The 2019/20 VSBL Division 1 season is in full swing, with Sunshine dominating and Blackburn, Essendon, Waverley and Melbourne not far behind. There's so much beautiful baseball action left to look forward to this season, especially with midweek games for the Division 1 firsts starting next week.
Division 1 Firsts
2 3
In a match that stretched nine innings, each team hadn’t brought in a run within the first four innings.
At the top of the fifth, it was Blackburn who secured a 2-0 lead over Geelong and for the next four innings the Baycats came to the plate, were able to keep their lead.
Going into the bottom of the ninth, Blackburn would’ve felt like the game was theirs but Geelong dug in, got runners on base and produced a spectacular comeback to win by one run.
Josh Davies (three hits) was the Baycat to pick up the walk off RBI however, in that final dig, Geelong also had quality at bats from Kobe Greenhalgh, James Wood (three hits, one RBI), Ryan Darcy and Rudy Jaramillo.
Jaramillo produced some great pitches in four complete innings as relief for Sam Gibbons, giving up one hit, striking out two and maintaining his 0.00 ERA.
For Blackburn, Jimmy Bent had two hits, as did Cooper Goodman who also drove in a run. Liam Hopkins and Thomas Kerr-Chapman were the players credited with runs.
Scott Mitchelson pitched the first five innings for the Orioles, allowing three hits but no runs and Rohan Johnstone came in as relief for two pitches for four hits.
Division 1 Firsts
2 3
In a match that stretched nine innings, each team hadn’t brought in a run within the first four innings.
At the top of the fifth, it was Blackburn who secured a 2-0 lead over Geelong and for the next four innings the Baycats came to the plate, were able to keep their lead.
Going into the bottom of the ninth, Blackburn would’ve felt like the game was theirs but Geelong dug in, got runners on base and produced a spectacular comeback to win by one run.
Josh Davies (three hits) was the Baycat to pick up the walk off RBI however, in that final dig, Geelong also had quality at bats from Kobe Greenhalgh, James Wood (three hits, one RBI), Ryan Darcy and Rudy Jaramillo.
Jaramillo produced some great pitches in four complete innings as relief for Sam Gibbons, giving up one hit, striking out two and maintaining his 0.00 ERA.
For Blackburn, Jimmy Bent had two hits, as did Cooper Goodman who also drove in a run. Liam Hopkins and Thomas Kerr-Chapman were the players credited with runs.
Scott Mitchelson pitched the first five innings for the Orioles, allowing three hits but no runs and Rohan Johnstone came in as relief for two pitches for four hits.
In a match that stretched nine innings, each team hadn’t brought in a run within the first four innings.
At the top of the fifth, it was Blackburn who secured a 2-0 lead over Geelong and for the next four innings the Baycats came to the plate, were able to keep their lead.
Going into the bottom of the ninth, Blackburn would’ve felt like the game was theirs but Geelong dug in, got runners on base and produced a spectacular comeback to win by one run.
Josh Davies (three hits) was the Baycat to pick up the walk off RBI however, in that final dig, Geelong also had quality at bats from Kobe Greenhalgh, James Wood (three hits, one RBI), Ryan Darcy and Rudy Jaramillo.
Jaramillo produced some great pitches in four complete innings as relief for Sam Gibbons, giving up one hit, striking out two and maintaining his 0.00 ERA.
For Blackburn, Jimmy Bent had two hits, as did Cooper Goodman who also drove in a run. Liam Hopkins and Thomas Kerr-Chapman were the players credited with runs.
Scott Mitchelson pitched the first five innings for the Orioles, allowing three hits but no runs and Rohan Johnstone came in as relief for two pitches for four hits.
1 5
Sandringham were good in the middle part of this battle, securing a 5-0 lead before Berwick City got a run late in the eighth inning and couldn’t get the required score in the ninth.
It was the Royals’ first win of the summer season, but amazingly, they managed to go down a spot on the ladder.
Brandan Stenhouse had two runs to his name while Cody Anderson and Paul Rutgers had two RBI’s each. Sam Street pitched the whole nine innings for Sandringham, giving up five hits for one run and four strikeouts to claim to win.
The Cougars had handy contributions from Bradley Kmet (two hits, one run) and Aiden Willis (one hit, one RBI).
0 6
Photo: Lee Dare/Sunshine Eagles Baseball Club - Facebook
Cheltenham players are still finding their feet in Division One, losing their fourth straight game since being promoted from Division Two.
Sunshine on the other hand are the only undefeated team in Division One with a 4-0 record, now a game clear of Blackburn on top of the ladder.
Eagle Jeremy Young was at the plate when bases were loaded and hit a triple to bring in three runs as the Eagels cruised to a 6-0 win. Import Bryce Alridge hit a double to send home two runners.
Lars Ligouri gave up the six runs within the first five innings but Jake Enciondo ensured the result didn’t get too out of hand as relief.
3 5
Newport attempted an unlikely comeback at the top of the ninth, needing six runs to get ahead of Waverley who grew a lead periodically throughout the game.
Jacob Sheldon-Collins had three hits and a run while Andrew Russell had two RBI’s and scored himself courtesy of a deep hit that cleared the outfield fence.
Russell wasn’t the only one who hit a long bomb, Mohi Kahui also went big, that being his second home run in as many games for the year.
Russell pitched eight complete innings for zero runs on four hits with a season-high seven strikeouts for his second win of the season.
For Newport, Nathan Smith had two hits while Cameron Lyons hit a single and was able to get around all the way as Connor Schibeci and Trenell Hutchins had an RBI each.
Despite being credited with the loss and giving up five runs, Rams pitcher Jason Jarvis had five strikeouts in eight innings.
9 1
After collecting the first two runs of the game, a five-run effort in the fifth inning to the Tigers all but secured the result was beyond reach for the Bombers, but the home team were able to get on the board in the bottom of the ninth.
The contributions were everywhere across the lineup with Joshua Hendricks and Jordan Elliot with three hits each with the latter amassing two RBI’s.
Donovan Hendricks came across the plate on three occasions, Ashley Winton with two runs also.
Jarrod Turner had a fantastic start for Upwey Ferntree Gully with seven scoreless innings, including a season-high five strikeouts to finish with the win.
Cody Rodwell was Essendon’s solitary score as he made his way on base once throughout his appearances at the plate where Ross Bament recorded two hits from four at bats.
3 1
Fitzroy scored their three runs within the first three innings after starting the first dig with a 2-0 lead.
The Demons found their way onto the scorecard in the sixth but couldn’t continue to pester the Lions lead.
Tom Dicker, Tom Wilson and Rusty Huber all scored for Fitzroy with Wilson reaching third base on his hit.
Riley Hill was on the mound for three innings and picked up the win, not allowing a run to score. Huber pitched three innings and in facing 12 batters, struck out half of them for the save.
Jarryd Rogers scored from his two-base hit to be the home team’s only scorer but Tim Sullivan had three hits including two doubles, but couldn’t find his way home.
Adam Pahos gave up two hits and one run in four innings where Liam Davine got the loss, giving up two runs from two hits in two innings.
Division 1 Reserves
4 5
This game provided plenty of runs early for Blackburn who found a couple of helpful hits from Owen de Vries and RBI’s courtesy of Tim Holland and Riley Hodgson.
The momentum shifted in Geelong favour soon after, cutting the margin back at regular intervals, getting within one run at the conclusion of the fifth inning.
Geelong were able to score the required runs in the bottom of the sixth to walk it off and hand Blackburn their first loss of the season, while picking up their first win.
7 8
Both teams have been evenly matched across the season so far and this was evident in the Royals one-run win.
It improved Sandringham’s record to 2-2 with the two wins now within the last fortnight, each against Berwick and sees them overtake the Cougars on the ladder.
3 9
Sunshine picked up their first win of the competition against Cheltenham and will be liking their chances to make it two in a row as they take on Newport next weekend whereas the Rustlers face the undefeated Waverley.
0 4
Waverley Wildcats were good defensively, keeping their game tight and not allowing the Rams to score.
The Wildcats on the other hand got out to a 2-0 lead in the second before backing it up and claiming another two runs in the sixth.
14 2
A strong showing from Upwey Ferntree Gully in both offence and defence.
Riley Light had four hits for the Tigers with Jordan Gavin two doubles contributing too. Kaioh Sato was a threat with two triples and five RBI’s.
Bryce Taylor got the start for the Tigers and threw six innings with Mitch John throwing a clean inning in relief.
6 7
Melbourne had a walk-off win in the bottom of the sixth at home against Fitzroy after being down 6-2 in the middle of the fourth.
After three-run efforts from the Lions in the first and fourth, Melbourne was still holding out hope of a fighting finish.
Single-run innings in the fourth and fifth still left the Demons behind by two but three runs in the sixth powered them across the line.
Division 1 Thirds
5 4
The Cougars narrowly escaped with victory over Sandringham for their first win of the season. Sandringham now hosts Geelong this weekend while Berwick City heads to Blackbrn.
11 11
The game ended in an 11-all draw, the Baycats denying Blackburn from a perfect 4-0 start and in the process, seeing them give up their first place standing.
Orioles first baseman Goeff Agnew got two hits from his at bats.
3 21
A mammoth total from Cheltenham (more than half of their accrued Rounds 1-3 total runs) gave them their first win of the season against Sunshine.
Sunshine will be looking to recover quickly when they face Newport next weekend while the Rustlers travel to Waverley to face the in-form Wildcats.
1 4
A tight contest for the early stages of this game between the first and last-placed sides, both teams getting a run in their first digs.
Waverley broke the deadlock in the fourth with the result still up in the air.
The Wildcats took off in the sixth when they scored two runs, the Rams unable to respond in the next innings.
12 3
An offensive team effort provided a strong performance from the Tigers young players, especially Chad Hendrickse with a home run.
Upwey Ferntree Gully also found comfort in knowing their pitchers would perform well, and they did with Harry Snoxell and Will Richardson showing great signs.
6 5
Fitzroy tried and tried to get the win but fell just short of a comeback in the sixth innings.
Down by four heading into the final dig, the Lions buckled in and kept their composure to bat in three runs, ultimately falling short by one.
Melbourne got off to a flyer by scoring two in the first, and Fitzroy responded with two of their own in the second.
A string of efforts across the fourth to sixth innings gave them a safe lead, but good closing pitching when under pressure was key to getting the result in the Demons favour.
Division 1 Fourths
6 4
The lead changed four times in this contest as Blackburn got their first score at the top of the first.
Down by one after four innings, Blackburn kept themselves in the game, tying it up in the fifth and getting over the line from scoring two runs in the sixth.
Blackburn’s Bailey Pedan had a day out with a few hits and John McBride was steady on the mound when throwing seven digs.
6 12
Cheltenham handed Sunshine its first loss of the season, batting in 12 runs against the previously undefeated team.
It was also the Rustlers first win of the year and made up for coming close last week against the Eagles.
Sunshine have a chance to redeem themselves against Newport next week while Cheltenham play Waverley.
3 7
In a reverse result of what happened the week prior, Sandringham won this game as Berwick slid down the ladder with their first loss.
Sandringham will hope for their third win of the season when they take on Geelong and Berwick will want to get back on the winner’s list when they travel to Blackburn.
2 6
Five runs in the first inning to the Wildcats was reason enough to get the edge over Newport and extended that lead to six before the Rams got one in each of the fourth and fifth innings.
It doesn’t get easier for Newport who come up against Sunshine while Waverley take on Cheltenham who are starting to find form.
5 3
Single-run digs from Essendon in the second and fourth paved a good starting point for the Bombers before three runs in the fifth to the Tigers gave them the lead.
Upwey Ferntree Gully added two more to their total and Essendon couldn’t produce more than one run in their sixth time in offence.
The Tigers got over the line in this game thanks to a great pitching performance from Adam Campli and James Wilkinson giving the team a key lead with a monster home run.
23 4
It was an even 3-3 game at the end of five innings, which makes the result a bit surprising.
The Demons got two runs in the first inning and another in the fifth as Fitzroy added two in response, in addition to the one in the fourth.
Fitzroy couldn’t get a hold of a rampant Demons outfit as they scored a whopping 20 runs in the sixth – the Lions not able to replicate the amount of runs they saw against them.
1 5
Sandringham were good in the middle part of this battle, securing a 5-0 lead before Berwick City got a run late in the eighth inning and couldn’t get the required score in the ninth.
It was the Royals’ first win of the summer season, but amazingly, they managed to go down a spot on the ladder.
Brandan Stenhouse had two runs to his name while Cody Anderson and Paul Rutgers had two RBI’s each. Sam Street pitched the whole nine innings for Sandringham, giving up five hits for one run and four strikeouts to claim to win.
The Cougars had handy contributions from Bradley Kmet (two hits, one run) and Aiden Willis (one hit, one RBI).
Sandringham were good in the middle part of this battle, securing a 5-0 lead before Berwick City got a run late in the eighth inning and couldn’t get the required score in the ninth.
It was the Royals’ first win of the summer season, but amazingly, they managed to go down a spot on the ladder.
Brandan Stenhouse had two runs to his name while Cody Anderson and Paul Rutgers had two RBI’s each. Sam Street pitched the whole nine innings for Sandringham, giving up five hits for one run and four strikeouts to claim to win.
The Cougars had handy contributions from Bradley Kmet (two hits, one run) and Aiden Willis (one hit, one RBI).
0 6
Photo: Lee Dare/Sunshine Eagles Baseball Club - Facebook
Cheltenham players are still finding their feet in Division One, losing their fourth straight game since being promoted from Division Two.
Sunshine on the other hand are the only undefeated team in Division One with a 4-0 record, now a game clear of Blackburn on top of the ladder.
Eagle Jeremy Young was at the plate when bases were loaded and hit a triple to bring in three runs as the Eagels cruised to a 6-0 win. Import Bryce Alridge hit a double to send home two runners.
Lars Ligouri gave up the six runs within the first five innings but Jake Enciondo ensured the result didn’t get too out of hand as relief.
3 5
Newport attempted an unlikely comeback at the top of the ninth, needing six runs to get ahead of Waverley who grew a lead periodically throughout the game.
Jacob Sheldon-Collins had three hits and a run while Andrew Russell had two RBI’s and scored himself courtesy of a deep hit that cleared the outfield fence.
Russell wasn’t the only one who hit a long bomb, Mohi Kahui also went big, that being his second home run in as many games for the year.
Russell pitched eight complete innings for zero runs on four hits with a season-high seven strikeouts for his second win of the season.
For Newport, Nathan Smith had two hits while Cameron Lyons hit a single and was able to get around all the way as Connor Schibeci and Trenell Hutchins had an RBI each.
Despite being credited with the loss and giving up five runs, Rams pitcher Jason Jarvis had five strikeouts in eight innings.
9 1
After collecting the first two runs of the game, a five-run effort in the fifth inning to the Tigers all but secured the result was beyond reach for the Bombers, but the home team were able to get on the board in the bottom of the ninth.
The contributions were everywhere across the lineup with Joshua Hendricks and Jordan Elliot with three hits each with the latter amassing two RBI’s.
Donovan Hendricks came across the plate on three occasions, Ashley Winton with two runs also.
Jarrod Turner had a fantastic start for Upwey Ferntree Gully with seven scoreless innings, including a season-high five strikeouts to finish with the win.
Cody Rodwell was Essendon’s solitary score as he made his way on base once throughout his appearances at the plate where Ross Bament recorded two hits from four at bats.
3 1
Fitzroy scored their three runs within the first three innings after starting the first dig with a 2-0 lead.
The Demons found their way onto the scorecard in the sixth but couldn’t continue to pester the Lions lead.
Tom Dicker, Tom Wilson and Rusty Huber all scored for Fitzroy with Wilson reaching third base on his hit.
Riley Hill was on the mound for three innings and picked up the win, not allowing a run to score. Huber pitched three innings and in facing 12 batters, struck out half of them for the save.
Jarryd Rogers scored from his two-base hit to be the home team’s only scorer but Tim Sullivan had three hits including two doubles, but couldn’t find his way home.
Adam Pahos gave up two hits and one run in four innings where Liam Davine got the loss, giving up two runs from two hits in two innings.
Division 1 Reserves
4 5
This game provided plenty of runs early for Blackburn who found a couple of helpful hits from Owen de Vries and RBI’s courtesy of Tim Holland and Riley Hodgson.
The momentum shifted in Geelong favour soon after, cutting the margin back at regular intervals, getting within one run at the conclusion of the fifth inning.
Geelong were able to score the required runs in the bottom of the sixth to walk it off and hand Blackburn their first loss of the season, while picking up their first win.
7 8
Both teams have been evenly matched across the season so far and this was evident in the Royals one-run win.
It improved Sandringham’s record to 2-2 with the two wins now within the last fortnight, each against Berwick and sees them overtake the Cougars on the ladder.
3 9
Sunshine picked up their first win of the competition against Cheltenham and will be liking their chances to make it two in a row as they take on Newport next weekend whereas the Rustlers face the undefeated Waverley.
0 4
Waverley Wildcats were good defensively, keeping their game tight and not allowing the Rams to score.
The Wildcats on the other hand got out to a 2-0 lead in the second before backing it up and claiming another two runs in the sixth.
14 2
A strong showing from Upwey Ferntree Gully in both offence and defence.
Riley Light had four hits for the Tigers with Jordan Gavin two doubles contributing too. Kaioh Sato was a threat with two triples and five RBI’s.
Bryce Taylor got the start for the Tigers and threw six innings with Mitch John throwing a clean inning in relief.
6 7
Melbourne had a walk-off win in the bottom of the sixth at home against Fitzroy after being down 6-2 in the middle of the fourth.
After three-run efforts from the Lions in the first and fourth, Melbourne was still holding out hope of a fighting finish.
Single-run innings in the fourth and fifth still left the Demons behind by two but three runs in the sixth powered them across the line.
Division 1 Thirds
5 4
The Cougars narrowly escaped with victory over Sandringham for their first win of the season. Sandringham now hosts Geelong this weekend while Berwick City heads to Blackbrn.
11 11
The game ended in an 11-all draw, the Baycats denying Blackburn from a perfect 4-0 start and in the process, seeing them give up their first place standing.
Orioles first baseman Goeff Agnew got two hits from his at bats.
3 21
A mammoth total from Cheltenham (more than half of their accrued Rounds 1-3 total runs) gave them their first win of the season against Sunshine.
Sunshine will be looking to recover quickly when they face Newport next weekend while the Rustlers travel to Waverley to face the in-form Wildcats.
1 4
A tight contest for the early stages of this game between the first and last-placed sides, both teams getting a run in their first digs.
Waverley broke the deadlock in the fourth with the result still up in the air.
The Wildcats took off in the sixth when they scored two runs, the Rams unable to respond in the next innings.
12 3
An offensive team effort provided a strong performance from the Tigers young players, especially Chad Hendrickse with a home run.
Upwey Ferntree Gully also found comfort in knowing their pitchers would perform well, and they did with Harry Snoxell and Will Richardson showing great signs.
6 5
Fitzroy tried and tried to get the win but fell just short of a comeback in the sixth innings.
Down by four heading into the final dig, the Lions buckled in and kept their composure to bat in three runs, ultimately falling short by one.
Melbourne got off to a flyer by scoring two in the first, and Fitzroy responded with two of their own in the second.
A string of efforts across the fourth to sixth innings gave them a safe lead, but good closing pitching when under pressure was key to getting the result in the Demons favour.
Division 1 Fourths
6 4
The lead changed four times in this contest as Blackburn got their first score at the top of the first.
Down by one after four innings, Blackburn kept themselves in the game, tying it up in the fifth and getting over the line from scoring two runs in the sixth.
Blackburn’s Bailey Pedan had a day out with a few hits and John McBride was steady on the mound when throwing seven digs.
6 12
Cheltenham handed Sunshine its first loss of the season, batting in 12 runs against the previously undefeated team.
It was also the Rustlers first win of the year and made up for coming close last week against the Eagles.
Sunshine have a chance to redeem themselves against Newport next week while Cheltenham play Waverley.
3 7
In a reverse result of what happened the week prior, Sandringham won this game as Berwick slid down the ladder with their first loss.
Sandringham will hope for their third win of the season when they take on Geelong and Berwick will want to get back on the winner’s list when they travel to Blackburn.
2 6
Five runs in the first inning to the Wildcats was reason enough to get the edge over Newport and extended that lead to six before the Rams got one in each of the fourth and fifth innings.
It doesn’t get easier for Newport who come up against Sunshine while Waverley take on Cheltenham who are starting to find form.
5 3
Single-run digs from Essendon in the second and fourth paved a good starting point for the Bombers before three runs in the fifth to the Tigers gave them the lead.
Upwey Ferntree Gully added two more to their total and Essendon couldn’t produce more than one run in their sixth time in offence.
The Tigers got over the line in this game thanks to a great pitching performance from Adam Campli and James Wilkinson giving the team a key lead with a monster home run.
23 4
It was an even 3-3 game at the end of five innings, which makes the result a bit surprising.
The Demons got two runs in the first inning and another in the fifth as Fitzroy added two in response, in addition to the one in the fourth.
Fitzroy couldn’t get a hold of a rampant Demons outfit as they scored a whopping 20 runs in the sixth – the Lions not able to replicate the amount of runs they saw against them.
0 6
Photo: Lee Dare/Sunshine Eagles Baseball Club - Facebook
Cheltenham players are still finding their feet in Division One, losing their fourth straight game since being promoted from Division Two.
Sunshine on the other hand are the only undefeated team in Division One with a 4-0 record, now a game clear of Blackburn on top of the ladder.
Eagle Jeremy Young was at the plate when bases were loaded and hit a triple to bring in three runs as the Eagels cruised to a 6-0 win. Import Bryce Alridge hit a double to send home two runners.
Lars Ligouri gave up the six runs within the first five innings but Jake Enciondo ensured the result didn’t get too out of hand as relief.
3 5
Newport attempted an unlikely comeback at the top of the ninth, needing six runs to get ahead of Waverley who grew a lead periodically throughout the game.
Jacob Sheldon-Collins had three hits and a run while Andrew Russell had two RBI’s and scored himself courtesy of a deep hit that cleared the outfield fence.
Russell wasn’t the only one who hit a long bomb, Mohi Kahui also went big, that being his second home run in as many games for the year.
Russell pitched eight complete innings for zero runs on four hits with a season-high seven strikeouts for his second win of the season.
For Newport, Nathan Smith had two hits while Cameron Lyons hit a single and was able to get around all the way as Connor Schibeci and Trenell Hutchins had an RBI each.
Despite being credited with the loss and giving up five runs, Rams pitcher Jason Jarvis had five strikeouts in eight innings.
9 1
After collecting the first two runs of the game, a five-run effort in the fifth inning to the Tigers all but secured the result was beyond reach for the Bombers, but the home team were able to get on the board in the bottom of the ninth.
The contributions were everywhere across the lineup with Joshua Hendricks and Jordan Elliot with three hits each with the latter amassing two RBI’s.
Donovan Hendricks came across the plate on three occasions, Ashley Winton with two runs also.
Jarrod Turner had a fantastic start for Upwey Ferntree Gully with seven scoreless innings, including a season-high five strikeouts to finish with the win.
Cody Rodwell was Essendon’s solitary score as he made his way on base once throughout his appearances at the plate where Ross Bament recorded two hits from four at bats.
3 1
Fitzroy scored their three runs within the first three innings after starting the first dig with a 2-0 lead.
The Demons found their way onto the scorecard in the sixth but couldn’t continue to pester the Lions lead.
Tom Dicker, Tom Wilson and Rusty Huber all scored for Fitzroy with Wilson reaching third base on his hit.
Riley Hill was on the mound for three innings and picked up the win, not allowing a run to score. Huber pitched three innings and in facing 12 batters, struck out half of them for the save.
Jarryd Rogers scored from his two-base hit to be the home team’s only scorer but Tim Sullivan had three hits including two doubles, but couldn’t find his way home.
Adam Pahos gave up two hits and one run in four innings where Liam Davine got the loss, giving up two runs from two hits in two innings.
Division 1 Reserves
4 5
This game provided plenty of runs early for Blackburn who found a couple of helpful hits from Owen de Vries and RBI’s courtesy of Tim Holland and Riley Hodgson.
The momentum shifted in Geelong favour soon after, cutting the margin back at regular intervals, getting within one run at the conclusion of the fifth inning.
Geelong were able to score the required runs in the bottom of the sixth to walk it off and hand Blackburn their first loss of the season, while picking up their first win.
7 8
Both teams have been evenly matched across the season so far and this was evident in the Royals one-run win.
It improved Sandringham’s record to 2-2 with the two wins now within the last fortnight, each against Berwick and sees them overtake the Cougars on the ladder.
3 9
Sunshine picked up their first win of the competition against Cheltenham and will be liking their chances to make it two in a row as they take on Newport next weekend whereas the Rustlers face the undefeated Waverley.
0 4
Waverley Wildcats were good defensively, keeping their game tight and not allowing the Rams to score.
The Wildcats on the other hand got out to a 2-0 lead in the second before backing it up and claiming another two runs in the sixth.
14 2
A strong showing from Upwey Ferntree Gully in both offence and defence.
Riley Light had four hits for the Tigers with Jordan Gavin two doubles contributing too. Kaioh Sato was a threat with two triples and five RBI’s.
Bryce Taylor got the start for the Tigers and threw six innings with Mitch John throwing a clean inning in relief.
6 7
Melbourne had a walk-off win in the bottom of the sixth at home against Fitzroy after being down 6-2 in the middle of the fourth.
After three-run efforts from the Lions in the first and fourth, Melbourne was still holding out hope of a fighting finish.
Single-run innings in the fourth and fifth still left the Demons behind by two but three runs in the sixth powered them across the line.
Division 1 Thirds
5 4
The Cougars narrowly escaped with victory over Sandringham for their first win of the season. Sandringham now hosts Geelong this weekend while Berwick City heads to Blackbrn.
11 11
The game ended in an 11-all draw, the Baycats denying Blackburn from a perfect 4-0 start and in the process, seeing them give up their first place standing.
Orioles first baseman Goeff Agnew got two hits from his at bats.
3 21
A mammoth total from Cheltenham (more than half of their accrued Rounds 1-3 total runs) gave them their first win of the season against Sunshine.
Sunshine will be looking to recover quickly when they face Newport next weekend while the Rustlers travel to Waverley to face the in-form Wildcats.
1 4
A tight contest for the early stages of this game between the first and last-placed sides, both teams getting a run in their first digs.
Waverley broke the deadlock in the fourth with the result still up in the air.
The Wildcats took off in the sixth when they scored two runs, the Rams unable to respond in the next innings.
12 3
An offensive team effort provided a strong performance from the Tigers young players, especially Chad Hendrickse with a home run.
Upwey Ferntree Gully also found comfort in knowing their pitchers would perform well, and they did with Harry Snoxell and Will Richardson showing great signs.
6 5
Fitzroy tried and tried to get the win but fell just short of a comeback in the sixth innings.
Down by four heading into the final dig, the Lions buckled in and kept their composure to bat in three runs, ultimately falling short by one.
Melbourne got off to a flyer by scoring two in the first, and Fitzroy responded with two of their own in the second.
A string of efforts across the fourth to sixth innings gave them a safe lead, but good closing pitching when under pressure was key to getting the result in the Demons favour.
Division 1 Fourths
6 4
The lead changed four times in this contest as Blackburn got their first score at the top of the first.
Down by one after four innings, Blackburn kept themselves in the game, tying it up in the fifth and getting over the line from scoring two runs in the sixth.
Blackburn’s Bailey Pedan had a day out with a few hits and John McBride was steady on the mound when throwing seven digs.
6 12
Cheltenham handed Sunshine its first loss of the season, batting in 12 runs against the previously undefeated team.
It was also the Rustlers first win of the year and made up for coming close last week against the Eagles.
Sunshine have a chance to redeem themselves against Newport next week while Cheltenham play Waverley.
3 7
In a reverse result of what happened the week prior, Sandringham won this game as Berwick slid down the ladder with their first loss.
Sandringham will hope for their third win of the season when they take on Geelong and Berwick will want to get back on the winner’s list when they travel to Blackburn.
2 6
Five runs in the first inning to the Wildcats was reason enough to get the edge over Newport and extended that lead to six before the Rams got one in each of the fourth and fifth innings.
It doesn’t get easier for Newport who come up against Sunshine while Waverley take on Cheltenham who are starting to find form.
5 3
Single-run digs from Essendon in the second and fourth paved a good starting point for the Bombers before three runs in the fifth to the Tigers gave them the lead.
Upwey Ferntree Gully added two more to their total and Essendon couldn’t produce more than one run in their sixth time in offence.
The Tigers got over the line in this game thanks to a great pitching performance from Adam Campli and James Wilkinson giving the team a key lead with a monster home run.
23 4
It was an even 3-3 game at the end of five innings, which makes the result a bit surprising.
The Demons got two runs in the first inning and another in the fifth as Fitzroy added two in response, in addition to the one in the fourth.
Fitzroy couldn’t get a hold of a rampant Demons outfit as they scored a whopping 20 runs in the sixth – the Lions not able to replicate the amount of runs they saw against them.
It was an even 3-3 game at the end of five innings, which makes the result a bit surprising.
The Demons got two runs in the first inning and another in the fifth as Fitzroy added two in response, in addition to the one in the fourth.
Fitzroy couldn’t get a hold of a rampant Demons outfit as they scored a whopping 20 runs in the sixth – the Lions not able to replicate the amount of runs they saw against them.
The 2019/20 VSBL season is heating up in the Women's Division 1, 2 and 3 competitions as teams are giving it their all out there on the field. Springvale and Doncaster remain undefeated in both Division 1 and 2, while Melbourne and Moorabbin are leading the way in Division 3 East. Cheltenham is 3-0 in Division 3 South and Sunshine hasn't lost in Division 3 West. There's still so much fantastic women's baseball to look forward to for the rest of the summer season, with many teams showcasing their best stuff as they chase premiership dreams.
Women's Division 1
Springvale Lions 7 v Essendon Bombers 6
The grand-final rematch lived up to expectations as Springvale were behind by one heading into their last inning of the game.
However, the Lions spoiled the Bombers party as they found a way to see two runs cross the plate and overtake their opponents on the ladder after Round 3.
It was head coach Shae Lillywhite with a bases-clearing double that sent the Lions dugout into raptures.
Springvale remain without a loss this season while the reigning premiers slipped to third. Essendon prepares to host Doncaster while Springvale hosts Footscray in round four.
Doncaster Dragons 14 v Footscray Bulldogs 12
A hard-fought, high-scoring game between these two winless sides in 2019 ultimately produced a win for the away side with Doncaster beating Footscray 14-12.
The Bulldogs would be rueing a missed opportunity to snatch their first win of the season while the Dragons won their first game of the year. Footscray faces Springvale and Doncaster visits Essendon this Saturday.
Women's Division 2
Fitzroy Lions 5 v Footscray Bulldogs 12
The Lions had an early advantage over the Bulldogs early on, leading 4-0 heading into the bottom of the second.
But a combined 12-run effort in the second and third innings allowed Footscray to overcome to deficit and win 12-5 for their second victory of the season..
Springvale Lions 27 v Essendon Bombers 2
Springvale Lions are 3-0 after Round 3 after a blistering 27-2 win over Essendon on the weekend. The Lions turn their attention to Footscray for round four while Essendon will search for their first victory against Doncaster.
Wheelers Hill Warriors 3 v Doncaster Dragons 7
Doncaster Dragons were able to go 3-0 to start the season after a 7-3 win over Wheelers Hill Warriors. The Warriors are looking ahead to another chance at victory this weekend as they play Fitzroy while the Dragons will try and extend their winning streak to four.
Women's Division 3 East
Springvale Lions 7 v Moorabbin Panthers 16
Moorabbin has won back-to-back games after a convincing 16-7 victory over Springvale who slumped to a 0-2 start. The Panthers are on a mission and will look to keep up the momentum on Saturday against Waverley, while the Lions will look for a win vs. Doncaster.
Melbourne Demons 8 v Doncaster Dragons 7
A very close result between Melbourne and Doncaster on Saturday, the final result favouring the Demons as they came through with the 8-7 win. Ladder-leaders Melbourne are playing Mulgrave this weekend, while Doncaster is visiting Springvale.
Mulgrave Rebels v Waverley Wildcats
Waverley forfeited Saturday's game against Mulgrave.
Women's Division 3 South
Pakenham Pumas Black 3 v Berwick City Cougars 18
Pakenham Black are without a win in their first three games after suffering a heavy 18-3 defeat against Berwick City Cougars. The Pumas will try again against Bonbeach Blue this weekend while the Cougars have a bye.
Bonbeach Bluejays Blue 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 8
In this top-of-the-table clash, each team were on two wins apiece heading into this matchup but it was Cheltenham that kept the wins coming through with an 8-5 win. The Rustlers will look to keep on rolling through round four when they play Bonbeach White while Bonbeach Blue faces Pakenham Black next.
Pakenham Pumas White 13 v Bonbeach Bluejays White 8
A game in which each dig provided plenty of runs ended in a 13-8 win for Pakenham White.
The Pumas scored six and seven runs in the first and second innings respectively as Bonbeach White managed five and three in the same number of innings. Pakenham White hosts Sandringham on Saturday and Bonbeach White has a game against Cheltenham.
Sandringham Royals v BYE
Women's Division 3 West
Fitzroy Lions 21 v Geelong Baycats White 2
Fitzroy ran away with this game, securing a massive 21-2 win for their first of the season. The Lions are feeling confident after such a strong showing, a spirit they will hope to maintain heading into their big game against Sunshine this weekend. Geelong White has a bye before facing Sunshine in round five.
Sunshine Eagles 26 v Geelong Baycats Blue 9
Geelong Blue had their first loss of the year, going down to Sunshine 26-9.
The Eagles got out to a 10-run lead at the end of their second inning but another 14 runs from the fourth and fifth innings saw the lead continue to grow without much response, except the Baycats did score seven of their own in the bottom of the fifth.
Melissa Duxson started on the mound for Geelong Blue, seeing improvement from previous weeks while her relief Nyah O’Brien was on the mound for 2 ½ innings and kept the strong hitting side to their lowest inning total of two in the third.
The fielding efforts from Geelong Blue were something they commended themselves on, with the outfield holding runners up with long throws and the infield being able to prevent the runners from getting to their respective bases via the tag, of which Duxson had three playing third base.
North Western Titans v BYE
Springvale Lions 7 v Essendon Bombers 6
The grand-final rematch lived up to expectations as Springvale were behind by one heading into their last inning of the game.
However, the Lions spoiled the Bombers party as they found a way to see two runs cross the plate and overtake their opponents on the ladder after Round 3.
It was head coach Shae Lillywhite with a bases-clearing double that sent the Lions dugout into raptures.
Springvale remain without a loss this season while the reigning premiers slipped to third. Essendon prepares to host Doncaster while Springvale hosts Footscray in round four.
Doncaster Dragons 14 v Footscray Bulldogs 12
A hard-fought, high-scoring game between these two winless sides in 2019 ultimately produced a win for the away side with Doncaster beating Footscray 14-12.
The Bulldogs would be rueing a missed opportunity to snatch their first win of the season while the Dragons won their first game of the year. Footscray faces Springvale and Doncaster visits Essendon this Saturday.
Women's Division 2
Fitzroy Lions 5 v Footscray Bulldogs 12
The Lions had an early advantage over the Bulldogs early on, leading 4-0 heading into the bottom of the second.
But a combined 12-run effort in the second and third innings allowed Footscray to overcome to deficit and win 12-5 for their second victory of the season..
Springvale Lions 27 v Essendon Bombers 2
Springvale Lions are 3-0 after Round 3 after a blistering 27-2 win over Essendon on the weekend. The Lions turn their attention to Footscray for round four while Essendon will search for their first victory against Doncaster.
Wheelers Hill Warriors 3 v Doncaster Dragons 7
Doncaster Dragons were able to go 3-0 to start the season after a 7-3 win over Wheelers Hill Warriors. The Warriors are looking ahead to another chance at victory this weekend as they play Fitzroy while the Dragons will try and extend their winning streak to four.
Women's Division 3 East
Springvale Lions 7 v Moorabbin Panthers 16
Moorabbin has won back-to-back games after a convincing 16-7 victory over Springvale who slumped to a 0-2 start. The Panthers are on a mission and will look to keep up the momentum on Saturday against Waverley, while the Lions will look for a win vs. Doncaster.
Melbourne Demons 8 v Doncaster Dragons 7
A very close result between Melbourne and Doncaster on Saturday, the final result favouring the Demons as they came through with the 8-7 win. Ladder-leaders Melbourne are playing Mulgrave this weekend, while Doncaster is visiting Springvale.
Mulgrave Rebels v Waverley Wildcats
Waverley forfeited Saturday's game against Mulgrave.
Women's Division 3 South
Pakenham Pumas Black 3 v Berwick City Cougars 18
Pakenham Black are without a win in their first three games after suffering a heavy 18-3 defeat against Berwick City Cougars. The Pumas will try again against Bonbeach Blue this weekend while the Cougars have a bye.
Bonbeach Bluejays Blue 5 v Cheltenham Rustlers 8
In this top-of-the-table clash, each team were on two wins apiece heading into this matchup but it was Cheltenham that kept the wins coming through with an 8-5 win. The Rustlers will look to keep on rolling through round four when they play Bonbeach White while Bonbeach Blue faces Pakenham Black next.
Pakenham Pumas White 13 v Bonbeach Bluejays White 8
A game in which each dig provided plenty of runs ended in a 13-8 win for Pakenham White.
The Pumas scored six and seven runs in the first and second innings respectively as Bonbeach White managed five and three in the same number of innings. Pakenham White hosts Sandringham on Saturday and Bonbeach White has a game against Cheltenham.
Sandringham Royals v BYE
Women's Division 3 West
Fitzroy Lions 21 v Geelong Baycats White 2
Fitzroy ran away with this game, securing a massive 21-2 win for their first of the season. The Lions are feeling confident after such a strong showing, a spirit they will hope to maintain heading into their big game against Sunshine this weekend. Geelong White has a bye before facing Sunshine in round five.
Sunshine Eagles 26 v Geelong Baycats Blue 9
Geelong Blue had their first loss of the year, going down to Sunshine 26-9.
The Eagles got out to a 10-run lead at the end of their second inning but another 14 runs from the fourth and fifth innings saw the lead continue to grow without much response, except the Baycats did score seven of their own in the bottom of the fifth.
Melissa Duxson started on the mound for Geelong Blue, seeing improvement from previous weeks while her relief Nyah O’Brien was on the mound for 2 ½ innings and kept the strong hitting side to their lowest inning total of two in the third.
The fielding efforts from Geelong Blue were something they commended themselves on, with the outfield holding runners up with long throws and the infield being able to prevent the runners from getting to their respective bases via the tag, of which Duxson had three playing third base.
North Western Titans v BYE
After six months of planning, the brand new Sunraysia Baseball League (SBL) women’s competition made local baseball history with the opening game on Tuesday night.
Two local clubs, the Wanderers and the Eagles, answered the call to start a new women’s competition in the Mildura region, where the close-knit baseball community has been determined to get more females on the field.
“The game was great and it marks a new era for baseball in Sunraysia,” SBL President Nick Carroll said. “With the increased success of women’s sport in traditional male areas such as cricket and AFL and the continued strength of the new city-based women’s competitions and state teams, we thought it was time to give women’s baseball a try in Sunraysia.”
Carroll and SBL Vice President Brett Bertalli worked with local clubs to turn this bright idea into areality. “With women’s summer softball on the decline here, which shares the same diamonds as men’s winter baseball, an opportunity presented itself to undertake this new venture,” Carroll said.
After much planning and discussion, SBL decided on a Tuesday twilight format, which would complement Saturday softball and offer an alternative to women looking for something different.
The short introductory season will see the two teams play each other over a six-week period, culminating in a final in week seven to get an inaugural winner. Games are 90 minutes each with a maximum of five runs allowed per side each inning, placing a strong emphasis on fun, enjoyment and participation rather than the final score.
With many players trying baseball for the first time, the first game featured lots of team spirit and encouragement. While the Eagles won the first meeting 9-2, the players are concerned less with the score and more with promoting participation in women’s baseball and supporting the ladies who have decided to give it a go.
SBL is hopeful that the women’s competition will offer an avenue for girls and women to get active and enjoy themselves in a social setting, as well as strengthen existing baseball clubs and open up a new way to recruit players of all ages to baseball. “We hope to be able to put together a representative team down the track and also present an opportunity for girls to try-out for state teams in the future, should they so wish,” Carroll said. “We are planning for at least two more teams and then a junior girls grade (U14) if the competition can consolidate and then strengthen.”
Eagles Baseball Club President Andrew Law is confident that SBL is on the right path with this new endeavour. “The women’s competition is something we’ve been thinking about for a long time, it’s drawing in new members and growing our competition and supporter group,” Andrew said. “We hope to find more women that would be willing to participate for both our club and others in the competition, and we’d like to increase the number of teams.”
With 15 registered players so far, the Eagles have seen growing interest in the competition, with some mothers, partners and club members taking advantage of this chance to get on the field. They have also been recruiting to the wider Mildura community, encouraging girls and women to come give it a try.
After more than 15 years of volunteering and scoring in the sport, Kim Law has taken up this opportunity, heading onto the field for a fantastic time. As current club secretary for the Eagles and treasurer of SBL, Kim is no stranger to the game, but now she’s thoroughly enjoying her playing
experience alongside a mix of women, some who have played baseball or softball before and others who have never stepped foot on the diamond. “We had an absolute blast in our first game,” Kim said. “It was really well-received by all the players and the two clubs. It’s great that both teams cover all age groups, with some young players, mums and older people. It’s just nice to have a bit of a crack ourselves.”
Kim and her teammates are having fun while trying something new, as she just tried pitching at training and may give it a go on the mound in the coming weeks. “You never know, this might open doors for us further down the track. I just see it as a bonus and it’s great for the community to see that baseball is a viable sport in the area.”
After the success of the first game, Kim and her fellow female players are eager to see the competition grow. “We are hopeful that next season we can get the two other local clubs involved,” Kim said. “It’s just a continuation of winter baseball, we all love the game and want to carry it forward to the summer months as well.”
A great sense of teamwork makes the women’s competition a healthy and happy space for these players to challenge themselves and reach new accomplishments. “We’ve got a really good comradery so far as we had quite a few trainings leading up to the first game,” Kim said. “It doesn’t matter what your level is, everybody is very supportive and willing to lend a hand. We were encouraging not only to our own players but to the opposition. Coaches, umpires and players were all rallying around each other and the game was very inclusive of everybody regardless of their skills.”
Having a judgment-free zone where all players could enjoy themselves and give it their best shot made the game a memorable one, and the teams are hopeful that more girls and women will want to join in the fun. “It wasn’t do or die, it was just getting out there, having fun and participating which is the biggest thing,” Kim said. “We have to start somewhere, so we are starting small and aiming big. We know it can become bigger and better next year."
Stacey Twaddle is a coordinator and player for the Wanderers, and she found it really exciting to participate in the game she loves with a great group of women. "Everyone was pretty pumped to be part of the experience," Stacey said. "I think it gives us ladies the outlet to have a go instead of just being on the sidelines watching our partners, sons and family members. It's a good team sport to be involved in."
Stacey, who was the second pitcher for the Wanderers in Tuesday's game, is looking forward to the rest of the season and hopefully getting some more participants along. "We include everybody and we have a good time, no skills necessary," Stacey said. "We roll with it as we go along. We'd love to see other teams participate and it will be good to grow the sport in Sunraysia."
Stacey Twaddle is a coordinator and player for the Wanderers, and she found it really exciting to participate in the game she loves with a great group of women. "Everyone was pretty pumped to be part of the experience," Stacey said. "I think it gives us ladies the outlet to have a go instead of just being on the sidelines watching our partners, sons and family members. It's a good team sport to be involved in."
Stacey, who was the second pitcher for the Wanderers in Tuesday's game, is looking forward to the rest of the season and hopefully getting some more participants along. "We include everybody and we have a good time, no skills necessary," Stacey said. "We roll with it as we go along. We'd love to see other teams participate and it will be good to grow the sport in Sunraysia."
Earlier this year, Baseball Victoria introduced a new initiative aimed at encouraging and promoting respect for umpires, and we need more people to Take the Pledge!
Umpires dedicate their time and energy to making baseball games possible at a variety of levels, from juniors to seniors and masters, and it's only fair that they are respected and treated kindly. In an effort to demonstrate greater respect for umpires, BV asked all Victorian baseball clubs across winter and summer, as well as winter associations and charters, to Take the Pledge to Respect Umpires.
Members of the Victorian baseball community have come together in support of this cause, with more than a dozen clubs signing the pledge and getting involved in this effort that benefits everyone who loves baseball in Victoria. Clubs were asked to send in photos of their signed pledges to be entered into a draw for a $250 Ausport Superstore gift voucher. There's still a number of clubs who have yet to Take the Pledge, and we would love to see these clubs make this important show of support for the umpires who give so much to the game.
The Take the Pledge drawing is scheduled for 7 November 2019, so all clubs who wish to participate and haven't yet done so should Take the Pledge and send photos in to Baseball Victoria for a chance to win the $250 Ausport Superstore gift voucher!
It's been wonderful to see the support thus far for Take the Pledge, and we hope to see more clubs, associations and charters sign the pledges in the next few weeks leading into the drawing for such a fantastic prize.
Please read the full letter regarding Take the Pledge HERE.
Baseball Victoria would like to thank the following clubs and associations that have Taken the Pledge to Respect Umpires:
Chelsea Stewart has a big and bright future in baseball ahead of her. After a huge year representing her state on the 2019 Victorian Youth Women’s Team and taking out a premiership victory with Melbourne University, the 15-year-old is ready for the summer season.
Chelsea first started playing five years ago after watching baseball with her dad, a former player, and the rest of her family. She went to a come and try day at Essendon Baseball Club, where she fell in love with the sport and never looked back. Chelsea has been playing winter baseball for Melbourne University, and she recently transferred to Doncaster Baseball Club where she will start the next chapter of her summer baseball journey.
Baseball Leader in the Making
As a pitcher and infielder, Chelsea likes the challenge of being out on the field and testing her skills. “I really love improving my skills, making new friends and bonding with my teammates,” Chelsea said. “I love growing as a person and a baseball player.”
That’s exactly what Chelsea will look to do in the 2019/20 VSBL season with Doncaster, where she will be eager to continue training hard and gaining confidence playing against fellow female athletes in the VSBL Women’s Division 2 competition. “I’m excited to get more experience, have a good summer and keep improving,” Chelsea said.
With baseball training three times a week in addition to a few sessions of personal training at the gym, Chelsea is committed to getting better all the time. These efforts are all part of the pathway to get to where she wants to be one day: playing for Victoria Blue in the Australian Open Women’s Championships as well as wearing gold and green for the Australian Emeralds. “There’s always things like the national tournament and training programs that have really helped me and a lot of other people I know improve.”
Chelsea has played on the Victorian Youth Women’s team for the past three years, giving her a taste of competing on the national stage as well as the chance to collect a gold medal in 2018 and a bronze medal earlier this year. She had the opportunity to take on more of a leadership role, helping
out and encouraging the younger girls as they grew together as a team. “Us older girls helped a lot of the younger girls with less experience to kind of push through and improve in their own mental and baseball skills,” Chelsea said. “This showed in the tournament, especially in the last few games.”
Now equipped with enhanced leadership skills, Chelsea is feeling more confident and capable both on and off the field than ever before. After leading the tournament in strikeouts across her two starts and one relief pitching appearance, Chelsea knows how to keep her col and remain calm even in high-pressure situations. Whether it’s starting on the mound in the bronze medal game at the Australian Youth Women’s Championships or chasing a hard-fought Grand Final win with Melbourne Uni, Chelsea is determined to get the job done. “I was quite happy with winning the premiership, and it definitely helps that the coaches are absolutely amazing,” Chelsea said. “I had more confidence in the winter season."
Pursuing Her Baseball Dreams
With the support of her family and friends, Chelsea has been able to take her baseball journey to the next level, playing for premierships and state teams while also visiting America with the Victorian Kookaburras. Through it all, Chelsea is thrilled to see her pitching, batting and fielding continue to improve, especially as she looks toward upcoming tryouts for the state team in a few months’ time. Chelsea is even encouraging her friends to join in the fun. “It’s a really good experience and everyone improves a lot from the first training,” Chelsea said. “It really helps you physically and mentally while giving you good accomplishments.”
Chelsea is looking forward to training with the female role models she looks up to, including Bronwyn Gell, Ursula Howard and Abbey Kelly. “Bronwyn has always helped me with my training, and Ursula has really helped me improve on my skills since the first time I tried out for the state team. She’s really encouraging of everyone,” Chelsea said.
While the majority of her time is spent at baseball, Chelsea does enjoy listening to music, playing guitar and hanging out with friends. She loves the fact that baseball has introduced her to so many friends she can make long-lasting memories with. “I like that baseball gives you that opportunity to make friends on and off the field, and it helps you develop as a person,” Chelsea said. “It’s a good learning experience.“
Pursuing Her Baseball Dreams
With the support of her family and friends, Chelsea has been able to take her baseball journey to the next level, playing for premierships and state teams while also visiting America with the Victorian Kookaburras. Through it all, Chelsea is thrilled to see her pitching, batting and fielding continue to improve, especially as she looks toward upcoming tryouts for the state team in a few months’ time. Chelsea is even encouraging her friends to join in the fun. “It’s a really good experience and everyone improves a lot from the first training,” Chelsea said. “It really helps you physically and mentally while giving you good accomplishments.”
Chelsea is looking forward to training with the female role models she looks up to, including Bronwyn Gell, Ursula Howard and Abbey Kelly. “Bronwyn has always helped me with my training, and Ursula has really helped me improve on my skills since the first time I tried out for the state team. She’s really encouraging of everyone,” Chelsea said.
While the majority of her time is spent at baseball, Chelsea does enjoy listening to music, playing guitar and hanging out with friends. She loves the fact that baseball has introduced her to so many friends she can make long-lasting memories with. “I like that baseball gives you that opportunity to make friends on and off the field, and it helps you develop as a person,” Chelsea said. “It’s a good learning experience.“
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 competition continued on Sunday with some big matchups. There's five undefeated teams remaining as round four approaches: Melbourne Demons and Waverley Wildcats Black in the East, North Coburg Rebels Gold and Footscray White in the North West and Berwick City Cougars in the South.
DIVISION FOUR EAST
Malvern Braves 1 v Melbourne Demons 15
Melbourne kept their unbeaten streak alive with a strong showing against Malvern who got the first run of the game but didn’t score after.
Melbourne fought back in the bottom of the first with two runs, the second on a wild pitch, before connecting bat with ball many more times over the course of the game.
Seven runs came in the second and five in the fourth as they were strong on defense as well. Doug Miller took the loss for the Braves, allowing three hits and nine runs on two innings while Leah Trebilcock went 1-for-3 at the plate to lead Malvern in hits. Pat Cotter was the star on the hill for Melbourne.
St Kilda Saints 7 v Waverley Wildcats Black 13
The Wildcats won't go down without a fight, and their determination on the field has earned them a nice 3-0 start to the season. The Saints put in plenty of offensive efforts of their own, but it wasn't enough to overpower the Wildcats. Waverley visits Fitzroy Lions Gold on Sunday while St Kilda takes on Waverley Wildcats Red.
Fitzroy Lions Gold 11 v Monash University Farmers 11
From the outset, this was going to be close and it was proved when the teams scored two runs each in the first.
Fitzroy would’ve thought their seven runs in the second would be enough of a lead to hold onto but Monash Uni had a different idea, firstly scoring five in the third.
With the score at 9-7 the Lions way, they improved their margin with another two runs and went back into the field to contain the lead.
The Farmers though, grinded and fought hard and wouldn’t let themselves be beat, settling for a draw and splitting the points as four runs came through.
Waverley Wildcats Red 0 v Blackburn Orioles 0
Waverley forfeited the game, giving Blackburn their first "W" of the season. The Wildcats are set to face St Kilda while Blackburn visits Malvern on Sunday.
NORTH WEST
Footscray Bulldogs Blue 8 v Fitzroy Lions Blue 11
A tight affair with the breakout inning coming from Fitzroy Blue in the fourth – seven runs.
Fitzroy had the advantage on Footscray Blue deep into the game, holding an 11-2 lead heading into the sixth.
A strong fightback from Footscray Blue saw six runs be scored as they fell short of catching up to Fitzroy Blue.
Essendon Jets 4 v Mitchell Majors Yellow 13
Mitchell Majors Yellow started well with five runs in the first in response to Essendon’s one run to get proceedings underway.
Essendon helped cut the margin to a 5-4 in the second and the game still remained up for grabs in the fifth when the scoreline read 6-4 in favour of Mitchell Majors Yellow.
Essendon couldn’t find any runs in the fifth as Mitchell Majors Yellow piled on seven to show a strong victory on the scoresheet.
Footscray Bulldogs White 12 v Essendon Bombers 3
A great defensive effort from Footscray Bulldogs White didn’t allow Essendon’s offensive efforts to be too out of hand, collecting just three runs in five innings.
Footscray White on the other hand looked strong across each of their batting digs but they confirmed the result when they batted six runs in in the fifth to win comfortably and still maintain an unbeaten record.
Footscray Bulldogs Red 17 v North Coburg Rebels Maroon 0
Footscray Red were all across their opponents on Sunday, not allowing a single North Coburg Maroon run to score.
Instead, Footscray Red recorded 17 after six-run innings either side of the game in the first and fifth innings, seeing North Coburg Maroon 0-3 at the end of the round.
North Coburg Rebels Gold 17 v Mitchell Majors Black 5
North Coburg Gold got out to a 13-run lead before Mitchell Majors Black scored at the bottom of the third.
From there, each team scored a few runs in the following three innings but the result was put beyond reach already and sees North Coburg Gold on top of the ladder.
Fitzroy Lions Maroon v BYE
SOUTH
Moorabbin Panthers 2 v Monash University Farmers 19
The stage was set early for the Farmers who didn’t see the Panthers score until the last inning of the game, putting 12 on the board before that point.
Even though Moorabbin got two runs in the sixth, it wouldn’t stop Monash Uni from inflicting more pain on the Panthers, creating another dig of chances that resulted in seven runs coming across.
Monash Uni remain second without a loss while Moorabbin’s scoreline reads the other way at 0-2. With two home runs in this game, the Farmers will be looking to continue such strong efforts moving forward.
Berwick City Cougars 17 v Pakenham Pumas 3
A big lead was growing for Berwick City as a seven-run first dig and five-run fourth inning contributed to 16-run lead going into Pakenham’s fourth inning.
The Pumas brought in three runs in that inning but again, the Cougars responded with another run in the fifth and the defense stood tall at the end of the game in Pakenham’s last dig to start 3-0 while the Pumas are still without a win.
Ormond Glenhuntly v BYE
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 3 season features some highly competitive teams, with Springvale Lions leading the way with a 3-0 record in both the firsts and reserves. Six teams are chasing premiership glory, and there's still 16 rounds left to go as the stellar summer season continues.
Division 3 Firsts
North Western Titans 8 v Chelseas Dolphins 15
A great game by both teams with runs aplenty in many of the innings but it was Chelsea who held more of a leverage early on and celebrated their first win of the season.
Chelsea scored seven within the first two innings while the Titans run came in their fourth inning when they had three runs come in and the 6-9 scoreline was within reach.
However, Titans would only score another two in the following five innings when the Dolphins ran in an extra six, leaving the away team stranded without a win. Even so, Christian Cameron had an amazing day batting, with five hits including two doubles. Dan Holmes and Danny Haymes contributed hits of their own too.
Shane Jeffrey and Cameron Hubbard both had three hits for Chelsea, with the latter knocking in five runs. Kyle Burton and Trent Wilford were also big contributors for Chelsea.
Pakenham Pumas 2 v Springvale Lions 12
A sluggish game from both teams saw the scores at 3-2 Springvale’s way heading into the bottom of the sixth.
The Lions got on the board early with two and one runs in the first two innings, before Pakenham struck at the top of six.
The Pumas couldn’t control a big hitting effort from Springvale though, giving up seven runs and then another two in the next inning.
It was Pakenham’s first loss of the season while Springvale remain unbeaten. Matt Cameron had three singles while Neal Cavanagh contributed a pair of doubles to keep Springvale moving in the right direction. The Lions' lineup was on fire with hits scattered throughout the nine for a total of 13 hits in the game.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 19 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 7
The two Hunters teams met for an exciting matchup in which the Blue side had more to offer offensively. OGH Blue has two wins and a draw ahead of round four against North Western Titans, while OGH Gold is 1-2 leading up to their game at Pakenham this Sunday.
Division 3 Seconds
North Western Titans 1 v Chelsea Dolphins 27
The tally of runs Chelsea were scoring was getting progressively bigger with each passing inning – four in the first, 10 in the second and 13 in the third.
In positive signs for North Western Titans, they did score a run in the third to disallow Chelsea from having a clean sheet.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 12 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 13
The Hunters put on a fabulous show for their home supporters as both sides battled hard. Ultimately OGH Gold Reserves escaped with a one-run lead. Both teams are now 2-1 going into round four when OGH Blue hosts North Western Titans and OGH Gold goes to Pakenham.
Pakenham Pumas 2 v Springvale Lions 8
A four-run effort from Springvale in their first inning provided the grounding of this game as Pakenham couldn’t get enough runs back.
The Lions added four in the next three innings to lead 7-1 but Pakenham got one back in the sixth.
Division 3 Firsts
North Western Titans 8 v Chelseas Dolphins 15
A great game by both teams with runs aplenty in many of the innings but it was Chelsea who held more of a leverage early on and celebrated their first win of the season.
Chelsea scored seven within the first two innings while the Titans run came in their fourth inning when they had three runs come in and the 6-9 scoreline was within reach.
However, Titans would only score another two in the following five innings when the Dolphins ran in an extra six, leaving the away team stranded without a win. Even so, Christian Cameron had an amazing day batting, with five hits including two doubles. Dan Holmes and Danny Haymes contributed hits of their own too.
Shane Jeffrey and Cameron Hubbard both had three hits for Chelsea, with the latter knocking in five runs. Kyle Burton and Trent Wilford were also big contributors for Chelsea.
Pakenham Pumas 2 v Springvale Lions 12
A sluggish game from both teams saw the scores at 3-2 Springvale’s way heading into the bottom of the sixth.
The Lions got on the board early with two and one runs in the first two innings, before Pakenham struck at the top of six.
The Pumas couldn’t control a big hitting effort from Springvale though, giving up seven runs and then another two in the next inning.
It was Pakenham’s first loss of the season while Springvale remain unbeaten. Matt Cameron had three singles while Neal Cavanagh contributed a pair of doubles to keep Springvale moving in the right direction. The Lions' lineup was on fire with hits scattered throughout the nine for a total of 13 hits in the game.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 19 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 7
The two Hunters teams met for an exciting matchup in which the Blue side had more to offer offensively. OGH Blue has two wins and a draw ahead of round four against North Western Titans, while OGH Gold is 1-2 leading up to their game at Pakenham this Sunday.
Division 3 Seconds
North Western Titans 1 v Chelsea Dolphins 27
The tally of runs Chelsea were scoring was getting progressively bigger with each passing inning – four in the first, 10 in the second and 13 in the third.
In positive signs for North Western Titans, they did score a run in the third to disallow Chelsea from having a clean sheet.
Ormond Glenhuntly Blue 12 v Ormond Glenhuntly Gold 13
The Hunters put on a fabulous show for their home supporters as both sides battled hard. Ultimately OGH Gold Reserves escaped with a one-run lead. Both teams are now 2-1 going into round four when OGH Blue hosts North Western Titans and OGH Gold goes to Pakenham.
Pakenham Pumas 2 v Springvale Lions 8
A four-run effort from Springvale in their first inning provided the grounding of this game as Pakenham couldn’t get enough runs back.
The Lions added four in the next three innings to lead 7-1 but Pakenham got one back in the sixth.
Round three of the 2019/20 VSBL Division 2 season featured some strong showings and surprise results as Williamstown, Moorabbin and Port Melbourne managed to secure 3-0 starts to the season. Moorabbin's four senior teams have yet to lose as the competition continues, with plenty of fantastic baseball action remaining over the course of the season.
Division 2 Firsts
3 5
Werribee lost the lead late in a 5-3 defeat to Malvern on Sunday, giving the Braves their first win of the season as they avoided the sweep.
Photo: Malvern Braves Baseball Club - Facebook
Malvern got things moving in the first inning when Ryan Dale tripled on a 1-2 count, followed up by a Mitch Kennedy double on a 3-2 count to score one run.
Werribee tied things up in the fourth inning when Justin Gil scored from third on a wild pitch. The Giants took the lead in the sixth inning after a bases loaded walk to Wade Balzer was followed up by a single from Trent Pantalleresco to left field scoring another run to make it 3-1.
Going into the eighth inning Werribee led 3-2. But after a Gavin Woolger sacrifice fly, a Lachlan Fuda single and a wild pitch Malvern had the lead of 5-3 - a deficit that Werribee couldn’t make up for as the game finished in the Braves' favour.
Kennedy was the winning pitcher for Malvern Braves. He allowed two hits and zero runs over three and two-thirds innings, striking out four and walking zero as he didn’t waste any time from facing 17 batters. Joshua Brown threw one-third of an inning in relief out of the bullpen.
Josh Lee took the loss for Werribee Giants. He lasted one inning, allowing three hits and three runs while striking out one.
Tyler Dale started the game for Malvern. He surrendered one run on one hit over five innings, striking out two and walking one. Wesley DeJong started the game for Werribee. He went seven innings, and facing 27 batters he allowed two runs on four hits, striking out four and walking one.
Trent Pantalleresco led Werribee with two hits in four at bats including an RBI. Justin Gil scored two runs and Wesley De Jong got one of the Giants' three.
Malvern’s Fuda and R. Dale all managed multiple hits for Malvern with the latter recording two runs. Chris Burke had two runs too while Woolger hit two sacrifice flys that each resulted in runs crossing the plate.
Werribee lost the lead late in a 5-3 defeat to Malvern on Sunday, giving the Braves their first win of the season as they avoided the sweep.
Photo: Malvern Braves Baseball Club - Facebook
Malvern got things moving in the first inning when Ryan Dale tripled on a 1-2 count, followed up by a Mitch Kennedy double on a 3-2 count to score one run.
Werribee tied things up in the fourth inning when Justin Gil scored from third on a wild pitch. The Giants took the lead in the sixth inning after a bases loaded walk to Wade Balzer was followed up by a single from Trent Pantalleresco to left field scoring another run to make it 3-1.
Going into the eighth inning Werribee led 3-2. But after a Gavin Woolger sacrifice fly, a Lachlan Fuda single and a wild pitch Malvern had the lead of 5-3 - a deficit that Werribee couldn’t make up for as the game finished in the Braves' favour.
Kennedy was the winning pitcher for Malvern Braves. He allowed two hits and zero runs over three and two-thirds innings, striking out four and walking zero as he didn’t waste any time from facing 17 batters. Joshua Brown threw one-third of an inning in relief out of the bullpen.
Josh Lee took the loss for Werribee Giants. He lasted one inning, allowing three hits and three runs while striking out one.
Tyler Dale started the game for Malvern. He surrendered one run on one hit over five innings, striking out two and walking one. Wesley DeJong started the game for Werribee. He went seven innings, and facing 27 batters he allowed two runs on four hits, striking out four and walking one.
Trent Pantalleresco led Werribee with two hits in four at bats including an RBI. Justin Gil scored two runs and Wesley De Jong got one of the Giants' three.
Malvern’s Fuda and R. Dale all managed multiple hits for Malvern with the latter recording two runs. Chris Burke had two runs too while Woolger hit two sacrifice flys that each resulted in runs crossing the plate.
5 6
The Panthers were briefly worried about giving up their undefeated run this season as the Rebels looked set to win their first game of the year, but Moorabbin held on for a victory and a 3-0 start.
Adam Harris was good for Moorabbin with three hits including a double, two RBI’s and a run. Zach Kamerman also brought in two runs from his one hit. Ben Laux was a multiple run scorer for the Panthers.
Kamerman pitched two innings for one hit and four strikeouts from facing seven batters, highlighting a tough defense.
Caleb Poole did his bit for the Rebels with three RBI’s from his three hits including a home run.
Liam Richardson was on the mound for 5.2 innings and recorded six strikeouts and one earned run.
5 6
The Panthers were briefly worried about giving up their undefeated run this season as the Rebels looked set to win their first game of the year, but Moorabbin held on for a victory and a 3-0 start.
Adam Harris was good for Moorabbin with three hits including a double, two RBI’s and a run. Zach Kamerman also brought in two runs from his one hit. Ben Laux was a multiple run scorer for the Panthers.
Kamerman pitched two innings for one hit and four strikeouts from facing seven batters, highlighting a tough defense.
Caleb Poole did his bit for the Rebels with three RBI’s from his three hits including a home run.
Liam Richardson was on the mound for 5.2 innings and recorded six strikeouts and one earned run.
2 12
Going into the second inning, the scores were tied one-apeice, but after that, Port Melbourne got the upper hand.
A four-run effort in the second as well as a five-run inning in the fifth allowed the Mariners to go up by nine runs.
Bonbeach cut the lead briefly in their seventh inning but it wasn’t enough as the Mariners kept charging with another two in the eighth.
Adam Shoppe scored for Bonbeach and Matthew Bucci hit beyond the fence for a home run. Aaron Petri, Chris Doyle and Ryan Lea were each scored two runs for Port Melbourne.
Sam Morris responded to the Bonbeach homer with one himself bringing in two runs. Jack White had three RBI’s. Petri also pitched six innings for three hits and one run but had five strikeouts.
9 16
A late nine-run rally in the seventh was what Preston needed to overpower St Kilda.
Before that, the Saints were up 8-7 and looked strong after a four-run fifth inning. Beyond the eighth St Kilda had work to do and in the end their lineup only cut the deficit by one.
Matt Fordham had three hits from three at bats including a two-base effort as well as seeing the ball well with three base on balls.
Fordham, Cameron Deeble and Glenn Farrell scored three runs each while Adrian Fittock brought in four runs with three at bats.
Nick Pascuzzi pitched four innings giving up three runs while Cameron Deeble finished with a 0.00 ERA from three hits.
10 0
Williamstown got off to a hot start in this game, bringing two runs in in their first dig, and their defense kept Doncaster to zero as they kept themselves in top spot on the Division Two ladder.
Williamstown confirmed the result would end up their way with an eight-run stretch in the fourth inning.
Only one player on the Wolves list couldn’t manage a score but Sean Best and Jason McDonald each ended the game with a batting percentage of 1.000.
McDonald had three RBI’s from his two at bats while Daniel Chircop had two RBI’s as a result of his double.
Dennis Neal kept up a perfect season thus far on the mound. In five innings he gave away three hits but kept the runners on base with no runs coming past. He took his strikeout count to 20 for the season with another five on Sunday.
Nic Unland made the most of his plate appearances with a two-base hit while Luke Utting was on the mound for two innings and gave up one hit for no runs with two strikeouts.
Division 2 Reserves
7 7
Werribee and Malvern drew after a close contest. Malvern opened up scoring in the second inning when Ryan Othen singled on a 2-2 count, scoring one run. Werribee answered and eventually took the lead, and it wasn't until the bottom of the sixth that Malvern evened things up at seven when Jack Hanger singled on a 1-0 count, scoring one run.
Malvern saw the ball well today, tallying 12 hits in the game. Othen, Tim Maginn, Chris Wall and Ashton Scott all managed two hits to lead Malvern. Harry Garrett was a standout for Werribee, with three quality hits including a blazing triple to the right field fence.
7 9
Moorabbin overcame a 7-3 deficit in the fourth inning to claim a two-run win over Mulgrave.
The Panthers got out to a lead first scoring one in the second but a collective seven runs in the third and fourth for the Rebels saw a strong lead.
Six runs from Moorabbin in the fourth inning was exactly what they needed to maintain an unbeaten streak this season while Mulgrave rue the missed opportunity to record their first win of the season, camped on the bottom of the ladder.
5 6
Each team were 1-1 heading into this matchup and at the end of the day, Port Melbourne won in a close one.
The Mariners left it late despite starting strongly with a 3-0 lead taken all the way until the fifth inning.
Bonbeach took the lead with four runs in the fifth and kept Port Melbourne to zero in their respective dig before scoring another to take their lead to two.
However, Bonbeach couldn’t shut out the game as Port Melbourne won with three runs in the sixth.
6 7
In this game which had the lead change multiple times, it was Preston who won it in the bottom of the sixth.
St Kilda drew first blood in the first until Preston scored two in their second inning.
Scores were tied heading into Preston’s fourth inning and that was where the Pirates scored four to take a nice lead which they held until the top of six where the Saints responded to tie the scores yet again.
In a tense bottom dig for Preston, they found a way to score a run and celebrated the win.
18 3
The Wolves were unstoppable on Sunday, putting together a terrific day of offense to pull away from the Dragons. Williamstown is 2-1 and Doncaster is 1-2 as these teams look ahead to their next series against Port Melbourne and Mulgrave, respectively.
Division 2 Thirds
1 6
St Kilda were steady in their approach to scoring in Round 3 where they scored one run in each of the first three innings before finding more coming across the plate in the fourth inning that saw them extend their lead to six.
Preston got on the board in the seventh but just scored one, handing St Kilda with their first win of the season and Preston’s first loss.
16 1
Port Melbourne wasted no time getting on the board, eager to overcome their 9-7 loss to Bonbeach the week before. The Bluejays didn't have much offensive production to offer on Sunday, something they will look to change as they visit Malvern in round four. Port Melbourne hosts Williamstown on Sunday.
26 2
A progressive effort from the whole team in Moorabbin went a long way to their commanding win over Bonbeach.
Never slowing down, the Panthers scored six runs in each of their first three innings as Bonbeach scored one in the each of the first and third.
Despite the 18-2 lead heading into the fourth, Moorabbin didn’t feel like stopping there, amassing another eight runs proving they’re tough to contain.
13 7
Malvern had to fight for their win over Werribee after falling behind 5-2 going into the third inning.
Five runs in the third and another six in the fourth was enough to power past the Giants who only managed another two in their fourth.
12 9
Doncaster had a massive victory on Sunday, overpowering Williamstown for their second win of the season. Doncaster won the first game by one run, while Williamstown won the second 16-3. It's been a great series between these two teams, showing that both have the potential to score a lot of runs and get the job done at the plate.
Division 2 Fourths
10 11
Scores were tied at nine-apeice at the end of the second, highlighting an enormous want from both teams to score early.
From there though, Preston couldn’t continue past its nine-run effort in the second with St Kilda gaining a two-run lead, and victory, from their next two batting efforts.
7 5
Geelong escaped round three with an undefeated record intact after getting the upper hand over Bonbeach. The Bluejays visit Malvern Braves on Sunday while Geelong and Williamstown go toe-to-toe in a big matchup on Saturday.
10 7
Moorabbin scored their runs consistently throughout the third to fifth inning period, getting all of their 10 runs in that time.
Mulgrave led the way with three runs in the first and responded to each of Moorabbin’s threats early, gaining the lead back in the third and tying in the fourth but unfortunately for the Panthers, not after the fifth.
19 1
A huge 11-run dig at the top of the first set up the Braves second win of the season, adding another four in the second before Werribee got their one and only at the bottom of two.
Malvern added on another four runs to their score throughout the next two innings to take the win.
5 12
Williamstown won the premiership last year, and their dominance thus far this season is a reminder of how powerful this team is. When this lineup gets on a roll, they are hard to stop and slow down. Williamstown is 3-0 along with Geelong and Moorabbin.
2 12
Going into the second inning, the scores were tied one-apeice, but after that, Port Melbourne got the upper hand.
A four-run effort in the second as well as a five-run inning in the fifth allowed the Mariners to go up by nine runs.
Bonbeach cut the lead briefly in their seventh inning but it wasn’t enough as the Mariners kept charging with another two in the eighth.
Adam Shoppe scored for Bonbeach and Matthew Bucci hit beyond the fence for a home run. Aaron Petri, Chris Doyle and Ryan Lea were each scored two runs for Port Melbourne.
Sam Morris responded to the Bonbeach homer with one himself bringing in two runs. Jack White had three RBI’s. Petri also pitched six innings for three hits and one run but had five strikeouts.
9 16
A late nine-run rally in the seventh was what Preston needed to overpower St Kilda.
Before that, the Saints were up 8-7 and looked strong after a four-run fifth inning. Beyond the eighth St Kilda had work to do and in the end their lineup only cut the deficit by one.
Matt Fordham had three hits from three at bats including a two-base effort as well as seeing the ball well with three base on balls.
Fordham, Cameron Deeble and Glenn Farrell scored three runs each while Adrian Fittock brought in four runs with three at bats.
Nick Pascuzzi pitched four innings giving up three runs while Cameron Deeble finished with a 0.00 ERA from three hits.
10 0
Williamstown got off to a hot start in this game, bringing two runs in in their first dig, and their defense kept Doncaster to zero as they kept themselves in top spot on the Division Two ladder.
Williamstown confirmed the result would end up their way with an eight-run stretch in the fourth inning.
Only one player on the Wolves list couldn’t manage a score but Sean Best and Jason McDonald each ended the game with a batting percentage of 1.000.
McDonald had three RBI’s from his two at bats while Daniel Chircop had two RBI’s as a result of his double.
Dennis Neal kept up a perfect season thus far on the mound. In five innings he gave away three hits but kept the runners on base with no runs coming past. He took his strikeout count to 20 for the season with another five on Sunday.
Nic Unland made the most of his plate appearances with a two-base hit while Luke Utting was on the mound for two innings and gave up one hit for no runs with two strikeouts.
Division 2 Reserves
7 7
Werribee and Malvern drew after a close contest. Malvern opened up scoring in the second inning when Ryan Othen singled on a 2-2 count, scoring one run. Werribee answered and eventually took the lead, and it wasn't until the bottom of the sixth that Malvern evened things up at seven when Jack Hanger singled on a 1-0 count, scoring one run.
Malvern saw the ball well today, tallying 12 hits in the game. Othen, Tim Maginn, Chris Wall and Ashton Scott all managed two hits to lead Malvern. Harry Garrett was a standout for Werribee, with three quality hits including a blazing triple to the right field fence.
7 9
Moorabbin overcame a 7-3 deficit in the fourth inning to claim a two-run win over Mulgrave.
The Panthers got out to a lead first scoring one in the second but a collective seven runs in the third and fourth for the Rebels saw a strong lead.
Six runs from Moorabbin in the fourth inning was exactly what they needed to maintain an unbeaten streak this season while Mulgrave rue the missed opportunity to record their first win of the season, camped on the bottom of the ladder.
5 6
Each team were 1-1 heading into this matchup and at the end of the day, Port Melbourne won in a close one.
The Mariners left it late despite starting strongly with a 3-0 lead taken all the way until the fifth inning.
Bonbeach took the lead with four runs in the fifth and kept Port Melbourne to zero in their respective dig before scoring another to take their lead to two.
However, Bonbeach couldn’t shut out the game as Port Melbourne won with three runs in the sixth.
6 7
In this game which had the lead change multiple times, it was Preston who won it in the bottom of the sixth.
St Kilda drew first blood in the first until Preston scored two in their second inning.
Scores were tied heading into Preston’s fourth inning and that was where the Pirates scored four to take a nice lead which they held until the top of six where the Saints responded to tie the scores yet again.
In a tense bottom dig for Preston, they found a way to score a run and celebrated the win.
18 3
The Wolves were unstoppable on Sunday, putting together a terrific day of offense to pull away from the Dragons. Williamstown is 2-1 and Doncaster is 1-2 as these teams look ahead to their next series against Port Melbourne and Mulgrave, respectively.
Division 2 Thirds
1 6
St Kilda were steady in their approach to scoring in Round 3 where they scored one run in each of the first three innings before finding more coming across the plate in the fourth inning that saw them extend their lead to six.
Preston got on the board in the seventh but just scored one, handing St Kilda with their first win of the season and Preston’s first loss.
16 1
Port Melbourne wasted no time getting on the board, eager to overcome their 9-7 loss to Bonbeach the week before. The Bluejays didn't have much offensive production to offer on Sunday, something they will look to change as they visit Malvern in round four. Port Melbourne hosts Williamstown on Sunday.
26 2
A progressive effort from the whole team in Moorabbin went a long way to their commanding win over Bonbeach.
Never slowing down, the Panthers scored six runs in each of their first three innings as Bonbeach scored one in the each of the first and third.
Despite the 18-2 lead heading into the fourth, Moorabbin didn’t feel like stopping there, amassing another eight runs proving they’re tough to contain.
13 7
Malvern had to fight for their win over Werribee after falling behind 5-2 going into the third inning.
Five runs in the third and another six in the fourth was enough to power past the Giants who only managed another two in their fourth.
12 9
Doncaster had a massive victory on Sunday, overpowering Williamstown for their second win of the season. Doncaster won the first game by one run, while Williamstown won the second 16-3. It's been a great series between these two teams, showing that both have the potential to score a lot of runs and get the job done at the plate.
Division 2 Fourths
10 11
Scores were tied at nine-apeice at the end of the second, highlighting an enormous want from both teams to score early.
From there though, Preston couldn’t continue past its nine-run effort in the second with St Kilda gaining a two-run lead, and victory, from their next two batting efforts.
7 5
Geelong escaped round three with an undefeated record intact after getting the upper hand over Bonbeach. The Bluejays visit Malvern Braves on Sunday while Geelong and Williamstown go toe-to-toe in a big matchup on Saturday.
10 7
Moorabbin scored their runs consistently throughout the third to fifth inning period, getting all of their 10 runs in that time.
Mulgrave led the way with three runs in the first and responded to each of Moorabbin’s threats early, gaining the lead back in the third and tying in the fourth but unfortunately for the Panthers, not after the fifth.
19 1
A huge 11-run dig at the top of the first set up the Braves second win of the season, adding another four in the second before Werribee got their one and only at the bottom of two.
Malvern added on another four runs to their score throughout the next two innings to take the win.
5 12
Williamstown won the premiership last year, and their dominance thus far this season is a reminder of how powerful this team is. When this lineup gets on a roll, they are hard to stop and slow down. Williamstown is 3-0 along with Geelong and Moorabbin.
The 2019/20 VSBL Division 1 season continued over the weekend for round three, which saw Blackburn, Essendon, Melbourne and Sunshine secure 3-0 starts. There were some fantastic results with walk-off wins and pitchers duels as the summer season heats up and teams look to start off strong. There's 24 rounds left to go as Div 1 teams chase their premiership dreams with the support of their community clubs.
Division 1 Firsts
2 3
The Royals have lost three tough ones in a row after dropping their recent game at Berwick City. Berwick won in thrilling fashion with a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth on a double from Aidan Willis. Although Sandringham fought hard, they couldn't stop the Cougars from coming back to win it at the end.
Craig Barnett pitched well for Berwick, covering seven innings with 87 pitches as he allowed nine hits and two earned runs with five strikeouts. He also had two hits of his own at the plate.
With his winning ways, Willis had two hits and a walk, while Alex Clark, Bradley McClain, Bradley Kmet, Nick O'Shea, Aaron Ouwehand and Lucas Taylor all added singles to the mix.
The tight scoreline was supported by the superb pitching efforts of Sam Street, who hurled seven innings with six hits, two walks, two earned runs and 10 strikeouts. His teammates backed him up with a handful of hits, as Harrison Wills and Cody Anderson each had a pair of base hits while Branden Stenhouse smashed two doubles. Tim Lane, Paul Rutgers, Will Tucker and Jack Wills all got on base with good at-bats, something Sandringham will look to continue doing as they search for their elusive first win in round four. The Royals host the second game against a Berwick side that's now tied with Waverley at 2-1.
0 1
The 2018/19 VSBL Division 1 champions show no signs of slowing down anytime soon after overcoming Geelong in a quick game highlighted by quality pitching. Blackburn won their third game in a row thanks to the superb pitching efforts of Scott Mitchinson, who threw 70 pitches across seven innings with just two hits allowed and 13 first-pitch strikes. Mitchinson handed the ball over to Rowan Johnston and Blake Hodgson to complete the shutout in commanding style.
Each team collected just two hits on the day as the game flew by in just an hour and 42 minutes. Blackburn scored their lone run in the bottom of the second. Liam Hopkins doubled and Cooper Goodman singled to round out Blackburn's offence on the day.
Geelong's Sam Gibbons gave up just one hit with an unearned run in his four innings on the mound. Rudy Jaramillo was great in his three innings of work as well, giving up just one hit to keep Geelong in the game, while James Wood contributed an inning of scoreless pitching. Troy Snarey and Lewis Weldon singled in the Baycats' tough loss as they hope to turn the tables on the Orioles in round four.
2 8
Newport had come close in their first two games, losing by one run against Melbourne both times, and they were definitely eager to get a win on the board. The Rams came out swinging, and it worked in their favor as they put their two losses behind them and secured their much-needed win in a huge team effort over Waverley.
The Wildcats were quieter on Saturday against Rams' starter Jason Jarvis. A complete start from the standout hurler saw him throw 129 total pitches – 89 of them strikes – with seven hits, three walks and two runs (one unearned) while striking out six.
The Rams’ lineup supported the fabulous pitching efforts of Jarvis with hits from Connor Shibechi, Cameron Lyons, Nathan Smith and Tyler Comben. Jarvis had two hits of his own, a single and a double, while David Land also had a pair of hits.
Although they took a tough loss, Waverley still had some exciting offensive moments with Jordan Ley's three hits - two singles and a double for an RBI. Glenn Mascoll accounted for Waverley's other RBI, his first of the season. Billy Findlay, Jamie Papanicoloau and Mitchell Wilhite also collected base hits. Andrew Russell looked good on the mound for Waverley, covering six innings with five hits and one unearned run while striking out six. The Rams roughed up Luke Papanicolaou, mounting a scoring blitz with five runs crossing the plate in 1.2 innings. Two more runs scored with Mitchell Thomas on the mound, putting the game out of reach for Waverley.
The Wildcats host this weekend as both sides look to improve their records.
4 2
The Eagles have won a handful of close games to stay undefeated after three rounds. Sunshine started off strong and kept the game in their control. Despite some offensive contributions up and down the lineup, Cheltenham couldn't come back to turn the game in their favour. Jack Daniels, Blake Holding and Jackson Hunkin all had hits on the day, while Mac Turley led the way with three hits and an RBI. Sam Michael and Michael Leslie both had a pair of hits to help their team out.
Lars Ligouri covered six innings of work on the mound, giving up eight hits and four earned runs while striking out four. Jack Enciondo filled in with three innings in relief, keeping the Eagles off the mound with four strikeouts and no runs scored.
The Eagles are excited to be 3-0, and they will look to continue their impressive start to the season on Sunday while the Rustlers will be hungry for a win after some close losses.
4 2
The Demons stay undefeated for another week after a hard-fought win over Fitzroy. The game went to extra innings but ultimately Melbourne got the job done to continue their solid season.
Photo: Melbourne Baseball Club - Facebook
This thrilling tight victory over Fitzroy was made possible by a persistent Melbourne lineup that just wouldn't quit. The Lions put two runs in the middle innings to stay in the battle and take a lead on the Demons. Fitzroy's new import Rusty Huber was lights-out on the mound, shutting out the opposition up with 10 strikeouts until the ninth inning, when Melbourne finally got some scoring action started.
The Demons scored two runs in the top of the ninth to tie it up, and they added a pair in the top of the 10th to take home the win they were so determined to get. It was a great come-from-behind team effort, with Mitch Ellis leading the way with the bat thanks to four hits - two singles and two doubles. He also took over on the mound to shutout the Lions in the crucial final two innings just for good measure.
Returning veteran Matt Blackmore and young talent Harvey Mitchelhill took things up a notch in the 9th with back-to-back hits. Oliver McMahon and Alex Hondo were patient at the plate to get on base before Ellis and Slade Squire knocked the winning runs in.
As a team Melbourne batted .262 with 11 hits, showing that they have the potential for power at the plate. Fitzroy wasn't far behind with seven hits, including two doubles and a single to Huber and a pair of hits each for Tom Dicker and Damien Preston.
The Demons are eager to protect their undefeated status while Fitzroy will be looking to break into the win column with a huge victory on Sunday at Myrtle Park.
Essendon Bombers vs. Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers
8 3
The Bombers improved their record to 3-0 with a convincing win over the Tigers. Essendon’s bats were busy on Sunday afternoon, tallying eight runs to achieve a 3-0 record.
Upwey Ferntree Gully took a 2-0 lead into the 6th inning, when Essendon came back with a big boost to capture the victory. The Tigers lineup was working hard, with singles to Josh Hendricks, Travis Murphy, Wade McConnon, Pete Schroeders and Jordan Elliott, although they struggled to bring their runners around to score.
Essendon had hits up and down the lineup. Jared Cruz had two hits for Essendon, while Cody Rodwell was just a triple shy of the cycle. Both Peter Stokes and Michael Formisano had a double and a single, while Darby Sexton recorded a pair of base hits. Bailey Waterman, Jack Giles, Ross Bament and William Kline-Marantelli all displayed their hitting power as well to help Essendon over the line.
The Tigers will be eager to take home a win as they visit Essendon on Sunday for another competitive game.
Division 1 Reserves
8 5
Sandringham's Reserves got the better of Berwick City on Saturday, thanks to pitching efforts of Declan Croker and some solid team batting. The Royals were happy to get a win on the board, while the Cougars took their first loss of the season. The Royals host the round four game this weekend.
1 5
Blackburn won the premiership last season, and they are keeping up the momentum with three wins in as many games. The club as a whole enjoyed a sweep this weekend, made possible in part by a determined Reserves side that kept adding to their advantage in the second half of the game.
Geelong scored first, while Blackburn tacked on two runs in the bottom of the third, one in the fifth and two in the sixth to secure the win and put the game out of reach. Blackburn's pitcher Sam Bucello handled five great innings of one-run ball, and he was backed up by the bats with Mitch Whiting sending a ball over the fence and Owen de Vries adding to his hit tally.
Photo: Baycats Baseball Club - Facebook
Despite the loss, this was a huge game for Geelong and a true family affair as father Chris Rickard was proud to watch his three sons Emerson, Harper and Cooper all take the field. It was history in the making as Emerson pitched well with his father behind the dish. Harper picked up a hit with four quality at-bats in his first game in the reserves.
Hayden Peoples led the way with two hits, while Matt Sage, Jordan Baumann and Angus McNee also contributed with hits of their own. Although Geelong has a young team, they are looking forward to a bright season ahead as they keep up the intensity and competitive nature.
16 5
The Wildcats were on a roll, taking out an 11-run advantage over the Rams to remain undefeated alongside Upwey Ferntree Gully, Blackburn, Melbourne and Cheltenham. Newport has yet to win a game, something they are eager to change as they prepare for this weekend's second meeting with Waverley.
2 3
It was a close and competitive game as Cheltenham came away with the win late to secure a three-game winning streak. The teams were tied at two with the Rustlers batting in the bottom of the fifth when Cam Zimerman singled on the first pitch of his at-bat to score the go-ahead run.
Zimerman and Blake Holding had multiple hits for Cheltenham on the day as the team tallied eight hits in total. Cheltenham's pitchers struck out four batters, while Sunshine's Griffin Weir gave up two runs on five hits over three innings, striking out two and walking one. Connor Young took the loss for Sunshine after giving up three hits and one run in two innings.
Rupert Fischer had 2 RBIs for Sunshine and Jack Haxby had a hit to help out his team. Cheltenham's fielders had a good day with no errors, and Tom Olgie made the most plays with seven. Sunshine will be ready to snap their skid and get a huge win on the board this weekend.
2 0
The Demons shutout the Lions on Sunday in a close game. Both teams were scoreless through the fourth, when Melbourne got a runner across the plate. The Demons added one more run in the sixth, and that was about it for offensive production. Kurtis Smith threw seven spectacular innings of baseball before handing it over to Cooper Gerwing for a successful close. Campbell Wiggins, Jacob Bald and Gerwing contributed doubles to centre field to give Melbourne a boost. Melbourne is looking good for round four, but Fitzroy has proven to be highly competitive and they will be determined to get a win on the board this upcoming weekend.
Essendon Bombers vs. Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers
2 16
The first two games of the season saw Essendon lose in close games, but they fell farther behind in this one as Upwey Ferntree Gully proved unstoppable. The Tigers scored seven runs in the first inning to give starting pitcher Sean Meldrum lots of room to work with. Mitch John had three hits and closed the game out with a tidy inning of relief. Randy Senn, Daryn Cassidy, Nick Rice and Michael Oxworth all had hits for the Tigers, too. Essendon is ready to achieve a big victory, which they will be looking to do this weekend at home.
Division 1 Thirds
Sandringham Royals vs. Berwick City Cougars
10 2
The Royals had the upper-hand on Sunday, cruising to their first win of the season over the Cougars, who are still searching for their first victory. Sandringham hosts Berwick City on Sunday for another great meeting between these two determined sides.
Geelong Baycats vs. Blackburn Orioles
0 8
A home run and strong fielding efforts from Blackburn's defense helped them overcome the reigning premiers. Geelong was kept quiet for once, a result they will be eager to make up for when they host Blackburn on Saturday for round four. The Orioles are 3-0 right now while Geelong is 2-1.
Waverley Wildcats vs. Newport Rams
6 0
The Wildcats were on fire on Sunday, commanding the field and keeping the Rams from coming around to score. Waverley is one of two undefeated teams remaining in the competition, while Newport has lost three in a row while aiming for a win on Sunday.
Cheltenham Rustlers vs. Sunshine Eagles
7 15
The Eagles were flying high after a monster victory over the Rustlers to keep their 2019/20 campaign moving in the right direction. Sunshine is 1-2 and Cheltenham has two losses and a draw as they look to capture that crucial first victory in round four.
Photo: Sally Hand - Sunshine Baseball Club Facebook
Fitzroy Lions vs. Melbourne Demons
12 0
The Lions are feeling good after picking up their first win of the season. James Roy had a couple of hits for Melbourne, but the Demons struggled to bring their few base runners around to score. Melbourne is 2-1 and Fitzroy is 1-2 going into this weekend's game.
Essendon Bombers vs. Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers
10 10
It was a terrific game of baseball for the thirds as Essendon and Upwey Ferntree Gully drew after bursts of offense throughout the game. Although the Tigers made a few defensive mistakes that cost them some runs, the lineup was there to make up for it and keep them in the game. Essendon has one win and two draws while Upwey Ferntree Gully has two wins and a draw heading into the next round.
Division 1 Fourths
Sandringham Royals vs. Berwick City Cougars
3 7
The Cougars could not be stopped on Sunday as they capitalised on scoring opportunities to get a big win. After taking their first loss of the season, Sandringham is looking forward to another game against Berwick City this weekend.
Geelong Baycats vs. Blackburn Orioles
7 16
Blackburn lost a tough one last week to Sandringham, and they made up for it with a huge offensive effort against Geelong on Saturday. Geelong hosts the round four meeting as they look to avoid three straight losses.
Waverley Wildcats vs. Newport Rams
6 1
The Wildcats have won two in a row, giving them a boost as they look to climb up the ladder and secure another victory over Newport this coming weekend.
Cheltenham Rustlers vs. Sunshine Eagles
12 13
In a wild game of constant scoring and a brilliant back-and-forth battle, Sunshine won in a walk-off thanks to Neeraj Kumar's hit to score Brenton May and Graham May. Sunshine has won three in a row to get their season started off right.
Fitzroy Lions vs. Melbourne Demons
8 9
There was another close matchup as Fitzroy and Melbourne went toe-to-toe. Fitzroy fought hard but ultimately fell to Melbourne as the Demons continued their undefeated streak in exciting fashion. The Lions will try and slow down the Demons in round four.
Essendon Bombers vs. Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers
21 3