Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season continued with a rainy round six, as all games got underway on a cloudy weekend afternoon in Melbourne. Moorabbin is holding down the fort in the firsts with a 6-0 record, while the Panthers Reserves are joined by Malvern Braves at the top of the ladder. Malvern leads the thirds too, while Williamstown has things under control in the fourths.

Division 2 Firsts

Port Melbourne Mariners 1 v Williamstown Wolves 5

Port Melbourne was one of two undefeated teams heading into round six, but the Mariners momentum ran out on Sunday as Williamstown got the better of their neighbouring rival.

The Wolves were thrilled with this result, as they were 3-0 before starting this series with the Mariners and dropping back-to-back games. After two low-scoring games in which Williamstown just couldn't get any offense going, the Wolves bounced back with a solid afternoon performance. This was a sweet way to mark the day as Williamstown's club coach Aaron Green celebrated his 400 game milestone.

Photo: Williamstown Wolves Baseball Club - Facebook

The Wolves got a hard-earned clean sweep with wins across the board as the club community came together to celebrate Green, who had a triple, a single and two runs scored in his big game.

Williamstown put a run on the board in the first before several quiet innings on both sides. Two more runs in the fourth and the seventh helped the Wolves put the game out of reach, while Port Melbourne managed just one run in the top of the eighth.

Justin Gourlay, Jason McDonald and Jayde Thorne all had two hits apiece for Williamstown as the team went on to collect 12 hits in total on the day. Robert Higginson, Mitchell Collins, Kevin Desmedt and Hiroshi Narasaki also had base hits.

Dennis Neal threw five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out six. Desmedt was decent in three innings of relief for the Wolves, protecting their lead with just one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts. This was the first time he allowed an earned run in five appearances this season.

The Mariners managed six hits, with two of those base hits by Aaron Petri who knocked in his team's lone run of the game. William Parsons had a single while Matt Morris and Zane Chavez had doubles. Petri gave up three earned runs in his five innings of work, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out three. Tyson Cox-Davis pitched in relief with two unearned runs scoring in his three innings of work.

Now 5-1, Port Melbourne moves on to play Werribee while 4-2 Williamstown takes on Preston.

Doncaster Dragons 2 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

The Rebels are on a roll! Mulgrave won the first game of the series 9-3 and the second 10-8 before securing the series sweep on Sunday. The Rebels outscored Dragons 24-13 over these three games, as Mulgrave had 10+ hits for the fourth consecutive game.

Sunday's meeting saw Mulgrave tally 10 hits while Doncaster had seven. Nick Thompson hit his first home run of the year along with a base hit, while his fellow Rebel Riley O'Shea had two singles. Ricardo Anaya, Liam Richardson, Anthony White, Brayden Martin and Joel Stubbs all singled while Zeke Howie doubled for a big offensive outing.

Although they only scored two runs, Doncaster did put together seven hits with two each going to Luke Utting and Brendan McDonald. Nic Unland, Dakota Gibson and John Britton singled as well.

Simon Fitzmaurice threw well for Doncaster, covering six innings with eight hits and just two earned runs, while U18 Blue state team representative Angus Stals struck out three in an easy inning of relief. Mulgrave managed to score big with two hits off of Nic Unland.

Mulgrave's Liam Richardson covered 6.2 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts. Zeke Howie followed up for 2.1 innings of scoreless pitching with just one hit allowed.

With three in a row under their belts and an even 3-3 record, the Rebels set their sights on St Kilda while a winless Doncaster side hosts Malvern.

Preston Pirates 0 v Werribee Giants 5

Werribee got game one in dominating fashion with a 16-1 victory, while Preston came back with a 13-3 win in the second meeting. The third and final game between these two was a quieter affair offensively as the Giants secured a solid shutout win.

The game was quiet to start before Werribee got on the board in the third with a pair of runs. Two more runs in the sixth and an additional in the eighth sealed the deal in Werribee's favour.

Preston had six hits but couldn't get any runners around to score, with two apiece to Mitch Legge and Glenn Farrell. Cam Deeble and Jaycob Pascuzzi had hits too. Despite only having four hits, one to Daine Gregory and two doubles and a single to Justin Gil, Werribee came home five times to make a difference in the game.

Mitch Heyward started for Preston, giving up five walks and three hits with four runs - three of them earned - across six innings. Hayden Godbold followed up with two innings of work, allowing one hit, one walk and one earned run to score.

Werribee's starter Wesley de Jong was fantastic, giving up just four hits with 10 strikeouts sprinkled across seven innings.

Now Werribee is 4-2 and Preston is 3-3 as these teams avoid the bottom of the ladder and stay firmly in the race. Preston plays Williamstown next and Werribee plays Port Melbourne.

Malvern Braves 15 v Bonbeach Bluejays 6

The Bluejays lost their sixth straight game as the Braves' hot bats got the better of them. Malvern is 4-2 after winning their last four games, having scored 53 runs in the first six rounds while allowing just 26 overall.

Bonbeach started out strong, keeping pace with Malvern as the game was tied 2-2 after the first. With one run in the third and two in the fifth, the Bluejays were enjoying a 5-2 lead at the end of the fifth, but it didn't last long enough. It was in the top of the sixth that Malvern made a move, scoring five to take the lead. A three-spot in the seventh was followed by another five runs in the eighth as the Braves ran away with the game.

One more run at the end of the game wasn't enough for Bonbeach as Malvern collected 10 hits in total and all but one player in the lineup came around to score at least once. Lachlan Fuda had two base hits for 2 RBIs while Ryan Dale scored four times with a triple and three walks landing him on base. Mitch Kennedy doubled and singled for 3 RBIs, while Henry Hayman knocked in three runs of his own on three singles. Chris Burke and Gavin Woolger had singles as well, and Malvern collectively took 11 walks and only struck out four times in a great offensive outing.

Tyler Dale got the job done in five innings of work with nine hits allowed and five runs - three unearned - with three strikeouts. Chris Wall struck out three in 2.1 innings of work

Bonbeach visits Moorabbin this weekend and Malvern goes to Doncaster.

Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Baseball Club - Facebook

Moorabbin Panthers 5 v St Kilda Saints 4

Moorabbin completed the sweep of St Kilda with a hard-fought win. The Panthers won the first game 13-2 and the second game 10-2 before a tighter third matchup saw the Saints lead for much of the game.

The Panthers had a 1-0 lead through the fifth when the Saints put two on the board. St Kilda added one more in the eighth before Moorabbin bounced back with a three-spot in the ninth. The Saints got one back in their last frame but they couldn't quite close the gap to get the win.

Stewart Mathieson pitched well for Moorabbin, giving up just two runs -one unearned - across five innings with three hits and five strikeouts. Zach Kamerman had four strikeouts in four innings on the mound while also recording two base hits for Moorabbin as the team collected 14 hits in total.

Jon Ballantyne had three singles while Ben Laux knocked in three runs on a huge double. Mathieson, Neil Johnston, Travis Finney and Mitch Barr all had two hits apiece to support Moorabbin's formidable offense.

On the St Kilda side, the lineup managed 10 hits with two each for Tom Snowden, Mariano Favia and Antonio Torres. Eduardo Escalona, Daiksuke Hebara, Daniel Hogg and Hayden Mariano contributed with hits of their own. Hebara tossed nine innings, giving up 12 hits and four runs but striking out five.

St Kilda will try and get a winning series out of their upcoming matchups with Mulgrave, while Moorabbin looks to remain undefeated against Bonbeach.

Division 2 Reserves

Port Melbourne Mariners 2 v Williamstown Wolves 7

The Wolves have won their last five after yet another strong performance over Port Melbourne. The Mariners won two out of three games in their first series against Bonbeach, but close rivals Williamstown proved too hard to beat.

In Sunday's meeting both teams held strong defensively through the bottom of the third, when Port Melbourne allowed Williamstown to score four. The Mariners got one back in their next at-bats but a further three runs for the Wolves put the game out of reach. A final run in the last inning gave Port Melbourne a slight boost, but not enough to make up for the deficit.

Williamstown is 5-1 in third place behind Williamstown and Moorabbin, while Port Melbourne is one of four clubs sitting at 2-4.

Doncaster Dragons 19 v Mulgrave Rebels 8

Doncaster left little to be desired on Sunday, smashing runs left and right for a much better result than round five's 9-0 shutout loss to Mulgrave. Considering the Rebels also shut out the Dragons 19-0 in their first meeting, Doncaster's lineup was thrilled to see some solid offensive production after a string of tough games.

Mulgrave and Doncaster both sit at 2-4 records ahead of matchups with St Kilda and Malvern, respectively.

Preston Pirates 7 v Werribee Giants 10

Jacob Sigismondi had three hits and was solid behind the plate for Werribee hasn't lost a game since round two. Preston's offense put in a valiant effort but it wasn't quite enough as Werribee scored eight unanswered runs across the final three innings.

Preston has one win, four losses and one draw while Werribee sits higher on the ladder with a 2-2-2 record.

Malvern Braves 21 v Bonbeach Bluejays 0

This wasn't a pretty game for Bonbeach as the team suffered its first shutout loss of the season. Malvern's offense proved uncontrollable as the Braves batted their way to fifth double-digit victory. 12 runs in the opening frame were crucial for Malvern as the Braves tacked on two runs in the second, third and fourth before finishing with a three-spot in the fifth.

Malvern is oh-so-close behind undefeated Moorabbin with five wins and a draw, while Bonbeach sits at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-5 record.

Moorabbin Panthers 9 v St Kilda Saints 5

The Panthers cemented their status as the team to beat with another convincing win over St Kilda to complete the sweep. The Saints were never too far behind, but they just couldn't catch up as Moorabbin pulled away for good with five runs in the third.

St Kilda is 2-4 heading into this weekend's game against Mulgrave, while Moorabbin isn't fazed by the upcoming series against Bonbeach.

Division 2 Thirds

Williamstown Wolves 8 v Port Melbourne Mariners 0

The Wolves shut out their neighbours for the second week in a row, having outscored the Mariners 28-5 in these three games.

It looked like anyone's game through the second before Williamstown scored one in the third and one in the fourth to take a close yet confident lead. Two more runs in the fifth and a four-spot in the sixth turned the tides in Williamstown's favour for good. This sweep has boosted the Wolves record as they now sit in third place at 4-2, while Port Melbourne drops to 2-4 ahead of an away game at Werribee. Williamstown hosts Preston this weekend.

Bonbeach St Chads 6 v Malvern Braves 18

Malvern's thirds keep on shining with an undefeated record and an amazi8ng 109 runs scored compared to 25 runs allowed. Bonbeach couldn't get ahold of Malvern's feisty offense, with two runs scoring in the second and four in the third before the Braves really opened things up with six runs in both the fourth and the sixth.

Bonbeach scored three in the third and the fifth for a bit of a boost, but the offense couldn't match Malvern's. Bonbeach is 1-5 and looking ahead to a new series at Moorabbin.

Mulgrave Rebels 17 v Doncaster Dragons 11

This high-scoring affair saw Mulgrave get revenge for a heartbreaking one-run loss in round four and a draw last week. The Rebels were on a mission to score runs and they made it happen with solid team batting in their first victory. Doncaster remains higher on the ladder with three wins, two losses and a draw for a fourth-place spot.

Doncaster takes on Malvern and Mulgrave faces St Kilda this weekend.

Werribee Giants 12 v Preston Pirates 6

The Pirates won the first meeting in dominant fashion 21-2, but since then their offense has dropped off while Werribee's has picked up. After winning round five 9-5, Werribee put together another great game with nine runs in the second to break a 2-2 tie. Preston managed four more over the course of the game while the Giants added another in the fourth to boost their record to 2-4. The Pirates are still ahead in the ladder with a 3-3 record ahead of playing Williamstown this weekend.

Werribee's Ben Bavdek was a standout with five innings pitched and six strikeouts along with two hits of his own.

Division 2 Fourths

Williamstown Wolves 10 v Geelong Baycats 7

This was a tough series for the Baycats as they came close a handful of times but just couldn't quite edge the team that's won the premiership for the past two years.

Williamstown took a 6-0 lead in the first and it was an uphill battle for Geelong, as the lineup put together two in the second before Williamstown scored a further four runs.

Five Geelong runs in the fourth and the fifth put the game back within reach, but ultimately the Baycats couldn't quite close the gap.

The Baycats move on to play Werribee while Williamstown plays Preston.

St Kilda Saints 12 v Moorabbin Panthers 5

The Saints cruised to a big win, their third of the season, as they bounced back from two tough losses at the hands of the Panthers.

Moorabbin's offense slowed down on Sunday as the lineup struggled to keep up in the team's first loss of the season. The Panthers remain in an enviable position in second place with a 5-1 record, while St Kilda has some work to do to break free from the middle of the ladder.

St Kilda is at Mulgrave this weekend and Moorabbin has a bye.

Mulgrave Rebels 4 v Doncaster Dragons 14

Mulgrave took the first game 11-9 and Doncaster handled the second 14-3 before the final meeting between these two teams resulted in a huge win for the Dragons.

Doncaster is 2-4 and Mulgrave is 1-5 going into the next series at Malvern and St Kilda, respectively.

Werribee Giants 1 v Preston Pirates 19

This series has been full of twists and turns as Werribee won last week 24-5 before Preston turned the tables for a similar scoreline.

The majority of runs came off the Pirates bats in the first and second, as Preston had a 16-0 lead heading into the third. An extra three runs came around in the fourth while Werribee finally got one back in the fifth.

Werribee's Andrew Smith pitched in relief, striking out three and allowing two hits from 12 batters.

Preston is now fourth on the ladder with a 3-3 record, while Werribee sits a bit lower at 2-4.

Williamstown Wolves 10 v Geelong Baycats 7

This was a tough series for the Baycats as they came close a handful of times but just couldn't quite edge the team that's won the premiership for the past two years.

Williamstown took a 6-0 lead in the first and it was an uphill battle for Geelong, as the lineup put together two in the second before Williamstown scored a further four runs.

Five Geelong runs in the fourth and the fifth put the game back within reach, but ultimately the Baycats couldn't quite close the gap.

The Baycats move on to play Werribee while Williamstown plays Preston.

St Kilda Saints 12 v Moorabbin Panthers 5

The Saints cruised to a big win, their third of the season, as they bounced back from two tough losses at the hands of the Panthers.

St Kilda is at Mulgrave this weekend and Moorabbin has a bye.

Mulgrave Rebels 4 v Doncaster Dragons 14

Mulgrave took the first game 11-9 and Doncaster handled the second 14-3 before the final meeting between these two teams resulted in a huge win for the Dragons.

Doncaster is 2-4 and Mulgrave is 1-5 going into the next series at Malvern and St Kilda, respectively.

Werribee Giants 1 v Preston Pirates 19

This series has been full of twists and turns as Werribee won last week 24-5 before Preston turned the tables for a similar scoreline.

Werribee's Andrew Smith pitched in relief, striking out three and allowing two hits from 12 batters.

Preston is now fourth on the ladder with a 3-3 record, while Werribee sits a bit lower at 2-4.

Round seven of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 1 season featured some major matchups as Sunshine remained undefeated after a wash out against Newport and reigning premiers Blackburn bounced back after a few tough losses. New series start this weekend as teams look to climb up the ladder and keep their seasons going in the right direction.

Division 1 Firsts

Sandringham Royals 2 v Geelong Baycats 5

Although Sandringham won the midweek at Melbourne Ballpark, Geelong got the better of the Royals on the weekend. The Baycats got started early, taking a two-run lead into the second inning, which they then extended out to five before the sixth.

Sandringham mounted a small comeback, scoring two runs in the seventh dig but from there, the game was kept tight on defence from both sides.

Ryan Darcy had two runs on two hits for Geelong, while Lewis Weldon, Jarryd Wood and Kelli Zablan all scored a run each too. Joshua Davies had three hits from four at bats, bringing in two runs, as did Tyler Luther-Wilson who brought in two runs from one hit.

Rudy Jaramillo pitched the complete nine innings, letting up nine hits and two runs. He didn’t let any Sandringham players off with a walk to first and struck out six batters throughout the game for his fourth win in six games. Jaramillo also threw 25 first-pitch strikes in his dominant performance.

Sandringham found runs through Harrison Wills and Will Tucker, who both went one-for-one. Zac Skinner and Cody Anderson recorded two hits each.

Declan Crocker and Premier12 call-up Sam Street tried their best on the mound to control the Baycats but each to no avail as the Baycats sit mid-table with a 4-3 record, while the Royals slip to 2-5.

Looking ahead to round eight, Sandringham hosts Essendon and Geelong greets Sunshine at home.

Sandringham Royals 2 v Geelong Baycats 5

Sandringham mounted a small comeback, scoring two runs in the seventh dig but from there, the game was kept tight on defence from both sides.

Sandringham found runs through Harrison Wills and Will Tucker, who both went one-for-one. Zac Skinner and Cody Anderson recorded two hits each.

Declan Crocker and Premier12 call-up Sam Street tried their best on the mound to control the Baycats but each to no avail as the Baycats sit mid-table with a 4-3 record, while the Royals slip to 2-5.

Looking ahead to round eight, Sandringham hosts Essendon and Geelong greets Sunshine at home.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 6 v Melbourne Demons 3

After their best performance of the season thus far with a 10-0 victory on Tuesday night's midweek, the Tigers followed up by taking another early lead. Melbourne responded with three in a big third inning to take a 3-1 advantage.

That same scoreline was seen up until the eighth when Upwey Ferntree Gully tied things up at 3-all. The Tigers then kept them Demons scoreless at the bottom and used their momentum to drive another three home, before a great defensive display allowed Upwey Ferntree Gully to etch another win for the season.

Melbourne's Oliver McMahon, Mitchell Ellis and Sadi Nergiz all had one run on one hit, Nergiz with a double and Ellis recording a triple. Bronson Neave had two hits while Tim Sullivan had a double which brought home a run.

Adam Pahos pitched 3.1 innings for the Demons, giving up one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Andrew Case pitched for the second time this season and in 4.0 innings he managed one run on three hits with an impressive six strikeouts.

Sean Meldrum handled things on the mound for Upwey FTG, throwing five solid innings. Justin Swanton was credited with the game-tying double, while Travis Murphy cleared the bases on a double to give the Tigers their late 6-3 lead.

Jarrod Turner has proven once again to be a reliable reliever for the Tigers after tossing four scoreless innings.

Travis Murphy and Jordan Elliot lead Upwey FTG with three hits apiece.

Berwick City Cougars 1 v Blackburn Orioles 11

Berwick had the early lead, getting one over Blackburn in the first inning, but it was the Orioles who responded promptly to give themselves a 10-run win.

Blackburn put two runs on in the first and held that slender lead as the bottom of the fourth was approaching. It was then that the Orioles went all in with seven runs coming in the following two innings, before another two in the seventh made the result known.

Liam Hopkins was the outstanding member of the Orioles with four hits, each resulting in runs. Ben Leslie had two hits for the same amount of runs (along with two RBIs) while Charlie Collins managed two runs also. Cooper Goodman was able to bring in three runs with his one hit.

Scott Mitchelson pitched five innings giving up one run on four hits with two strikeouts and 18 first-pitch strikes, with Rowan Johnstone pitching well in relief and Luke Cartwright reliable behind the dig. Cartwright took three walks to get on base for his team as the Orioles finished with nine hits to the Cougars' five.

Blackburn has caught up with Berwick on the ladder, both teams sitting on 4-3 heading into the next round.

Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3

Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.

The Wildcats were great on the bases as a third of their hits put runners on second base. Jordan Ley and Mitchell Wilhite each had two runs from three hits with Ley also accruing three RBIs. Andrew Russell had four hits with two RBIs, Billy Findley also with two RBIs.

Russell pitched five innings, giving up two runs from five hits with five strikeouts. Luke Pananicolaou got the save after not giving up a run in two innings and striking out three of the eight batters he saw.

The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.

Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.

Fitzroy Lions 2 v Essendon Bombers 0

Essendon missed out on scoring opportunities as Fitzroy claimed a narrow yet much-need victory. Fitzroy carried a one-run lead from the first inning right through to the seventh when they batted in another run. The Lions kept their defence tight to record an upset win, their second of the season.

Tom Dicker and Jordan Walker were the Lions to cross the plate with Dicker collecting two hits, a double and a home run. Rusty Huber pitched four innings, giving up three hits while striking out two while it was Brock Pawley who picked up the win, pitching five innings for four hits.

For the Bombers, Ross Bament and Michael Formisano collected two hits each, while Jared Cruz, Scott McIntyre and Cody Rodwell all had one. Luke Abels took the loss as he finished his 5.2 innings with two hits, a run and six base on balls with five strikeouts.

Sunshine Eagles 0 v Newport Rams 0

The wild weather over the weekend bogged down Newport's ground, making it unplayable and leading to a wash out. Sunshine remains undefeated with a 6-0 record while Newport is 1-5. The Eagles play the Baycats and the Rams play the Lions in the next series.

Division 1 Reserves

Waverley Wildcats 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7

The Rustlers have won back-to-back games to keep them in a favourable position on the ladder, currently sitting second with a 5-1 record behind Melbourne. This result marked two straight losses for Waverley after a stellar 4-0 start to the system. The Wildcats will hope to avoid a three-game skid as they face Melbourne this weekend.

Fitzroy Lions 3 v Essendon Bombers 14

A 10-run first innings deficit was always going to spell trouble for the Lions as they gave up four more in the following two innings.

Fitzroy got on the board themselves in the fourth but only managed three as they took a hit against Essendon who recorded their first win of the season, while the Lions are still searching for victory.

Berwick City Cougars 8 v Blackburn Orioles 7

Blackburn never backed down from the challenge in this encounter with Berwick.

After getting the first run of the game, the Orioles let four through in the second and that lead grew for the Cougars by one in the third.

Blackburn came back after bringing in three at the bottom before Berwick again responded with two of their own.

Still down after the eighth, despite pegging those two runs back, Blackburn sensed a chance. While they let Berwick nab one at top nine, they did the same at the bottom, although the third out was made before a tying run crossed the plate.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers v Melbourne Demons - WASH OUT

Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Division 1 Thirds

Sandringham Royals 11 v Geelong Baycats 5

A three-run first inning to both teams set the standard for a good game, until Sandringham put the foot to the peddle in the second, ramping up their lead by eight.

The Baycats needed runs urgently and they scored two in the third. From there, it was tight on both end for the Royals and Baycats, as the score remained the same until the completion of the game.

Melbourne Demons 6 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11

The Tigers were able to produce more runs when it mattered in this tight matchup. If Melbourne scored three, the Tigers scored four. If Melbourne scored one, the Tigers scored two. This is how it was for the first two innings.

Upwey Ferntree Gully was able to pull another five runs across in the next two digs before Melbourne produced two in the final two innings of the game to make it a five-run loss.

Upwey's Harry Snoxell started and gave up just three runs over three digs before passing the ball to Ewan John for another three innings. Will Richardson finished it off with one inning as Pat Gawith went 3-for-3 and Will Chadwin had two hits. The entire Tigers lineup had a hit, a great result for the team that's really clicking on all cylinders.

Blackburn Orioles 7 v Berwick City Cougars 5

Most of the runs in this game came towards the end as the first two innings saw neither team able to capitalise whereas each team scored one in the third.

Berwick scored the next two in the fourth before Blackburn’s next two innings produced two three-run spells.

Berwick tried to fight back but managed two runs shy of the draw despite showing great determination as they took it right up to the top-of-the-table, undefeated Orioles.

Hayden Roe was a standout player for Blackburn, hitting a massive double with some great plays in the field.

Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 1

An even contest locked at nil-all until Essendon broke away in the fourth with two runs. They added another in the sixth as did Fitzroy, taking the final score to 3-1.

Fitzroy have just the one win this season while the Bombers have gone ahead of Geelong on the ladder to fifth place.

Waverley Wildcats 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

Waverley was on a hot winning streak of five games before Cheltenham intervened in this matchup.

The Wildcats gave up the most runs they had this season to date as Waverley moves into the second spot on the ladder and take on Melbourne next week while Cheltenham still have the one win this season and will want to make that two when they face the Orioles.

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Division 1 Fourths

Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3

This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.

Before that though, the Orioles got started with three runs at the top of one, to which Berwick responded with two. In the second, each team added one to their total before Blackburn again added another in the fourth.

Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.

A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.

Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.

In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.

Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2

A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.

It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.

Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.

Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0

Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.

The Demons were consistent, scoring in each inning as their score and lead progressed, racing out to a 4-0 lead at the end of two, 8-0 at the end of five before four runs in the sixth made the margin crack double figures.

Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 6 v Melbourne Demons 3

Jarrod Turner has proven once again to be a reliable reliever for the Tigers after tossing four scoreless innings.

Travis Murphy and Jordan Elliot lead Upwey FTG with three hits apiece.

Berwick City Cougars 1 v Blackburn Orioles 11

Berwick had the early lead, getting one over Blackburn in the first inning, but it was the Orioles who responded promptly to give themselves a 10-run win.

Blackburn has caught up with Berwick on the ladder, both teams sitting on 4-3 heading into the next round.

Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3

Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.

The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.

Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.

Fitzroy Lions 2 v Essendon Bombers 0

Sunshine Eagles 0 v Newport Rams 0

Division 1 Reserves

Waverley Wildcats 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7

Fitzroy Lions 3 v Essendon Bombers 14

A 10-run first innings deficit was always going to spell trouble for the Lions as they gave up four more in the following two innings.

Berwick City Cougars 8 v Blackburn Orioles 7

Blackburn never backed down from the challenge in this encounter with Berwick.

After getting the first run of the game, the Orioles let four through in the second and that lead grew for the Cougars by one in the third.

Blackburn came back after bringing in three at the bottom before Berwick again responded with two of their own.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers v Melbourne Demons - WASH OUT

Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Division 1 Thirds

Sandringham Royals 11 v Geelong Baycats 5

A three-run first inning to both teams set the standard for a good game, until Sandringham put the foot to the peddle in the second, ramping up their lead by eight.

The Baycats needed runs urgently and they scored two in the third. From there, it was tight on both end for the Royals and Baycats, as the score remained the same until the completion of the game.

Melbourne Demons 6 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11

Upwey Ferntree Gully was able to pull another five runs across in the next two digs before Melbourne produced two in the final two innings of the game to make it a five-run loss.

Blackburn Orioles 7 v Berwick City Cougars 5

Most of the runs in this game came towards the end as the first two innings saw neither team able to capitalise whereas each team scored one in the third.

Berwick scored the next two in the fourth before Blackburn’s next two innings produced two three-run spells.

Berwick tried to fight back but managed two runs shy of the draw despite showing great determination as they took it right up to the top-of-the-table, undefeated Orioles.

Hayden Roe was a standout player for Blackburn, hitting a massive double with some great plays in the field.

Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 1

An even contest locked at nil-all until Essendon broke away in the fourth with two runs. They added another in the sixth as did Fitzroy, taking the final score to 3-1.

Fitzroy have just the one win this season while the Bombers have gone ahead of Geelong on the ladder to fifth place.

Waverley Wildcats 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

Waverley was on a hot winning streak of five games before Cheltenham intervened in this matchup.

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Division 1 Fourths

Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3

This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.

Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.

A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.

Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.

In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.

Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2

A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.

It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.

Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.

Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0

Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.

Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Berwick City Cougars 1 v Blackburn Orioles 11

Berwick had the early lead, getting one over Blackburn in the first inning, but it was the Orioles who responded promptly to give themselves a 10-run win.

Blackburn has caught up with Berwick on the ladder, both teams sitting on 4-3 heading into the next round.

Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3

Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.

The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.

Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.

Waverley Wildcats 9 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3

Cheltenham were only down two runs heading into the final inning of the game, but that’s when Waverley sealed the deal, collecting four runs at the top to leave the Rustlers in the dust.

The Rustlers got runs courtesy of Sam Michael, Dante Caruso and Lars Ligouri. Ligouri pitched six innings for 10 hits, five runs and five strikeouts.

Waverley is tied for third place with a 4-3 record as Cheltenham is now 2-5. Waverley moves on to face Melbourne while Cheltenham battles Blackburn.

Fitzroy Lions 2 v Essendon Bombers 0

Sunshine Eagles 0 v Newport Rams 0

Division 1 Reserves

Waverley Wildcats 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 7

Fitzroy Lions 3 v Essendon Bombers 14

A 10-run first innings deficit was always going to spell trouble for the Lions as they gave up four more in the following two innings.

Berwick City Cougars 8 v Blackburn Orioles 7

Blackburn never backed down from the challenge in this encounter with Berwick.

After getting the first run of the game, the Orioles let four through in the second and that lead grew for the Cougars by one in the third.

Blackburn came back after bringing in three at the bottom before Berwick again responded with two of their own.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers v Melbourne Demons - WASH OUT

Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Division 1 Thirds

Sandringham Royals 11 v Geelong Baycats 5

A three-run first inning to both teams set the standard for a good game, until Sandringham put the foot to the peddle in the second, ramping up their lead by eight.

The Baycats needed runs urgently and they scored two in the third. From there, it was tight on both end for the Royals and Baycats, as the score remained the same until the completion of the game.

Melbourne Demons 6 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 11

Upwey Ferntree Gully was able to pull another five runs across in the next two digs before Melbourne produced two in the final two innings of the game to make it a five-run loss.

Blackburn Orioles 7 v Berwick City Cougars 5

Most of the runs in this game came towards the end as the first two innings saw neither team able to capitalise whereas each team scored one in the third.

Berwick scored the next two in the fourth before Blackburn’s next two innings produced two three-run spells.

Berwick tried to fight back but managed two runs shy of the draw despite showing great determination as they took it right up to the top-of-the-table, undefeated Orioles.

Hayden Roe was a standout player for Blackburn, hitting a massive double with some great plays in the field.

Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 1

An even contest locked at nil-all until Essendon broke away in the fourth with two runs. They added another in the sixth as did Fitzroy, taking the final score to 3-1.

Fitzroy have just the one win this season while the Bombers have gone ahead of Geelong on the ladder to fifth place.

Waverley Wildcats 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

Waverley was on a hot winning streak of five games before Cheltenham intervened in this matchup.

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Division 1 Fourths

Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3

This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.

Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.

A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.

Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.

In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.

Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2

A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.

It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.

Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.

Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0

Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.

Blackburn Orioles 9 v Berwick City Cougars 3

This was a tight contest that could’ve been anyone’s game until the last inning when Blackburn put four on the board to confirm the win.

Waverley Wildcats 20 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5

A consistent batting display from the Wildcats saw them take a strong win against Cheltenham.

A four-run first inning was followed up by a five-run second inning as they led 9-0 before the Rustlers pulled one back in the second.

Not wanting to get too comfortable, Waverley piled on another eight in the third, the Rustlers seeing three cross the plate themselves in the bottom.

In the fourth and final inning, the WIldcats weren’t done as three more got added to their score. With a big ask for victory, Cheltenham scored just the one to end the game.

Essendon Bombers 24 v Fitzroy Lions 2

A 3-1 Essendon lead after the first continued that way throughout the second also.

It was after that point that the Bombers really ultilised their batting capabilities with nine runs in the third and an even better 12 in the fourth.

Fitzroy got a late run in the final dig of the game but Essendon had wrapped this game up and continue a good start to 5-1 for the season.

Melbourne Demons 12 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0

Melbourne is still undefeated this season after a comprehensive win over Upwey Ferntree Gully.

Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

Sandringham Royals v Geelong Baycats - WASH OUT

Sunshine Eagles v Newport Rams - WASH OUT

A wet and windy weekend in Melbourne washed out the majority of games in the VSBL Women's competitions, as VSBL Women's Division 1 got both games in but Women's Division 2 and Division 3 were washed out except for one game. Despite the disappointing weather all VSBL Women's teams will be looking forward to a chance at victory in round six as the season continues and the competition gets tighter.

Women's Division 1

Springvale Lions 4 v Doncaster Dragons 20

Doncaster pulled off an amazing rout of Springvale to move past this Women's Division 1 powerhouse. Doncaster has scored 20 runs in each of the last two games, with 68 runs scored total in the first five rounds. The Dragons are leading the way in first place with three wins and two draws.

Three straight dominant victories, in which the Dragons have outscored their opponents 54 to 21, gives them great confidence moving forward as they look to keep the momentum going against Footscray this weekend. Doncaster won 14-12 over Footscray in round three.

This result marked Springvale's first loss of the season as the Lions look to get back to their winning ways at home v Essendon this weekend, a team they beat by just one run in round three.

Essendon Bombers 5 v Footscray Bulldogs 5

The Bombers had their second draw of the season following a hard-fought battle against the Bulldogs. Essendon remains in third place, now with a 1-2-2 record, while Footscray is 0-4-1 as the Bulldogs continue their search for that elusive first victory of the season.

Footscray's next chance for a win comes in round six as the team visits Doncaster. Essendon heads up to Springvale in hopes of securing victory number two.

Women's Division 2

The rain was a force to be reckoned with as the Wheelers Hill v Footscray and Springvale v Doncaster games were both washed out in VSBL Women's Division 2. Essendon forfeited against Fitzroy to give the Lions their first "W" of the season.

These six determined teams will be looking for sunnier skies on Saturday as Footscray faces Doncaster, Fitzroy hosts Springvale and Essendon visits Wheelers Hill.

Women's Division 3

The rain didn't hold out for VSBL Women's Division 3 games either, as both East conference games were washed out and the same in the South. In the West, the game between North Western Titans and Fitzroy was also washed out, but Sunshine and Geelong White were able to play. Improved fielding by Sunshine saw the team avoid back-to-back losses with a dominant performance, the Eagles emerging victorious 13-2.

The 2019/20 VSBL season is a big one for Tyler Luther-Wilson, as the standout catcher looks to go all the way with his Baycats family at Geelong Baseball Club.

After moving to the U.S. from New Zealand at age 12 and graduating from Fountain Hills High School in Arizona in 2017, Tyler came to Melbourne and joined the well-known Baycats club. He hasn’t looked back, embracing the Baycats community and working hard to keep getting better while also pursuing a university degree.

Now a month into the 2019/20 VSBL season, Tyler is confident the Baycats have what it takes to make it all the way to the Grand Final and bring home their second premiership in three years. Geelong won it all in the 2017/18 season over Blackburn, but missed out on back-to-back flags in March when they came up short against the same team. “We want to go to the championship again,” Tyler said. “Hopefully we see Blackburn and beat them.”

Geelong and Blackburn already faced off in rounds three and four, with each team taking a victory from low-scoring games. Tyler hopes he can keep improving to help his team make a big impact as the competition heats up. “I would like to have a better season than last season,” Tyler said. “I think I’m a little bit more confident, more comfortable with my team, with my swing, with the pitching staff so I’d like to put that all together.”

With years of daily practice in high school baseball, Tyler knows how important it is to stay on top of training in order to keep his skills sharp. While having days off has been an adjustment for the former high school athlete, he does appreciate having a bit of a break, as a few years back he suffered from an arm injury caused by overuse. He took almost a year off letting his arm heal while he played golf before coming to Australia and getting back into baseball.

Now as he turns his focus to this third season with the Baycats, Tyler aims to be more consistent than last season. “I started off pretty hot and then went cold hitting-wise during the middle of the season, but I was getting really comfortable towards the end and was hitting balls hard,” Tyler said. “Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get unlucky. As long as you take good swings, get good hits and hit the ball hard you’re doing something right.”

Tyler knows he can be successful with Geelong, where he enjoys the great sense of teamwork and community. “We have good facilities and everyone there is so nice, inviting and welcoming,” Tyler said. “Our team is really comfortable, we’re all pretty good mates with each other and that makes it really easy to go out there and play.”

For Tyler and his teammates, their easy comradery makes a big difference on and off the field. When one player is going through a rough patch or slow season, they help each other out. “With our swings, with our mental mistakes, we try to improve on that and we try to make our team good but otherwise it’s just a good team atmosphere.”

Tyler has some special memories from his time with the Baycats thus far, including hitting his first home run last season. “That was a really good feeling,” Tyler said. “We were playing at Sunshine with the wind blowing out and we ended up hitting twice as many home runs in that game as we hit all season. I loved getting in on the action as well, that was really fun.”

With a bright baseball future ahead of him, Tyler encourages others to get involved in the sport and remember that patience is key for anyone starting out. “You can’t give it a couple hours and say ‘Oh, I’m not really good at this, I’m not going to try it again.’ You have to grind it out,” Tyler said. “The catching, the throwing and the hitting are not in most other sports and it’s really hard to pick it up right away, so you need to give it a good go.”

Such perseverance pays off, especially for Tyler who finds great pride and joy in pursuing his passion for baseball as the Baycats set their sights on premiership glory. “I love it, I like going out there and playing,” Tyler said. “You can expect us to give it a good shot at the finals. I think we’ve got a strong team and we’re looking to get back to the same spot we were at in the last few years.”

Geelong currently sits in third place with a 3-3 record ahead of Saturday’s home game v Sandringham. The Baycats next series will be against a currently undefeated Sunshine team.

Baseball Victoria is pleased to announce the following dates and venues for the 2020 Charter State Championships.

28-30 March Senior League, Junior League, Intermediate League Geelong

3-5 April Little League, Little League Development, Little League Minor Knox Baseball Club

Baseball Victoria looks forward to another year of fantastic Charter State Championships. More details regarding these events will be released in the coming months.

The first round of midweeks for VSBL Division 1 firsts featured some surprise results and huge victories. Sunshine still leads the way with a 6-0 record, while Essendon and Berwick City make up the top three. There's still 21 games left as the summer season heats up and these 10 teams chase Grand Final glory.

Blackburn Orioles 3 v Berwick City Cougars 4

Berwick won the first meeting 5-2 over the weekend, and the Cougars managed to take the second game too in a tight battle.

Blackburn was leading 3-0 after the third, but Berwick had other things in mind, scoring one in the fourth and three in the last inning to steal the victory.

After a hot 3-0 start Blackburn has dropped the last three games, while Berwick has enjoyed back-to-back wins. The Cougars had four hits on the night to Aiden Willis, Cain Bumpstead, Bradley Kmet and Alex Clark. Craig Barnett pitched five quality innings, giving up five hits and three runs - two of them earned - while striking out seven.

Blackburn's Ben Leslie had a double for one of his team's five hits, while Jacob Evans had 2 RBI's and Liam Hopkins, Charlie Collins and Jimmy Bent all collected hits. Blake Hodgson pitched 4.2 innings, giving up just four hits. Although four runs scored only one was earnt, and Hodgson also struck out two batters.

Blackburn and Berwick City meet once more this weekend as the Cougars go for the sweep.

Sandringham Royals 3 v Geelong Baycats 2

The first game went in favour Geelong by one run, and this time around Sandringham made up for that painful 11-10 loss on the weekend. With the series now even at 1-1, it's anyone's game come round seven on Saturday.

Scoreless through the first two innings, Sandringham took a 1-0 lead in the third. The next scoring came in the fifth when the Baycats scored their only two runs of the game. A run in the seventh and another in the eighth gave the Royals the perfect recipe for their second win of the season.

Both starters were hard-to-fault on the mound, with Sam Gibbons taking the ball for Geelong over eight innings. He gave up seven hits and allowed three runs, one of them unearned, to score. Sandringham's Cody Anderson made a big difference to his team, allowing seven hits and just two earned runs. He also smashed a triple when he was up to bat.

Jarryd Wood hit a double and a single for Geelong while James Wood doubled and Rudy Jaramillo singled.

The Royals offense came from Declan Croker, who had two singles and an RBI, as well as Branden Stenhouse with his double and single. Base hits for Paul Rutgers and Jack Wills also helped.

Geelong is now 3-3 in the middle of the ladder while Sandringham is 2-4.

Sandringham made a tight win against Geelong and recorded their 2^nd win this season. Like 5^thround, it was also close 1-run game but other than round 5 which both teams made 10+ runs, pitchers were outstanding for this round. With outstanding 8+ inning pitches of both starting pitchers, both teams could only score 2 runs until 7^th inning. However, Paul Rutgers from Sandringham made difference at the top of 8^th inning by hitting single and revenged their loss on last round.

Newport Rams 0 v Sunshine Eagles 3

The Rams have struggled slightly in their return to Division 1, coming up empty except for a 8-3 win over Waverley back in round three. Now, playing against such a strong Sunshine side has proved to be another tough challenge. Even so, the Rams kept the formidable Eagles offense at bay for a good part of the game, something they can be proud of and look to do once again on the weekend.

Sunshine scored two runs in the first and one in the last, and otherwise it was a quick and quiet game. Bryce Aldridge became Sunshine's first senior player to hit a home run this season, much to the excitement of his fellow Eagles. Jordan Young, Adam Irons, Rory Meddick, Russell Letts and Nikau Pouaka-Grego also had hits to help Sunshine. Jordan Young made some great plays at shortstop to keep the Rams off the bases.

Newport is 1-5 going into round six, with another big task ahead in the series final.

Melbourne Demons 0 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 10

After a washout with the rainy weather on the weekend, the Demons and the Tigers were ready to get back out onto the field for a big midweek matchup. The Tigers ran away with this one, keeping the Demons offense to a minimum.

Donovan Hendricks threw five fantastic innings, giving up just two hits as his defense backed him up with great plays in the outfield by Michael Oxworth and Riley Light. Jordan Elliot and Justin Swanton handled things well in the infield, keeping the Demons off the base paths while Staci Rogers fulfilled his catching duties with ease.

The Tigers had a huge third inning, adding six runs to turn a three-run lead into a 9-0 shutout. One more run in their final at-bats helped the Tigers achieve their best outcome so far this season. All nine players in the starting lineup got on base and scored, with Travis Murphy leading the charge as he collected four RBIs on two hits. Elliot, Josh Hendricks and Peter Schroders all added to the offensive output.

Although this was a tough loss for Melbourne, the club was excited to see Cooper Gerwing make his debut in the firsts, playing comfortably in centre field while Sadi Nergiz did a terrific job catching his first full game in the top nine.

Both teams are 3-3 although the Tigers have won their last three and the Demons now have a three-game losing streak.

Cheltenham Rustlers 3 v Waverley Wildcats 1

Cheltenham had a slow start to the season, but now the team has won back-to-back games over a quiet Waverley side.

The Rustlers lineup didn't produce as much offense as they did in Sunday's 7-4 victory, but Cheltenham still got the job done in solid fashion. Seven hits proved enough for the Rustlers, with Andrew Gribben and Conor Myles leading the way with two hits apiece. Dante Caruso, Jack Daniels and Lars Ligouri all had hits in the win too.

One run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth put Cheltenham in a good spot as pitching was no problem either. Jack Enciondo’s outstanding seven innings of pitching work saw him give up just three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts.

Jacob Sheldon-Collins, Andrew Russell and Mohi Kahul collected hits for Waverley while Damon Hill picked up the RBI in the seventh inning.

Cheltenham is now 2-4 while Waverley is one spot ahead with a 3-3 record.

Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 1

Essendon and Fitzroy faced off at Melbourne Ballpark in a tight contest that went in the Bomber's favour.

After a big win on the weekend, Essendon's confident and capable lineup produced a few runs, which proved to be enough for the Bombers. Fitzroy managed just a lone run as the team dropped to 1-5 on the season. Meanwhile Essendon is on the way up, currently sitting in second place with a 5-1 record just behind the undefeated Sunshine team.

Essendon hosts the round seven game this weekend.

Baseball Victoria is saddened to hear of the passing of Ronald “Ron” Russ, a well-known Victorian player, at 82 years of age.

Ron was a highly respected baseballer in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. His lengthy baseball career included stints at Victorian clubs such as Williamstown, Waverley, Blackburn and Knox.

In the late 1950’s and early 1960s, Ron was known to be an outstanding pitcher with a variety of pitches and very good ball control, with his fastball estimated at over 100 miles per hour. 20,000 people would attend Norwood Oval in South Australia to watch the televised state level matches he played in.

Ron was the Australian pitcher in the 1959 Australian All Star team, and he represented NSW in the Claxton Shield in 1958 and South Australia throughout the early 60’s. Over the course of his time as a representative player, Ron won four Shipway medallions for best and fairest, as well as the Patrons Trophy with North Adelaide in 1961/62, the News trophies in 1961 and 1963 and innumerable other awards and trophies. He was the first baseball player inducted into the Hunter Valley sporting hall of fame in Newcastle in 2013 for his contribution to the game. Ron was also named as pitcher for South Australia Baseball "Team of the Century 1908-2008.”

Ron made many lifelong friends through baseball, many whom he would play alongside before later facing as opponents. In one example, Ian Chappell was Ron’s catcher in Ron’s last and Ian’s first Claxton shield games. They faced each other on opposing teams later at the Masters games in 1994 in Brisbane and were delighted to be reunited.

As a young man, Ron was seen throwing a tennis ball, and invited to join a game of baseball. With his throwing strength he was put into the pitching position. Knowing little about the game at that point, he asked where to stand. Once he became familiar with the sport, Ron followed his sporting passions from NSW to SA, leaving his job as an electrician and boarding at Rolly Vaughton’s Pub in Adelaide. He continued to play and coach throughout his life as part of local clubs, with a never-failing love of the game. His wife, Helen, and two daughters, Julie and Caralyn, were his regular supporters, and sometimes vocal hecklers of the opposition.

Ron represented Australia again as part of the Australian Aces at the World Masters games in Phoenix, Arizona in 2001, 2003 and 2007, in over 60 and over 65 divisions. At his last Master’s games, in 2007, he was 70 years of age.

Although retired for many years, Ron played two more seniors games, with North Balwyn Stingers. At the age of 76 he played with his son-in-law Steve Pahos and grandson Adam Pahos against his former teammates at Knox Baseball Club. Ron pitched for two innings, giving up just one run. Two years later, when his youngest grandson Ryan turned 14, and Ron was 78, he was struggling to make the distance with a pitch. When the coach called him up to the mound Ron dug deep and pitched well for an entire innings. He was determined to fulfil his dream of playing baseball with both his grandsons, and these were amongst the proudest moments of his life.

Both Ron’s grandsons have represented Victoria in junior leagues, and currently play seniors first and second. Ron’s daughter Caralyn and son in law Steve are both active in the baseball community, particularly at their MCC club. Ron’s granddaughter Jasmine Stout (MCC, Lacrosse section) is also following in his footsteps. She won the B grade women’s league best and fairest in 2019, and also represented Victoria U15 in 2015, winning the national championship. Ron was proud that he attended all this season’s baseball games and every one of his grandchildren’s state representative games, often travelling interstate with his family to attend. Ron’s love of the game never wavered, and he enjoyed his last game as a spectator just a week or so before falling ill.

Ron played with many clubs, inspiring younger players and making lifelong friendships. A few of these clubs included:

A Note from Ron’s Family Regarding Memorial Service

Ron will be remembered on Friday 1 November at 5pm. This memorial event is for all those whose lives he touched from all areas of his life – his family, golfing buddies, cattle farming, school, motor bike riding and time as a salesman. The event will be held at MCC Baseball Club: Surrey Park, Surrey Dr, Box Hill VIC 3128. Wear your baseball cap, if you like.

For those planning on attending, an RSVP on the Facebook event would be much appreciated: https://www.facebook.com/events/2513768318860474/?ti=cl ) or an email to julieruss@hotmail.com with subject heading “Ron” and the number of people will help for catering plans.

If you wish to submit an anecdote about Ron or a photo please do so on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ron.russ.1610), or via email julieruss@hotmail.com with subject heading “Ron” and “anecdote about xxx”. We will read these out, or may invite you to come up to speak if you request that.

Rather than flowers, we think donations to a baseball prize in Ron’s name would have pleased him. We have created a fundraiser on Facebook, entitled “donations in lieu of flowers for a baseball prize in Ron Russ’ name.” A link will be shared on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ron.russ.1610

Baseball Victoria was provided this memorial notice by the family of Ronald Russ.

Four teams remain undefeated through the first five rounds of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 season. Melbourne and Waverley Black in East, Footscray White in North West and Monash University in South are proving to be some of the toughest teams to beat, although anything could happen with 14 games to go in the regular season.

Division 4 East

St Kilda Saints 0 v Melbourne Demons 13

Melbourne's Pat Cotter threw a complete game no hitter to shut out St Kilda at Myrtle Park, protecting the Demons' undefeated record for yet another weekend.

Melbourne scored in every inning, with a six-run fourth inning sealing the deal for a huge win. St Kilda has one win due to a forfeit in round four, and the Saints will be eager to take things up a notch as they host Fitzroy Lions Gold in round six.

Fitzroy Lions Gold 13 v Waverley Wildcats Red 14

Waverley Red finally got a win on the board with a dramatic come-from-behind win against Fitzroy Gold on Sunday.

The Lions were cruising with a 11-1 lead in the middle of the third, but the Wildcats weren't going down without a fight. Waverley put up seven runs in the bottom of the third to come within three, and a further six in the fifth gave the Wildcats a narrow one-run victory.

After an explosion of offense in the last inning, the Wildcats know they have what it takes to remain competitive in a tough East conference. Waverley will try and replicate this result against Malvern this weekend while Fitzroy can bounce back against St Kilda.

Waverley Wildcats Black 16 v Blackburn Orioles 13

Waverley's perfect record was in jeopardy for a moment, but the team held strong to go 5-0. Blackburn's best efforts fell just short in the end, although both teams battled hard throughout the duration of the game.

Waverley struck first with three runs to open the game, and Blackburn kept up the pace with the game tied at five at the end of the third. The Wildcats added seven in the fourth while Blackburn got six of those runs back. With a narrow one-run lead, the Wildcats tacked on four more in their final at-bats while the Orioles managed two.

Now 1-4, Blackburn is eager for a win heading into this weekend against Monash University while Waverley Black faces fellow undefeated side Melbourne for a must-see matchup.

Malvern Braves 3 v Monash University 12

Malvern endured a tough loss at the hands of Monash University. James Squire pitched well for the Braves to start, giving up two runs on two hits in the second before settling back down and cruising through the third.

In the end Monash pitching proved too tough of a task for Malvern, as the Braves struggled to connect until the third when they tied it up at two apiece. Malvern took the lead for a brief moment in the fourth before Monash added 10 unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth to improve to 2-2-1.

Monash last won in the opening round, so the team was excited about the victory.

Despite the loss, the Braves were pleased with Ian Hooper's timely 2-RBI hit, as well as an RBI single from Leah Trebilcock. Malvern has a 2-3 record heading into round six against Waverley Red.

Division 4 North West

Footscray Bulldogs White 12 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 4

In this highly-anticipated matchup between these two undefeated sides, Footscray White prevailed with a strong push late in the game.

The Bulldogs put two on the board in the first before the Rebels scored four unanswered runs for a 4-2 lead going into the third. Footscray went on to bring 10 runners home across the final three innings for a commanding victory.

Despite the tough loss, the Rebels can look forward to getting back to their winning ways as they face Footscray Blue on Sunday, with Footscray White heading to Rebels base to take on the Maroon side.

Footscray Bulldogs Red 9 v Essendon Bombers 3

Footscray Red proved too big of a challenge for Essendon as the Bulldogs won their third straight game. made their 4^th win against Essendon Bombers. Both teams jumped on the board early with two-run first innings, but from then on it was all Footscray.

The Bulldogs had a brilliant second inning, scoring six runs before going on to hold Essendon to just one more run over the course of four innings. Footscray Red currently sits in second place behind Footscray White, while the Bombers are on a mission to get a win this upcoming weekend against Mitchell Majors Black.

Mitchell Majors Black 5 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 12

The Lions earned their second victory of the season with a convincing effort over Mitchell Majors Black. Fitzroy held a narrow 5-4 victory after the first inning, but seven unanswered runs put the Lions in an ideal position to win the game. Mitchell Majors scored once more in the final inning but it wasn't enough to put together a comeback.

Mitchell Majors Black is 1-4 after losing the last three games. Round six has Mitchell Majors Black facing Essendon Bombers while Fitzroy Blue gets a break with a bye.

North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1 v Essendon Jets 11

Essendon Jets got their first win this season against North Coburg Maroon by putting up their best offensive effort yet.

Essendon carried a 2-1 lead into the third before adding another two runs. North Coburg struggled to respond and kept falling behind as Essendon racked up seven runs in the final inning. This was a huge, exciting effort for the Jets as the team looks to keep the momentum going in the coming weeks while North Coburg Maroon gets ready for Footscray Bulldogs White.

Mitchell Majors Yellow 9 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 4

The reigning premiers got the job done again, improving to a 3-2 record after a solid outing against Fitzroy Maroon.

This is the Lions first loss this season, as a late four-run flurry wasn't enough to eliminate the deficit. Mitchell Majors Yellow was consistent all day long with runs in the first four innings. Next up for Mitchell Majors Yellow is a home game v Footscray Bulldogs Red, while Fitzroy Maroon takes on Essendon Jets.

Division 4 South

Monash University Farmers 8 v Berwick City Cougars 3

Monash University is proving to be one tough competitor after beating the reigning premiers by five runs.

Although Monash didn't have any huge innings, the lineup consistently chipped away at it, adding to the lead throughout the game to keep Berwick at bay. Monash scored two in the first and lone runs in the middle innings before a three-run effort in the sixth put the game out of reach.

Berwick managed three runs but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss before playing Moorabbin in round six. Monash will face Cheltenham on Sunday.

St Kilda Saints 0 v Cheltenham Rustlers 11

Cheltenham enjoyed a huge shutout win, made possible by persistence and patience at the plate. The Rustlers led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, when they stepped things up a notch and tacked on four runs. Six additional runs followed in the bottom of the sixth.

St Kila plays Melbourne in round six while Cheltenham visits Monash University.

Melbourne Demons 15 v Pakenham Pumas 5

A fantastic all-around team effort saw Melbourne take a 10-run lead at the end of the game. Five runs in the first and three in the second gave the Demons an 8-3 advantage before they added seven more runs in the final two innings.

Pakenham will look to finish strong this weekend against Ormond Glenhuntly, while Melbourne battles it out against St Kilda.

Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 10

This high-scoring matchup saw Moorabbin manage a big win despite Ormond Glenhuntly's commendable efforts.

Moorabbin scored in the first four innings, with the Hunters doing their best to keep up but ultimately falling short. A seven-run third inning for the Panthers was particularly impactful.

Ormond Glenhuntly visits Pakenham and Moorabbin hosts Berwick City in round six.

St Kilda Saints 0 v Melbourne Demons 13

Melbourne's Pat Cotter threw a complete game no hitter to shut out St Kilda at Myrtle Park, protecting the Demons' undefeated record for yet another weekend.

Fitzroy Lions Gold 13 v Waverley Wildcats Red 14

Waverley Red finally got a win on the board with a dramatic come-from-behind win against Fitzroy Gold on Sunday.

Waverley Wildcats Black 16 v Blackburn Orioles 13

Now 1-4, Blackburn is eager for a win heading into this weekend against Monash University while Waverley Black faces fellow undefeated side Melbourne for a must-see matchup.

Waverley Wildcats Black 16 v Blackburn Orioles 13

Now 1-4, Blackburn is eager for a win heading into this weekend against Monash University while Waverley Black faces fellow undefeated side Melbourne for a must-see matchup.

Malvern Braves 3 v Monash University 12

Monash last won in the opening round, so the team was excited about the victory.

Despite the loss, the Braves were pleased with Ian Hooper's timely 2-RBI hit, as well as an RBI single from Leah Trebilcock. Malvern has a 2-3 record heading into round six against Waverley Red.

Division 4 North West

Footscray Bulldogs White 12 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 4

In this highly-anticipated matchup between these two undefeated sides, Footscray White prevailed with a strong push late in the game.

Footscray Bulldogs Red 9 v Essendon Bombers 3

Mitchell Majors Black 5 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 12

Mitchell Majors Black is 1-4 after losing the last three games. Round six has Mitchell Majors Black facing Essendon Bombers while Fitzroy Blue gets a break with a bye.

North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1 v Essendon Jets 11

Essendon Jets got their first win this season against North Coburg Maroon by putting up their best offensive effort yet.

Mitchell Majors Yellow 9 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 4

The reigning premiers got the job done again, improving to a 3-2 record after a solid outing against Fitzroy Maroon.

Division 4 South

Monash University Farmers 8 v Berwick City Cougars 3

Monash University is proving to be one tough competitor after beating the reigning premiers by five runs.

Berwick managed three runs but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss before playing Moorabbin in round six. Monash will face Cheltenham on Sunday.

St Kilda Saints 0 v Cheltenham Rustlers 11

St Kila plays Melbourne in round six while Cheltenham visits Monash University.

Melbourne Demons 15 v Pakenham Pumas 5

Pakenham will look to finish strong this weekend against Ormond Glenhuntly, while Melbourne battles it out against St Kilda.

Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 10

This high-scoring matchup saw Moorabbin manage a big win despite Ormond Glenhuntly's commendable efforts.

Moorabbin scored in the first four innings, with the Hunters doing their best to keep up but ultimately falling short. A seven-run third inning for the Panthers was particularly impactful.

Ormond Glenhuntly visits Pakenham and Moorabbin hosts Berwick City in round six.

Footscray Bulldogs White 12 v North Coburg Rebels Gold 4

In this highly-anticipated matchup between these two undefeated sides, Footscray White prevailed with a strong push late in the game.

Footscray Bulldogs Red 9 v Essendon Bombers 3

Mitchell Majors Black 5 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 12

Mitchell Majors Black is 1-4 after losing the last three games. Round six has Mitchell Majors Black facing Essendon Bombers while Fitzroy Blue gets a break with a bye.

North Coburg Rebels Maroon 1 v Essendon Jets 11

Essendon Jets got their first win this season against North Coburg Maroon by putting up their best offensive effort yet.

Mitchell Majors Yellow 9 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 4

The reigning premiers got the job done again, improving to a 3-2 record after a solid outing against Fitzroy Maroon.

Division 4 South

Monash University Farmers 8 v Berwick City Cougars 3

Monash University is proving to be one tough competitor after beating the reigning premiers by five runs.

Berwick managed three runs but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss before playing Moorabbin in round six. Monash will face Cheltenham on Sunday.

St Kilda Saints 0 v Cheltenham Rustlers 11

St Kila plays Melbourne in round six while Cheltenham visits Monash University.

Melbourne Demons 15 v Pakenham Pumas 5

Pakenham will look to finish strong this weekend against Ormond Glenhuntly, while Melbourne battles it out against St Kilda.

Moorabbin Panthers 15 v Ormond Glenhuntly 10

This high-scoring matchup saw Moorabbin manage a big win despite Ormond Glenhuntly's commendable efforts.

Moorabbin scored in the first four innings, with the Hunters doing their best to keep up but ultimately falling short. A seven-run third inning for the Panthers was particularly impactful.

Ormond Glenhuntly visits Pakenham and Moorabbin hosts Berwick City in round six.

Springvale is dominating the 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 season in both the firsts and reserves, while Ormond Glenhuntly remains firmly in the competition. There's still 14 games left with plenty of awesome baseball action in store as the six Division 3 clubs chase championship glory at the end of the summer season.

Division 3 Firsts

Springvale Lions 14 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 0

Springvale enjoyed another big win, this time a shutout victory over Ormond Blue.

The first few innings were a much tighter affair before Springvale tacked on three in the third. Two more runs followed in the fourth, and a six-run sixth inning sealed the deal.

Rainy conditions couldn’t stop the Lions batters, as three additional runs in the final inning sweetened the deal. With this win, Springvale continue a stellar undefeated season with a 5-0 record.

Tim Hanson threw four innings, giving up just four hits, while Lucas Anderson pitched three innings without allowing a hit. Scott Baillie had his best game yet, going 5-for-5 with three doubles and 5 RBIs. Matt Cameron had an RBI single as well, while Neal Cavanagh, Rydge Hogan and Lucas Price all had base hits. Chris Davies recorded three hits - two of them doubles - for 3 RBIs, while Adam Thatcher proved difficult to retire with three singles.

The Hunters recorded their first loss this season for a 3-1-1 record, putting them tied with Pakenham for second place.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 4 v North Western Titans 22

The Titans came into this matchup hungry for a win, and they worked hard as a team all day long to make it happen. By the end of the game, North Western was up by 18 runs, made possible by two huge seven-run innings.

Both teams scored one run to open the game, with the Hunters adding another three in the top of the second. From there Ormond Glenhuntly's offense dried up, while North Western's took off.

The Titans put five on the board in the second before scoring 16 unanswered runs in the middle innings to achieve a massive victory. Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit, with Peter Boyd leading the way with a 4-for-5 day with two singles and two doubles. He came around to score four times and collected 4 RBIs, proving to be reliable getting on base.

Stuart Tierney handled things on the mound, throwing seven innings with just four hits allowed and seven strikeouts. Despite giving up four runs - three earned- Tierney kept the Titans moving smoothly toward a swift victory. This marked his best performance thus far with a 3.86 ERA, something he will look to replicate in coming weeks as North Western aims to secure a winning streak. Tierney also had three hits, including two doubles, to contribute to North Western's 21 total hits. Dan Holmes was another key player with a single and two doubles.

Matthew Howe, Danny Haymes, Nathan Krig and Cameron Wilson all had two hits, while Michael Marrs, Scott Sell and Luke Humphreys got on base with singles.

Now with a taste of victory, North Western will face a tough task against Springvale this weekend while Ormond Glenhuntly Gold goes to Chelsea.

Chelsea Dolphins 5 v Pakenham Pumas 21

Pakenham enjoyed a big win against Chelsea, improving to a 3-1-1 record.

Chelsea struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Pakenham was quick to answer, taking a 2-1 lead. Three additional runs in the bottom of the second extended Pakenham's lead, but Chelsea tried to stay in it with another three runs.

The game remained close until the bottom of the fifth when Pakenham put together an impressive 10-run effort. This explosive offense was just what Pakenham needed, while the Puma's pitchers held Chelsea to just six hits on the day. Shane Jeffrey and Matt Vagg had two hits apiece in the loss.

Chelsea will be looking to avoid a three-game skid this weekend against Ormond Glenhuntly Gold, while Pakenham visits Ormond Glenhuntly Blue.

Division 3 Seconds

Springvale Lions 9 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 4

Springvale is now 5-0 after another solid outing on Sunday.

Early scoring was crucial for Springvale, taking a 4-0 lead through the third when the Hunters scored two runs. Springvale managed five more runs across the final three innings to keep the Hunters from staging a comeback. Now 3-2, the Hunters will be eager to secure a round six victory against Pakenham, while Springvale will aim to remain undefeated while hosting North Western.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 26 vs North Western Titans 2

This was a dismal game for North Western as Ormond Glenhuntly ran away with the lead, improving to 4-1 on the season.

The Hunters scored eight runs in the first and 15 in the second to perfect their rout of the Titans. Three more runs added to the total while North Western managed just two runs.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold has scored 61 runs thus far while allowing only 32, making the Hunters a major competitor moving forward. With four losses and a draw, the Titans will be ready for a win this weekend at Springvale.

Chelsea Dolphins 15 vs Pakenham Pumas 4

Chelsea cruised to victory with an 11-run difference.

The Dolphins scored two in the first while Pakenham cut the deficit in half. A quiet second inning led into the third, when Chelsea added six runs. Another four runs in the fourth and three in the fifth put the game out of reach for the Pumas. Pakenham did score three more runs but it wasn't enough to take over the formidable Chelsea offense.

The 2-3 Dolphins are prepared for Ormond Glenhuntly Gold this weekend, while the Pumas are searching for a win against Ormond Glenhuntly Blue.