of the season, their first loss since Round 1 as they were on a seven-game winning streak.

Doncaster Dragons 6 v Bonbeach St Chads 2

After two disappointing losses Doncaster picked up the pace in this game, working hard to keep the score looking positive. Doncaster improves to 3-6 while Bonbeach falls to 1-8, the Bluejays only win of the season coming back in round two with a 10-2 victory over Port Melbourne.

Malvern Braves 4 v Port Melbourne Mariners 5

Port Melbourne has broken their five-game losing streak with a one-run win over Malvern. After a quiet start to the game offensively, the Braves came back to score two apiece in the fourth and fifth, but they just couldn't quite close the gap. Malvern sits in second place with a 7-1-1 record and Port Melbourne is 3-6.

Preston Pirates 0 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

Three early runs put Mulgrave in a good position while Preston struggled to make anything happen offensively. The Pirates are 1-7-1 and the Rebels are climbing up the ladder, now with a 4-5 record ahead of this Sunday's games.

Division 2 Thirds - Round Nine

St Kilda Saints 10 v Werribee Giants 17

This fiery, high-scoring matchup saw Werribee come out on top to take a 4-5 record into round 10. St Kilda won in the previous round 16-1 over Mulgrave, and the Saints will be looking to obtain a similar result as they host Werribee this weekend. Both teams have the same record and whoever wins this upcoming weekend has a chance to crack the top four.

Bonbeach Bluejays 10 v Doncaster Dragons 19

Another high-scoring game ended in Doncaster's favour as the Dragons avoided a four-game losing streak. Bonbeach won back in round two over Port Melbourne but since then it's been an uphill battle as the Bluejays have dropped seven straight, despite a solid day offensively on Sunday.

Doncaster is 4-4-1 going into round 10 while Bonbeach is 1-8.

Port Melbourne Mariners 3 v Malvern Braves 9

The Braves don't seem interested in letting go of their undefeated record anytime soon, putting together yet another excellent team performance on Sunday.

Malvern has scored 137 runs this season while giving up only 32, while 3-6 Port Melbourne has scored 61 and given up 90. Port Melbourne heads to Malvern once more this weekend for a chance to knock the 9-0 team.

Mulgrave Rebels 11 v Preston Pirates 12

A battle of the bats saw Preston narrowly edge Mulgrave for the Pirates fourth win of the season. Preston had dropped the past four so this was a great result for the team, made possible by contributions from Zoe Allen, Lachlan Davis, Alex Duske, Tim Wainwright and others.

A quiet first inning gave way to the second, when Mulgrave scored three and Preston scored seven. The Rebels added one in the third while Preston put up two, and then it was on to the decisive fourth inning. Mulgrave put together quite the rally, scoring seven runs although Preston stole the lead back in the final frame with three runs to secure the victory.

Preston is 4-5 and Mulgrave is 1-7-1 going into round 10.

Williamstown Wolves 4 v Moorabbin Panthers 2

This was a quieter game in comparison to some of Williamstown's earlier outings, but nonetheless the Wolves got the job done. Moorabbin carried a 1-0 lead through five before Williamstown scored four in the top of the sixth. Moorabbin got one back in the bottom of the seventh but still fell short.

Williamstown and Moorabbin are tied with 7-2 records in second place behind undefeated Malvern, so this weekend will be a huge matchup at the Wolves' home den.

Division 2 Fourths - Round Nine

St Kilda Saints 21 v Werribee Giants 0

The Saints were all over this game, shutting down Werribee with an explosive offence that just couldn't be contained.

St Kilda put runs up every inning, with five in the first and four in the third. A two-run third inning was quiet in comparison to the huge 10-run spot to seal the deal in the fourth. Ian Buckle, Jeff Kuhl, Bryan Livett and Joshua Smart helped lead the charge for St Kilda as the team improves to a 6-3 record to stay within the top four. Werribee is in sixth place with a 3-6 record.

Geelong Baycats 2 v Malvern Braves 14

The Braves lost their first game of the season but since then it's been smooth sailing, exhibited once more this past Sunday as Malvern cruised to a big win and a 6-1 record to stay in second place.

The Baycats had a slow start, giving up some costly errors that proved detrimental. Malvern had a 5-1 lead after two before racking up seven runs in the third. Two additional runs followed while Geelong only scored once more in the final frame.

Despite the disappointing result, Daniel Dobbie and Marc Weakley worked hard on the mound for Geelong, while Oscar Boulter, James Markovic and James Squire contributed to Malvern's efforts.

Geelong is now 4-5 ahead of this weekend's game on the road.

Mulgrave Rebels 6 v Preston Pirates 13

The Pirates brought their A-game to this matchup, piecing together a six-run first inning to start things off right. Two more runs followed in the second before Preston let Mulgrave back in the game. The score was 8-6 to Preston heading into the bottom of the third, but the Pirates pulled away with five runs in the last two innings.

Preston improves to 4-5 to stay in the middle of the pack while Mulgrave searches for another win, the last taste of victory coming back in round four over Doncaster.

Williamstown Wolves 11 v Moorabbin Panthers 7

Williamstown had the upper hand in this game as the reigning premiers cruised to a big victory to go 9-0 on the season. The Wolves are in fine form as they chase their third straight Grand Final win.

After a quiet first half of the game offensively for the Panthers, in which they allowed the Wolves to take a 5-0 lead, the Panthers came back to put a handful of runs on the board but it just wasn't enough for Moorabbin to avoid loss number two on the season.

Williamstown scored four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to secure the win as Moorabbin takes a third-place 5-2 record into round 10.

Doncaster Dragons - BYE

St Kilda Saints 21 v Werribee Giants 0

The Saints were all over this game, shutting down Werribee with an explosive offence that just couldn't be contained.

Geelong Baycats 2 v Malvern Braves 14

The Braves lost their first game of the season but since then it's been smooth sailing, exhibited once more this past Sunday as Malvern cruised to a big win and a 6-1 record to stay in second place.

Despite the disappointing result, Daniel Dobbie and Marc Weakley worked hard on the mound for Geelong, while Oscar Boulter, James Markovic and James Squire contributed to Malvern's efforts.

Geelong is now 4-5 ahead of this weekend's game on the road.

Mulgrave Rebels 6 v Preston Pirates 13

Preston improves to 4-5 to stay in the middle of the pack while Mulgrave searches for another win, the last taste of victory coming back in round four over Doncaster.

Williamstown Wolves 11 v Moorabbin Panthers 7

Williamstown had the upper hand in this game as the reigning premiers cruised to a big victory to go 9-0 on the season. The Wolves are in fine form as they chase their third straight Grand Final win.

Williamstown scored four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to secure the win as Moorabbin takes a third-place 5-2 record into round 10.

Sunshine continues to power ahead of the competition in VSBL Division 1 firsts action where four teams are locked at 6-5 behind them. Upwey FTG leads all teams in the seconds, and Blackburn and Waverley are tied at the top for the thirds. Melbourne remain unbeaten in the fourths as more great baseball continues to be played this season.

Division 1 Firsts

Blackburn Orioles 1 v Sunshine Eagles 4

Sunshine got the job done in the end, but Blackburn were pleased to only give up four runs (two earned) against the league's frontrunners, Sam Bucello and Jacob Evans leading on the mound.

Sunshine had two early runs with extra runs coming in the third and the seventh. Blackburn's only run of the game was in the top of the fifth, as the Orioles collected five hits overall while Sunshine had nine.

Offensively, Blackburn's Liam Hopkins and Jimmy Bent continued their hitting streaks on a day when the wind made it tough to hit deep. The Orioles were able to get runners in scoring positions however nothing progressed, which led to the defeat.

Bryce Aldridge had two hits and two RBIs for Sunshine.

The Eagles are three games clear on top of the ladder while the Orioles have a 5-6 record this season. Next up, it's Blackburn's turn to host as the reigning premiers hold confidence they can topple the Eagles.

Bryce Aldridge of Sunshine Eagles. Photo: Baseball Victoria

Geelong Baycats 8 v Melbourne Demons 4

This was a great game offensively for Geelong as many players had quality at-bats, led by Kelii Zablan going 3-for-5 three including a home run, two doubles, three runs and two RBIs. Jordan Bauman went 4-for-5 in his first game for the ones. Conor Hughes had a 3-for-5 outing, just a day before the young pitcher got on the mound for Geelong-Korea in the Australian Baseball League

Geelong was sharp on the mound, with Rudy Jaramillo and Zablan combining for 15 strikeouts across the nine innings. The Baycats put three runs on the board in the second and led 5-3 at the end of the fifth. Another three runs in the top of the ninth sealed the deal, although the Baycats collected six hits on the day, one less than the Demons.

Melbourne fell short despite a decent day at the plate with seven hits - two apiece to Jarryd Rogers and Slade Squire. In 4.1 innings of pitching work, Andrew Case gave up just four hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts and 10 first-pitch strikes.

Berwick City Cougars 1 v Essendon Bombers 10

The Bombers are keeping up with the pack at the top and broke their four-game losing streak, downing Berwick 10-1 as they sit third at 6-5.

Essendon held the Cougars to just five singles on the day, two of those to Nick O'Shea. Jared Cruz, Cody Rodwell and Darby Sexton kept things moving in the right direction for Essendon. Now that the Bombers got this big win on the board, they will be looking forward to playing Berwick on the road this weekend.

The Cougars are 4-5-1 with their last win coming in round six v Blackburn.

Upwey FTG Tigers 4 v Fitzroy Lions 8

The Lions got the lead early, going 2-0 up after the first inning ended, the Tigers cutting the lead in half in the fourth before Fitzroy gained another two at the bottom.

A better top dig from Upwey FTG in the fifth saw the lineup produce two runs, again cutting the margin back to one, Fitzroy just getting one themselves at the bottom, seeing the score at 3-5.

It got to the eighth inning and the Tigers saw another one theirs cross the plate, staying in the game until they let it slip a little, giving up three runs at the bottom. Upwey FTG couldn't score against Fitzroy in the ninth.

Fitzroy collected 14 hits on the day, with Tom Dicker leading the way with three singles.

For the Tigers, Travis Murphy hit his first home run of the year while collecting two hits, Wade McConnon and Jordan Elliot with two hits also.

Sean Meldrum got the start, going strong through five innings and Jarrod Turner was good in relief however some costly errors in defence hurt the Tigers the most.

Waverley Wildcats 1 v Sandringham Royals 2

Sandringham has extended their winning streak to four games as the Royals sit second, a few games behind Sunshine.

Waverley's Andrew Russell pitched six innings, giving up five hits and one unearned run with six strikeouts. Mohi Kahui made it on base three times for the Wildcats with two doubles and one RBI. Jacob Sheldon-Collins collected two hits while Russell was the lone run scorer.

Branden Stenhouse had two of Sandringham's six singles, with the others going to Tim Lane, Harrison Wills, Jack Wills and Sam Skinner.

The one-run win over Waverley sees both teams at 6-5 for the season so far which will certainly set them up for crucial clashes for the remainder of the series.

Jacob Sheldon-Collins of Waverley Wildcats. Photo: Baseball Victoria

Cheltenham Rustlers 7 v Newport Rams 0

Newport was completely outplayed in this first-up game against Cheltenham, the Rustlers getting a two-run lead after their first dig until another five runners scored throughout the fourth to seventh innings.

David Asp took the loss for Newport, giving up nine hits and four earned runs in five innings to a strong Cheltenham side. Newport's Jarod Berman, Connor Schibeci, Cameron Lyons, Keenan Spence all picked up one hit each, Schibeci hitting a double.

The shutout win to Cheltenham was their second win in a row as they've moved up three places since round nine.

Division 1 Seconds

Geelong Baycats 8 v Melbourne Demons 7

Geelong staged a monumental comeback to win by one run after being down by seven in the third inning.

Emerson Rickard started on the mound for the Baycats to give his side another quality start. Blake Witham relieved and kept the Melbourne bats quiet. In the field, Will Fitzgerald took some excellent flyballs at centre, with a major play from left fielder Matt Sage throwing a runner out at the plate from his position in the outfield.

Geelong was focused on maintaining quality at bats and it showed in the thrilling victory. Harper Rickard continued his terrific year with another two hits, including a double as Witham also got to second.

Geelong has won three in a row now and are sitting well at 4-3-1, whereas Melbourne are 5-3 after their third loss in a row.

Blackburn Orioles 22 v Sunshine Eagles 2

Seven straight batters got on base to start the dig for the Orioles via a number of ways was a foreshadowing of what was to follow. Every player on the Blackburn roster recorded a hit to finish with a team total 19, led by three each to Nick Rossell, Jorey Hubble, Tom Kerr-Chapman and Pat White.

White was solid on the mound, getting through a full six innings, with great defensive work from third baseman Tim Holland also.

Berwick City Cougars 5 v Essendon Bombers 6

This was a scoreless game up until the sixth inning, Berwick breaking the deadlock at the top when they scored two runs. It was followed by an extra three runs in the seventh as they kept the Bombers to zero.

However, things turned in the final dig of the game, the bottom of the eighth. Essendon needed to score six runs, and they did so.

The walk-off win to Essendon sees them move to 4-4-1, each of their wins coming within the last four rounds as they press their case against the top teams while the Cougars have a 3-5 record, losing their last three.

Upwey FTG Tigers 7 v Fitzroy Lions 2

The scoreline read 4-2 in Upwey FTG's favour heading into the eighth, but three runs from the Tigers at the top pushed the result further out.

Keeley Ronalds-Greatbatch was outstanding on the mound, going six innings for one run. Randy Senn, Michael Oxworth and Kaioh Sato had good days with the bat.

Upwey FTG remains on top with just the one loss this season, while the Lions will be pleased with their ability to match it with the Tigers for most of the game as they look to improve on a 2-6-1 record.

Cheltenham Rustlers 16 v Newport Rams 7

Getting 15 runs in a game is hard enough, but Cheltenham scored that many runs in the first inning alone! It was going to take a great deal of batting for the Rams to come back from that start but as a positive for them, the Rustlers only managed one more in the third.

Newport scored in every inning, slowly working their way up to a seven-run total after three in the fourth before the game came to a close.

Cheltenham move into the top four on the back of this win while Newport is still without a victory.

Waverley Wildcats 10 v Sandringham Royals 2

Waverley continue to showcase fine form this season, now in second at 7-2, slightly behind Upwey FTG.

Sandringham hasn't had a win since round four but travel to Waverley this weekend with confidence.

Division 1 Thirds

Berwick City Cougars 4 v Essendon Bombers 10

The Bombers got the fast start they needed in the first inning, collecting four runs before Berwick came back with one in the second.

The Bombers continued with the bats in the fourth and fifth innings where six was added to their score. Berwick put three runners across in the seventh.

The Cougars' late start sees them remain in 12th place at 1-7 but Essendon is 5-2-2 after winning four of the last five games.

Sandringham Royals 4 v Waverley Wildcats 12

Waverley is behind first-place Blackburn, but only on runs for after getting ahold of the Royals in round nine. The win was important to the Wildcats as they remain within reach of the top, especially after the past month of one loss and two draws.

Sandringham has been up-and-down lately and sits at 3-6 as the Royal.s will want to get one back on the Wildcats, this time at their home field.

Geelong Baycats 8 v Melbourne Demons 7

A tight game all day ended with a win to Geelong, Daniel Stott the hitter that pushed Jake Elderfield over the plate to score the winning run.

Daniel Anson was on the mound for the start of play and racked up eight strikeouts over four innings, producing a large number of balls that entered the zone. Likewise with Duane Davenport in relief, constant pitching through the zone is what allowed the Baycats to shut down the impact from Melbourne with the bats.

Geelong scored three runs across the first four innings to the Demons' one but Melbourne kicked into gear after that with penetrating hits that passed the infield. It eventually saw six Demons make it safely home, taking the lead before Geelong recorded three outs.

The Baycats dug in deep as they know how to do, scoring five runs in the fifth to get themselves one run in front once more and win the game.

Lachlan Stotty, Brody Stokoe and Davenport had two hits each, including Stokoe who had a double and two RBIs.

The Baycats are pushing their case for contention of top spot, behind slightly in third place with the Demons in the mix, in the middle with a record showing 5-3-1.

Cheltenham Rustlers 13 v Newport Rams 2

Cheltenham made a good start in the first inning, getting two runs with Newport scoring one at the bottom. The Rustlers then scored three in the second, beginning to gain a lead with their building momentum.

Cheltenham kept the Rams to that single run until the last inning of the game when Newport scored one more, but Cheltenham had already added another eight runs to the total including five in the fifth.

It was a much-needed win for Cheltenham as the team is now 3-4-2 but Newport will need the win more this weekend if the Rams want to improve on a 2-6 record.

Fitzroy Lions 5 v Upwey FTG Tigers 4

Both Fitzroy and Upwey FTG were desperate to win, fighting back at every opportunity.

Chris Cassidy was good on the mound for the Tigers, only giving up one run, the Tigers unable to hold the Lions in the middle innings.

There was a chance for Upwey FTG to tie the game in the last but the Tigers weren't able to get the job done.

Upwey FTG still holds a spot in the top four while Fitzroy is 3-6 after the round.

Sunshine Eagles 2 v Blackburn Orioles 2

There are positive showings and improvement for the Eagles, as they came out with a two-all draw against Blackburn.

The Orioles had Russell Hodgson on the mound for seven innings, giving his team every chance of winning.

The bats were on show early in the game for the Orioles with a Terry Rowe single, a Justin Woolard triple and a Mitch Flett sac fly giving the home team a handy lead. Mitch Upton and Ben Hayes continued a good season with a couple of hits each.

Sunshine has been starved of a win since round three as this season's record stands at 1-6-1 while Blackburn is still on top despite the draw.

Division 1 Fourths

Sunshine Eagles 4 v Blackburn Orioles 6

The Eagles left their run too late, as Blackburn were out to a 0-4 lead after three, however Sunshine cut that in half when they scored two the very next dig.

Sunshine closed within one run at the top of the sixth before the Orioles piled on another two. Needing four to win, Sunshine just got the one to end the game.

John Della was good in the batter's box with a few hits, coupled with a great defensive showing at third base. Geoff Agnew was the hitter who put the result beyond doubt for the Orioles, his two-run single securing the win.

The loss now puts the Eagles at an even 4-4 record for the season. The Orioles are third on the ladder at 6-3 after a four-game winning streak.

Berwick City Cougars 3 v Essendon Bombers 4

There were plenty of digs in which neither team scored, with each of the team's runs coming in one inning alone.

Berwick scored three runs in the first inning, Essendon getting four across the plate in the sixth and final inning of the game to claim the win.

The Bobers sit second with their one loss coming all the way back in Round 4, while the Cougars are 3-4-1 after this week, on a three-game losing streak.

Geelong Baycats 4 v Melbourne Demons 10

Melbourne end the round again with a perfect record at 9-0 after beating Geelong.

The Baycats knew the challenge they were faced with, one inning being the turning point in an otherwise close encounter.

Geelong stayed aggressive with the bats and were consistent up and down the lineup, with some confidence going into next week to improve on a 2-5-1 record.

Fitzroy Lions 6 v Upwey FTG Tigers 7

Upwey FTG has two wins in a row now after seeing reward for effort and claiming a one-run win over Fitzroy.

Harry Snoxell and Adam Campli pitched well to hold Fitzroy at bay.

The Tigers have moved up two places in the past fortnight with a 3-5 record whereas the Lions are sliding at 2-6-1.

Sandringham Royals 2 v Waverley Wildcats 13

Waverley has etched their way into the top four in this division with a big win over Sandringham.

The 5-4 Wildcats are looking strong, whereas the 3-5 Royals will want to bounce back this upcoming week.

Cheltenham Rustlers 17 v Newport Rams 5

One inning to the Rustlers brought this game undone for the Rams, the Rustlers producing 10 runs in the third, adding to their six over the first two innings.

Newport held a lead after the first, 2-5 but from there, the Rams were unable to get runners to score again.

Cheltenham was on a three-game losing streak before breaking it against Newport, now sitting sixth at 4-5. Newport on the other hand is winless at 0-7-1, facing the Rustlers again this weekend.

A beautiful weekend in Melbourne set the stage for fantastic matchups across VSBL Women's Division 1, 2 and 3. A battle between the two top Women's Division 1 teams went in favour of Springvale, while the Lions remain undefeated in Women's Division 2. Women's Division 3 is led by Melbourne in the East, Cheltenham in the South and Sunshine in the West.

Women's Division 1

Footscray Bulldogs 4 v Essendon Bombers 6

The Bulldogs battled hard but ultimately fell short as they lost their seventh game this season. This result marks Essendon's second victory of the season, with their first coming in round two with the same scoreline against Footscray. These two sides also had a 5-5 draw in round five.

Essendon will hope to replicate these winning efforts in round nine on Wednesday night when they host Springvale. Footscray hosts Doncaster as the season approaches the halfway point.

Doncaster Dragons 1 v Springvale Lions 17

Doncaster has been on fire in the first half of the season, winning five in a row before coming up short in this big matchup.

Springvale brought their big bats, with Gabby Bevan, Hanami Campitelli, Lili Cavanagh, Emily Devine and Kelly Manzie making a big difference. The Lions were surprised by a 20-4 loss against the Dragons in round five, but they bounced back in this dominant performance.

Springvale is now 6-1-1 atop the ladder while Doncaster is in second place with a 5-1-2 record. These two teams meet again in round 11, but before that Doncaster plays Footscray and Springvale plays Essendon on Wednesday night.

Women's Division 2

Footscray Bulldogs - FORFEIT v Fitzroy Lions

Essendon Bombers - FORFEIT v Springvale Lions

Doncaster Dragons 16 v Wheelers Hill Warriors 3

The Dragons show no signs of slowing down in Women's Division 2, capturing another huge victory with the help of Vanessa Clifford, Maddy Davis, Brooklyn Hutton, Becky Petty, Hannah Sowden and the rest of the Doncaster lineup.

This terrific team effort allowed Doncaster to improve to 7-0, keeping pace with Springvale at the top of the ladder. Doncaster has scored 95 runs while allowing only 15 to lead the division. Wheelers Hill is 3-4 along with Footscray ahead of a round nine matchup v Fitzroy, while Doncaster looks to remain undefeated while hosting Essendon.

Women's Division 3 East

Doncaster Dragons 8 v Melbourne Demons 7

The Demons fought hard against some familiar Doncaster faces, but ultimately the Dragons snuck past for their third win of the season.

Melbourne went into this game undefeated and remain at the top of the ladder with a 5-1 record, while Moorabbin is 4-2 and Doncaster and Springvale are both 3-3. The Demons will look to return to their winning ways this weekend as they host Mulgrave while Doncaster takes on Springvale.

Photo: Melbourne Baseball Club - Facebook

Moorabbin Panthers 11 v Springvale Lions 16

This was a see-saw battle between two strong sides as Moorabbin put an early run on the board before Springvale answered with three in the bottom frame.

It was game on, with Moorabbin adding another four in the second and Springvale tacking on seven. The Lions worked their way to a 14-5 lead by the end of the third, although the Panthers weren't fully down and out. Moorabbin scored six in the fourth but Springvale responded with two to reach the final scoreline.

Mandi Avent, Rachael Bouker, Debbie Bryant and Cassandra Shelverton supported Springvale's efforts as the Lions even things up to a 3-3 record. Moorabbin hangs on to second place ahead of a bye this weekend.

Mulgrave Rebels - BYE

Women's Division 3 South

Cheltenham Rustlers 12 v Sandringham Royals 6

The Rustlers had the upper hand in this one, working the game in their favour to keep the undefeated streak going with a 6-0 record. Sandringham slips to 3-3 along with Pakenham White and Berwick.

Sandringham hosts Bonbeach Blue for round nine while Cheltenham looks to maintain a stellar first half of the season on the road at Pakenham Black.

Berwick City Cougars 10 v Bonbeach Bluejays Blue 12

The Bluejays put up seven runs in the first to counter an early three-spot from the Cougars. Two more runs followed for Bonbeach in the bottom of the second.

Berwick battled back with five in the third and two in the fourth, but Bonbeach came in clutch at the end with three more runs to take the necessary lead. This was a great competitive game on both sides and now Berwick is 3-3 while Bonbeach Blue is in second place with a 4-1 record.

Bronwyn James, Nicole Muller, Kim Payne and the rest of the Bluejays will play Sandringham this weekend while Berwick faces Bonbeach White.

Pakenham Pumas Black 7 v Pakenham Pumas White 13

Pakenham White won 20-16 over Pakenham Black in the opening round of the season, and the White team picked up where they left off in Sunday's big friendly win. Black scored two to start the game but White quickly put six on the board. Black added three but White was there to score seven in the second.

An additional two runs in the top of the third gave Black a bit of a boost, but it wasn't quite enough. Pakenham White is 3-3 ahead of the bye and Pakenham Black is still looking for win number one with an upcoming game v Cheltenham.

Bonbeach Bluejays White - BYE

Women's Division 3 West

Geelong Baycats White 5 v Fitzroy Lions 13

This was a big game for the Lions as Fitzroy took an early lead and didn't look back. Seven runs in the first and six in the second secured Fitzroy's victory, although the Baycats did battle back and put five runs on the board in the third. Michelle Anderson, Christine Busby and Lesley Hutchinson helped Fitzroy's cause.

Fitzroy is now 3-2 while Geelong White is 0-6-1. Round nine sees Geelong White have a bye while Fitzroy hosts Sunshine.

Geelong Baycats Blue 5 v Sunshine Eagles 23

Sunshine won 26-9 the first time these sides met, and the Eagles continued to rack up the runs in this matchup. Up and down the lineup the Eagles hit well on their way to win number five of the season. Geelong Blue still isn't far behind with a 5-2 record while Sunshine is 5-1.

Sunshine hits the road to visit Fitzroy this upcoming weekend while Geelong Blue hosts North Western.

North Western Titans - BYE

Calling all junior baseball players! Registration is now open for the 2020 Charter Player Development Program, which will include Little League, Junior League and Intermediate League.

This development program is an exceptional opportunity for young players to improve their skills through training with dedicated charter coaches, and this serves as a pathway to the Charter All-Star teams. This 8-week program will help kids further develop their baseball abilities and give them the best opportunity for selection to the Charter All-Star teams.

The Charter Player Development Program comprises both a training and competition component that prioritizes baseball fundamentals and focuses on the efficient movements of hitting, throwing and fielding.

Registrations will close on Friday, 29 November with tryouts starting on Saturday, 30 November.

Please learn more about this program and register for your charter’s program below.

CPDP Flyer_2020 Download

Macy Priamo has been playing baseball for as long as she can remember, and this year all her patience and perseverance paid off as she got to represent Victoria for the first time at the 2019 Australian Youth Women’s Championships. Now she’s setting new goals for herself as she strives for another amazing summer of baseball.

Early Beginnings in Baseball

The 13-year-old first got involved in the sport at a come and try day at Malvern Baseball Club at the age of three. She liked baseball right away, especially because it was an interest she could share with her big brother Hudson. Since then, Macy has blossomed at Malvern, transitioning from T-Ball to the Eastern Athletics Charter Girls team and further development opportunities.

Macy has always been on a mission to achieve her baseball dreams, which was evident even as a kinder student when she insisted on bringing her baseball bag to school to show her teacher and fellow students that girls can and do play baseball.

Over the years, Macy has gotten the chance to learn from Melbourne Aces players at school holiday clinics and train alongside decorated female baseball players like Abbey McLellan. Winning a premiership against Ormond Glenhuntly in the 2017 Eastern Athletics Minor B competition was another big highlight for Macy, and she also enjoyed playing for the Girls Charter State Championships a few years back. “It was fantastic to play with all the girls I know,” Macy said.

Best Year Yet

Currently playing as an outfielder for Malvern’s Intermediate League team, Macy is eager to have a great season with her friends while also sharpening her skills in preparation for the state team tryouts. After several years of wanting to play for the Youth Women’s State Team but being too young, she finally got her chance earlier this year, and she wants to continue improving and taking advantage of representative opportunities.

Macy she was thrilled to make the team and it’s something she will always remember. “It was very exciting because I’ve never made it into that stage of sport before,” Macy said. “Training for the tournament was fun a lot of time but as we started getting closer it became harder, although it was still fun.”

Getting to travel for the tournament and bond with her teammates was a great experience for Macy. She loved bringing home a bronze medal when Victoria came back from a six-run deficit to win 7-6 over Queensland.

Macy faced some high-pressure situations during the tournament, including coming into pitch against a tough NSW side and getting the elusive third out with a fly ball on one pitch. When she came up to bat in the next inning, she got on base and ended up scoring Victoria’s only run of that game. It’s experiences like this that have helped Macy learn how to get the job done no matter where she’s playing, especially with the support of her teammates.

“I learned how to be more independent, and I got better at skills like base running and reading plays.” Macy said. “My teammates were really nice and they were good influences. If I did something wrong they’d tell me how to do it or if I needed help with something they’d help me.“

Strong Summer Season

Exceeding expectations with the 2019 Youth Women’s Team left a lasting impression on Macy, as she definitely wants to try out again and improve her hitting now that she’s swinging a heavier bat.

Playing at Malvern has prepared Macy for a bright future, not only on the state team but wherever her baseball journey may take her. She spends a lot of time at the club with her family, from dinners after training to game days and more. This year, she hopes she and her fellow Braves can go far in the competition. “I want to win games, we are second on the ladder and I hope to just have fun and learn more about baseball,” Macy said.

Macy has a lot of people she can learn from at her club, and she also looks up to her state team coaches, including Ursula Howard, Siobhan Stephenson and Kelly Manzie. “They taught me how to be like a smart baseball player, someone who knows what’s going on all the time,” Macy said.

While baseball is undoubtedly Macy’s main passion, she has also tried dance and gymnastics in the past and currently enjoys her role as a flier with her cheer team at school, as well as playing basketball and participating in Girl Guides. When she does get free time, Macy loves cheering on her favourite team LA Dodgers and her favourite player Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox.

No matter what her future has in store, Macy looks forward to getting out on the field for a long time to come. “Baseball is really fun and you get to make new friends that aren’t at your school,” Macy said. “Baseball is also a great active sport to keep your healthy.”

Mom Shahan Priamo is proud of how far Macy has come from her T-Ball days. “Baseball is something she’s been doing for so long, she just kept trying,” Shahan said. “She has a chill attitude and just does it, and to see her in the blue with the white V was amazing. I just want her to follow her dreams and be her.”

The 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 season is well underway, with a handful of teams emerging as front-runners with 11 games left to go in the regular season. Melbourne remains undefeated in the East, while Footscray White in North West and Monash University and Cheltenham in the South also haven't lost.

Division 4 East

Monash University Farmers 7 v St Kilda Saints 15

The Saints have won back-to-back games after a strong performance at home v Monash Uni. This result puts the Saints in fourth place as the Farmers hang on to third place.

The game was a close one early on, with both sides scoring six in the first. The Saints went on to break the game open with two runs in the second and seven in the fourth, while Monash managed just one more in the third. Justin Ramirez led the charge for St Kilda.

St Kilda is now 3-4 while Monash is 3-3-2 ahead of respective matchups with Malvern and Waverley Black.

Fitzroy Lions Gold 21 v Malvern Braves 2

Fitzroy Gold tallied three home runs in a convincing win over Malvern, a much better result for the Lions than a 13-1 loss to Melbourne the week prior.

Malvern has now dropped back-to-back games as the Braves have given up the second-most runs in the competition with 110 across the first eight games.

Fitzroy opened this game with three runs before scoring seven apiece in the second and third. Malvern's lone runs came in the bottom of the fourth as Fitzroy answered with a final four runs.

A lineup with the likes of Henry Formosa-Doyle, Adrian Rooks and Ariel Caraballo got the job done, something they will look to do again in round nine as 3-3-1 Fitzroy takes on 1-7 Blackburn. Malvern sits at 3-5 ahead of Sunday's game at St Kilda.

Fitzroy Gold tallied three home runs in a convincing win over Malvern, a much better result for the Lions than a 13-1 loss to Melbourne the week prior.

Malvern has now dropped back-to-back games as the Braves have given up the second-most runs in the competition with 110 across the first eight games.

Fitzroy opened this game with three runs before scoring seven apiece in the second and third. Malvern's lone runs came in the bottom of the fourth as Fitzroy answered with a final four runs.

Waverley Wildcats Black 14 v Waverley Wildcats Red 9

In this friendly battle of the Wildcats, the Black side prevailed despite strong efforts from the Red team. This result keeps Waverley Wildcats Black in second place behind Melbourne with a 7-1 record, while Waverley Wildcats Red sit at 1-6-1.

Waverley Black plays Monash University this weekend and Waverley Red plays Melbourne.

Melbourne Demons 13 v Blackburn Orioles 4

The Demons proved once more why they are the team to beat in Division 4 East. Melbourne remains undefeated on the heels of another strong performance, as the team has scored 90 runs this season while allowing only 15. Blackburn sits at the other end of the ladder, having scored 49 runs and given up 111 runs in one win and seven losses.

Melbourne looks to keep it up v Waverley Red this weekend while Blackburn hosts Fitzroy Gold.

Division 4 North West

Mitchell Majors Black 1 v Footscray Bulldogs Blue 15

Mitchell Majors Black got one run in the opening frame but it didn't mean much as Footscray Blue put up four. The Bulldogs scored another seven in the third before four more across the final innings settled the score. Connor Allen, Shane Cole-Hayhow, Jeremy Fenton and Nicholas Jarvis helped the Bulldogs' cause as the team was strong up and down the lineup.

Mitchell Majors Black is 1-6 now while Footscray Blue is slowly climbing up the ladder with a 3-4 record now.

Essendon Jets 9 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 16

The Rebels return to their winning ways after a tough outing at Footscray Red last week. The Jets were thrilled to get their second win of the season last week but they couldn't quite make it back-to-back wins despite some great offensive production.

Essendon scored first with two runs to open the game, although North Coburg quickly responded with five runs. A seven-run second and four-run third quickly followed. Essendon put up a strong seven-spot in the fourth, but still fell short of a complete comeback.

The Jets are 2-5 and the Rebels Gold are 5-2 with upcoming games against Footscray Blue and Essendon Bombers respectively.

Mitchell Majors Yellow 20 v Essendon Bombers 5

The team that won last year's premiership had its best game of the season, putting up the highest run tally to date. Mitchell Majors Yellow has now scored 72 runs while allowing 43 with a 5-3 record, while Essendon Bombers remain near the bottom with a 1-6 record.

Next up for Mitchell Majors Yellow is a bye, while Essendon Bombers take on North Coburg Rebels Gold.

Fitzroy Lions Maroon 12 v North Coburg Rebels Maroon 8

These two Maroon sides battled it out with lots of runs, although Fitzroy pulled away in the later stages to secure win number six of the season.

The Lions scored three early runs but still fell behind with the Rebels putting up five in the first. A quiet second inning gave way to a tumultuous third, as Fitzroy added three and North Coburg tacked on two. With the score 7-6 to the Rebels, the Lions picked up the pace and put on four in the fourth and two in the fifth.

An extra run for North Coburg in the fourth wasn't enough as the Rebels narrowly missed out on their second win of the season. North Coburg Maroon is 1-7 at the bottom of the ladder while Fitzroy Maroon is in third place with a 6-1 record. Round nine has North Coburg Maroon at Fitzroy Blue and Fitzroy Maroon at Footscray White.

Fitzroy Lions Blue 2 v Footscray Bulldogs Red 22

The Lions were kept quiet by this formidable Footscray side that just wouldn't stop scoring. The Bulldogs started the game with a quick five runs before three more in the second. Fitzroy Blue put two on in the third but Footscray Red didn't waste any time, scoring another seven in the third and seven in the fourth to reach the final score.

Jake Arnott, Nathan Axiaq, Adrian Bigmore and Shane Kinlough made a difference for Footscray in this game as the Bulldogs improve to 7-1 just behind Footscray White. Fitzroy Blue is 2-5 going into round nine.

Division 4 South

Melbourne Demons 1 v Berwick City Cougars 14

The Demons were defeated by a hard-hitting, fast-moving Berwick side that refused to slow down.

The Cougars put up six in the first, one in both the second and the third and four more in the fourth. Two final runs came in the sixth while Melbourne only scored one in the second.

Berwick relied on solid efforts from Cameron Hawkins, Christopher Hyde, Mitchell Porter and Bill Yuan throughout the game. Now the Cougars are 6-1 while the Demons are 2-2 before round nine takes them to St Kilda and Ormond Glenhuntly respectively.

Monash University Farmers 11 v Moorabbin Panthers 10

This was a close one as both teams battled it out into the final moments. The Farmers got three on the board early but Moorabbin wasn't deterred, putting up two in the bottom frame. Both sides scored two apiece in the second while Moorabbin scored another pair in the third for a narrow 6-5 lead.

The fourth inning was uneventful before both sides brought their big bats out in the fifth. The Farmers batted in six runs while Moorabbin got four as Monash secured that crucial one-run victory to stay undefeated.

With six wins and a draw, the Farmers are feeling good ahead of next Sunday's matchup with Pakenham, while 3-4 Moorabbin has some ground to cover against Cheltenham.

St Kilda Baseball Club 15 v Pakenham Pumas 6

The Saints were pleased to get their first win on the board after this solid team effort, with contributions from Omar Gomez, Michael Khan, Jonathon Momsen and Lucas Taylor certainly helping the cause.

St Kilda scored two in the first while Pakenham answered with one.

A six-run second inning and seventh-run third sealed the deal and put the game out of reach for Pakenham. The Pumas managed one in the second and a pair of runs in the third and fourth but it wasn't enough as they have now lost eight straight.

Round nine has St Kilda hosting Berwick and Pakenham hosting Monash University.

Ormond Glenhuntly 3 v Cheltenham Rustlers 17

The game was tied at 1-1 after the first before the Hunters very briefly held a 2-1 advantage. Cheltenham took back control in the bottom of the second, scoring five runners to make quite the statement.

Four more came around in the third and seven in the fourth as Cheltenham cruised to back-to-back victories. The Hunters got one at the end of the game but that was all.

The Rustlers are 3-0-1 and the Hunters are 2-5 with this weekend featuring home games against Moorabbin and Melbourne respectively.

Springvale has emerged as the club to beat in both the firsts and reserves of VSBL Division 3. So far the 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 has featured eight entertaining and exciting rounds, with 11 games left to go in the regular season. There's five games left before the break as teams hope to finish off the first half of the season strong.

Division 3 Firsts

Springvale Lions 15 v Pakenham Pumas 1

After this weekend the Lions continue on their unbeaten streak, improving their record to 8-0 and ending the Pumas four-game winning streak.

The Lions had an impressive overall performance, scoring four runs in both the second and third innings before two more in the fourth. A five-spot in the eighth helped the Lions close out the game in high spirits. With excellent pitching keeping things under control on the mound, the Lions could focus on batting in the runs and extending their lead.

Myles Barnden covered four scoreless innings with just two hits given up before handing the ball over to Lucas Anderson, who got the win, pitching four innings with three hits and one unearned run allowed with seven strikeouts along the way.

Pakenham's lone run came in the bottom of the seventh with the rest of the offense belonging to Springvale. Matt Cameron knocked in two on three hits - two singles and a double - while Scott Baillie also recorded an extra base hit and Anderson contributed three singles. Tim Hanson had two RBIs with three singles, while Lucas Price, Chris Davies, Rydge Hogan and Adam Thatcher also got involved in the hitting frenzy.

Springvale is in first place at 8-0 with Pakenham sitting second on the table with a 5-2-1 record, as both losses came from matchups with the Lions. Springvale visits Chelsea in round nine while Ormond Glenhuntly Gold hosts Pakenham for the coming weekend.

After this weekend the Lions continue on their unbeaten streak, improving their record to 8-0 and ending the Pumas four-game winning streak.

Chelsea Dolphins 10 v North Western Titans 9

The Dolphins extended their winning streak to three games after a close encounter with the Titans on Sunday. Chelsea is now 4-4 while North Western slips to 1-7.

North Western enjoyed a very strong start to the game, scoring nine runs across the first three innings for a 9-4 lead going into the top of the fourth. Unfortunately for the Titans, they let their 9-8 lead slip late as Chelsea came back in the top of the ninth, scoring two runs when Rhys Tippett singled on a 1-2 count.

Cameron Wilson was instrumental for North Western despite the loss, driving in four runners throughout the game with a home run in the first and singles in the second and third.

Mark Baveth grounded out to score Chelsea's first run of the game in the second inning.

Wilson and Peter Boyd led the batting chart for the Titans with three hits each.

Brendan Robinson earned the win after throwing nine innings with 14 hits and nine runs allowed along with five strikeouts.

Chelsea's Adam Cornwill, Jeffree and Tippett managed multiple hits for the Dolphins as the team gathered 14 in total. Jeffree went 4-for-5 while Chelsea also stole a total of seven bases with Trent Wilford leading the way with two.

Chelsea will host Springvale and North Western will host Ormond Glenhuntly Blue in the next round.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 7 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 5

This battle of the Hunters went in favour of the Gold side after a strong finish.

Gold opened the scoring with one run in the first, but Blue answered with three in the bottom frame. Gold tacked on five runs over the next few innings, regaining the lead. Blue got two back in the final frames but they couldn't quite swing the game back in their favour.

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue is 3-4-1 and Ormond Glenhuntly Gold is 2-6 ahead of matchups with North Western and Pakenham, respectively.

Division 3 Reserves

Chelsea Dolphins 13 – North Western Titans 5

Chelsea named Matt Vagg as the team's player of the day in this big win as the Dolphins bounced back from two straight losses.

Chelsea is now in fourth place with a 3-5 record after this game, which remained close until the Dolphins broke it open with four runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth. The Titans managed to bring their run total to five in the final frame, but it wasn't enough as they remain on the hunt for their first win for the season with 0-7-1 record.

Chelsea will host ladder-leaders Springvale and North Western will host third placed Ormond Glenhuntly Blue in the next round.

Springvale Lions 8 – Pakenham Pumas 0

The Lions are back to their winning ways after a rare loss in the last round against Ormond Glenhuntly Gold. The Lions displayed a strong overall performance against the Pumas scoring in four of the seven innings without giving up a single run. The result meant a fifth loss for the Pumas for a 1-5-2 record, while the Lions are placed at the top of the ladder with a 7-1-0 record.

In the upcoming round, Springvale goes to Chelsea while the Pumas visit Ormond Glenhuntly Gold.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 4 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 15

This matchup between the two Hunters sides went in favour of the Blue team which relied on big first and fourth innings to get the job done. Five runs in the first and eight runs in the fourth cemented Blue's winning status.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold is now 6-2 in second place with Ormond Glenhuntly Blue sitting in third with a 5-2-1 record.

The Dolphins extended their winning streak to three games after a close encounter with the Titans on Sunday. Chelsea is now 4-4 while North Western slips to 1-7.

Cameron Wilson was instrumental for North Western despite the loss, driving in four runners throughout the game with a home run in the first and singles in the second and third.

Mark Baveth grounded out to score Chelsea's first run of the game in the second inning.

Wilson and Peter Boyd led the batting chart for the Titans with three hits each.

Brendan Robinson earned the win after throwing nine innings with 14 hits and nine runs allowed along with five strikeouts.

Chelsea will host Springvale and North Western will host Ormond Glenhuntly Blue in the next round.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 7 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 5

This battle of the Hunters went in favour of the Gold side after a strong finish.

Ormond Glenhuntly Blue is 3-4-1 and Ormond Glenhuntly Gold is 2-6 ahead of matchups with North Western and Pakenham, respectively.

Division 3 Reserves

Chelsea Dolphins 13 – North Western Titans 5

Chelsea named Matt Vagg as the team's player of the day in this big win as the Dolphins bounced back from two straight losses.

Chelsea will host ladder-leaders Springvale and North Western will host third placed Ormond Glenhuntly Blue in the next round.

Springvale Lions 8 – Pakenham Pumas 0

In the upcoming round, Springvale goes to Chelsea while the Pumas visit Ormond Glenhuntly Gold.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 4 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 15

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold is now 6-2 in second place with Ormond Glenhuntly Blue sitting in third with a 5-2-1 record.