Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

The 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season continued with fantastic round five games, as Moorabbin Panthers and Port Melbourne Mariners escaped with their undefeated records intact. Midweek games start next week on Thursday, 10 November as teams chase their Division 2 premiership glory.

Division 2 Firsts

Bonbeach Bluejays 2 v Malvern Braves 20

Rainy weather didn't stop Malvern from racking up the runs. A big win for the Braves which further cements their place within the top few spots on the ladder while Bonbeach remains winless through five rounds.

Ryan Othen collected his first hit in the top nine for Malvern as the Braves tallied four runs in the first and seven in the second to put the game out of reach. Seven more runs across the third and the fourth, with two in their final inning at the plate, sweetened the deal as the Braves finished the game with 17 hits in total.

Although Mitch Sheldon-Collins had three hits and Matthew Bucci and Dylan Brown had base hits, Bonbeach did not get on the scoreboard until the sixth, when they put one run on the board. Another run in the seventh wasn't enough to bring them close to closing the deficit, although the team was glad to avoid a shutout. Jim Crowe had two doubles and an RBI, while Adam Major knocked in a run and Tomomi Tokubo also had a base hit.

Bonbeach have struggled scoring-wise this season, but they scored double their season runs in round five. The Bluejays are slowly but surely finding ways to score which will see them improve and get stronger in coming weeks, especially with one more game against Malvern on Sunday and a series with Moorabbin waiting after that.

Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Baseball Club - Facebook

St Kilda Saints 2 v Moorabbin Panthers 10

Moorabbin scored five runs in the fifth inning to break the game open, as in the early innings the game was much closer with the Panthers leading by the smallest of margins, 3-2.

Moorabbin kept the Saints scoreless after the second inning in a great display of defense and added another two runs of their own in the sixth.

Nick Veale picked up the win for the Panthers, giving up two runs but striking out seven in four innings.

Batting-wise for the Panthers, Veale was clinical, watching the ball with ease when in the box to draw three walks. He paired that with one hit and a result from all of his times on base was three runs to himself, taking his tally to 12 for the season.

Stewart Mathieson had three hits with one run. He also had four RBI’s, making that seven RBI’s in the last fortnight.

Zach Kamerman scored four runs from two hits with two RBI’s, 13 in total for the year so far. One of those hits was a home run, his third in two weeks! Nick Coy also hit a home run from one of his two hits, bringing in three runs.

Eduardo Escalona picked up a single for St Kilda, while Daniel Hogg had two hits and Paul Paskar recorded a double. Hogg and Mariano Favia knocked in runs while Robert Lewis and Antonio Torres also got on base.

The Panthers are 5-0 to start while the Saints haven’t had a win since Round two, something they will be eager to change this weekend.

Williamstown Wolves 1 v Port Melbourne Mariners 4

Port Melbourne emerged victorious against Williamstown in Round 5, but it was the Wolves who got the first run in the second inning when Aaron Green drew in a run.

In the bottom of the third inning, Port Melbourne tied things up when Jackson White hit a sacrifice fly that scored a run. The Mariners pulled away in the fifth scoring two runs.

Even though the Wolves recorded two more hits than the Mariners, they couldn’t capitalise on those baserunners. Chris Doyle was one of three Mariners to have multiple hits, going 4-4 at the plate.

Aaron Petri earned the victory on the mound for Port Melbourne allowing nine hits and one run with two strikeouts in seven full innings.

Kevin Desmedt took the loss for Williamstown, surrendering two runs on four hits over five innings, striking out two.

Werribee Giants 3 v Preston Pirates 13

Preston got the edge over Werribee in this clash, each team now sitting at 3-2 after Round 5. Werribee won the first game 16-1, but Preston redeemed themselves on Sunday with their best performance of the season.

Both teams scored one in the first and the game remained a tight competition through the fifth, when Werribee tacked on one run and Preston added three. The Pirates scored six in the seventh and three in the eighth to put them comfortably in front.

Ben Donnell pitched well in his third appearance for Preston, covering seven innings and giving up just five hits and two runs - one unearned - while striking out 10. Preston's pitching was backed up by a formidable offense. Cam Deeble collected a pair of RBIs with a single and a double, while Darcy Brynne-Connell recorded an RBI as well. Matt Fordham had two walks and an RBI, while Glenn Farrell hit two singles to also bring in a run.

Mitch Legge was patient at the plate, taking three walks and getting on base with a single too. Jaycob Pascuzz, Taisuke Sakaguchi and Luke Williams all pitched in with singles, while Nick Pascuzzi threw a solid inning in relief

Wade Balzer and Andrew Christou had hits for Werribee, while pitcher Josh Lee gave up four earned runs in 4.2 innings of work with three hits, five walks and six strikeouts.

Trent Pantalleresco didn't have his best outing, giving up six earned runs across two innings after a scoreless performance the week before.

The two sides play each other again this weekend, this time back in Werribee where the Giants will want to come out with a win as the battle for ladder positions tightens.

Mulgrave Rebels 10 v Doncaster Dragons 8

The Dragons produced their closest result of the season despite going down to Mulgrave. Doncaster is sitting at the bottom of the ladder alongside Bonbeach with 0-5 records, although the Dragons showed some promising potential in this most recent game.

Mulgrave still managed to overpower Doncaster for back-to-back wins. Zeke Howie came in in the fourth inning for Liam Richardson and despite giving up four runs like his predecessor, only one was an earned run. Howie also had five strikeouts.

Anthony White hit a double and came home, Nick Thompson had three hits for one run and Grant Miller hit a triple, scoring two to his name. Riley O’Shea got two runs from three hits while drawing in three. Donnie Poole and Joel Stubbs had one hit for one run each.

Doncaster's John Britton had an RBI single and 5.2 decent innings on the mound, giving up seven hits but only allowing two runs to score with five strikeouts. Dakota Gibson had a pair of singles while Nic Unland had two singles and a double for two RBIs. Jimin Lee, Callum Lethborg, Adam Marshall, Brendan McDonald and Marc Sandy all collected hits for Doncaster. The Dragons will hope to keep up this offensive momentum as they prepare for Sunday's round six matchup.

Division 2 Seconds

Bonbeach Bluejays 3 v Malvern Braves 18

Malvern is still without a loss this season after a strong win over Bonbeach, a team that hasn't won since Round 2.

The Bluejays have found it difficult to score in recent weeks and come up against Malvern again next week in another tough encounter.

St Kilda Saints 3 v Moorabbin Panthers 4

This game was a tough grind right to the end for Moorabbin, as the Panthers got the first score of the game in the bottom of the first.

St Kilda snatched the lead in the top of the third, scoring two runs, before Moorabbin came back and scored three to lead 4-2.

Both teams’ defensive efforts didn’t go unnoticed as they kept the other to zero in the fourth.

Moorabbin let one run slip through in the fifth but still held the lead and from there, it was a tough assignment for both teams looking for a way through for a win.

The close call for the Panthers threatened to halt their unbeaten start, however they remain on top 5-0. The win would’ve moved St Kilda up the ladder however they sit fifth with a 2-3 record.

Mulgrave Rebels 9 v Doncaster Dragons 0

The Rebels won their second game of the season after holding the Dragons to zero runs in their clash on the weekend.

Doncaster has struggled to get off the bottom of the ladder while Mulgrave has won two in a row and look on a mission to keep that streak alive when facing Doncaster yet again in Round 6.

Williamstown Wolves 16 v Port Melbourne Mariners 6

The Wolves are one win behind first place after this crucial victory over Port Melbourne, helping distance themselves from the middle of the order.

Williamstown scored 10 unanswered runs before the Mariners finally got one back in the bottom of the third. A five-run effort in the final inning was exciting for Port Melbourne, but not enough to overcome the deficit.

The Mariners have dropped the last two games after winning the first three and will be hoping not to slip up again heading into the next lot of games.

Werribee Giants 13 v Preston Pirates 1

Werribee finally got a much-needed win, coming in the form of a 12-run win over Preston.

Werribee's win actually sees them overtake the Pirates on the ladder, due to the Giants two draws.

Werribee is feeling good after this win and will look to continue with these strong efforts moving forward.

Division 2 Thirds

Moorabbin Panthers 4 v St Kilda Saints 7

In a big upset, the previously unbeaten Panthers were outdone by the Saints outfit, handing the Panthers their first loss of the season.

The Saints had won one game heading into Round 5, and knew that after coming close last week against Moorabbin there was the potential to cause a bit of concern in the Panthers camp. St Kilda struck first with three runs in the bottom of the first, while Moorabbin tied it up in the second. Both teams added one run to make it 4-4- before St Kilda pulled away with two in the third and one in the fourth.

The final meeting between these two teams this weekend will be a good one, as Moorabbin hosts and looks to avoid two straight losses.

Preston Pirates 5 v Werribee Giants 9

Scores were level in this game heading into the middle of the fourth after each team had multiple innings of three and two runs.

The Giants were the ones to score two runs at the bottom of the fourth before keeping the Pirates quiet in the next dig.

Werribee confirmed the result with two more runs crossing the plate in the fifth, giving the Giants the joy of their first win of the year while handing the Pirates just their second loss.

Port Melbourne Mariners 0 v Williamstown Wolves 12

Each of these clubs were 2-2 to start the round so it was a little surprising that Williamstown ran out winners by a hefty margin.

It started with three runs in the first, followed by six in the second. The Wolves added another three in the last dig of the game, with exceptional defence contributing greatly to the result.

Malvern Braves 14 v Bonbeach St Chads 5

The Braves were scoring with ease in each inning of the game as they cruised to victory.

Both sides had three runners come home in the first. Malvern added five in the second and four in the third to take a 12-3 lead.

The Braves weren’t slowing down as they scored another two in the top of the fourth, but those runs were taken back by Bonbeach with two crossing the plate in the bottom frame.

The win to Malvern and the loss to Moorabbin puts the Braves clear on top with a 5-0 record while Bonbeach succumbed to a third consecutive loss.

Doncaster Dragons 8 v Mulgrave Rebels 8

Marking the Division 2 Thirds first draw of the season, Mulgrave enjoyed a taste of success by ending a four-game losing streak.

It was a heavy blow for the Dragons though who are still in touch with the top two but have fallen behind leaders Malvern and Moorabbin.

The Rebels will be taking this result as a sign that they can match it with the teams in this division and will have high hopes heading into Round 6.

Division 2 Fourths

Preston Pirates 5 v Werribee Giants 24

The Pirates were pleased about grabbing two runs in the very first dig of the game, until the Giants responded with a plethora of runs themselves in the next two innings.

The first dig produced nine runs, but that wasn’t the worst of it as they piled on 15 in the next dig.

Preston managed to get some runs on the board in the third and fourth innings, but three runs certainly wasn’t enough to cover the large margin that the game ended with.

The win was only the Giants second of the season, as they now hold the same 2-3 record as Preston.

Geelong Baycats 10 v Williamstown Wolves 14

The reigning premiers were challenged by Geelong but remain unbeaten at the end of Round 5. The next game at Geelong could be another high-scoring one as both sides battle hard for victory.

Doncaster Dragons 14 v Mulgrave Rebels 3

Doncaster produced a win for the first time this season, beating fellow lowly-placed team Mulgrave by enough runs to become 1-4.

Moorabbin Panthers 5 v St Kilda Saints 3

St Kilda was 2-2 before this round, and the team was close to swinging that record in their favour. The Panthers stood their ground just as they have all season long, hanging in there to lead the division with a 5-0 record.

Photo: Moorabbin Baseball Club - Facebook

The 2019/20 VSBL Women's Divisions 1, 2 and 3 seasons are underway in exciting fashion, with awesome displays of teamwork and athleticism on display every weekend. So far Springvale is leading the way in Division 1 with Doncaster not far behind, while the same clubs are neck-and-neck with 4-0 records in Division 2. Meanwhile Melbourne and Moorabbin are undefeated in Division 3 East, with Cheltenham on top in Division 3 South. Geelong Baycats Blue and Sunshine remain the leading teams in Division 3 West.

Women's Division 1

Footscray Bulldogs 7 v Springvale Lions 15

The Lions handed the Bulldogs their fourth loss of the season as Springvale improved to three wins and one draw. This was

Japanese import Ayumi Ikeyama was crucial for Springvale, racking up four hits in a huge game as the Lions reached double-digit runs for the first time this season.

Footscray's offense wasn't quiet either, with doubles from Brittney Cedelland and Amanda Torrington. Megan Kelly, Morgan Doty, Holly Howard, Rachel Howard and Abbey McLellan all contributed singles, although the solid offensive production wasn't enough to match Springvale's. Cedelland pitched 2.1 innings with three unearned runs and one unearned run allowed, while Doty covered two innings with three runs scored. In Jade Yuen's first game for Footscray Women's Division 1 this year, she had an RBI.

The Bulldogs have a lot of potential and will hope to snap their losing streak as they host Essendon this weekend for a fun and fiery matchup. Footscray will seek redemption after a 6-4 loss to Essendon back in round two.

Doncaster Dragons 20 v Essendon Bombers 5

Doncaster dominated Essendon in a massive team effort, tallying 20 runs as the Dragons consistently capitalised on scoring opportunities. After scoring 14 runs in round three, Doncaster's lineup worked hard to get the job done throughout the game. Now Essendon looks to avoid three straight losses as they head to Footscray this weekend, while Doncaster faces a big test when they host Springvale, a team they drew 7-7 in round two.

Women's Division 2

Footscray Bulldogs 7 v Springvale Lions 15

The Lions handed the Bulldogs their fourth loss of the season as Springvale improved to three wins and one draw. This was

Japanese import Ayumi Ikeyama was crucial for Springvale, racking up four hits in a huge game as the Lions reached double-digit runs for the first time this season.

Doncaster Dragons 20 v Essendon Bombers 5

Doncaster Dragons 11 v Essendon Bombers 2

The Dragons demonstrated once again why they are unbeaten, taking care of the Bombers easily to secure a 4-0 record. This result keeps Doncaster level with 4-0 Springvale, setting the stage for a huge round five matchup when the Dragons host the Lions in the battle of the unbeaten teams.

Footscray Bulldogs - FORFEIT v Springvale Lions

Springvale defeated Footscray on a forfeit, keeping the Lions perfect record intact for yet another week. Their first meeting against the strong hitters of Doncaster should be an interesting one.

Wheelers Hill Warriors 8 v Fitzroy Lions 2

In the first-ever Lady Lions double header at Merri Park, the home side fell short against a hard-hitting Wheelers Hill team. The Warriors scored in each of the four innings, working their way to an 8-0 lead before Fitzroy pegged two runs back at the bottom of the fourth to deny the Warriors the satisfaction of a shutout.

The Lions are still searching for a win this season, while Wheelers Hill went are in the middle of the ladder with two wins and two losses.

Women's Division 3 East

Melbourne Demons 21 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

A blistering game from the Demons saw them control the game from the outset, netting seven runs in each of the first two innings before piling on another six at the top of the fifth.

The Rebels were steady in their approach but never looked like threatening, getting five runs within three middle innings.

Melbourne are clear on top with a 4-0 record while Mulgrave took their first loss of the season.

Waverley Wildcats FORFEIT v Moorabbin Panthers

Waverley forfeited this game against Moorabbin, giving the Panthers a 3-0 record heading into round five.

Doncaster Dragons FORFEIT v Springvale Lions

Doncaster forfeited, allowing the Lions to record their first win of the season.

Women's Division 3 South

Bonbeach Bluejays White 1 v Cheltenham Rustlers 16

Cheltenham took a hold of this game from the very start, grabbing a 14-run lead after two innings thanks to two seven-run efforts in their opening two digs.

Bonbeach White put a run onto their score in the third but the Rustlers scored another two to take the margin out further.

Sandringham Royals 11 v Pakenham Pumas White 3

The Royals got their first win of the season this week as they hit the road to play the Pumas.

A close two innings to start this game, Sandringham slightly holding the upper hand, leading 4-3 heading into the third.

Sensing Pakenham were hungry to win, the Royals put up seven runs in the third inning, which in the end proved difficult for the Pumas to keep up with as they couldn’t bring in any runs to add to their score.

Bonbeach Bluejays Blue v Pakenham Pumas Black - WASH OUT

The rainy spring weather washed out this game between Bonbeach Blue and Pakenham Black.

Berwick City Cougars v BYE

VSBL WOMEN'S DIVISION 3 WEST

Sunshine Eagles 4 v Fitzroy Lions 13

Sunshine got the first two runs of the game and looked steady until Fitzroy scored five in response before adding another at the bottom of the second.The Eagles tried as they could to continue to nip away at the Lions lead but it wasn’t going to happen when Fitzroy took it upon themselves and scored seven in the third.

The Lions were thrilled to topple the ladder leaders with strong pitching and consistent hitting. Back-to-back wins have Fitzroy feeling fine while Sunshine looks to regroup before facing Geelong Baycats White this weekend.

Photo: Sunshine Baseball Club - Facebook

Geelong Baycats Blue 16 v North Western Titans 13

The North Western Titians team held a slender three-run lead heading into the last innings of the game. However, Geelong Blue had other plans and rallied to score six runs in the fourth inning before shutting out the Titans at the bottom to steal a win.

Hits to Katie Davenport, Madeline Theil, Narelle Cooper, Angela Jones and Jen Mason proved a formidable asset to the side that won while Emma Hill had a good day on the mound in relief for Davenport.

Geelong Baycats White v BYE

Photo:

Doncaster Dragons 11 v Essendon Bombers 2

Footscray Bulldogs - FORFEIT v Springvale Lions

Springvale defeated Footscray on a forfeit, keeping the Lions perfect record intact for yet another week. Their first meeting against the strong hitters of Doncaster should be an interesting one.

Wheelers Hill Warriors 8 v Fitzroy Lions 2

The Lions are still searching for a win this season, while Wheelers Hill went are in the middle of the ladder with two wins and two losses.

Women's Division 3 East

Melbourne Demons 21 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

A blistering game from the Demons saw them control the game from the outset, netting seven runs in each of the first two innings before piling on another six at the top of the fifth.

The Rebels were steady in their approach but never looked like threatening, getting five runs within three middle innings.

Melbourne are clear on top with a 4-0 record while Mulgrave took their first loss of the season.

Waverley Wildcats FORFEIT v Moorabbin Panthers

Waverley forfeited this game against Moorabbin, giving the Panthers a 3-0 record heading into round five.

Doncaster Dragons FORFEIT v Springvale Lions

Doncaster forfeited, allowing the Lions to record their first win of the season.

Women's Division 3 South

Bonbeach Bluejays White 1 v Cheltenham Rustlers 16

Cheltenham took a hold of this game from the very start, grabbing a 14-run lead after two innings thanks to two seven-run efforts in their opening two digs.

Bonbeach White put a run onto their score in the third but the Rustlers scored another two to take the margin out further.

Sandringham Royals 11 v Pakenham Pumas White 3

The Royals got their first win of the season this week as they hit the road to play the Pumas.

A close two innings to start this game, Sandringham slightly holding the upper hand, leading 4-3 heading into the third.

Bonbeach Bluejays Blue v Pakenham Pumas Black - WASH OUT

The rainy spring weather washed out this game between Bonbeach Blue and Pakenham Black.

Berwick City Cougars v BYE

VSBL WOMEN'S DIVISION 3 WEST

Women's Division 3 East

Melbourne Demons 21 v Mulgrave Rebels 5

A blistering game from the Demons saw them control the game from the outset, netting seven runs in each of the first two innings before piling on another six at the top of the fifth.

The Rebels were steady in their approach but never looked like threatening, getting five runs within three middle innings.

Melbourne are clear on top with a 4-0 record while Mulgrave took their first loss of the season.

Waverley Wildcats FORFEIT v Moorabbin Panthers

Waverley forfeited this game against Moorabbin, giving the Panthers a 3-0 record heading into round five.

Doncaster Dragons FORFEIT v Springvale Lions

Doncaster forfeited, allowing the Lions to record their first win of the season.

Women's Division 3 South

Bonbeach Bluejays White 1 v Cheltenham Rustlers 16

Cheltenham took a hold of this game from the very start, grabbing a 14-run lead after two innings thanks to two seven-run efforts in their opening two digs.

Bonbeach White put a run onto their score in the third but the Rustlers scored another two to take the margin out further.

Sandringham Royals 11 v Pakenham Pumas White 3

The Royals got their first win of the season this week as they hit the road to play the Pumas.

A close two innings to start this game, Sandringham slightly holding the upper hand, leading 4-3 heading into the third.

Bonbeach Bluejays Blue v Pakenham Pumas Black - WASH OUT

The rainy spring weather washed out this game between Bonbeach Blue and Pakenham Black.

Berwick City Cougars v BYE

Sunshine Eagles 4 v Fitzroy Lions 13

Photo: Sunshine Baseball Club - Facebook

Geelong Baycats Blue 16 v North Western Titans 13

Hits to Katie Davenport, Madeline Theil, Narelle Cooper, Angela Jones and Jen Mason proved a formidable asset to the side that won while Emma Hill had a good day on the mound in relief for Davenport.

Geelong Baycats White v BYE

Geelong Baycats Blue 16 v North Western Titans 13

Hits to Katie Davenport, Madeline Theil, Narelle Cooper, Angela Jones and Jen Mason proved a formidable asset to the side that won while Emma Hill had a good day on the mound in relief for Davenport.

Geelong Baycats White v BYE

Geelong Baycats Blue 16 v North Western Titans 13

Hits to Katie Davenport, Madeline Theil, Narelle Cooper, Angela Jones and Jen Mason proved a formidable asset to the side that won while Emma Hill had a good day on the mound in relief for Davenport.

Geelong Baycats White v BYE

Photo:

The 2019/20 VSBL Division 1 season continued over the weekend with intense round five matchups, as Sunshine continued their dominance to secure a 5-0 start to the season. Melbourne leads the way in the reserves and fourths while Waverley is on top of the thirds. Midweek games for the firsts begin on Tuesday night as the summer competition heats up.

Division 1 Firsts

Newport Rams 6 v Sunshine Eagles 11

The Eagles have again proved they’re the team to beat with a comprehensive all-round team effort contributing to the win over Newport as they are now 5-0 to start the season.

This marked Sunshine's best offensive performance thus far, with Russell Letts hot at the plate, collecting three hits and a walk to keep his on-base percentage perfect. Designated hitter Daniel Wilkie and third baseman Nikau Pouaka-Grego picked up two hits apiece, with the latter knocking in 4 RBIs. This was a big game for Pouaka-Grego as he faced his former team Newport. He had a great weekend overall, also collecting two home runs, one of them a grand slam, in the U18 State League game.

Photo: Lee Dare - Sunshine Baseball Club/Facebook

Pitcher Scott Barr covered six solid innings for Sunshine, giving up two earned runs and one unearned on seven hits with six strikeouts.

For the Rams, Jarrod Berman scored two runs from three hits, all doubles to finish at 1.000 for the second time in three games. Keenan Spence got two runs from two hits bringing in four runs in total, a home run contributing greatly to those stats. Nathan Smith had a run from two hits, as did Jason Jarvis.

Throughout the later parts of the game, Jarvis pitched two innings to attempt to keep Newport in it, allowing one hit and zero runs as relief for David Asp and Smith.

Geelong Baycats 11 v Sandringham Royals 10

Sandringham almost pulled off a magnificent come-from-behind win over Geelong but fell just short of the required runs needed at the bottom of the ninth.

Geelong took an 8-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth, but the Royals rallied to collect four in that dig, giving themselves a chance. The Baycats lead was cut again after Sandringham scored two but a further three runs to Geelong in top eight saw them lead 11-7.

The Royals were able to hold Geelong to no runs in the ninth, the equation was that they needed five runs for the win. A three-run effort before Geelong pounced on the final out meant the Baycats had come away with the win in a close finish.

Kelli Zablan scored a run from two hits, a double and a home run, bringing in three. James Wood had two doubles whereas Jarryd Wood had three runs from two hits. Troy Snarey got two runs on one hit, the same for Joshua Davies and Rudy Jaramillo.

Jaramillo got the win for Geelong, letting five runs up in six innings with four strikeouts. The Royals Declan Crocker let three runs cross the plate but had four strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

Jack Wills had four hits for Sandringham, gathering two runs, Zac Skinner had three hits and a run with two RBI’s while Cody Anderson had two runs from two hits. Timothy Lane had three hits including a double.

Blackburn Orioles 2 v Berwick City Cougars 5

The reigning premiers dropped their second straight game as the Berwick improved to a 3-2 record. After an early opening run for the Orioles, the Cougars scored two in the third and one in the fourth to turn the game in their favour. Two more runs in the bottom of the eighth sealed the deal for Berwick.

Ben Leslie hit a double as one of his two hits, securing a run for Blackburn, while Liam Hopkins was the other Oriole to score a run from his two hits. Owen de Vries got his first hit in the Blackburn firsts late in the game.

Aiden Willis got two runs on a base hit for Berwick. Alex Clark had two hits and one run with an RBI. Bradley Kmet and Craig Barnett had two and three hits respectively. Barnett's pair of singles and a double helped his team secure the lead and stick with it.

Jordan Bradley got the win on the mound for Berwick. In five innings, Bradley allowed five hits but only one run with three strikeouts. Blake Cunningham recorded the save.

Essendon Bombers 6 v Fitzroy Lions 1

The bats came alive in the fifth inning for Essendon, scoring five off a mixture of patient at bats and timely hits. Cody Rodwell got things started early though, scoring a run in the first on a hit to right field that allowed him to speed from second base.

After Essendon scored five runs on four hits against pitcher Riley Hill, Fitzroy's Rusty Huber straightened things up with five innings, giving up one run but the damage was done beforehand. The Lions couldn't claw their way back into the game, leaving them with one win in the first five games, a record they will look to even up moving forward.

With five hits for the game, Brock Pawley found the Lions only run. Michael Formisano pitched well for Essendon to hold the Lions to that solitary run, covering five innings of one-run ball with four hits and five strikeouts, bringing his ERA to an impressive 1.06 on the season.

Cheltenham Rustlers 7 v Waverley Wildcats 4

Waverley got things started in the bottom half of the first inning, bringing in one run.

Cheltenham’s experience saw them bat in four runs in the third inning and maintain the advantage throughout the remainder of the game, even if Waverely mounted a minor comeback in the eighth with two runs. This marked Cheltenham's first win of the season, an exciting result for the team in their return to Division 1.

Andrew Russell picked up the loss for Waverely as he gave up five runs from nine hits across five complete innings. He struck out six batters. Cheltenham's Lars Ligouri threw seven fantastic innings, giving up just two runs on six hits. His teammates Dante Caruso, Mac Turley and Ben Fierenzi backed him up with two RBIs each. Conor Myles also had an RBI double.

On Waverley's side, Mitchell Wilhite had three RBI’s, courtesy of two hits – a double and a home run. Jacob Sheldon-Collins had one run from three hits, two being doubles, while. Reece Longstaff had two hits and one run.

Melbourne Demons v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers - WASH OUT

Sunday's rainy weather washed out the matchup between Melbourne and Upwey Ferntree Gully, so these two teams will meet for Tuesday night's midweek at the Tigers home ground.

Division 1 Seconds

Newport Rams 5 v Sunshine Eagles 13

Newport is still without a win this season as Sunshine proved too strong and improved to a 2-3 record. The game was tied at five with Sunshine batting in the bottom of the fourth when Nathan Gatt doubled on a 3-1 count to score a run. The Eagles went on to score eight runs in the frame.

Photo: Lee Dare - Sunshine Baseball Club/Facebook

Jack Haxby had a 2-RBI triple for Sunshine, while Chad Galloway, Jaydon Murphy and Rupert Fischer contributed two hits each as the Eagles worked their way to 10 hits in total. Conor Young was the winning pitcher, throwing five innings with five runs on eight hits.

The Eagles will look to win against the Rams next week and continue to get a greater number of wins in that column as they’ve now won two in a row.

Geelong Baycats 7 v Sandringham Royals 7

A hard-fought seven-all draw was the result in this game between two even sides, Geelong leading early but having to fight back in the last inning to tie the game and prevent Sandringham from scoring.

Connor Hughes battled hard on the mound and reliever Lachlan Hockey was immense over 5.1 innings, allowing just two hits and one base on balls.

Harper Rickard picked up a hit in the lead-off spot, as did Jordan Baumann and Angus McNee. Dion Kirchner had a hit with two RBI’s. Blake Witham continued his terrific form with two hits and three RBI’s including the game-tying single.

Blackburn Orioles 8 v Berwick City Cougars 4

It was a cruisy start in defence for Blackburn, their pitchers delivering early despite some trouble in the second but the field were behind their pitchers all day which led to some great plays, especially by third-baseman Tim Holland.

Owen de Vries chimed in with a couple of knocks while Mitch Whiting hit his second home run of the season, this one bouncing off the top of the fence.

Melbourne Demons 5 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 4

Melbourne and Upwey Ferntree Gully were each 4-0 heading into this past weekend, and this game certainly produced a great game as expected.

It was Demons who continued their hot start to the season, winning their fifth game in a row meaning the Tigers were handed their first loss. Despite the final score, the Tigers were pleased with two hits for Darryn Cassidy and Mitch John, as well as singles by Mark Jones and Simon Ratcliffe. John also threw three scoreless innings as his team came up just short of a big victory.

Cheltenham Rustlers 13 v Waverley Wildcats 1

A magnificent display of hitting throughout the third and fifth innings were all Cheltenham needed to secure a win.

Cheltenham's lineup scored 13 runs across four of the middle innings including five in the third and four in the fifth.

It was the Wildcats’ first loss of the season, while the Rustlers now sit at 4-1, along with three other teams.

Essendon Bombers 3 v Fitzroy Lions 3

Before this round of games, Essendon and Fitzroy were 0-4 and this draw keeps the two sides on level terms.

Both of these teams will be hoping they can get the edge over the other as they play each other once again at Essendon this upcoming weekend.

Division 1 Thirds

Berwick City Cougars 0 v Blackburn Orioles 4

Blackburn improve their summer record to 4-0 after a win over Berwick.

The Orioles sit second behind Waverely with a 4-0-1 record and will want to keep the momentum rolling when facing the last-placed Cougars next week.

Fitzroy Lions 4 v Essendon Bombers 6

Essendon got back to winning ways after dropping a game last week and coming close the two weeks prior to that.

The return game is at Fitzroy next weekend so the Lions will be hoping to bounce back at home for their second win of the season.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 3 v Melbourne Demons 7

Melbourne are within distance of the top two with this win over a similar team from Upwey Ferntree Gully.

The Tigers lost their first of the season and after a strong result in their favour last week, couldn’t back it up but will still be remaining competitive. Harry Snoxell started and threw well, but with scattered hits and meager offensive production, the Tigers couldn't quite hold on to their unbeaten record.

Cheltenham Rustlers 2 v Waverely Wildcats 3

Waverley drew first blood at the bottom of the first but it was quickly cancelled out as Cheltenham got one the next dig.

The Wildcats dug in in their second dig to score two runs and take the lead by that many.

The Rustlers pegged one back in the fourth but weren't able to produce anymore as the Wildcats defence stood up.

Newport Rams 12 v Sunshine Eagles 10

Sunshine got off to a handy lead at the bottom of the first, two runs crossing the plate, but Newport responded instantly with two runs of their own in the second.

Newport got at least one run in each of the proceeding innings, a seven-run effort in the third taking the margin out to eight.

The Eagles, seeing the challenge put in front of them produced five runs in the bottom half of the inning, the scoreline reading 10-7.

A further one run in each of the fifth and sixth for Newport was less than Sunshine’s one and two in the same frames but the Eagles couldn’t get the job done.

Division 1 Fourths

Geelong Baycats 4 v Sandringham Royals 6

Geelong went down in this weather-affected contest, Sandringham putting up a fight to win as both teams found leads throughout the game.

The Baycats scored two of their four runs from one-run homers from James Lappin and Brody Stokoe. Jake Elderfield was strong in his seniors debut, managing a double.

Aggressive base-running was a plan of Geelong’s with four stolen bases as the Baycats aimed to overtake the Royals.

Lappin was the starter for Geelong and struck out six batters across three innings.

Fitzroy Lions 2 v Essendon Bombers 12

Fitzroy had two scorers in the first dig of the game, but unfortunately for them, that was all the runs they could produce as Essendon took a hold of things.

A combined 10 runs from the Bombers in the first two innings meant Essendon had a strong foundation and relied on good defence to stop the Lions from scoring again.

Essendon scored another two runs in the fourth to confirm the result as they improve to 4-1 after the loss last week.

Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0 v Melbourne Demons 13

The Demons kept their winning streak alive with their fifth win in a row over a Tigers side they kept scoreless.

The two teams play each other again next round with the Tigers hopeful of a win, or an effort to close to margin between the two teams.

Newport Rams 10 v Sunshine Eagles 11

Sunshine almost let this one go but ensured they didn’t record their second loss of the season as Newport get closer and closer to a win.

The Rams will take great belief that they can produce the result they want next week when they face the Eagles at home.

Berwick City Cougars 3 v Blackburn Orioles 2

Blackburn came close but fell short of closing the deal as batters accrued plenty of hits and walks, but left runners on.

Berwick held the 1-0 lead they got from the first inning well into the fifth when Blackburn secured their two runs to lead.

Berwick responded to take back the lead and the end result in the sixth before shutting out the Orioles, both teams now with three wins for the season.

Cheltenham Rustlers 11 v Waverley Wildcats 10

Waverley almost produced a win in this exciting match-up, holding Cheltenham up after giving away 11 runs in the first two innings.

The Wildcats saw seven of their own cross the plate in the first two innings, and strict defense allowed them to hold the Rustlers to zero in the proceeding three innings.

Waverley answered with two in the fourth and needed two for the win heading into the bottom of the fifth, but Cheltenham held strong to secure the victory.

Keeley Harrison is on a mission to make her baseball dreams come true. At 15 years old, she has already recorded some impressive accomplishments, including a spot on the Victorian Youth Women’s Team and several notable award nominations.

As an avid pitcher who also plays second base and outfield, Keeley is embracing the next chapter of her baseball career at Doncaster Dragons Baseball Club, playing in the VSBL Women’s competition. “My plans for summer baseball are to continue at Doncaster Baseball Club and get a chance to play with some of my friends and improve my baseball skills more and more for the next winter season,” Keeley said.

Biggest Year Yet

If this past year has shown Keeley anything, it’s that she’s on the pathway to great success, and her next year of baseball looks even brighter than her last. Not only does her summer season with Doncaster seem promising, but she was also recently nominated for the Leader Community News Local Sports Stars Award. Plus, earlier this month she was named as a recipient of the Jagajaga Sports Awards after being nominated by her school principal for her commitment to supporting sport in her local community.

Keeley is eager to cap off the year on a high note, striving for more success after taking out the Pitching Award at the Australian Youth Women’s Championships (AYWC) in April. She first stepped on the field in 2017, and now with a few years of baseball under her belt, Keeley has developed an undeniable love for the game and a desire to push herself and continue improving. The support of her coaches and teammates this season will once again help her achieve her goals. “My coaches have pushed me and challenged me over the last three years so that I can become the best player I can possibly be.”

Keeley is incredibly thankful for her coaches, and she says they have kept her involved in the sport along with her awesome teammates. “Without them encouraging me and making game days ten times better, I wouldn’t enjoy being there as much as I do,” Keeley said. “I keep playing baseball because I enjoy the challenges that come with it, as well as how on edge you are throughout the game, not knowing how it could end or when.”

Awesome Summer Season Ahead

Despite missing out on the Grand Final, Keeley and her winter team at Watsonia Saints Baseball Club had a solid season, something she’s hoping to replicate this summer. After developing her skills at Preston Pirates Baseball Club, Keeley has moved to Doncaster Dragons Baseball Club to play with the women’s team.

Being around other successful female baseball players makes Keeley feel right at home. She’s had her fair share of exposure to representative role models after making State Teams in both baseball and softball this year. “Morgan Doty is a person in baseball who I look up to, as she won the same award as me at the national championships but for the Victoria blue team,” Keeley said. “I have also watched her play centre field for Australia and she is amazing.”

Keeley set a goal for herself to make the 2019 Youth Women’s Team, and she made it happen by putting in her best efforts and training hard with her winter coaches. “I was really happy that all of my hard work had paid off and I had earned a spot in the team, and was even more excited to be training and competing with my teammates who had become some of my closest friends,” Keeley said.

After she and her teammates went on to secure a bronze medal finish at the AYWC, Keeley came back with more confidence than every before, having won the pitching award much to her surprise. She’s learned some valuable lessons from representing Victoria, which she will continue to apply to her baseball ambitions moving forward.

Keeley is looking to continue getting stronger out on the mound and in every facet of the game, which she will have the opportunity to do this summer. Overcoming her fears and facing challenges in the past year has also made Keeley feel more comfortable with her game. “During the tournament, I went through some rough games where I didn’t play my best, and that was the hardest thing to get over because I kept thinking I wasn’t good enough,” Keeley said. “With the support of my friends and coaches around me they really helped me become better and fix my mistakes.”

Keeley threw 6.2 innings with a 0.00 ERA at the AYWC, and she is eager to record similarly impressive statistics as she gives the new VSBL season her best shot. She has her sights set on growing into the best baseball player she can be, which will hopefully open up more representative opportunities for her. “The girls who competed in the Little League and Junior League World Series inspire me, as one day I would want to travel to another country to play and represent Australia,” Keeley said. “One of my main baseball goals would be to make the Australian team and travel around playing a game that I love so much.”

Outside of baseball, Keeley hopes to one day attend university and study forensic science or psychology. Her mother Sally Harrison has no doubt that Keeley will make it happen, especially after watching her daughter succeed in such high-pressure games. “My future hopes for Keeley are that she is happy in whatever she is doing no matter where she is in the world whether she is playing baseball or not,” Sally said.

Baseball Victoria is one of four organisations that have been granted provisional licenses for the inaugural season of a professional women’s baseball league in Australia.

Baseball Victoria joins the Adelaide Giants, Brisbane Bandits and Canberra Cavalry as provisional license holders following a detailed submission process.

All four organisations will play a key role in the design and construction of the league’s format moving forward, with the first meeting set to occur under Baseball Australia’s direction this year.

“Baseball Victoria took on this opportunity to ensure Victorian women have a voice in shaping a professional women’s league. This is the chance to explore what having a women’s league could look like for Victoria, and what these possibilities could mean for our female athletes,” Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said. “We will continue to prioritise the best interests of Victorian girls and women as we look further into the prospect of the professional women’s league.”

Baseball Victoria is still in the process of establishing how teams will be selected and coached, as well as the resources provided to these teams to ensure that our women have everything that they need to succeed as professional athletes. This announcement is our opportunity to tell Victorian women that we are starting the process. We will be engaging with the baseball community, current and past players, to ensure we are representing a comprehensive range of opinions when sitting at the national table.

Baseball Victoria will continue to work closely with Baseball Australia and the other organisations to progress plans that create exceptional opportunities for women in baseball. Further details including a schedule, rules, format and selection process of the inaugural women’s season are expected to be announced following the upcoming Australian Women’s Championships from 10-17 April 2020 in Canberra.

St Kilda Saints Outfielder Daniel Hogg is along for the ride as his beloved team looks to make their mark in VSBL Division 2.

Daniel moved to Melbourne at the start of 2018, and he and a friend signed up to play at St Kilda. He hasn’t looked back since, embracing his club community which is celebrating 140 seasons of baseball. Daniel says he’s excited for this monumental season. “I’m really looking forward to being back in Division 2 and playing some competitive baseball.”

The Saints dropped three of their first four games in series against Preston and Moorabbin, but players like Daniel aren’t fazed as he knows his club has what it takes to compete consistently across the long summer season. “As a club I think staying in Division 2 is probably our primary goal and as we work on our juniors, we will move towards Division 1 in a couple of years.”

The Saints fiercely dominated VSBL Division 3 in recent years, with undefeated streaks stretching the course of the season earning them a promotion back up to Division 2. Although the Saints were a strong contender for premiership glory last season, they were defeated in a surprise upset by Pakenham to cut their season short. Now that they’re in Division 2, Daniel and his St Kilda teammates are eager to go one step further in finals and continuing chasing a flag.

Daniel is determined to support St Kilda and make a difference for his team. He’s no stranger to the game, having played since he was a kid when he picked up the sport in primary school. “I found out I was really good at hitting and throwing balls, so I decided to give baseball a go.”

After years of playing, including representative stints for NSW at the Australian Youth Championships, Daniel knows that a big key to success for any team, St Kilda included, is a sense of comradery. “I think one of the keys to success for St Kilda is probably the mateship that we’ve got between not just our ones guys but the twos, the threes, the fours and the fives as well,” Daniel said. “We’re a very multi-cultural club and that helps us gel.”

Having fun together on and off the field gives the Saints a real boost, and Daniel is happy to be apart of this thriving team environment. He says anyone who is interested in joining the club will feel warm and welcome. “You’ve got a lot of guys who have been playing baseball their whole lives. When you come down, they’re some of the nicest blokes I’ve ever met,” Daniel said of his fellow Saints. “They’ll give you a hand doing whatever. If you need help hitting, they’ll help you with your hitting. If you need help throwing, they’ll help you with your throwing. Just don’t be intimidated and give it a go.”

Daniel had two hits and two RBIs in St Kilda’s 16-9 loss to Preston on 13 Oct, and he will look to replicate these efforts as he and his St Kilda teammates play Moorabbin this weekend.

Division 4 of the 2019/20 VSBL season is shaping up to be one of the strongest as a number of team look poised to go all the way early on. In East, Melbourne and Waverley Black are both 4-0 after big wins. In North West, three teams are yet to register a loss while in South, Monash University and Berwick are unbeaten but that could be broken this weekend as the two sides play each other.

Division 4 East

Waverley Wildcats Red v St Kilda Saints

Waverley Wildcats Red forfeited their Round 4 game against St Kilda Saints.

Blackburn Orioles 7 v Malvern Braves 16

It was an intriguing contest between these two sides, before Malvern cracked the bats a bit more in the bottom of the third, collecting seven runs in the dig.

At that stage, the Braves had got out to a 9-4 lead but the Orioles couldn’t get as many runs as their opponents had, Malvern adding another seven across the final two innings.

Malvern won their second match of the season and face the Farmers next week, whereas Blackburn face the 4-0 Waverley Black.

Monash University Farmers 5 v Melbourne Demons 12

Melbourne are 4-0 and on top of the ladder after downing Monash Uni who still have the one win that came back in Round 1.

Monash play Malvern in Round 5 and Melbourne will want to create a chance to go 5-0 after facing St Kilda.

Waverley Wildcats Black 12 v Fitzroy Lions Gold 3

Fitzroy were forced to play catch-up from the start as Waverley Black got on top early, batting in seven runs in the first dig of the game, a result that they know to defend too.

Another three runs in the second to the Wildcats saw the score creep out to 10-0 before Fitzroy were finally on the board in the bottom.

The Wildcats only allowed Fitzroy to score three runs, and in one-run digs too proving their defence stacks up and is a big contributor to them being 4-0. It was Fitzroy’s first loss of the season.

Division 4 North West

Fitzroy Lions Blue 5 v Fitzroy Lions Maroon 15

In a battle between two Fitzroy teams, Maroon left it until the final two innings to put their foot down and drive in the runs.

13 of Maroon’s 15 runs came in the third and fourth innings after it was 2-2 heading into the bottom of three.

Fitzroy Blue got on a roll in the fourth but managed three, until Maroon got a hold of more pitches in good spots and quick baserunning.

Maroon remain 3-0 while Blue will want to recoup with the bye this weekend to come out firing after the break.

Essendon Bombers 0 v Footscray Bulldogs Blue 13

A five-run first inning and six-run fourth was more than enough to see the result favour Footscray Blue.

That offence, coupled with keeping the Bombers to no runs improved Blue’s record to 2-2 while Essendon Bombers are without a win in three games.

Footscray Bulldogs White 4 v Mitchell Majors Yellow 3

Footscray White are off to a hot start at 4-0 but it wasn’t without a scare as Mitchell Majors led all the way up until the sixth inning after scoring two in the first.

Bulldogs White took three runners to the plate in the top of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead, leaving Mitchell Majors Yellow with a task that wasn’t impossible.

However, Mitchell Majors Yellow managed just one run and took a loss and have a tough assignment against Fitzroy Maroon in Round 5. Footscray White don’t have it easy either when they’ll play North Coburg Gold, another undefeated squad in what is sure to be a fantastic matchup.

Essendon Jets 2 v Footscray Bulldogs Red 16

Handy innings all across the board from Footscray Red in reply to Essendon’s one to start the game.

The most runs (seven) came from the fourth inning when the game was dusted but they’ll be looking to do the same when travelling to Essendon for a clash with the Bombers.

The 11^th-placed Jets will want to win against ninth-placed North Coburg Maroon when they meet in the next round.

North Coburg Rebels Maroon 6 v Mitchell Majors Black 3

Mitchell Majors Black scored three runs in the second inning after giving up one run in the first inning to North Coburg Maroon.

Rebels Maroon had three of their own in the next dig after and took a bigger lead with another two runs in the fourth.

The win was Maroon’s first win of the season and will feel good about making that two in a row after playing Essendon Jets. Mitchell Majors Black continue their season against Footscray Blue.

North Coburg Rebels Gold v BYE

Division 4 South

Pakenham Pumas 7 v Moorabbin Panthers 12

In a game where neither team had had a win yet, there were some brilliant displays of hitting. Pakenham got on the board in their first dig, up 2-0 heading into the Panthers’ first dig.

Moorabbin, sensing a challenge, put in seven of their own to create a big lead after just one inning.

The second inning saw no activity from either team in terms of runs but Pakenham were up for the challenge, bringing in five runs to make the scores even yet again.

Holding out Moorabbin for their third dig, the score was even at middle four, until Moorabbin closed out the game with five of their own in the bottom of the fourth and didn’t allow the Pumas any chance to steal the win away from them.

Monash University Farmers 12 v Ormond Glenhuntly 8

Monash University’s win over Ormond Glenhuntly and Berwick’s bye allowed the Farmers to overtake the Cougars to claim first place on the ladder after Round 4.

Ormond Glenhuntly put up a good fight but the Famers have been good this season and has set up a mouth-watering clash with Berwick this weekend. Ormond face Moorabbin who’ll each be searching to add to their one win this season.

Berwick City Cougars v BYE

Round four of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 season saw Springvale Lions extend their record to 4-0 in the firsts and seconds following big wins over Chelsea. There's still plenty of action ahead as the season is early and competition is fierce.

Division 3 Firsts

North Western Titans 10 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 11

A one-run result in this game produced the result in Ormond Blue’s favour.

The close margin saw North Western Titans remain without a win while Blue improved their record to 3 wins and a draw.

Ormond Blue face the 4-0 Lions next week while the Titans come up against Ormond Gold.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 5 v Pakenham Pumas 6

With both teams on one win for the season heading into this match, Ormond Gold and Pakenham wanted to prove themselves to the other, and the competition.

Pakenham were able to grind out a much-needed win after a heavy defeat last week and will be hopeful of beating Chelsea next week while Ormond Gold play the Titans.

Chelsea Dolphins 0 v Springvale Lions 17

Springvale were all over the Dolphins in this one as they cruised to a 17-0 win.

Tim Hanson started on the mound for the Lions as his pitching paved the way for the offence to shine as the scoreline read 10-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth where Lucas Anderson also provided some relief.

Adam Thatcher had two runs on two hits, Neal Cavanagh crossed the plate three times on two hits and Scott Baillie also had two hits and three runs with another three RBI’s. Anderson had three runs from two hits while Mark Anderton had four RBI’s from two hits.

But it was Chris Davies who was the star with four hits (two doubles) from four at bats which produced three runs and two RBIs.

Division 3 Seconds

North Western Titans 1 v Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 33

Ormond Blue had a strong showing against as North Western Titans still can’t get a result to sway in their favour.

The 33-run effort was almost double their season runs tally as they remain in second place before a top-of-the-table clash against Springvale next week. It doesn’t get easier for the Titans who face Ormond Gold in Round 5.

Chelsea Dolphins 4 v Springvale Lions 16

The Lions came out blazing in their matchup against Chelsea, securing a 16-4 win away.

Springvale got a hold of Chelsea to take their record to 4-0 before facing second-place Ormond Blue, while Chelsea want to get back on the winner’s list after their massive Round 3 win.

Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 11 v Pakenham Pumas 4

Pakenham are without a win also in Division Three reserves, falling to Ormond Gold.

Ormond Gold are on an equal 3-1 record with Ormond Blue but should improve on that when tasked with travelling to the Titans home ground while Pakenham stay at home as Chelsea visit.

Round four of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season saw two 3-0 teams go head-to-head with Port Melbourne prevailing over Williamstown for a 4-0 record alongside Moorabbin. Malvern and Moorabbin lead both the reserves and the thirds. The Panthers and the Williamstown Wolves are the teams to beat in the fourths as well. The competition thus far has set the scene for a fantastic and intense Division 2 season.

Good luck to all teams and players in round five!

Division 2 Firsts

2 0

Port Melbourne kept Williamstown scoreless as they improved their record to 4-0 on the back of a 2-0 win on Sunday.

The Mariners two runs came early courtesy of a Darryl George home run to left field.

Pitcher Billy Parsons-Balotelli was brilliant on the hill throwing 12 strikeouts to come away with a complete shutout game.

3 9

Doncaster travelled to face Mulgrave and took a 9-3 loss. Although the Dragons collected 10 hits on the day - two apiece for Nic Unland, Derek Medlin and Dakota Gibson, they stranded a number of runners and struggled to capitalise on scoring opportunities.

Mulgrave recorded 14 hits, with three to import Zeke Howie and two base hits each for Anthony White, Liam Richardson and Riley O'Shea.

It means Doncaster are 0-4, while Mulgrave finally got on the winner’s list after Round 4.

1 16

Eight runs in each of the first two innings for Werribee was enough of a lead to hold onto as they ran away 16-1 victors.

A great defensive display from the Giants held Preston from scoring within the first six innings until the Pirates got one across in the seventh.

It was a great defensive play from Preston though too, not allowing any runs to Werribee after the second inning.

Justin Gil drove in six on two hits, driving in runs on a home run in the first and a triple in the second.

Werribee got things started in the first inning when an error scored one run for the team before scoring a further seven to finish the first inning.

Werribee put up eight runs in the second inning. Werribee big bats were led by Gil, Ryan Balzer, Andrew Christou, Jon Lowe, and Andrew Maki, all sending runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.

Trent Pantalleresco pitched Werribee to victory. He surrendered zero runs on one hit over three innings, striking out six. Wesley DeJong threw four innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Ben Donnell took the loss for Preston. He allowed four hits and eight runs over two-thirds of an inning, striking out three.

Werribee collected 14 hits. Maki, Christou, Gil, and R.Balzer all had multiple hits for Werribee Giants. Maki led Werribee with four hits in four at bats. Werribee was sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. Gil had the most chances in the field with ten.

Preston collected six hits on the day. Glenn Farrel and Mitchell Legge all managed multiple hits for Preston.

4 0

Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Baseball Club - Facebook

A tight game all the way through ultimately fell in favour of Malvern who won 4-0 against Bonbeach.

Single runs in the third and sixth meant it was still anyone’s game but with two runs coming across home plate in the ninth, Bonbeach had some catching up to do at the bottom.

The Bluejays couldn’t get a run in due to a collective effort of defence from the Braves across the entire game as they are still searching for their first win of the year. Malvern collected seven hits on the day, with Mitch Kennedy and Jarryd Dale smashing doubles. Bonbeach's Jim Crowe had a double and Tomomi Tokubo had two base hits, although he couldn't come around to score.

13 2

Moorabbin took the win in this game over St Kilda, 13-2.

Although the Saints had two hits apiece from Roland Curiel and Eduardo Escalona, they struggled to score against this determined Panthers side.

Moorabbin have continued their dream start at 4-0 and have the biggest runs for in the Division 2 firsts with 46 for and only 13 against. Meanwhile St Kilda posted their equal-lowest runs total and have just the one win thus far, something they will be hoping to change in the coming weeks.

Division 2 Seconds

0 19

Mulgrave had their first win of the season, collecting 19 runs in a dominant game against Doncaster.

The Dragons couldn’t produce a single run and dropped to ninth while the Rebels powered up the ladder from last to seventh on the back of this result, their first win of the season.

5 6

Port Melbourne gave up their lead in the last inning of the game, allowing Williamstown to overtake them for a final score of 6-5 the Wolves way. Williamstown is 3-1 while Port Melbourne is close behind at 2-2.

15 1

Malvern scored at least one run in each of their innings, winning 15-1 over Bonbeach.

The Bluejays got their run in the bottom of the sixth, when the score was already a 15-run lead to the Braves.

Malvern are yet to have a loss this season as the teams play each other again next weekend.

7 3

Moorabbin won this contest against St Kilda 7-3 in the first of a three-game series.

Moorabbin remain on top of the ladder after also winning the first three games of the season while St Kilda are fourth at 2-2.

4 4

The 4-4 result was impressive from both sides as they left their big hitting to the very last inning and split the points in an even contest.

It was a great defensive effort from Werribee throughout this matchup, keeping Preston to no runs in the first six innings, keeping their one-run lead they got in the second close.

Preston, knowing the game was close to ending, gave their complete effort to come back in the seventh and final inning of the game. They did just that with four runs coming over the plate, leaving the Giants on the backfoot.

The Giants, stepping up to the challenge promptly took a careful approach to the game with the intent to score. Werribee scored three before Preston got to the final out, the game finishing in a draw.

Werribee drew for the second time this season as they haven’t had a clear win yet but will be hopeful next week against Preston once again.

Division 2 Thirds

2 21

Preston had their power hitting on show against Werribee, beating the Giants 21-2.

Werribee scored two runs in the final dig of the game, as the Pirates kept increasing their scoring prowess.

8 5

Port Melbourne got out to a three-run lead early on in the game but were worn down by Williamstown as the Wolves got the 8-5 win, evening their record to 2-2.

3 4

Doncaster held on to win a close one against Mulgrave, 4-3.

Mulgrave are 0-4 for the start of the season and play Doncaster again next weekend.

2 22

Bonbeach scored the first run of the game in the first dig of the game but it was all Malvern from there, eventually completing the game with a 22-2 win.

Malvern scored the bulk of their runs in the bottom of the first when 12 runs got marked down in the scorebook.

It was tighter from both teams in the following two innings, Malvern adding one run to their score in the second inning.

Bonbeach entered the fourth inning down by 12 runs, however they were able to only add one to their total themselves.

The Braves found themselves digging in for another quality dig at the bottom of the fourth that saw a further nine runners come home.

4 6

Division 2 Fourths

7 6

Williamstown got the win over Geelong in a game that was decided by one run, the Wolves winning 7-6.

Both sides hadn’t had a loss this season heading into the game, but the standings now read a 4-0 start to Williamstown while Geelong aren’t too far behind with a 3-1 record.

5 7

Moorabbin had a 7-5 win over St Kilda to remain in first on the ladder, a position they’ve held since Round 1. The Saints are in the middle of the bunch with a 2-2 record, something they will look to build upon in round five and beyond.

11 9

Mulgrave were able to grind out a win against Doncaster in this game, beating the Dragons 11-9.

The two sides were previously without a win, so the Rebels now have a positive number in the wins column.

Werribee Giants v Preston Pirates

Preston defeated Werribee due to a forfeit on Sunday from the Giants.