The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season is progressing along as Moorabbin continues the season clear of any losses atop the ladder. Williamstown, Malvern, Werribee and Port Melbourne are not far behind as we're a third of the way through this fantastic summer season.
Division 2 Firsts
Doncaster Dragons 4 v Malvern Braves 6
The Braves continued to dominate over the Dragons winning all three games in the series, including the same scoreline in the second and third games. Justin Burke, Tyler Dale and Henry Hayman continued their strong contributions for the Braves.
Malvern remains tied for second with Williamstown as both teams have 7-2 records. In the first nine games, the Braves have 72 runs while only allowing 37. The Dragons definitely want to improve their runs for and runs against figures, with 25 scored and 79 given up thus far this season.
Doncaster is still winless in the season along with Bonbeach, the team they face in this next round while Malvern heads to Port Melbourne.
Port Melbourne Mariners 5 v Werribee Giants 6
The Giants return to their winning ways after losing in the previous round against the Mariners. Werribee took a 2-1 series win in this closely contested game that went on to extra innings to draw a result.
Werribee had a great start to the game, working out to a 3-0 after the bottom of the sixth. Port Melbourne wasn't done though as the Mariners came back strongly in the last three innings to tie the score at 4-4. Trent Pantalleresco had a great game as he came out of a slow streak at the plate to go 3-for-5 with a double and two singles for two RBIs. This brings his totals to 10 hits and six RBIs for a .313 batting average.
Justin Gil had a walk, a single and an RBI in the game while Evan McPherson knocked in a run with a double and a single.
Pantalleresco also had a strong pitching game, keeping things scoreless through six with three hits and three strikeouts. Josh Lee came in for relief, getting the win although he did allow five runs - four of them earned - with five hits to a Port Melbourne side that refused to go down without a fight.
The Mariners got one in the extra inning but Werribee answered with two to achieve win number six on the season.
Werribee and Port Melbourne are both 6-3 with upcoming rounds against St Kilda and Malvern respectively.
Preston Pirates 3 v Williamstown Wolves 9
The Wolves continued to dominate the Pirates to complete the sweep and improve their record to 7-2. Preston has won only one game out of the last six for a 3-6 record.
Williamstown started out the game strongly, scoring six runs in the first two innings. Preston's three runs came in the fourth.
Preston did well to keep the Wolves to nine runs as Williamstown left 12 runners on base throughout the game. Jayde Thorne had his best game of the season with four hits and four RBIs out of five at bats including a home run in the first inning. Thorne now has a total of 18 hits, 12 RBIs and two home runs for the season. Justin Gourlay also impressed with one double and one triple hit bringing in three runs for a total of 17 hits and 10 RBIs for the season. Jason McDonald was the third player bringing in two runs.
Dennis Neal faced 21 batters in five innings, conceding three hits and one earned run with seven strikeouts.
For Preston, Zuick Williams and Jean Alvarado each collected two hits, the latter bringing in two runs with his triple in the fourth scoring Mitch Legge and Jaycob Pascuzzi.
Williamstown hosts Moorabbin for the next round while Preston visits Mulgrave.
Moorabbin Panthers 8 v Bonbeach St Chads 3
Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Baseball Club - Facebook
This series between the top and bottom teams allowed the Panthers to continue on their unbeaten run while the Bluejays remain on the hunt for their first win of the series. Moorabbin outscored Bonbeach 23-9 throughout the series.
Sunday's game was very competitive in the start as the score was tied 2-2 after the first two innings. From there Moorabbin pulled away, keeping the scoring consistent while holding Bonbeach to just one more run, which came in the bottom of the ninth.
Ben Laux collected four hits in the game, with three singles and a double for two RBIs for Moorabbin. Teammates Stewart Mathieson, Adam Harris, Nick Bertucci, Zach Kamerman and Xander Gunn all had two hits apiece in the game. Nick Veale had a single too.
Mathieson handled four innings on the mound, allowing six hits and two runs - one unearned - with eight strikeouts. Kamerman threw five innings, giving up just three hits and one unearned run while striking out seven.
The Bluejays will look to turn things around and get the first points on board in the next round against fellow winless side Doncaster, while the Panthers will face some tough competition in Williamstown.
St Kilda Saints 5 v Mulgrave Rebels 3
Photo: Mulgrave Rebels Baseball Club - Facebook
The Saints won their second game of the season this weekend to end a six-game losing streak. St Kilda is now 2-7 on the season while Mulgrave is 5-4 as a five-game winning streak comes to an end.
It was a very close encounter with the Saints leading 2-1 after seven, although the Rebels pieced together a comeback to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth. The Saints scored three runs in the ninth to take back the lead and secure a much-needed victory.
St Kilda collected 11 hits on the day, include a double and two singles for Eduardo Escalona. Antonio Torres had a triple and a single while Roland Curiel contributed two singles. Base hits for Mariano Favia, Paul Paskar, Franco Caramia and Daiksuke Hebara kept St Kilda's offense rolling in the right direction.
Hebara threw 7.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and three earned runs while Caramia had a scoreless inning in relief.
Mulgrave had 10 hits on the day, with four going to Riley O'Shea with a double and three singles. Nick Thompson and Zeke Howie both had two singles while Caleb Poole and Anthony White chimed in with base hits. In Howie's six innings of work, he gave up seven hits and two earned runs.
St Kilda visits Werribee and Mulgrave hosts Preston in the next round.
Division 2 Reserves
Doncaster Dragons 3 v Malvern Braves 13
The Braves won yet again against the Dragons to improve their record to 7-0-1 and stay undefeated this season. Doncaster is in sixth place alongisde Port Melbourne with a 2-6 record.
The Braves dominated the game and outplayed the visitors to land a massive 10-run win.
Round nine will see Doncaster visit Bonbeach while the Malvern heads to Port Melbourne.
Port Melbourne Mariners 2 v Werribee Giants 6
Werribee won both games against Port Melbourne as the Giants hang on to their fourth place position on the ladder with a 4-2-2 record. Meanwhile the Mariners have dropped their fifh straight for a 2-6 record on the season.
Port Melbourne scored once in the third and once in the sixth while Werribee's six runs all came in the fifth.
The Mariners will look to put an end to their losing streak at home against the Braves in the next round while the Giants host the Saints.
Preston Pirates 6 v Williamstown Wolves 11
The Pirates have dropped four in a row while the Wolves have won seven straight.
Williamstown enjoyed strong batting performances up and down the lineup, with six runs coming in the second. The Wolves scored in every inning, leaving five runners on throughout the course of the game while the Pirates stranded eight.
Sean Best was the pick of the bunch for Williamstown, getting two hits including a triple, bringing in a run in the process and contributing to the scoreline twice himself. Luke Chircop chimed in with two runs on two hits also with two RBIs.
Daniel Chircop pitched 2.1 innings for the Wolves as he gave up four hits, one run with two strikeouts.
For Preston, Ismael Theis got two safe hits, both doubles, making the most of his fifth-inning hit by coming home. Gabriel Valderama got two hits from four at bats. Valdelama pitched three innings for the Pirates, giving up seven hits and six earned runs.
The Wolves will host the Panthers for the coming weekend and will look to improve their 7-1 record while the Pirates visit Mulgrave with a 1-6-1 record.
Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Bonbeach St Chads 2
The Panthers had yet another huge win, claiming the series against Bonbeach.
Moorabbin scored five runs in the first and three in the second. Seven more runs followed across the third and the fourth as the Panthers stayed undefeated.
Bonbeach is at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-7 record as the Bluejays look for win number two against Doncaster. Moorabbin visits third place Williamstown in the next round while Bonbeach hosts seventh placed Doncaster.
St Kilda Saints 20 v Mulgrave Rebels 0
After losing a close encounter in the last round, the Saints came back swinging in this matchup.
St Kilda took a 6-0 lead by the third before a massive 10-run fourth inning. Four more runs in the seventh added to the Saints' excitement.
St Kilda is now tied with Mulgrave as both teams have 3-5 records ahead of series against Werribee and Preston respectively.
Division 2 Thirds
Werribee Giants 10 v Port Melbourne Mariners 14
Port Melbourne made up for a poor showing the week prior with a convincing win over Werribee on Sunday at home.
The win was the Mariners' third of the season and their first since round three. Werribee started the season slowly with an 0-4 record before a recent three-game win streak, which was halted in this matchup.
Next up, the Giants are at home v the Saints and the Mariners hit the road to take on Malvern.
Bonbeach St Chads 0 v Moorabbin Panthers 10
A good defensive game, as well as handy contributions with the bat, saw Moorabbin pull off a shutout win over Bonbeach.
Getting on the board early in the first when three runs came in was where it started for the Panthers, with subsequent two-run innings following in the third and fourth. At the bottom of the sixth, Moorabbin found a way to score three more, putting the margin into double figures.
The Panthers are back on track after losing their only game of the season back in round five and will hope to keep it that way after taking on Williamstown this weekend. Bonbeach face a tough opponent in Doncaster but will have high hopes.
Mulgrave Rebels 1 v St Kilda Saints 16
A nine-run effort in the second inning for St Kilda saw them take a big lead, and the Saints never faltered except for when they gave up one run to the Rebels in the last dig of the game.
At 11-0 heading into the fifth, the Saints added another five to the score in that inning as they're now on a three-game win streak and have leapfrogged some big opposition to sit fourth ahead of a series against Werribee. The Rebels travel to Preston ready to expand on their one win so far.
Malvern Braves 8 v Doncaster Dragons 3
Malvern and Doncaster played with the Braves taking the series sweep.
The Braves are yet to lose a game this season, going 8-0, a result they'd like to progress as a series with Port Melbourne gets underway this weekend.
Doncaster has just fallen out of the top four due to the past month's results of three losses and a draw as the Dragons look to make amends on the season when they come up against Bonbeach.
Williamstown Wolves 12 v Preston Pirates 2
A two-run first inning wasn't ringing alarm bells for Preston, however when the Wolves followed that up with five runs in the third, the Pirates needed to kick themselves into gear. And for a little while, they did, getting two in the bottom of the third.
Williamstown would score another four in the next two innings before rounding out the seventh with another, performing a great defensive display for the remainder of the game, keeping Preston to just the two runs.
Williamstown has now won five in a row after starting the season 1-2 and don't see any reason to slow down when facing Moorabbin. The Pirates have a four-game losing streak as they come up against fellow strugglers Mulgrave.
Division 2 Fourths
Mulgrave Rebels 3 v St Kilda Saints 18
At St Kilda, the Saints scored in every inning, starting their game with a four-run first inning and ending it with a combined nine runs during the fifth and sixth.
The Rebels got on the board with two in the second and one in the fifth but were never a match for the rampaging Saints.
The Saints are third on the ladder at 5-3 and on a four-game winning streak as they prepare for an upcoming clash with Werribee. The Rebels meanwhile face Preston and haven't seen a win since round four, their only for the season.
Malvern Braves 8 v Doncaster Dragons 3
The Braves improve their record to 5-1 on the back of this win over Doncaster, that one loss coming all the way back in round one. It sets up a crucial series between Geelong starting this weekend.
Doncaster hasn't tasted success since round five and are sixth at 2-6 heading into a bye.
Williamstown Wolves 7 v Preston Pirates 17
Preston found success over Williamstown, despite giving up three runs at the start of the game. The Pirates responded strongly in the bottom half of the inning, collecting double the amount of runs which they then expanded in the second.
That second inning brought in eight runs for Preston, and in another high-scoring innings from both teams in the third, Williamstown outscored the Pirates four runs to three but the damage was done as the Pirates drew the series.
Geelong Baycats 12 v Werribee Giants 1
For the Giants, squaring things up after seeing Geelong get a run at the top of the first was good, but unfortunately that was the only score Werribee could manage for the game.
Geelong scored in each inning, a collective 11 runs in the next four innings including four in the third as the Baycats defence did well to restrict Werribee to that solitary run.
Scott Wise pitched well for Geelong as Nick Allen, Darren Turner, Philip Sage, Marc Weakley, Michael Allan and Jordan Sinnamon had quality at-bats, including Sinnamon's huge double.
Geelong had a four-game losing streak before breaking through and don't want to fall that way again when facing Malvern. Werribee have had a topsy-turvy season, but will want to find some consistency with wins, starting with St Kilda this weekend.
Moorabbin Panthers v BYE
Doncaster Dragons 4 v Malvern Braves 6
The Braves continued to dominate over the Dragons winning all three games in the series, including the same scoreline in the second and third games. Justin Burke, Tyler Dale and Henry Hayman continued their strong contributions for the Braves.
Malvern remains tied for second with Williamstown as both teams have 7-2 records. In the first nine games, the Braves have 72 runs while only allowing 37. The Dragons definitely want to improve their runs for and runs against figures, with 25 scored and 79 given up thus far this season.
Doncaster is still winless in the season along with Bonbeach, the team they face in this next round while Malvern heads to Port Melbourne.
Port Melbourne Mariners 5 v Werribee Giants 6
The Giants return to their winning ways after losing in the previous round against the Mariners. Werribee took a 2-1 series win in this closely contested game that went on to extra innings to draw a result.
Werribee had a great start to the game, working out to a 3-0 after the bottom of the sixth. Port Melbourne wasn't done though as the Mariners came back strongly in the last three innings to tie the score at 4-4. Trent Pantalleresco had a great game as he came out of a slow streak at the plate to go 3-for-5 with a double and two singles for two RBIs. This brings his totals to 10 hits and six RBIs for a .313 batting average.
Justin Gil had a walk, a single and an RBI in the game while Evan McPherson knocked in a run with a double and a single.
Pantalleresco also had a strong pitching game, keeping things scoreless through six with three hits and three strikeouts. Josh Lee came in for relief, getting the win although he did allow five runs - four of them earned - with five hits to a Port Melbourne side that refused to go down without a fight.
The Mariners got one in the extra inning but Werribee answered with two to achieve win number six on the season.
Werribee and Port Melbourne are both 6-3 with upcoming rounds against St Kilda and Malvern respectively.
Preston Pirates 3 v Williamstown Wolves 9
The Wolves continued to dominate the Pirates to complete the sweep and improve their record to 7-2. Preston has won only one game out of the last six for a 3-6 record.
Williamstown started out the game strongly, scoring six runs in the first two innings. Preston's three runs came in the fourth.
Preston did well to keep the Wolves to nine runs as Williamstown left 12 runners on base throughout the game. Jayde Thorne had his best game of the season with four hits and four RBIs out of five at bats including a home run in the first inning. Thorne now has a total of 18 hits, 12 RBIs and two home runs for the season. Justin Gourlay also impressed with one double and one triple hit bringing in three runs for a total of 17 hits and 10 RBIs for the season. Jason McDonald was the third player bringing in two runs.
Dennis Neal faced 21 batters in five innings, conceding three hits and one earned run with seven strikeouts.
For Preston, Zuick Williams and Jean Alvarado each collected two hits, the latter bringing in two runs with his triple in the fourth scoring Mitch Legge and Jaycob Pascuzzi.
Williamstown hosts Moorabbin for the next round while Preston visits Mulgrave.
Moorabbin Panthers 8 v Bonbeach St Chads 3
Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Baseball Club - Facebook
This series between the top and bottom teams allowed the Panthers to continue on their unbeaten run while the Bluejays remain on the hunt for their first win of the series. Moorabbin outscored Bonbeach 23-9 throughout the series.
Sunday's game was very competitive in the start as the score was tied 2-2 after the first two innings. From there Moorabbin pulled away, keeping the scoring consistent while holding Bonbeach to just one more run, which came in the bottom of the ninth.
Ben Laux collected four hits in the game, with three singles and a double for two RBIs for Moorabbin. Teammates Stewart Mathieson, Adam Harris, Nick Bertucci, Zach Kamerman and Xander Gunn all had two hits apiece in the game. Nick Veale had a single too.
Mathieson handled four innings on the mound, allowing six hits and two runs - one unearned - with eight strikeouts. Kamerman threw five innings, giving up just three hits and one unearned run while striking out seven.
The Bluejays will look to turn things around and get the first points on board in the next round against fellow winless side Doncaster, while the Panthers will face some tough competition in Williamstown.
St Kilda Saints 5 v Mulgrave Rebels 3
Photo: Mulgrave Rebels Baseball Club - Facebook
The Saints won their second game of the season this weekend to end a six-game losing streak. St Kilda is now 2-7 on the season while Mulgrave is 5-4 as a five-game winning streak comes to an end.
It was a very close encounter with the Saints leading 2-1 after seven, although the Rebels pieced together a comeback to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth. The Saints scored three runs in the ninth to take back the lead and secure a much-needed victory.
St Kilda collected 11 hits on the day, include a double and two singles for Eduardo Escalona. Antonio Torres had a triple and a single while Roland Curiel contributed two singles. Base hits for Mariano Favia, Paul Paskar, Franco Caramia and Daiksuke Hebara kept St Kilda's offense rolling in the right direction.
Hebara threw 7.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and three earned runs while Caramia had a scoreless inning in relief.
Mulgrave had 10 hits on the day, with four going to Riley O'Shea with a double and three singles. Nick Thompson and Zeke Howie both had two singles while Caleb Poole and Anthony White chimed in with base hits. In Howie's six innings of work, he gave up seven hits and two earned runs.
St Kilda visits Werribee and Mulgrave hosts Preston in the next round.
Division 2 Reserves
Doncaster Dragons 3 v Malvern Braves 13
The Braves won yet again against the Dragons to improve their record to 7-0-1 and stay undefeated this season. Doncaster is in sixth place alongisde Port Melbourne with a 2-6 record.
The Braves dominated the game and outplayed the visitors to land a massive 10-run win.
Round nine will see Doncaster visit Bonbeach while the Malvern heads to Port Melbourne.
Port Melbourne Mariners 2 v Werribee Giants 6
Werribee won both games against Port Melbourne as the Giants hang on to their fourth place position on the ladder with a 4-2-2 record. Meanwhile the Mariners have dropped their fifh straight for a 2-6 record on the season.
Port Melbourne scored once in the third and once in the sixth while Werribee's six runs all came in the fifth.
The Mariners will look to put an end to their losing streak at home against the Braves in the next round while the Giants host the Saints.
Preston Pirates 6 v Williamstown Wolves 11
The Pirates have dropped four in a row while the Wolves have won seven straight.
Williamstown enjoyed strong batting performances up and down the lineup, with six runs coming in the second. The Wolves scored in every inning, leaving five runners on throughout the course of the game while the Pirates stranded eight.
Sean Best was the pick of the bunch for Williamstown, getting two hits including a triple, bringing in a run in the process and contributing to the scoreline twice himself. Luke Chircop chimed in with two runs on two hits also with two RBIs.
Daniel Chircop pitched 2.1 innings for the Wolves as he gave up four hits, one run with two strikeouts.
For Preston, Ismael Theis got two safe hits, both doubles, making the most of his fifth-inning hit by coming home. Gabriel Valderama got two hits from four at bats. Valdelama pitched three innings for the Pirates, giving up seven hits and six earned runs.
The Wolves will host the Panthers for the coming weekend and will look to improve their 7-1 record while the Pirates visit Mulgrave with a 1-6-1 record.
Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Bonbeach St Chads 2
The Panthers had yet another huge win, claiming the series against Bonbeach.
Moorabbin scored five runs in the first and three in the second. Seven more runs followed across the third and the fourth as the Panthers stayed undefeated.
Bonbeach is at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-7 record as the Bluejays look for win number two against Doncaster. Moorabbin visits third place Williamstown in the next round while Bonbeach hosts seventh placed Doncaster.
St Kilda Saints 20 v Mulgrave Rebels 0
After losing a close encounter in the last round, the Saints came back swinging in this matchup.
St Kilda took a 6-0 lead by the third before a massive 10-run fourth inning. Four more runs in the seventh added to the Saints' excitement.
St Kilda is now tied with Mulgrave as both teams have 3-5 records ahead of series against Werribee and Preston respectively.
Division 2 Thirds
Werribee Giants 10 v Port Melbourne Mariners 14
Port Melbourne made up for a poor showing the week prior with a convincing win over Werribee on Sunday at home.
The win was the Mariners' third of the season and their first since round three. Werribee started the season slowly with an 0-4 record before a recent three-game win streak, which was halted in this matchup.
Next up, the Giants are at home v the Saints and the Mariners hit the road to take on Malvern.
Bonbeach St Chads 0 v Moorabbin Panthers 10
A good defensive game, as well as handy contributions with the bat, saw Moorabbin pull off a shutout win over Bonbeach.
Getting on the board early in the first when three runs came in was where it started for the Panthers, with subsequent two-run innings following in the third and fourth. At the bottom of the sixth, Moorabbin found a way to score three more, putting the margin into double figures.
The Panthers are back on track after losing their only game of the season back in round five and will hope to keep it that way after taking on Williamstown this weekend. Bonbeach face a tough opponent in Doncaster but will have high hopes.
Mulgrave Rebels 1 v St Kilda Saints 16
A nine-run effort in the second inning for St Kilda saw them take a big lead, and the Saints never faltered except for when they gave up one run to the Rebels in the last dig of the game.
At 11-0 heading into the fifth, the Saints added another five to the score in that inning as they're now on a three-game win streak and have leapfrogged some big opposition to sit fourth ahead of a series against Werribee. The Rebels travel to Preston ready to expand on their one win so far.
Malvern Braves 8 v Doncaster Dragons 3
Malvern and Doncaster played with the Braves taking the series sweep.
The Braves are yet to lose a game this season, going 8-0, a result they'd like to progress as a series with Port Melbourne gets underway this weekend.
Doncaster has just fallen out of the top four due to the past month's results of three losses and a draw as the Dragons look to make amends on the season when they come up against Bonbeach.
Williamstown Wolves 12 v Preston Pirates 2
A two-run first inning wasn't ringing alarm bells for Preston, however when the Wolves followed that up with five runs in the third, the Pirates needed to kick themselves into gear. And for a little while, they did, getting two in the bottom of the third.
Williamstown would score another four in the next two innings before rounding out the seventh with another, performing a great defensive display for the remainder of the game, keeping Preston to just the two runs.
Williamstown has now won five in a row after starting the season 1-2 and don't see any reason to slow down when facing Moorabbin. The Pirates have a four-game losing streak as they come up against fellow strugglers Mulgrave.
Division 2 Fourths
Mulgrave Rebels 3 v St Kilda Saints 18
At St Kilda, the Saints scored in every inning, starting their game with a four-run first inning and ending it with a combined nine runs during the fifth and sixth.
The Rebels got on the board with two in the second and one in the fifth but were never a match for the rampaging Saints.
The Saints are third on the ladder at 5-3 and on a four-game winning streak as they prepare for an upcoming clash with Werribee. The Rebels meanwhile face Preston and haven't seen a win since round four, their only for the season.
Malvern Braves 8 v Doncaster Dragons 3
The Braves improve their record to 5-1 on the back of this win over Doncaster, that one loss coming all the way back in round one. It sets up a crucial series between Geelong starting this weekend.
Doncaster hasn't tasted success since round five and are sixth at 2-6 heading into a bye.
Williamstown Wolves 7 v Preston Pirates 17
Preston found success over Williamstown, despite giving up three runs at the start of the game. The Pirates responded strongly in the bottom half of the inning, collecting double the amount of runs which they then expanded in the second.
That second inning brought in eight runs for Preston, and in another high-scoring innings from both teams in the third, Williamstown outscored the Pirates four runs to three but the damage was done as the Pirates drew the series.
Geelong Baycats 12 v Werribee Giants 1
For the Giants, squaring things up after seeing Geelong get a run at the top of the first was good, but unfortunately that was the only score Werribee could manage for the game.
Geelong scored in each inning, a collective 11 runs in the next four innings including four in the third as the Baycats defence did well to restrict Werribee to that solitary run.
Scott Wise pitched well for Geelong as Nick Allen, Darren Turner, Philip Sage, Marc Weakley, Michael Allan and Jordan Sinnamon had quality at-bats, including Sinnamon's huge double.
Geelong had a four-game losing streak before breaking through and don't want to fall that way again when facing Malvern. Werribee have had a topsy-turvy season, but will want to find some consistency with wins, starting with St Kilda this weekend.
Moorabbin Panthers v BYE
There were plenty of great matchups on show in Round 10 of the 2019/20 Division 1 season, with each game being decided by no more than eight runs and three games decided by one run. Sandringham was the only team to complete the sweep in this series of games as they make their climb in this exciting VSBL competition.
Division 1 Firsts
Geelong Baycats 2 v Sunshine Eagles 3
The Baycats were overrun by Sunshine in a come-from-behind ninth inning victory for the Eagles as they prove their one-run loss to the Baycats in Round 8 was a minor hiccup, still sitting atop the Division One ladder with a 9-1 record.
Geelong tallied seven hits for the game, led by three to Lewis Weldon and two credited to Rudy Jaramillo. Their two runs for the game came in second inning, Weldon and Jarryd Wood the players to cross the plate, both coming in from Jaramillo's hit.
Each team's defence was exceptional for the next four innings, and it was in the seventh that Sunshine brought the scores back to even at two-apiece, which was the score as the ninth inning came to a close, prompting the game to go into extra innings.
The Eagles didn't allow the Baycats to score at the top, leaving the calculation a simple one for the Eagles: score. And that they did, with a walkoff hit securing the win and a huge celebration for Sunshine.
Eight of the nine players on Sunshine's lineup registered a hit, Bryce Aldridge getting two safe hits and Adam Irons a double. Aldridge, Russell Letts and Jeremy Young scored the runs for Sunshine.
Jaramillo was on the mound for Geelong from the start and in six innings, gave up zero runs on two hits and struck out five batters. James Wood came in as relief but it was Sam Gibbons who would be the unfortunate one to give up the winning run.
Scott Barr and Adam Irons were the Sunshine players tasked with taking the mound, the latter picking up the win as he went three innings for zero runs from one hit, along with two strikeouts.
The Eagles start a series with Blackburn this weekend, while Geelong will look to turn their losses into wins when they face Melbourne.
(Photo credit: Lee Dare/Sunshine Eagles Facebook)
Blackburn Orioles 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 8
Blackburn tallied nine hits against Cheltenham, but only found four runs come across the plate. A couple of hits each to Ryan Berg, Jacob Evans and Jimmy Bent paved the way for Berg, Bent, Liam Hopkins and Nick Rossell to score runs for the Orioles.
On the mound for the Orioles were Blake Hodgson with three hits and one run across three innings but it was Rohan Johnstone who took the loss as he gave up five runs on six hits over two innings.
Cheltenham has now recorded four wins for the season, each of those wins coming within the past six rounds as they mount a charge from the lower levels of the ladder.
Before this series, Blackburn was tied for third and now the Orioles are tied for fourth. The Rustlers are finding plenty of form heading into the later parts of the first half of the season and will likely continue that against Newport. For Blackburn, it doesn't get any easier with a series against ladder-leaders Sunshine.
Fitzroy Lions 0 v Newport Rams 1
In a thrilling game that went deep into the 14th inning, it was Newport's David Land who hit the game-winning RBI to send Jason Jarvis home for the walkoff win.
The Rams tallied eight hits on the day, highlighted by Land who recorded two, a double and a triple as he propelled his team to victory. Cameron Lyons also hit two, including a double, while Jarod Berman's hit was a two-baser.
It was a great display of pitching from Jarvis also, being in the middle for 11 innings and not giving up any runs from four hits and four base on balls, his 17 strikeouts playing a massive part in controlling the game defensively. Jarvis pitched 168 pitches, 113 of them being strikes, showing his efficiency with a 1.19 ERA to date. Berman came to the mound for the first time this season and pitched two innings towards the end, also not giving up any hits or runs to earn the win.
Berwick City Cougars 1 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 6
Upwey Ferntree Gully performed well in the field, led by pitcher Jarrod Turner who threw eight scoreless innings while the team got behind him also and made the necessary plays.
The Tigers lineup scored two runs in the first inning, RBI singles credited to Travis Murphy and Jordan Elliot. The Tigers tacked on another one in the sixth and another in the seventh, Harvey Chinn executing a brilliant safety squeeze.
The home side scored two more runs in the ninth to round out their game, the team hitting well across each inning, a Staci Rogers sacrifice bunt and a few Berwick errors in the field contributing to the score.
The Cougars tallied six hits for the game, two each to Nick O'Shea and Jordan Bradley. Alex Clark was the player who ran home on a Cain Hillier RBI.
Upwey Ferntree Gully has rocketed to third place on the ladder on the back of recent wins and hopes that continues during the upcoming series against Fitzroy. Berwick's next opponent is Essendon who are just above them on the ladder, setting that series up for a close one too.
Sandringham Royals 4 v Essendon Bombers 3
It was a tight affair well into the ninth, with Essendon leading the hits nine to eight, but Sandringham able to get the runners scoring.
A one-all contest at the end of the first inning, transpired into the 3-1 lead to the Royals as the bottom of four approached where the Bombers brought it back to a run.
The seventh read like the first with one run apiece, and from there the score would remain the same.
Brandon Stenhouse led the game for hits with three for the Royals, while Zac Skinner got two. Darby Sexton got two hits for the Bombers.
Gareth Formisano pitched 7.1 innings and had seven strikeouts, while Declan Crocker and Cody Anderson performed well on the mound for Sandringham, recording 12 strikeouts between them.
Sandringham has gone up the ladder on the back of this series sweep, sitting fourth with a 5-5 record before facing second-place Waverley in the next set of games. For Essendon, a four-game losing streak sees them fall from second to seventh, taking on Berwick in their next series.
Waverley Wildcats 8 v Melbourne Demons 0
Despite Waverley's up-and-down recent portion of the season, the Wildcats are still sitting second on the ladder after 10 rounds and this win over Melbourne.
The shutout victory to the Wildcats was assisted by Andrew Russell being on the mound for seven innings, giving up two hits and two base on balls but not allowing any runners to score as he recorded eight strikeouts. It was his second game of not giving up any runs and fourth without any earned runs. Darcy Longstaff finished things off in the remaining two innings, not giving up any bases and striking out three.
On the batting end for the Wildcats, Jacob Sheldon-Collins picked up two hits, as did Billy Findlay, Mohi Kahui and Reece Longstaff. Five players made it to second on their respective hits, with Sheldon-Collins and R Longstaff making it home twice. Ben Aslett got two RBIs.
Melbourne has won once in the last six games plays Geelong starting this weekend. Waverley face the red-hot Sandringham.
Division 1 Seconds
Geelong Baycats 10 v Sunshine Eagles 2
Geelong got out to an admirable lead in the early stages of this game at Sunshine, taking a nine-run lead within the first two innings on the back of seven runners coming home in the second dig.
Adding another in the fifth, the margin was 10, but the Eagles were staying strong in the box, managing two runs in their sixth inning.
In the end, Sunshine tallied just three hits on the day, the Baycats credits going to Lachlan Hockey, Connor Hughes and Blake Witham all combining to restrict the batters doing too much damage. The defensive fieldwork by Geelong in both the infield and outside disallowed the Eagles from gaining too much of a start offensively.
The same may not be said for the Eagles, who in the first two defensive innings let things slip as all of the Baycats first nine runs came when the Geelong side were two down. The quality of the at bats by all players was minimised as the game progressed, however Harper Rickard excelled with two doubles, Kobe Greenhalgh had two hits including a double and three RBIs with Will Brennan getting in on the action with two hits also.
Sandringham Royals 4 v Essendon Bombers 10
Sandringham got the early jump on Essendon in this matchup, seeing the first two runs of the game come across the plate in the first innings, however the Royals let that lead slip in the third when they witnessed eight Essendon runners cross the plate.
It was even splitting in the fifth at two runs apiece, the Royals unable to bounce back from the third innings fade.
Sandringham face second-place Waverley next up whereas Essendon is at home to Berwick.
Sandringham got the early jump on Essendon in this matchup, seeing the first two runs of the game come across the plate in the first innings, however the Royals let that lead slip in the third when they witnessed eight Essendon runners cross the plate.
It was even splitting in the fifth at two runs apiece, the Royals unable to bounce back from the third innings fade.
Sandringham face second-place Waverley next up whereas Essendon is at home to Berwick.
Berwick City Cougars 0 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 15
The Tigers really set the tone of this one from the outset, nine runs crossing the plate in a rampant first inning, which they were able to extend to an 12 run lead as the second inning came to a close.
The tight defense worked wonders for the Tigers, performing a shutout on the Cougars, not able to score in any innings, especially after Upwey Ferntree Gully scored another three in the fifth.
Keeley Ronalds-Greatbatch made his first start for the twos this year, going three scoreless innings. Mitch John was good in relief again as he went scoreless in three innings also.
Batting-wise for the Tigers, every player recorded a hit with the standouts being Jordan Gavin with three hits and four RBIs and Michael Oxworth with two hits.
The Tigers really set the tone of this one from the outset, nine runs crossing the plate in a rampant first inning, which they were able to extend to an 12 run lead as the second inning came to a close.
The tight defense worked wonders for the Tigers, performing a shutout on the Cougars, not able to score in any innings, especially after Upwey Ferntree Gully scored another three in the fifth.
Keeley Ronalds-Greatbatch made his first start for the twos this year, going three scoreless innings. Mitch John was good in relief again as he went scoreless in three innings also.
Batting-wise for the Tigers, every player recorded a hit with the standouts being Jordan Gavin with three hits and four RBIs and Michael Oxworth with two hits.
Blackburn Orioles 2 v Cheltenham Rustlers 1
Sam Bucello got the start for Blackburn in what turned out to be a genuine pitcher's duel, Bucello solid over five innings to record plenty of strikeouts and only one unearned run.
On the offensive end, the sixth innings saw the Orioles record their one and only hit for the game, a single to Riley Hodgson and after a string of subsequent walks, it led to the go-ahead run crossing home.
Blackburn maintain a good record at 6-2 heading into a series against Sunshine, while Cheltenham face Newport and will start to make a rapid climb up the ladder.
Waverley Wildcats 12 v Melbourne Demons 9
The first-placed Demons became dethroned when the Wildcats spoiled things at Surrey Park, placing Melbourne third at the conclusion of the round, while Waverley is second at 6-2.
Waverley travel to Sandringham this weekend and Melbourne is home to Geelong.
Waverley Wildcats 12 v Melbourne Demons 9
The first-placed Demons became dethroned when the Wildcats spoiled things at Surrey Park, placing Melbourne third at the conclusion of the round, while Waverley is second at 6-2.
Waverley travel to Sandringham this weekend and Melbourne is home to Geelong.
Fitzroy Lions 6 v Newport Rams 2
An even display of hitting from both sides was edged out by the Lions gaining a couple more runs in the fourth and sixth innings, whereas Newport wasn't able to maintain a strong enough addition to their runs gained in the first and fifth innings.
It's Fitzroy's second win of the season (and second in two games) as they'll try to distance themselves further from the bottom section of the ladder when facing Upwey Ferntree Gully this weekend. The Rams are searching for their first win and will hope to find that at home to the Rustlers.
Thirds
Newport Rams 3 v Fitzroy Lions 4
These two teams have played exceptionally well in the past two weeks, Newport and Fitzroy ending up splitting the series after one-run victories in each game.
Newport looked steady as the Rams gained a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the third, but that was the moment when Fitzroy looked like ramping things up. And that they did with a three-run third innings, expanding that score to four when another run crossed the plate in the fourth.
In the fifth, the Rams managed one to cut to margin in half and though restricting the Lions to none at the bottom, the Rams couldn't get the job done in the sixth.
Fitzroy has now won two games for the season within the last three rounds and look to continue that against Upwey Ferntree Gully, while the Rams want to expand on their two wins when taking on Cheltenham.
Berwick City Cougars 2 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 9
The Tigers got things moving in a great display of batting throughout the first two innings, collecting their nine runs across that time.
The Cougars were leading after the first dig when they scored one, and added another in the third but from there, the game was played with defensive intent from both sides.
Chris Cassidy got some pitching work in for the Tigers by being on the mound for three innings, giving up one unearned run. Harry Snoxell was good in relief.
Even though Upwey Ferntree Gully tallied three hits for the game, patient at bats forced many walks which contributed to the runs, and ultimately, the win.
By adding a win to their campaign, the Tigers are now sitting second at 5-1-1 before facing Fitzroy this week.
Blackburn Orioles 6 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3
An all-round team effort contributed to the Orioles win over Cheltenham, splitting the series one-all.
Blackburn maintains a first place spot on the ladder at 6-1-1 before facing Sunshine from this weekend and the Rustlers will want to get back to their winning ways against Newport.
Sandringham Royals 10 v Essendon Bombers 3
The Royals got off to a handy start when they went 4-0 from the top of the first and kept a good pace throughout the game, even after Essendon scored three throughout the second and third innings, which brought the deficit to two runs.
The Royals knuckled down and a further five runs in the final two innings propelled them into a winning position for their third win of the season and their second in three weeks as they prepare for upcoming clashes with Waverley, whereas Essendon face Berwick.
A highlight for the Bombers was Joel Prpic who hit a two-run home run in the third inning.
Geelong Baycats 9 v Sunshine Eagles 2
The Baycats wanted to get off to a good start and that they did with their lead growing to five on the back of a good offensive showing in the first two innings.
Sunshine's runs came in the middle portion of the game but the Baycats powered away in the sixth and seventh to run out seven-run victors.
Travis Duxton started on the hill and threw a complete seven innings game, giving up two hits, one earned run and five strikeouts.
Most of the Baycats batters got hits, and if not, quality at bats were abundant across the whole lineup. Lachlan Stotty went four from four with three doubles and a single, including three RBIs. William Fitzgerald had two hits with an RBI, while Jake Warren had one hit and two RBIs.
Geelong are in the top four at 5-2-1 as the team looks forward to a clash against Melbourne. The Eagles haven't won a game since round three and will hope to end that streak against Blackburn.
Melbourne Demons 3 v Waverley Wildcats 3
The two teams were tough through seven innings as a winner couldn't be found.
The Demons gave up a 3-0 lead they gained through the first three innings, as Waverley found a way to get on the board themselves in the third and tying things up in the fifth. From there, both sides were searching for ways to win, neither defensive unit giving up easily.
Each of these teams now have five wins for the season, Melbourne playing Geelong this round and Waverley facing Sandringham.
Fourths
Blackburn Orioles 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 4
Blackburn powered away to an eight-run lead after their first two innings on the back of a seven-run effort in the second.
Cheltenham gained the next three runs in the second and third innings, before the teams got one run apiece in the fourth, where the score stayed until the end of the game.
The Orioles improve their record to 5-3 while it's the opposite for the Rustlers at 3-5. Cheltenham travel to Newport this weekend and Blackburn are in a top-four clash with Sunshine.
Sandringham Royals 1 v Essendon Bombers 13
The scoreline read 6-1 to the Bombers after two complete innings however the third innings is when Essendon really took control having six runs cross the plate.
One run was added to an already almighty lead as the Royals have lost the last two and face Waverley this weekend. Essendon will be 7-1 when the Bombers take on Berwick this weekend.
Newport Rams 2 v Fizroy Lions 7
Fitzroy got a hold of Newport for their second win in as many games.
As Newport scored a run at the top of the first, Fitzroy combated that with five in the bottom, a further two runs being added in the third.
Heading into the fifth with the Rams down by six, a big tasked was asked of them and they couldn't quite get there, managing to cut the margin by just one.
A contributing factor to Fitzroy's win was Chuck Ratnayake hit a home run to further propel the Lions to victory.
Berwick City Cougars 0 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 7
A shutout victory to the Tigers for their second win of the season, Adam Campli was the man on the mound, getting the job done.
Beside a two-run third innings to Upwey Ferntree Gully, the game was pretty even until the Tigers did get away from the Cougars, netting five runs late in the fifth inning, closing out hope of a Berwick fightback in the sixth.
Geelong Baycats 11 v Sunshine Eagles 9
Geelong has been great the past two weeks against Sunshine, collecting both of their season wins as they distance themselves from the bottom of the ladder before facing Melbourne.
Sunshine has dropped to 4-3 but remains in the top four as they take on Blackburn from this weekend.
Melbourne Demons 10 v Waverley Wildcats 6
The Wildcats were always pressing for the result to swing in their favour but a determined Demons outfit where runs scored in each of the six innings made sure to get the job done.
The scoreline read 6-1 heading into the bottom of the third after Melbourne gained three runs at the top of three but it was quickly cancelled out by the Wildcats who fought back with three of their own.
One-run innings from Melbourne were beneficial down the track in the fourth and sixth inning as the Wildcats again cancelled out the Demons influence in the fifth where the teams scored two runs each.
The win to Melbourne sees them end the round with a perfect 8-0 start as they look to Geelong next, while Waverley begin a series at Sandringham and will want to enter the top four again as they've just falled out with a 4-4 record.
Round Seven of the 2019/20 VSBL Women's Division 1, 2 and 3 competitions featured fantastic matchups and high scores as teams did their best to improve their records. There's 10 rounds to go as Springvale and Doncaster lead the way in Women's Division 1 and 2.
Women's Division 1
Essendon Bombers 2 v Doncaster Dragons 5
Doncaster took this game and remains undefeated throughout Women's Division 1, beating Essendon in a close game at home.
Doncaster has a great matchup with Springvale to look forward to while Essendon will be searching for their first win of the season since round two when they play Footscray this upcoming weekend.
Springvale Lions 8 v Footscray Bulldogs 2
Springvale drew first blood in this game with two runs in the second and kept a tight defence for the following three Footscray digs, until the home team tied the scores as the fifth inning came to a close.
Sensing the urgency, the Lions came out with the bats and hit in three runs in the sixth, followed by another three in the seventh to put the result out to six, which would be the final margin as the Bulldogs couldn't force their way back into the game.
Gabby Bevan, Emily Devine and Shae Lilywhite helped propel Springvale to victory with contributions all throughout the lineup.
The loss sees Footscray without a win this season, however the Bulldogs will be hoping for a positive result this weekend against Essendon. Springvale sits second, slightly behind Doncaster, setting up a big matchup in the next round where each team could switch positions.
Women's Division 2
Essendon Bombers 3 v Footscray Bulldogs 15
Footscray got off to a great start, batting in six runs in a dominant first inning.
Essendon scored one themselves at the top of the second, but the Bulldogs didn't look like letting their guard down, adding three in the second and a further six in the third.
Jody Hamilton, Rachel Howard, Kelly Jewers and Emma Lowe all had a great game for Footscray.
The Bombers collected two runs in their fifth inning dig before the game was called, a win still alluding Essendon this season. Footscray now has an even record at 3-3 before playing Fitzroy this weekend.
Doncaster Dragons 17 v Fitzroy Lions 0
The Dragons have improved their record to 6-0 after a big win over Fitzroy.
Doncaster enjoyed contributions from players throughout the lineup, including Rachel Bagley, Kirsten Bezzina, Vanessa Clifford and Maddy Davis.
The Lions have just a single win this season and face Footscray in round eight while the Dragons will be confident in their clash with Wheelers Hill.
Springvale Lions 13 v Wheelers Hill Warriors 0
The Lions consistently found ways to keep improving their tally of runs throughout this game, constantly gaining a bigger lead to shut out the Warriors.
One-, two-, and three-run efforts in the first, second and third innings was a foreshadowing of things to come in the fourth, with six runs crossing the plate.
Another one was added in the fifth, with the Lions defence to be rewarded for their efforts as well.
Lily Bell-Tanner, Jessica Adkins-Barber, Aspen McGovern and Maddy Patrick made a difference for Springvale in this game, with the whole team coming together to get the job done.
The win keeps the Lions with a perfect 6-0 record, while Wheelers Hill are 3-3, just behind Footscray. Next up for the Warriors is Doncaster, whereas Springvale face Essendon.
Photo: Springvale Lions Baseball Club - Facebook
Women's Division 3 East
Moorabbin Panthers 11 v Doncaster Dragons 21
Doncaster had a huge win over the previously-undefeated Moorabbin as the Panthers lost their first game of the season.
Doncaster has a matchup against the fresh-off-the-bye Melbourne whereas Moorabbin will hope this defeat was just a small bump in the road as the team takesmul on Springvale next weekend.
Springvale Lions 19 v Mulgrave Rebels 2
This was a big result for the Lions to get their second win of the season, adding at least one run to their score in every innings, highlighted by seven-run innings in the second and fourth.
The entire lineup got involved in the hitting frenzy as Springvale's bats were hard to slow down. Mulgrave was able to get on the board in the second with two runners crossing the plate.
Mulgrave go into the bye week at 1-3 while Springvale comes up against the Panthers as they look to improve and climb further up the ladder.
Melbourne Demons v BYE
Women's Division 3 South
Bonbeach St Chads White 5 v Bonbeach St Chads Blue 18
In the battle between the two Bonbeach teams, Blue came out on top.
Multiple seven-run digs to start the game for Blue set the tone of the game that they would be playing, although White batted in five runs to their score in the third.
Blue added another five to their score as they were able to take full advantage of a hard-hitting offensive lineup.
Bonbeach Blue have set up a top-three clash with Berwick next weekend, while Bonbeach White have the week off due to the bye.
Berwick City Cougars 16 v Pakenham Pumas White 1
Berwick opened the game with three runs and didn't look back, only allowing Pakenham one in the bottom of the first.
The Cougars never slowed down, seeing another six runs get added to their score before a monster seven-run fourth innings saw the lead increase further out of reach for the Pumas.
Next weekend is sure to be good for both of these teams as Berwick will be out to prove themselves against Bonbeach Blue, whereas Pakenham White face fellow Pakenham side, Black.
Sandringham Royals v Pakenham Pumas Black (FORFEIT)
Sandringham face ladder-leaders Cheltenham next Saturday while it's a game that has bragging rights on the line for Pakenham Black as the team takes on the other Pumas side from this division.
Cheltenham Rustlers v BYE
Division Three West
North Western Titans 22 v Geelong Baycats White 14
This was a high-scoring game in Geelong, with runs coming from each team in every innings that was played.
Emma Fairbrother drew a walk to score a run in the first inning for North Western, starting things off right.
While Geelong White was able to keep pestering away at the Titans, the away side had three consecutive seven-run innings, prompting the scoreline to read 21-7 heading into the fourth. Fairbrother joined Jessica Nelson, Tracie Williams, Julia Klieve, Jemma J Rigby and Katie K Rigby with RBIs in the frame.
Another one run came home for North Western Titans but then it was the Baycats' turn for some offensive hitting, collecting seven runs but unfortunately running out of time to take control of that momentum. This burst of offense was led by Hannah Lindsay, Katrina Edwards, Jess Caurin, Jennifer Mason, Ella Wilson and Danni Phillips.
Kim Borg got the win for North Western after allowing three hits and seven runs over three innings with three strikeouts. Nelson handled one-third of an inning of relief out of the bullpen.
K. Rigby, Williams and Deb Said all had multiple hits for North Western as the team gathered 10 hits in total on the day. K. Rigby went 3-for-3 to lead her team. Teresa Warner stole five bases as five players stole at least two.
Lindsay had three of Geelong's eight stolen bases.
It was the Titans' first win of the season as they head into the bye, while Baycats White are without a win so far this season and face Fitzroy this weekend.
Fitzroy Lions (FORFEIT) v Geelong Baycats Blue
The third-placed Fitzroy take on Baycats White in the upcoming round while Baycats Blue get set for a top-two clash with Sunshine.
Sunshine Eagles v BYE
Sunshine Eagles Baseball Club has big goals for the 2019/20 VSBL season, and import catcher Bryce Aldridge is all for it.
The versatile American hails from Indiana and has quickly settled into his role at Sunshine as a vital part of the club’s Division 1 firsts team. The Eagles have emerged as a frontrunner in the VSBL competition, carrying an undefeated record through seven rounds. Despite dropping a one-run thriller to Geelong this past weekend, the Eagles show no signs of slowing down anytime soon after a convincing 7-2 midweek win over the Baycats.
For Bryce, being on top of the ladder for the time being is a good feeling, but he knows his team has to work hard to make it where they want to go. “I’m just excited to be here,” Bryce said. "I’m really looking forward to seeing more of the competition, having fun and playing hard ball.”
After making it to the semi-finals last year, Sunshine wants to do the same and Bryce hopes to be a part of it. He’s had some bright moments in his baseball career, including winning college conference championships in 2018 with Wabash College, and he has fond memories of that unbeatable winning feeling. “That’s something you don’t really forget, getting the ring and being able to dogpile on the field with the guys that you worked so hard with,” Bryce said. “It's a lot of fun to be able to do that.”
Bryce would love to share a winning season with Sunshine, but he and his teammates are taking it one game at a time, focusing on getting wins week in and week out. “I think if we are just putting the ball in play and playing good team ball, then we’ll be able to succeed pretty well in the field,” Bryce said.
A strong sense of comradery and family at Sunshine has made Bryce feel right at home as he aims to be a solid team player. “They’ve done a really good job taking me in, supporting me and getting me all settled in,” Bryce said. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to help the team win. I just want to get my swing hot pretty quickly and see if I can put up some good numbers for the team.”
No matter what the season has in store, Bryce is thrilled to be spending the summer down under and making memories with the Eagles. “Baseball has given me a lot of opportunities to travel and meet new people, teammates, friends, all that stuff like that,” Bryce said. “I’ve never been to Australia before and now I’ll spend six months down here working a little bit and playing baseball and I get to see the world. Baseball has helped me to travel all over the United States as well.”
Over the years, Bryce has learned to keep his head up through the ups and downs, something he encourages new baseball players to do too. “Don’t get frustrated if it seems really hard at first. Just get involved with it, find some good people that will help teach you and have fun - that’s what it’s all about.”
Not only is Bryce impressed by the level of competition in VSBL Division 1, but he’s confident he can make a difference for Sunshine this year. “I think I can bring a lot of passion to the team,” Bryce said. “If I feel like I know things that they’re struggling with and I can help them out, then I’ll always try my best to do that. I’m sure there are things they can help me out with as well. It’s a give and take learning process.”
Bryce and the Eagles host Geelong for the series decider on Sunday before opening a series against reigning premiers Blackburn.
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season had the first midweek of the season on Thursday night, as Moorabbin, Malvern, Port Melbourne and Williamstown continued to dominate. These series wrap up this weekend behind teams face fresh opponents in the coming weeks.
Division 2 Firsts
Malvern Braves 6 v Doncaster Dragons 4
Doncaster's woes continued with a midweek loss, although the Dragons finished only down by two. The Dragons just haven't been able to keep up with the Braves offense thus far, even though they put up a good fight.
Malvern's Mitchell Kennedy got the job done on the mound, earning himself a win with five hits and four earned runs allowed. Chris Burke collected 3 RBIs on a double while Tyler Dale also had an extra-base hit. Ryan Dale, Lachlan Fuda and Geoff Holland had singles for Malvern as the Braves earned their sixth straight win.
Doncaster visits Malvern on Sunday in hopes of win number one for the season.
Bonbeach St Chads 0 v Moorabbin Panthers 6
The Bluejays just couldn't get their bats moving against the ladder leaders, as the Panthers enjoyed their eighth straight victory. Moorabbin has scored 76 runs while giving up just 25 over the first eight rounds.
This offensive strength was demonstrated once more on Thursday night with contributions from Nick Bertucci, Adam Harris, Neil Johnston, Stewart Mathieson and Zach Kamerman.
Pitcher Nick Veale faced 14 batters without giving up a hit, with only two walks allowed and seven strikeouts. He also had a double, single and RBI in his at-bats.
Moorabbin scored two in the second, three in the third and one in the fourth on a solid night of baseball.
Bonbeach remains winless ahead of the round nine meeting at home.
Mulgrave Rebels 3 v St Kilda Saints 1
Mulgrave has put on some strong performances in recent weeks, including this close midweek victory over St Kilda. Mulgrave improves to 5-3 with this result while St Kilda is 1-7 with a six-game losing streak.
Liam Richardson got the win for Mulgrave, giving up just five hits and one run in five innings with 21 batters faced. Joel Stubbs also pitched a scoreless inning for Mulgrave. Offensively, Ricardo Anaya knocked in a run while Zeke Howie collected two singles. Caleb Poole had a base hit and Nick Thompson had an RBI single.
Antonio Torres took the loss for St Kilda, covering six innings and giving up three runs - two of these unearned - with just four hits allowed in 25 batters faced. Daiksuke Hebara had one of St Kilda's only hits on the night, along with Robby Lewis and Tom Snowden, who had two singles and an RBI.
Mulgrave hosts on Sunday as the Rebels go for the sweep.
Werribee Giants 1 v Port Melbourne Mariners 2
Both teams came into this matchup with five wins and two losses, but Port Melbourne narrowly emerged victorious in this tight midweek game.
The Mariners hung on for a 2-1 win as they stole the lead late. The score was tied at 1-1 with Port Melbourne batting in the bottom of the fifth when Jackson White singled on the first pitch of his at-bat to score the go-ahead run.
Strong pitching on both sides kept this game close. Port Melbourne's Tyson Cox-Davies got the win with two hits and one run allowed over seven innings. Werribee's Wesley DeJong surrendered two runs on seven hits in seven innings with five strikeouts.
Port Melbourne's first run game in the second with a fielder's choice from Daniel Imoto scoring a run. Werribee tied things up in the top of the fourth when Daine Gregory grounded out to score one run
Chris Doyle led the Mariners going 2-for-3 on the night, while Aaron Petri had a handful of good plays and the defense made no errors.
Werribee hosts on Sunday as the Giants try and win the series.
Williamstown Wolves 15 v Preston Pirates 2
The Wolves have dominated the Pirates so far, outscoring them 27 runs to two. Williamstown's strong midweek outing was highlighted by solid pitching contributions from Kevin Desmedt, who gave up just three hits in three innings, along with impressive outings from Jayde Thorne and Daniel Chircop.
Preston's five hits on the night couldn't compare to Williamstown's big offensive numbers. Chircop knocked in 2 RBIs on a double, while Justin Gourlay and Jayde Thorne both homered. Aaron Green added to his RBI total with two singles and a double, while Hiroshi Narasaki knocked in two runs with a single and a walk. Mitch Collins, Chris Jackson and Robert Higginson all had RBI base hits.
Williamstown hosts this weekend and looks to improve to 7-2.
Round nine of the 2019/20 VSBL featured some close midweek matchups as Sunshine bounced back from Sunday's loss and Berwick climbed to second place. Sandringham and Fitzroy go for the sweep this weekend!
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 1 v Berwick City Cougars 1
After a wash out over the weekend, these two teams were happy to get a competitive midweek game in. It was a close matchup with strong pitching on both sides.
Donovan Hendricks handled things for the Tigers, covering five innings with just three hits and one run allowed in the bottom of the third. That run was a solo homer to centre by Berwick's right fielder McClain Bradley for his first big fly of the year.
Upwey Ferntree Gully's lone run came in the fifth, with Hendricks taking a walk before Staci Rogers had a bunt single and Michael Oxworth hit a ground ball, allowing the runner home to score on a wild throw.
Justin Swanton and Pete Schroeders continued their strong infield defense for Upwey.
Berwick City is now second place on the ladder with a 4-3-1 record, with a handful of 5-4 teams hot on their heels. Upwey Ferntree Gully is 3-3-1 heading into this weekend's home game.
Donovan Hendricks handled things for the Tigers, covering five innings with just three hits and one run allowed in the bottom of the third. That run was a solo homer to centre by Berwick's right fielder McClain Bradley for his first big fly of the year.
Upwey Ferntree Gully's lone run came in the fifth, with Hendricks taking a walk before Staci Rogers had a bunt single and Michael Oxworth hit a ground ball, allowing the runner home to score on a wild throw.
Justin Swanton and Pete Schroeders continued their strong infield defense for Upwey.
Berwick City is now second place on the ladder with a 4-3-1 record, with a handful of 5-4 teams hot on their heels. Upwey Ferntree Gully is 3-3-1 heading into this weekend's home game.
Cheltenham Rustlers 6 v Blackburn Orioles 7
Cheltenham won 7-3 on Sunday, but Blackburn scored the deciding run late in the game to get a big win on the board.
After a big effort on Sunday, Rowan Johnstone took the ball once more for Blackburn before handing things over to Blake Hodgson. Cheltenham managed six hits and five earned runs against Hodgson, but Blackburn's offense stayed right in the game and prevailed in the very end.
Blackburn led 2-1 after the first before Cheltenham tied things up in the top of the third. Blackburn responded with two runs in the bottom frame, but a big fourth inning for the Rustlers saw them take a two-run lead. With the game 6-4 in favor of Cheltenham, Blackburn battled through the last at-bats. Ryan Berg came in clutch with a two-run double to tie the game, and a passed ball put Blackburn in front for good.
Ben Leslie and Liam Hopkins also had doubles in the game for Blackburn, while Jacob Evans sent a homer flying over the fence, his first of the season. Leslie also took two walks to get on base for the Orioles while Evans had three RBIs.
Cheltenham's Lars Ligouri, Mac Turley and Sam Michael led the team with two hits apiece. Andrew Gribben and Conor Myles also had hits for the Rustlers. Myles pitched three innings for Cheltenham, giving up four hits and two walks with four earned runs.
The series is split ahead of Sunday's game at Cheltenham.
Melbourne Demons 5 v Waverley Wildcats 1
The Wildcats walked away from the weekend with a big 8-1 victory, but they couldn't repeat their success in the midweek meeting despite holding Melbourne to just three hits.
Waverley did have a 1-0 lead through the second before Melbourne tied things up in the third. It remained a close ballgame until the top of the fifth, when Melbourne broke through with four runs. Waverley struggled to respond and Melbourne closed out the game in the bottom of the fifth to record win number four.
Oliver McMahon hit a three-run homer, his first of the season, while Tim Sullivan and Jarryd Rogers had the Demons two other hits, both singles.
Winning pitcher Andrew Case pitched five innings with five strikeouts and just two hits and one unearned run allowed.
Darcy Longstaff threw for Waverley, giving up five runs - four of them earned across four innings. Jacob Sheldon-Collins and Ben Aslett had Waverley's two hits of the night.
Waverley is 5-4 on the ladder while Melbourne is 4-4, with the Demons hosting game three on Sunday.
Sunshine Eagles 7 v Geelong Baycats 2
The ladder-leading Eagles lost a heartbreaker on Sunday, but they got back to their winning ways in this midweek game.
Nikau Pouaka-Grego smashed a home run over the fence for Sunshine while teammates Jeremy Young, Jordan Young, Adam Irons, Jason Tutt, Bryce Aldridge and Joshua Byrne also had big hits.
Jeremy Young threw eight innings, giving up five hits and two runs while striking out five. 18 of his first pitches were strikes as he carries a 1.66 ERA into round 10.
Sunshine scored four runs early before the final three came in the last two innings. Geelong's two runs came in the bottom of the seventh, with Troy Snarey and Tyler Luther-Wilson knocking in runs.
Sam Gibbons threw six innings for the Baycats with five hits, four runs - three of them earned - and five strikeouts. Lachlan Hockey came into pitch for two innings to close out the game, striking out three although he did give up three earned runs on four hits.
The series is split 1-1- with Sunshine hosting Geelong on Saturday.
Essendon Bombers 0 v Sandringham Royals 1
Sandringham won the first game 15-7, but both teams were a lot stronger defensively in this midweek pitcher's duel between the Royals' Cody Anderson and the Bombers' Michael Formisano.
Sandringham loaded the bases in the bottom of the first but Formisano managed to get out of it before settling into the game. The tight scoreless contest continued until the bottom of the fourth, when the Royals scored what would end up being the only run of the ball game.
Anderson gave up just two hits in seven innings of work with nine strikeouts in his best performance so far this season, while Formisano covered 5.2 innings with three hits and three walks, one unearned run and six strikeouts.
Cody Rodwell and Darby Sexton were the only Essendon players to get hits on the night, while Jack Wills had two hits for Sandringham.
The 4-5 Royals go for the sweep this weekend as the 5-4 Bombers host.
Newport Rams 2 v Fitzroy Lions 14
Fitzroy dominated this game from the get-go, racking up 14 runs in a much different game to Sunday's 1-0 victory for the Lions. Pitching was a strong point for both sides in game one but Newport's pitchers started to struggle against a Fitzroy team that seemed to finally start clicking in full force.
The Lions had their best game of the year offensively, with half of their total runs scored for the season coming in this midweek game. Fitzroy goes for the sweep this weekend at Newport.
Newport Rams 2 v Fitzroy Lions 14
Fitzroy dominated this game from the get-go, racking up 14 runs in a much different game to Sunday's 1-0 victory for the Lions. Pitching was a strong point for both sides in game one but Newport's pitchers started to struggle against a Fitzroy team that seemed to finally start clicking in full force.
The Lions had their best game of the year offensively, with half of their total runs scored for the season coming in this midweek game. Fitzroy goes for the sweep this weekend at Newport.
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 competition continued with some friendly competition in round seven, as some of the division's strongest teams made big statements. There's still 12 games to go before playoffs and anything is possible as these Division 4 teams aim for success this season.
Division 4 East
Blackburn Orioles 2 v St Kilda Saints 22
The Saints secured their second victory on the season, while the Orioles slip to the bottom of the ladder with six losses.
St Kilda completely outplayed Blackburn by scoring big in every inning. The Saints scored at least five runs in three out of the five innings played while the Orioles only managed to put two on the board in the third inning. St Kilda's lineup featured the likes of Ian Buckle, Steven Cuthbert and Michael O'Halloran as the Saints enjoyed a massive win in their best performance so far this season.
The Orioles take on an undefeated Melbourne side at home in round eight while the Saints host Monash Uni at home.
Fitzroy Lions Gold 1 v Melbourne Demons 13
The Demons continue on their unbeaten streak and get another win, improving to 7-0 while the Lions lost their third game on the season.
The Demons scored 11 runs across four innings, with their biggest numbers coming in a six-run second and five-run fourth. Strong pitching was a big credit for Melbourne as pitchers conceded only one run in the game. Melbourne has scored 77 runs while allowing only 11 so far this year.
The Demons visit the Orioles in the next round while there is a mid-table clash with fourth place Malvern hosting fifth place Fitzroy Gold.
Waverly Wildcats Black 16 v Malvern Braves 3
The Braves came into this matchup with some momentum after winning a close game in the last round, 10-9 over Waverley Wildcats Red. Unfortunately for Malvern, the team's pitching couldn't hold up against this Waverley side, which now sits at 6-1 just behind Melbourne on the ladder.
The game was tied 3-3 after the first inning, but after that the Braves offense ran out of steam. Waverley scored two in the second, five in the fourth and six in the sixth for a total of 16 runs. Waverley was strong up and down the lineup with solid performances by Ethan Chiarotto, Vaughn Evans and Dean Ferris.
Waverley Wildcats Black face Waverley Wildcats Red in the next round while Malvern hosts the Fitzroy Lions Gold.
Monash University Farmers 6 v Waverly Wildcats Reds 6
It was a pretty evenly matched contest as there was nothing to separate both the teams after five innings. Waverley scored in every inning except for the first, while the Farmers took an early one-run lead before letting the Wildcats back in the game.
This is the second draw for the Farmers and the first for the Wildcats. Monash sits at 3-2-2 and Waverley is currently at 1-5-1.
The Farmers visit St Kilda this coming weekend while Wildcats Red plays Wildcats Black.
Division 4 North West
Essendon Jets 8 v Essendon Bombers 4
The Jets won the bragging rights in the battle of the two Essendon teams by winning their second game of the season.
It was a closely contested game with the Bombers trailing by two runs at the end of the second. The Jets extended their advantage with two more in the fourth and four runs in the final two innings.
The Jets are 2-4 and the Bombers are 1-5 going into round eight, with games scheduled against North Coburg Gold and Mitchell Majors Yellow, respectively.
Fitzroy Lions Maroon 10 v Footscray Bulldogs Blue 6
The Lions marched into this matchup, getting back-to-back wins for their fifth victory of the season.
Fitzroy had a massive start to the game, scoring eight runs across the first two innings, while the home team only managed two runs. Footscray's offense did a bit more late in the game, coming within four but it wasn't enough to cover the deficit.
The Bulldogs conceded their fourth loss of the season while the Lions stay put in third place on the ladder.
Fitzroy Maroon visits North Coburg Rebels Maroon and Footscray Blue hosts Mitchell Majors Black.
Footscray Bulldogs Red 16 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 4
Footscray Red now has a five-game winning streak after a dominant win over North Coburg Gold.
The Bulldogs relied on big at-bats from Alexander da Silva, Brendan Fanning and Shane Kinlough and more as they put up seven runs in the first. The second inning was quiet in comparison as Footscray scored just one, leading into a five-run third and a three-run fourth. The Rebels scored two in the first and the final innings, which wasn't enough to get them back in the game.
After the results of round seven, North Coburg Gold slips to fourth in the ladder with a 4-2 record, while Footscray Red stay in second at 6-1. Next up for Footscray Red is Fitzroy Lions Blue while North Coburg Gold looks for a big win at home v Essendon Jets.
Fitzroy Lions Blue 1 v Footscray Bulldogs White 9
Footscray White continues to dominate the division after recording another win to keep a perfect record intact. and maintaining their 100%-win record in the division.
The game was scoreless through two before each side put up one in the third. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that Footscray really took things up a notch, scoring six before another two came home to score in the fifth.
Fitzroy Blue sits at 2-4 before taking on Footscray Red in round eight, while Footscray White as a bye.
Mitchell Majors Yellow 11 v North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1
North Coburg Maroon has lost the last three while Mitchell Majors Yellow bounced back bigtime in this game. Mitchell Majors was ahead 5-0 after the second before tacking on six additional runs in the third. North Coburg's lone run came in the bottom of the third.
North Coburg Maroon is currently in last place at 1-6 while last year's winner Mitchell Majors Yellow is 4-3.
The Rebels play Fitzroy Maroon next and Mitchell Majors Yellow plays Essendon Bombers.
Mitchell Majors Black - BYE
Division 4 South
Ormond Glenhuntly Hunters 4 v Berwick City Cougars 11
The Cougars enjoyed a win thanks to solid batting performances up and down the lineup. The team scored seven runs in the bottom of the first, a great response to Ormond Glenhuntly's three runs to open the game.
The Hunters' offense dried up after that burst at the beginning of the game, as they score just one more in their last at-bats while giving up tooo many to the Cougars. It was a quiet second inning on both sides before Berwick City scored two in the third and one run in both the fourth and the fifth.
The Cougars are 5-1 and the Hunters are 2-4 before big games against Melbourne and Cheltenham, respectively.
Pakenham Pumas 1 – Cheltenham Rustlers 18
The Rustlers secured a huge win over against the Pumas, made possible by strong hitting up and down the lineup. Blake Dunkley, Sean Dunne, Dylan Hind and Lachlan Stevens got the job done alongside their teammates as Cheltenham scored 14 runs across the first two innings.
Cheltenham didn't allow Pakenham to score until the final frame. Cheltenham hosts Ormond Glenhuntly in round eight and Pakenham plays St Kilda.
St Kilda Baseball Club 1 – Monash University Farmers 11
This weekend marked another exceptional performance from the Farmers as remain unbeaten at the top of the ladder. Monash scored in every inning with a final five runs coming in the fourth.
St Kilda scored one in the fourth but that was it, as the team searches for its first win in VSBL Division 4 South.
Monash plays Moorabbin this upcoming weekend and St Kilda plays Pakenham.
Melbourne Demons 8 – Moorabbin Panthers 13
Melbourne came into this round ready to win, but Moorabbin had the upper hand in the end. While the Panthers took a 5-0 lead after two, Melbourne fired back to tie it up.
Moorabbin came back in the end to put the game out of reach in the last few innings.
Melbourne visits a strong Berwick side this weekend and Moorabbin welcomes the ladder-leaders at Monash Uni for round eight.
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 season featured a big round seven as Springvale continued to dominate in the firsts while Ormond Glenhuntly Gold made a big impact in the reserves. There's 12 games left in the regular season as these teams look to go all the way.
Division 3 Firsts
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 4 v Chelsea Dolphins 8
A strong all-around team performance propelled Chelsea over Ormond Glenhuntly Blue, with the Dolphins improving to 3-4 while the Hunters slipped to 3-3-1. Ormond Glenhuntly Blue remains in third place ahead of fourth place Chelsea.
Brendan Robinson was Chelsea's winning pitcher on the heels of his complete game performance, tossing nine innings with eight hits and four runs - three earned - allowed. He struck out six in his first pitching performance for Chelsea's Division 3 firsts.
Robinson was backed up by bursts of offense from Shane Jeffrey, who had two singles and a double for 3 RBIs, bringing his total to 10 on the season. Scott Kerr and Trent Wilford had RBI hits while Steve Tourisakis and Daniel Wong contributed singles.
The Hunters carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the second, but it was then that Chelsea tacked on three runs to take over. From there the Dolphins scored four in the third and another in the fifth. Ormond Glenhuntly got two back but it wasn't enough as Chelsea came away victorious, enjoying the nice feeling of back-to-back wins before a round eight matchup at North Western. Ormond Glenhuntly Blue plays fellow Hunters on Sunday.
North Western Titans 0 v Pakenham Pumas 10
The Titans suffered their first shutout loss of the season to the Pumas. Pakenham racked up the runs with four in the first and two in the second. A further three across the last innings sealed the deal while a quiet day at the plate for North Western let the Titans down.
Pakenham has won four straight for a 5-1-1 record in second place while North Western sits tied for last with Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, both with one win on the season. Pakenham faces a big test against Springvale this weekend, a team that beat them 12-2 in round three, while North Western takes on Chelsea.
Springvale Lions 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 2
The Lions are leading VSBL Division 3 with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. After this game, Springvale has scored a crazy 96 runs while only allowing seven.
Lucas Anderson started for Springvale, throwing a no-hitter with seven strikeouts to bring his ERA to just 0.60 across four appearances this season. Lucas Price also pitched, covering two innings in his first time pitching for Springvale's top nine, with two runs - one unearned allowed on two hits.
Anderson also hit a double while Scott Baillie collected an RBI with two singles, bringing his hit total to 15 on the season with a batting average of .517. He's had a hit in all seven games so far, proving to be a great contributor for Springvale.
Matt Cameron collected his eighth RBI of the year while Neal Cavanagh smashed his first homer along with three other hits for 5 RBI's, increasing his batting average to .440. Price had two singles and a double for 3 RBIs, while Adam Thatcher and Rydge Hogan also batted runs in and Tim Hanson had a single.
Eight of Springvale's runs came in the first inning before a quiet stretch. The Lions managed two more in the sixth while the Hunters broke through and got on the board in the seventh. Springvale tacked on five more runs in the eighth to sweeten the victory, staying undefeated ahead of round eight's visit to Pakenham. Ormond Glenhuntly Gold faces Ormond Glenhuntly Blue this upcoming weekend.
Division 3 Reserves
Springvale Lions 5 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 8
In this highly-anticipated matchup between the two top teams in the reserves, Springvale lost an undefeated record with a comeback by Ormond Glenhuntly Gold. The first meeting between these teams back in round two saw Springvale win 10-6, but the Hunters bounced back in thrilling fashion on Sunday.
The Lions took a 4-1 lead early, but the Hunters put up seven runs in the fifth to take back the game and get their sixth win of the season. Springvale and Ormond Glenhuntly Gold are now tied for first on the ladder at 6-1, with the Lions playing the Pumas next and the Hunters playing their fellow club members on the Blue side.
North Western Titans 2 v Pakenham Pumas 17
The Pumas were hitting the ball left, right and centre in this game, racking up the runs to finally get their first win on the board. Now 1-4-2, Pakenham sits in fifth place with North Western still winless at the bottom.
Pakenham scored three in the first and six in the second while keeping North Western off the bases. A further three runs across the third and the fourth helped the Pumas add to their lead. North Western did score two in the fifth, but Pakenham answered with five more for a defiant victory.
Pakenham faces the tough task of Springvale this weekend while North Western hosts Chelsea.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 18 v Chelsea Dolphins 12
Pitching was not a strong point for either of these sides in Sunday's game, as both Ormond Glenhuntly Blue and Chelsea enjoyed hits galore in a high-scoring matchup. While Chelsea named Alex Rakic as the player of the day, the Dolphins did fall behind early. Ormond Glenhuntly Blue was leading 14-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth, when the Dolphins finally got their bats moving to bring 10 runners home.
The Hunters added four runs in the top of the fifth while Chelsea put two on in the final inning, not enough to make up the deficit but still a strong showing at the end. Ormond Glenhuntly Blue is in third place with a 4-2-1 record as Chelsea is not toofar behind in fourth place with a 2-5 record so far.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue plays Ormond Glenhuntly Gold next while Chelsea faces North Western.
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season featured fantastic team performances in round seven as Moorabbin continued to dominate. Midweek games start this Thursday as the competition heats up.
Division 2 Firsts
Bonbeach Bluejays 6 v Moorabbin Panthers 9
The undefeated Panthers proved too touch for the Bluejays, scoring late to put the game out of reach.
The game was scoreless through three before Bonbeach scored one in the fourth. Moorabbin tacked on four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. The score was 9-3 going into the final frame before the Bluejays added three runs, not quite enough to overcome the powerful Panthers.
Zach Kamerman was once again strong on the mound for Moorabbin, covering six innings with five hits allowed for two runs -one unearned - and nine strikeouts to improve his ERA to 1.95 on the season.
Adam Shoppe was solid for Bonbeach too, despite giving up a four-spot to a hard-hitting Moorabbin side. Adam Major covered two innings for Bonbeach, allowing four runs - two of them unearned - on three hits.
Out of Moorabbin's 12 hits on the day, Nick Veale led the way with three hits and two RBIs, followed by three RBIs to Adam Harris on a double and a single. Neil Johnston also contributed a pair of base hits, while Ben Laux had two hits of his own. Stewart Mathieson, Mitch Barr and Kamerman also had a hit in the game.
Although Bonbeach lost, the team put up a good fight with nine hits, including three hits apiece to Matthew Bucci and Tomomi Tokubo. Adam Major had a double and a single and Nathan Keilar had a base hit.
Now 7-0, Moorabbin continues to put more distance between first place and second place Malvern, while Bonbeach is looking for win number one heading into Thursday's midweek.
Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays - Facebook
Malvern Braves 7 v Doncaster Dragons 3
Doncaster just can't seem to catch a break, still winless after seven games. Meanwhile this result keeps Malvern tied for second place at 5-2 alongside Williamstown, Werribee and Port Melbourne.
After an 0-2 start, the Braves have won their last five games, thanks to some strong pitching and batting. Tyler Dale was the winning pitcher for Malvern, throwing 6.1 innings with 11 hits given up but only three earned runs allowed. Dale walked one and struck out four during his time on the mound.
Ryan Dale had three hits, while Mitchell Kennedy had two singles and Justin Burke had a huge double for three RBIs.
Malvern's offense continued as Gavin Woolger had two base hits and Jarryd Dale had three hits including a double for two RBIs. Geoff Holland, Lachlan Fuda and Henry Hayman had a hit each.
Doncaster's John Britton pitched four innings with seven hits, five walks, and three runs - only one earned - along with two strikeouts.
Although the Dragons couldn't quite get enough runners around to score, they did have 12 hits in the game with some big offensive action, while Malvern had 14 hits. Nic Unland had three hits for Doncaster, while Brendan McDonald had a double and two singles. Ben Palensky recorded a double and a single for the Dragons, with Marcel D'Avoine, Dakota Gibson, Callum Lethborg and Derek Medlin all having hits too.
Doncaster hosts Thursday's midweek game as Malvern looks to keep up the momentum.
Werribee Giants 6 v Port Melbourne Mariners 5
Werribee held on to a narrow victory as Port Melbourne nearly erased a five-run deficit late in the game.
Despite seeing their five-run lead whittled down by the end, the Giants still held off the Mariners for a one-run victory on Sunday. Port Melbourne put up four runs in the failed comeback with one in the seventh and threw in their last at-bats in the ninth. Jackson White and Samuel Morris picked up RBIs to lead the rally.
Port Melbourne actually opened up scoring in the first inning, when Zane Chaves singled on a 0-1 count, scoring one run. The score didn't change until the top of the fifth, when Werribee tacked on five runs. The Giants scored their sixth and final run in the seventh.
Josh Lee got the win for Werribee, lasting seven and a third innings, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out four and walking one. Wesley DeJong threw one and two-thirds innings in relief out of the bullpen.
Billy Parsons took the loss for Port Melbourne. He surrendered three hits and five unearned runs over five innings, striking out ten.
Andrew Christou went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Werribee in hits as his teammates tore up the base paths, with Christou and Ryan Balzer stealing two each.
Port Melbourne had ten hits on the day with Chaves leading the charge going 3-for-5, followed by two hits from Daniel Imoto.
Both teams have 5-2 records going into the second game of the series.
Winning Werribee pitcher Josh Lee.
Williamstown Wolves 12 v Preston Pirates 0
The Wolves were wild at the plate, racking up 12 runs to cruise to an easy shutout victory against a quiet Preston side.
Dennis Neal didn't face many problems on the mound, giving up just two hits in five innings with four strikeouts. His ERA this season is an impressive 1.06.
Errors proved costly for Preston, as starter Ben Donnell gave up 11 hits and eight runs - only two of them earned - with 10 strikeouts in six innings.
In his 401st game for Williamstown, coach Aaron Green had two hits and four runs scored. Jayde Thorne had two doubles and three singles for a perfect day at the plate, while Kevin Desmedt hit a huge triple along with two singles. Williamstown went on to collect 14 hits on the day, with Justin Gourlay, Robert Higginson, Mitchell Collins and Hiroshi Narasaki also enjoying success in the batter's box.
Preston's two hits came from Cam Deeble and Jaycob Pascuzzi.
The Pirates are 3-4 and the Wolves are 5-2 before round eight.
Mulgrave Rebels 6 v St Kilda Saints 2
The Rebels have been on a roll in recent games, winning four straight to put themselves in third place with a 4-3 record. St Kilda drops to 1-6 after another dismal outing, with the team's only victory this season coming back in round two v Preston.
Zeke Howie was instrumental for Mulgrave, giving up seven hits and two earned runs in six innings on the mound. He also collected two singles and two RBIs. Riley O'Shea and Anthony White also had multiple hits for the Rebels as the team collected 12 hits in total.
St Kilda's Franco Caramia threw 7.1 innings, giving up nine hits and three earned runs with two walks and four strikeouts.
Tom Snowden and Antonio Torres both had a double and a single for St Kilda, with Eduardo Escalona, Daniel Hogg and Daisuke Hebara also getting hits.
St Kilda will look to bounce back in Thursday night's midweek.
Division 2 Reserves
Bonbeach Bluejays 0 v Moorabbin Panthers 9
The Bluejays have suffered back-to-back shutout losses after another tough outing at Moorabbin. The Panthers remain undefeated on the heels of another convincing win, setting them up for continued success this season. Moorabbin's been consistent scoringwise all season long, chipping away inning-by-inning. The Panthers scored two in the first, three in the second and four in the third on Sunday.
Moorabbin heads to Bonbeach on Sunday for a chance at 8-0.
Malvern Braves 6 v Doncaster Dragons 4
The Braves improved their record to six wins and one draw with a big outing at Doncaster. The Dragons drop to 2-5 ahead of this weekend's rematch, when Doncaster will look to climb up the ladder and shut down a tough Malvern side.
Werribee Giants 3 v Port Melbourne Mariners 2
This close game highlighted Werribee and Port Melbourne's pitching strength, although the Giants narrowly got the edge in the end.
Werribee took a 2-0 lead in the first inning before a considerable quiet stretch. The Giants added a run in the seventh while Port Melbourne came close in the eighth, putting up two runs but just falling short of taking the lead.
Werribee improves to 3-2-2 while Port Melbourne falls to 2-5.
Williamstown Wolves 7 v Preston Pirates 1
This game was quiet through two before Williamstown tacked two runs on the board in the third. By the middle of the fifth, the Wolves were enjoying a 7-0 lead, although Preston cut that by one in the final frame.
The Pirates sit at 1-5-1 with Williamstown farther ahead in third place at 6-1.
Mulgrave Rebels 2 v St Kilda Saints 1
A terrific day pitching for both sides made this a very close game. The Saints are 2-5 now while Mulgrave is one spot ahead with a 3-4 record.
Division 2 Thirds
Port Melbourne Mariners 6 v Werribee Giants 24
The Giants were a force to be reckoned with in the batter's box, constantly getting on base and bringing runners around to score.
Port Melbourne had a 3-0 lead after the top of the first, but Werribee answered with eight runs. The second inning was quiet in comparison, with the Giants scoring just one before an insane third inning with 15 runs scored.
Port Melbourne's pitching struggles proved to be too much, although the Mariners did get three back in the fourth. The Mariners are now 2-5 while Werribee is creeping up the ladder, now at 3-4.
Doncaster Dragons 1 v Malvern Braves 11
The Braves remain undefeated after another fantastic team performance. Malvern has scored 120 runs while only allowing 26 over the course of the first seven games.
Doncaster is now 3-3-1 after dropping back-to-back games ahead of round eight.
Preston Pirates 1 v Williamstown Wolves 5
The Wolves are doing their best to keep up with the tough competition in the thirds, improving to a 5-2 record with four straight wins.
Preston was pleased to carry a 1-0 lead through the top of the third, although Williamstown broke through in the bottom frame with three runs. The Wolves added two runs in the final two innings to secure the win and hand the Pirates their fourth loss of the season.
Moorabbin Panthers 14 v Bonbeach Bluejays 5
Moorabbin is in tip-top shape after another huge result against a struggling Bonbeach side that's won just once in seven games.
The Panthers opened the game with two runs, although Bonbeach got one back in the bottom of the inning. By the end of the fourth it was 6-3 in Moorabbin's favour. The Panthers packed on six runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to further exert their dominance. The Bluejays did their best to stay in the game with two runs in the final frame, but they were left searching for a win, something that's eluded them since round two against Port Melbourne.
St Kilda Saints 7 v Mulgrave Rebels 5
The Saints held on when it mattered to come away with a much-needed third victory. Mulgrave is now 1-5-1 before Sunday's second game at St Kilda.
Division 2 Fourths
Werribee Giants 12 v Geelong Baycats 10
In an unmistakably back and forth game, these two sides battled hard to turn the result in their favour. Werribee scored two runs in the first inning, leaving Geelong without a score in the first. The Baycats jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with five runs, capped off by an inside-the-park-home-run by Nick Allen.
A quiet third gave way to a five-run fourth for Werribee as Geelong tried to answer, only getting one run in the fourth before a three-run fifth. The score was 9-7 Geelong's way before the sixth, when Werribee did the final damage with five more runs. Geelong got one more in the final frame but the lineup couldn't quite close the gap.
Daniel Dobbie pitched well for Geelong with six strikeouts while also smashing a triple in the first.
Geelong and Werribee are both 3-4 going into round eight.
In an unmistakably back and forth game, these two sides battled hard to turn the result in their favour. Werribee scored two runs in the first inning, leaving Geelong without a score in the first. The Baycats jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with five runs, capped off by an inside-the-park-home-run by Nick Allen.
A quiet third gave way to a five-run fourth for Werribee as Geelong tried to answer, only getting one run in the fourth before a three-run fifth. The score was 9-7 Geelong's way before the sixth, when Werribee did the final damage with five more runs. Geelong got one more in the final frame but the lineup couldn't quite close the gap.
Daniel Dobbie pitched well for Geelong with six strikeouts while also smashing a triple in the first.
Geelong and Werribee are both 3-4 going into round eight.
Doncaster Dragons 7 v Malvern Braves 13
The Braves are hanging out in the top three, thanks in large part to their great runs for (72) to runs against (21) numbers. Doncaster fell to 2-5 after this game, a disappointing result after winning so confidently 14-4 the week before.
Doncaster hosts the round eight game on Sunday.
Preston Pirates 6 v Williamstown Wolves 8
The Wolves continue to impress in the fourths, although the Pirates presented quite the challenge in round seven. Preston had a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the second before Williamstown scored two. Three unanswered runs in the third and fourth tied things up, with the deciding runs coming in the final innings.
Preston scored one in the top of the sixth while Williamstown scored three to protect an undefeated record. Preston is now 3-4.
St Kilda Saints 11 v Mulgrave Rebels 0
The Saints sailed to an easy shutout victory over a quiet Rebels side. St Kilda's pitching staff had a great performance, keeping the Rebels under control and allowing the Saints offense to do the work, racking up the runs.
St Kilda is now 4-3 after winning two of the last three, while Mulgrave is 1-6.
Moorabbin Panthers - BYE