Last night (18th June) Baseball Victoria held its first Presidents and Secretaries meeting for the 2018/19 Summer season.
This meeting was a culmination of a long process of engagement with Baseball Victoria’s members and affiliated bodies in an effort to better understand the needs and priorities of the community leading into the summer competition.
The first of these consultations started with a Summit Series which was facilitated by Simon Brown-Grieves, an industry professional in mediation and organizational change management.
From these meetings there were a number of key topics which were listed and communicated with all stake holders during an ongoing and deliberate engagement period.
One of these topics was the formation of the Victorian Summer Baseball League Pennant Committee, whose reinstatement was unanimously supported by the Baseball Victoria Board.
After a long nomination process, VSBL clubs were offered the opportunity to vote for the three (3) nominees which they thought most representative of their communities and members. These three nominees joined the three (3) BV appointed members, forming a new six (6) person VSBLPC.
The new members of this committee, Chair Michael Gourlay, Deputy Chair Dwain Richardson, John King, Jake Cole-Sinclair, Competitions Co-Ordinator Kelsey Quinn and Umpires Co-Ordinator Stewart Howe, met on the 7th of June for the first time to discuss a range of unresolved topics that were considered broadly at the Summit Series.
From this meeting, the VSBLPC tabled five recommendations including two proposed changes to the VSBL playing conditions for the upcoming 2018/19 season. These were related to the commencement date of the competition and the heavily debated Non-National rule.
The meeting commenced at 7:07pm with 26 clubs represented. Baseball Victoria CEO, Justin Huber welcomed the participants and reiterated just how committed BV has been to engage thoroughly with its members and run a professional process to achieve a balanced outcome for the upcoming summer competition.
“I am truly excited by the level of communication we have had with our stakeholders over the last six months. We have committed to receiving the feedback necessary in order to facilitate the decisions that best represent our community and members. We have a group of baseball people representing our baseball community for the first time in a number of years with the reinstatement of the VSBLPC. I feel the change even in the short period since the VSBLPC was established and I can’t wait to see what value we can deliver as a collective to our community.”
Justin introduced the VSBPC members before handing over to Deputy Chair, Dwain Richardson who led the inaugural Presidents and Secretaries meeting on behalf of Chair, Michael Gourlay, who was unable to attend due to family commitments.
Dwain soon established a concise and well-rounded conversation which followed an agenda prepared in the weeks leading up to the meeting. Pre-reading papers for this agenda were circulated to all the VSBL presidents and secretaries 1 week prior to the meeting. This was to allow for adequate consideration of the topics and engagement with the local communities that the presidents and secretaries represent.
Item 4 on the agenda was the vigorously discussed Non-National rule. The pre-reading papers outlined a recommended rule change from the VSBLPC that amended the wording of the current playing conditions. This recommended change was presented to the presidents and secretaries for a vote as follows;
Current Playing Condition: 98 a) A player will be deemed ‘non-national’ if they are not an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident or have not continuously resided in Australia for the six months immediately prior to the commencement of the season in which a Club wishes to register them as a player.
To be replaced with
Revised Playing Condition: 98 a) A player will be deemed a ‘national’ if they are an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident. All other individuals that do not currently hold Australian Citizenship or a Permanent residency visa will be deemed as a ‘Non-National’.
After further lengthy discussions the vote was cast and the result was heavily in favor of leaving the rule unchanged for the coming season. The official vote count had 9 in favor of the recommended change and 17 against.
Item 5 on the agenda required the presidents and secretaries to decide on another recommended rule change. This recommendation allowed for the season to commence one week prior to the current provision in the VSBL playing conditions, which restricted the start of the summer competition to no sooner than the first weekend in October. The recommendation to change the current rule was presented to the presidents and secretaries for a vote as follows;
Current Playing Condition: 5a) The Summer League regular season fixture will commence no earlier than the first from first weekend of October.
To be replaced with
Revised Playing Condition: 5a) The Summer League Senior regular season fixture will commence no earlier than the last weekend of September.
After a short discussion the vote to adopt the recommended change to the playing condition was strongly supported. The result tabled 24 in favor and 2 against. Competition Co-Ordinator, Kelsey Quinn, will now make the necessary official changes and circulate a revised VSBL playing conditions to the members for the upcoming 2018/19 season.
“I’m really pleased that the Presidents and Secretaries saw the benefit in allowing the season to commence one week prior to the start of October. This will allow for a very well rounded and even competition in terms of the amount of home and away games played throughout the season. This took a lot of hard work and analysis in order to better understand the anomalies that we will experience in this calendar year and a change such as this in the playing conditions further supports the integrity of the competition. This is a great outcome for the VSBL and demonstrates the commitment of the presidents and secretaries to a vibrant and valuable competition experience.”
The meeting was closed after a general business discussion at 9:05pm. Deputy Chair, Dwain Richardson, reiterated the lengthy process undertaken to achieve an engaged meeting, and the ongoing commitment to over-communicating and delivering value to the presidents and secretaries meetings.
The next meeting with be conducted on August 6th at a location yet to be determined. Baseball Victoria would like to thank all the participants in last night’s presidents and secretaries meeting and look forward to the ongoing dialogue and engagement with its valuable members.
Last night (18th June) Baseball Victoria held its first Presidents and Secretaries meeting for the 2018/19 Summer season.
This meeting was a culmination of a long process of engagement with Baseball Victoria’s members and affiliated bodies in an effort to better understand the needs and priorities of the community leading into the summer competition.
The first of these consultations started with a Summit Series which was facilitated by Simon Brown-Grieves, an industry professional in mediation and organizational change management.
From these meetings there were a number of key topics which were listed and communicated with all stake holders during an ongoing and deliberate engagement period.
One of these topics was the formation of the Victorian Summer Baseball League Pennant Committee, whose reinstatement was unanimously supported by the Baseball Victoria Board.
After a long nomination process, VSBL clubs were offered the opportunity to vote for the three (3) nominees which they thought most representative of their communities and members. These three nominees joined the three (3) BV appointed members, forming a new six (6) person VSBLPC.
The new members of this committee, Chair Michael Gourlay, Deputy Chair Dwain Richardson, John King, Jake Cole-Sinclair, Competitions Co-Ordinator Kelsey Quinn and Umpires Co-Ordinator Stewart Howe, met on the 7th of June for the first time to discuss a range of unresolved topics that were considered broadly at the Summit Series.
From this meeting, the VSBLPC tabled five recommendations including two proposed changes to the VSBL playing conditions for the upcoming 2018/19 season. These were related to the commencement date of the competition and the heavily debated Non-National rule.
The meeting commenced at 7:07pm with 26 clubs represented. Baseball Victoria CEO, Justin Huber welcomed the participants and reiterated just how committed BV has been to engage thoroughly with its members and run a professional process to achieve a balanced outcome for the upcoming summer competition.
“I am truly excited by the level of communication we have had with our stakeholders over the last six months. We have committed to receiving the feedback necessary in order to facilitate the decisions that best represent our community and members. We have a group of baseball people representing our baseball community for the first time in a number of years with the reinstatement of the VSBLPC. I feel the change even in the short period since the VSBLPC was established and I can’t wait to see what value we can deliver as a collective to our community.”
Justin introduced the VSBPC members before handing over to Deputy Chair, Dwain Richardson who led the inaugural Presidents and Secretaries meeting on behalf of Chair, Michael Gourlay, who was unable to attend due to family commitments.
Dwain soon established a concise and well-rounded conversation which followed an agenda prepared in the weeks leading up to the meeting. Pre-reading papers for this agenda were circulated to all the VSBL presidents and secretaries 1 week prior to the meeting. This was to allow for adequate consideration of the topics and engagement with the local communities that the presidents and secretaries represent.
Item 4 on the agenda was the vigorously discussed Non-National rule. The pre-reading papers outlined a recommended rule change from the VSBLPC that amended the wording of the current playing conditions. This recommended change was presented to the presidents and secretaries for a vote as follows;
Current Playing Condition: 98 a) A player will be deemed ‘non-national’ if they are not an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident or have not continuously resided in Australia for the six months immediately prior to the commencement of the season in which a Club wishes to register them as a player.
To be replaced with
Revised Playing Condition: 98 a) A player will be deemed a ‘national’ if they are an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident. All other individuals that do not currently hold Australian Citizenship or a Permanent residency visa will be deemed as a ‘Non-National’.
After further lengthy discussions the vote was cast and the result was heavily in favor of leaving the rule unchanged for the coming season. The official vote count had 9 in favor of the recommended change and 17 against.
Item 5 on the agenda required the presidents and secretaries to decide on another recommended rule change. This recommendation allowed for the season to commence one week prior to the current provision in the VSBL playing conditions, which restricted the start of the summer competition to no sooner than the first weekend in October. The recommendation to change the current rule was presented to the presidents and secretaries for a vote as follows;
Current Playing Condition: 5a) The Summer League regular season fixture will commence no earlier than the first from first weekend of October.
To be replaced with
Revised Playing Condition: 5a) The Summer League Senior regular season fixture will commence no earlier than the last weekend of September.
After a short discussion the vote to adopt the recommended change to the playing condition was strongly supported. The result tabled 24 in favor and 2 against. Competition Co-Ordinator, Kelsey Quinn, will now make the necessary official changes and circulate a revised VSBL playing conditions to the members for the upcoming 2018/19 season.
“I’m really pleased that the Presidents and Secretaries saw the benefit in allowing the season to commence one week prior to the start of October. This will allow for a very well rounded and even competition in terms of the amount of home and away games played throughout the season. This took a lot of hard work and analysis in order to better understand the anomalies that we will experience in this calendar year and a change such as this in the playing conditions further supports the integrity of the competition. This is a great outcome for the VSBL and demonstrates the commitment of the presidents and secretaries to a vibrant and valuable competition experience.”
The meeting was closed after a general business discussion at 9:05pm. Deputy Chair, Dwain Richardson, reiterated the lengthy process undertaken to achieve an engaged meeting, and the ongoing commitment to over-communicating and delivering value to the presidents and secretaries meetings.
The next meeting with be conducted on August 6th at a location yet to be determined. Baseball Victoria would like to thank all the participants in last night’s presidents and secretaries meeting and look forward to the ongoing dialogue and engagement with its valuable members.
Baseball Australia is proud to announce the athletes selected to represent the Australian Emeralds at the 2018 Women’s World Cup in Viera, Florida from 22-31 August.
The 20-strong team contains three athletes who will be making their debut at World Cup level, as Kaila Borgomastro (WA), Elodie O’Sullivan (NSW) and Abbey McLellan (VIC) don the green and gold for the first time.
Australian Emeralds Manager Simone Wearne was excited when asked about the talent that the staff saw on display in Bendigo.
“The Bendigo Challenge was a fantastic event,” Wearne said.
“We were able to see the most talented women’s players in the country step up against Japan, and also in some very competitive intra-squad games.
“I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to the organising committee, the people of Bendigo and the Victorian Government for their continued support of our great sport.
“The depth of players in attendance made it very difficult for the selectors, and ultimately some good players missed out. Although it was a hard task to cut the squad in half, it really does prove that women’s baseball is in a great position in this country.”
Shae Lillywhite will make history, becoming the only Australian player to feature at each of the eight World Cups (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018).
The Victorian infielder has been consistently outstanding for well over a decade, hitting .444 with 11 RBI at the recent Australian Women’s Championship in Geelong.
Another key addition to the Emeralds medal hopes is NSW native Tahnee Lovering.
Lovering was named the World All-Star Team catcher at the 2016 World Cup in Gijang City, Korea, after claiming a team high eight hits and a .400 batting average.
Wearne was quick to applaud the players on their commitment to the Emeralds program, and knows that the group must continue that hard work in the lead up to departure in mid-August.
“In a game where the players do not have the opportunity to vie for College Scholarships or MLB contracts, these girls continue to work hard in a real ‘love of the game’ type way,” Wearne said.
Baseball Australia and the Australian Sports Foundation have teamed up to start a campaign and raise funds for the Australian Emeralds World Cup campaign.
The Emeralds are made up of dedicated women from around the country who are mostly self-funded as they continue their dream to bring women's baseball in Australia to new heights.
A contribution to the Australian women's baseball program will also help build and sustain women's baseball in Australia for years to come.
Australia will take on Japan, Canada, Cuba, Hong Kong and the Dominican Republic in the first round of action, with a full schedule and broadcast information to be revealed soon.
In conjunction with the Victorian Government, Baseball Australia are proud to announce that the Australian Baseball League’s first expansion team – branded as ‘Geelong-Korea’ will be based in Geelong for the upcoming ABL season.
Geelong-Korea will play alongside the Adelaide Bite, the Melbourne Aces and the Perth Heat in the ABL's Southwest Division during the 2018/19 season.
Baseball Australia CEO Cam Vale believes that the inclusion of Geelong-Korea is a significant moment for the sport in Australia.
“Not only does Geelong-Korea give Geelong a professional sporting team, it gives the city unparalleled exposure into the Asian market,” Vale said.
“Every single game Geelong-Korea play will be broadcast to millions of baseball viewers all over the world, enabling Geelong to have a truly global audience.”
“Geelong-Korea had a number of high quality offers from various regional centres, but ultimately the strength of the community, the superb grassroots link and the impressive baseball complex secured Geelong’s place as the ABL’s first ever expansion team.”
“To base a team in a grassroots focused area such as Geelong is an enormous opportunity for the elite side of the Australian game to work closely with the next generation of ABL stars.”
“Geelong is a passionate sporting town, and we are excited to bring the ABL’s first ever expansion team to Regional Victoria.”
Minister for Sport, John Eren believes hosting Geelong-Korea will have significant flow-on benefits to the sport, the league and Victoria as a whole.
“The addition of a Korean team in the national competition will boost the profile of the game in Victoria, bring extra excitement into the competition, and act as a pathway for our talented baseballers to join overseas clubs,” Mr. Eren said.
“We’re delivering for Geelong - we’ve already acquired World T20 cricket matches, the Australian Open of table tennis and we’re growing the Cadel Evans road race and the Vic Open golf tournament into international events.”
“This deal will showcase the Geelong region to an entirely new market boosting tourism and the local economy and creating jobs for regional Victorians.”
The Greater City of Geelong's acting Mayor, Mr. Peter Murrihy believes hosting an ABL team in Geelong is exciting for the community.
This is a huge coup for the Geelong region and a testament to our fantastic facilities and the liveability of our region,” Mr. Murrihy said.
“We’re very excited to welcome the Korean team to Geelong in November and look forward to showing them around. I’m sure this will be quite a buzz for baseball and sports fans in our community, and new converts to the sport!”
Geelong-Korea’s home ground will be the Geelong Baseball Centre, with the confirmation of team name and branding to take place in the next few months.
The Queen’s birthday weekend saw the 2018 Senior State Winter Championships head down the Princess Highway to the Geelong Baseball Complex in Waurn Ponds. Guild Baseball Club and Saints Baseball Club joined forces to host 9 teams from Winter Associations all over Victoria in a contest to see who would be crowned State Winter Champions.
Though there were some initial stormy predictions, the weather for the weekend was almost perfect, albeit with a few brisk mornings. City and Geelong kicked the tournament off on Diamond 3 in the first Division 1 match up. Junior pitcher, Lachlan Hockey started on the hill for Geelong and despite giving up a few early runs was solid through 5 innings of work. Dennis Neal, a native Californian and current GMBC import got the start for City but a steadily productive Geelong offense proved too much for the big lefty, with Geelong taking the game 6 – 4. Ringwood took on Mt Gambier on Diamond 1 and whilst both teams scored early it was Ringwood that was able to go the distance thanks to strong pitching performances from Mitchell Ley and Jordan Barnett. Later in the day City played Mt Gambier and got their first win of the tournament (9 – 2) thanks to a great effort by starting pitcher, Gareth Formisano. Current Brisbane Bandits pitcher, Travis Blackley, took the mound for Ringwood in a clash with Dandenong and allowed only a single run. Dandenong had their chances but ended up conceding the game 9 – 2. In the last match up for Division 1 for the day, Dandenong faced the home side, Geelong. Jeff Guerrero gave up only the one run for Dandenong against a formidable Geelong offense but it was Jayde Thorne from Geelong that was eventually credited with the 6 – 0 win.
Division 2 started up at 11am on Diamond 4 in a gritty match up between Sunraysia and Dandenong’s U23’s team. Both team’s rosters featured an abundance of junior players keen for the chance to play tournament style baseball. Both pitchers were dominant through 3 before Sunraysia opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the 4th and then a few more in the 5th and 6th to take the game, 5 – 0. North East and Latrobe were the next cab off the rank, putting together another low scoring affair with NEBA getting up, 4 – 1. Later on, Dandenong’s U23’s came out firing against Latrobe but it wasn’t quite enough to outlast the Valley team, who ended up winning the contest, 7 – 5.
Day 2 opened with a tight clash between City and top placed Ringwood. Whilst City took the lead early, Ringwood’s starter, Adam Pahos, wasn’t shaken. He eventually held City to 5 and benefitted from some run support from his team to take the win 6 – 5 for Ringwood. Mt Gambier had a tough outing against Geelong on Diamond 4, going down 17 – 3 but found their groove in their next game against Dandenong at midday. Both teams got off to a flying start, scoring 5 runs (Dandenong) and 4 runs (Mt Gambier) in the first innings. Rick Wheeler, however, was able to shut the Mt Gambier hitters down in the 5th to give Dandenong the edge with an eventual score of 11 – 8. Ringwood then took care of Geelong with a confident 9 – 5 win and City came back over Dandenong with a 3 run last dig to win 5 – 4.
In Division 2 Latrobe played Sunraysia on Diamond 1 and Junior, Donnie Poole, looked set to deliver his team the win when it was 5 – 0 going into the 4th. However Sunraysia turned it on late and scored 9 runs in a single inning to win 9 – 5. North East then defeated Dandenong’s U23’s on Diamond 3, scoring a respectable 6 runs in the first inning and never looking back from a 10 – 2 victory. They then backed it up with a win over a valiant Sunraysia who mounted a come back in the bottom of the 7th that fell just short, ending in an 8 – 6 NEBA win.
Day 3 turned out to be a particularly cold morning but the teams were up bright and early, ready for a big day of finals. City and Geelong took off on Diamond 2 at 9am for a spot in the grand final against Ringwood. It was the battle of the lefties, with Dennis Neale again starting for City and Josh Lee on the mound for Geelong. The game was tied up at 1 all until a single to right field scored the go ahead run for Geelong, who ended up winning 2 – 1. Dandenong and Mt Gambier battled it out for fourth place on Diamond 4 in a game was featured plenty of offense. Mt Gambier launched a late come back in the 5th inning but it wasn’t enough to topple a potent Dandenong team, with the game ending 18 – 9.
North East and Dandcenong U23’s played off at 9am in a 1 vs 4 clash for a spot in the Division 2 grand final. Dandenong held the lead briefly until North East launched a 3-run 5th inning to blow past their opponents for a 7 – 2 win. Over on Diamond 3, Sunraysia and La Trobe were also playing for a spot in the Division 2 final and it was Sunraysia who came away with the win, scoring in every innings to take the game, 10 – 2.
By 11am the two grand finals were set; Ringwood would play Geelong in Division 1 on Diamond 1 and North East would play Sunraysia over at Saint’s Baseball Club on Diamond 4. Ringwood again started Travis Blackley, who despite struggling with some minor soreness, through a complete shut out. Geelong went with Josh Lee again, who had just thrown the semi final against City and he kept up with the ABL star until Ringwood opened the scoring in the 5th inning. Ringwood added an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th and with that, they came away with the win, 2 – 0. Over on Diamond 4, Sunraysia got off to an early lead and never really let up. North East mounted a late come back to pull within a run but it would ultimately not be enough as they fell to Sunraysia, 7 – 6.
Four excellent teams and two hotly contested finals. Baseball Victoria would like to thank all the teams, managers, coaches, executive officers and scorers for being a part of such a great tournament and for making it such a success. To Tony McPherson, Guild Baseball Club, Saints Baseball Club and the entire Geelong Baseball Association, thank you for hosting this year’s State Senior Winter Championships – your hospitality and ground management were impeccable. To Julie Jones, who helped manage the competition and all the other volunteers, thank you for your time and hard work. To the family, friends and fans that came down, thank you for coming down and creating a great atmosphere and to our sponsors, Ausport and Viva, thank you for your continued support.
The next State Winter Championships will be the Under 16’s and then the U18’s, being held in Morwell followed by the U12’S and U14’s in Mildura in July.
Following an extensive selection process over the last two months, Baseball Australia is proud to announce three-time ABL Championship winning manager David Nilsson has been appointed Team Australia manager.
Nilsson returned to the national team staff as an Assistant Coach for the 2018 Japan Series after winning three consecutive ABL titles with the Brisbane Bandits from 2015-2018.
Having been a leader on the field for Australia during his playing career, Nilsson believes that experience has been a key part of his journey.
“The appointment means a lot of different things to me,” Nilsson said.
“It’s been a long journey with plenty of ups and downs, but the overwhelming emotion is excitement. I’m humbled to be entrusted with the role, especially with one of the most important international competition periods right around the corner.”
Team Australia will aim for success at the 2019 Premier12 tournament, which doubles as the first opportunity to secure Olympic qualification.
Following the WBSC’s release regarding Olympic qualification, Australia must finish above Chinese Taipei and South Korea to secure qualification for the 2020 Olympics.
Speaking about the recent Japan Series, Nilsson was thankful to return to international baseball.
“It was really special to get back to international competition, I love the environment and I really missed it,” Nilsson said.
“The positive culture, the energy and the passion is there, and our players have the ability to achieve what we want to achieve.”
Baseball Australia CEO Cam Vale believes Nilsson is the right man to lead Team Australia forward.
“David is an outstanding appointment to a critical period in our sport’s success, with the 2019 Premier12, 2020 Olympics and the 2021 World Baseball Classic all taking place over the next three years,” Vale said.
“We had a quality field of candidates who applied and interviewed for the position, and ultimately David was the unanimous choice of the panel."
“David presents as a strong leader with diverse coaching and high-performance experience and success through his roles in the ABL and with Baseball Queensland."
Nilsson’s domestic management record is unparalleled, leading the Brisbane Bandits to three consecutive ABL Championships (2016, 2017, 2018), a feat never achieved in Australian baseball. The Bandits hold an 86-48 record under Nilsson’s guidance across those championship years.
Widely regarded as Australia’s best ever MLB player, Nilsson finished his career with a .284 batting average, 105 home runs and 470 RBIs. Nilsson created history in 1999, becoming the first Australian to be named an MLB All-Star after finishing with a .309 batting average in 115 games for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Wendy Selig-Prieb (former President, CEO and Chairman - Milwaukee Brewers) and Bud Selig, (Commissioner Emeritus - MLB) passed on their congratulations to Nilsson.
“Not only did David Nilsson bring great skills to the baseball diamond in Milwaukee, but he also represented Australia wonderfully to baseball fans everywhere,” Wendy and Bud said.
“We look forward to watching his success in continuing to make baseball bigger and better in Australia.”
Nilsson was named MVP of the 1999 Intercontinental Cup where he hit .379 and lead Australia to its first gold medal at an international baseball event. Five years later, Nilsson was an integral part of the 2004 Athens Olympic team, which claimed an historic silver medal.
Stay tuned for an in-depth insight into Nilsson’s journey, including the new role and direction for Team Australia, as well as his unbridled passion for the green and gold.
DAVID NILSSON – TEAM AUSTRALIA MANAGER
837 games with the Milwaukee Brewers (1992-1999)
105 home runs, 470 RBI, .284 batting average (1992-1999)
MLB All Star (1999)
Intercontinental Cup MVP (1999)
Intercontinental Cup Champion (1999)
Olympian (2000, 2004)
Olympic Silver Medalist (2004)
Sport Australia Hall of Famer (2008)
ABL Championship Manager (2016, 2017, 2018)
Following an extensive selection process over the last two months, Baseball Australia is proud to announce three-time ABL Championship winning manager David Nilsson has been appointed Team Australia manager.
Nilsson returned to the national team staff as an Assistant Coach for the 2018 Japan Series after winning three consecutive ABL titles with the Brisbane Bandits from 2015-2018.
Having been a leader on the field for Australia during his playing career, Nilsson believes that experience has been a key part of his journey.
“The appointment means a lot of different things to me,” Nilsson said.
“It’s been a long journey with plenty of ups and downs, but the overwhelming emotion is excitement. I’m humbled to be entrusted with the role, especially with one of the most important international competition periods right around the corner.”
Team Australia will aim for success at the 2019 Premier12 tournament, which doubles as the first opportunity to secure Olympic qualification.
Following the WBSC’s release regarding Olympic qualification, Australia must finish above Chinese Taipei and South Korea to secure qualification for the 2020 Olympics.
Speaking about the recent Japan Series, Nilsson was thankful to return to international baseball.
“It was really special to get back to international competition, I love the environment and I really missed it,” Nilsson said.
“The positive culture, the energy and the passion is there, and our players have the ability to achieve what we want to achieve.”
Baseball Australia CEO Cam Vale believes Nilsson is the right man to lead Team Australia forward.
“David is an outstanding appointment to a critical period in our sport’s success, with the 2019 Premier12, 2020 Olympics and the 2021 World Baseball Classic all taking place over the next three years,” Vale said.
“We had a quality field of candidates who applied and interviewed for the position, and ultimately David was the unanimous choice of the panel."
“David presents as a strong leader with diverse coaching and high-performance experience and success through his roles in the ABL and with Baseball Queensland."
Nilsson’s domestic management record is unparalleled, leading the Brisbane Bandits to three consecutive ABL Championships (2016, 2017, 2018), a feat never achieved in Australian baseball. The Bandits hold an 86-48 record under Nilsson’s guidance across those championship years.
Widely regarded as Australia’s best ever MLB player, Nilsson finished his career with a .284 batting average, 105 home runs and 470 RBIs. Nilsson created history in 1999, becoming the first Australian to be named an MLB All-Star after finishing with a .309 batting average in 115 games for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Wendy Selig-Prieb (former President, CEO and Chairman - Milwaukee Brewers) and Bud Selig, (Commissioner Emeritus - MLB) passed on their congratulations to Nilsson.
“Not only did David Nilsson bring great skills to the baseball diamond in Milwaukee, but he also represented Australia wonderfully to baseball fans everywhere,” Wendy and Bud said.
“We look forward to watching his success in continuing to make baseball bigger and better in Australia.”
Nilsson was named MVP of the 1999 Intercontinental Cup where he hit .379 and lead Australia to its first gold medal at an international baseball event. Five years later, Nilsson was an integral part of the 2004 Athens Olympic team, which claimed an historic silver medal.
Stay tuned for an in-depth insight into Nilsson’s journey, including the new role and direction for Team Australia, as well as his unbridled passion for the green and gold.
DAVID NILSSON – TEAM AUSTRALIA MANAGER
837 games with the Milwaukee Brewers (1992-1999)
105 home runs, 470 RBI, .284 batting average (1992-1999)
MLB All Star (1999)
Intercontinental Cup MVP (1999)
Intercontinental Cup Champion (1999)
Olympian (2000, 2004)
Olympic Silver Medalist (2004)
Sport Australia Hall of Famer (2008)
ABL Championship Manager (2016, 2017, 2018)
Gold Coast’s offence erupted on the back of a stellar start by Oscar Hyde to claim gold at the 2018 Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship in Lismore.
The Cougars were emphatic 11-0 winners over the Adelaide Seahawks, earning the right to represent Australia Region at the 2018 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, later this year.
Hyde punched out nine Seahawks and did not allow a hit in four stunning innings on the mound.
He worked with an early lead as Gold Coast scored four runs in the first.
Jake Calver’s two-run single opened the scoring before another two runs scored.
Zach Smith added to the Cougars’ lead with a two-run single of his own and William Baker put the lead out to 10 runs with a three-run homer in the bottom of the third.
Baker finished with four runs batted in, while Calver drove in three.
Adelaide starter Nicholas Paparella finished with four strikeouts.
Gold Coast Cougars will now represent the Australia Region at the 2018 Little League World Series later this year.
Click here for a full recap of the rest of the Day 6 action!
Follow all the Day 6 action - including the gold medal game between Adelaide Seahawks and Gold Coast Cougars - from the 2018 Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship, with our rolling coverage across the day and quick links to live scoring and ABLtv.com broadcasts.
QUICK LINKS: #ALLC2018 homepage | ABLtv.com | Download the Baseball Live app
4.30pm Gold Coast Cougars claim gold medal at #ALLC2018
Gold medal game result: Gold Coast Cougars 11, Adelaide Seahawks 0
Gold Coast’s offence erupted on the back of a stellar start by Oscar Hyde to claim gold at the 2018 Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship in Lismore.
The Cougars were emphatic 11-0 winners over the Adelaide Seahawks, earning the right to represent Australia Region at the 2018 Little League World Series in Williamsport later this year.
Hyde punched out nine Seahawks and did not allow a hit in four stunning innings on the mound.
Click here for full gold medal game recap!
Gold Coast’s offence erupted on the back of a stellar start by Oscar Hyde to claim gold at the 2018 Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship in Lismore.
The Cougars were emphatic 11-0 winners over the Adelaide Seahawks, earning the right to represent Australia Region at the 2018 Little League World Series in Williamsport later this year.
Hyde punched out nine Seahawks and did not allow a hit in four stunning innings on the mound.
Click here for full gold medal game recap!
Oscar Hyde fanned nine as the Gold Coast Cougars claimed gold at #ALLC2018!
3.15pm Gold medal game underway!
Watch the gold medal game between Adelaide Seahawks and Gold Coast Cougars live on ABLtv.com!
3.00pm Athletics seal seventh spot at #ALLC2018
7th place playoff result: Eastern Athletics 2, Northern Metros 1
Aiden Patterson allowed one unearned run in six innings as Eastern Athletics edged Northern Metros 2-1 to seal seventh place at #ALLC2018.
Patterson punched out six and allowed just five hits without a walk, while Blake Mitchell scored two runs for the Athletics.
Jack Noble drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the fourth.
Jayden Allen punched out nine in 5 1/3 innings for the Metros.
Aiden Patterson allowed one unearned run in six innings as Eastern Athletics edged Northern Metros 2-1 to seal seventh place at #ALLC2018.
Patterson punched out six and allowed just five hits without a walk, while Blake Mitchell scored two runs for the Athletics.
Jack Noble drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the fourth.
Jayden Allen punched out nine in 5 1/3 innings for the Metros.
2.00pm Prinkey deals as Brisbane North close out #ALLC2018 with a win
Game 63 result: Brisbane North Raiders 11, Canberra 1
Nicolas Prinkey finished with nine strikeouts as Brisbane North Raiders notched an 11-1 win over Canberra in their final #ALLC2018 game.
Prinkey allowed just one run on three hits in a dominant performance on the mound.
Beau Allsworth drove in a couple of runs on two hits for the Raiders
Ashley Patton drove in Canberra’s run in the top of the fifth.
Nicolas Prinkey finished with nine strikeouts as Brisbane North Raiders notched an 11-1 win over Canberra in their final #ALLC2018 game.
Prinkey allowed just one run on three hits in a dominant performance on the mound.
Beau Allsworth drove in a couple of runs on two hits for the Raiders
Ashley Patton drove in Canberra’s run in the top of the fifth.
1.40pm Horsley's extra-inning homer lifts Cronulla to bronze
Bronze medal game: Cronulla 4, Illawarra 3
Hunter Horsley’s seventh-inning homer – his second of the game – lifted Cronulla to bronze at #ALLC2018.
Horsley went deep to centre field to clinch a 4-3 walk-off win for Cronulla over Illawarra in a thrilling contest.
Cronulla scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to prolong the contest before Horsley stepped up to become the hero.
Jacob Palmer drove in a couple of runs for Cronulla.
He also struck out for hitters in 2 1/3 innings.
Emrys Mulvihill, Lachlan Rosser and Hayden Freeme drove in runs for Illawarra.
Hunter Horsley’s seventh-inning homer – his second of the game – lifted Cronulla to bronze at #ALLC2018.
Horsley went deep to centre field to clinch a 4-3 walk-off win for Cronulla over Illawarra in a thrilling contest.
Cronulla scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to prolong the contest before Horsley stepped up to become the hero.
Jacob Palmer drove in a couple of runs for Cronulla.
He also struck out for hitters in 2 1/3 innings.
Emrys Mulvihill, Lachlan Rosser and Hayden Freeme drove in runs for Illawarra.
1.10pm Hills edge Southern Hills for 13th
13th place playoff result: Hills 8, Southern Hills 7
Eli North drove in three runs and Jarred Ryan punched out six as Hills downed Southern Hills to secure a 13th-place finish at #ALLC2018.
Hills hit the lead with a three-run fifth, prevailing 8-7 on Diamond 3.
Two runs scored on a double by North before Hayden Chappell’s single put Hills up two.
Ryan was solid on the mound for Hills, steadying the ship after they allowed four early runs.
He punched out six in 3 1/3 innings.
Eli North drove in three runs and Jarred Ryan punched out six as Hills downed Southern Hills to secure a 13th-place finish at #ALLC2018.
Hills hit the lead with a three-run fifth, prevailing 8-7 on Diamond 3.
Two runs scored on a double by North before Hayden Chappell’s single put Hills up two.
Ryan was solid on the mound for Hills, steadying the ship after they allowed four early runs.
He punched out six in 3 1/3 innings.
1.05pm Firebirds escape with ninth place against Twins
9th place playoff result: Central Firebirds 12, Twins 11
Leah Cornish drove in the winning run as Central Firebirds escaped with a 12-11 win – and ninth-place at #ALLC2018 – over Twins.
Trailing 10-6, the Twins put up five runs in the top of the sixth before the Firebirds fired back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to record a thrilling win.
Jai Hewitt homered twice for the Firebirds, driving in six runs.
Noah Murray also went deep for Central and picked up seven strikeouts in three innings.
Jai Pouaka-Grego finished with three runs batted in and William Dunn homered for Twins.
Leah Cornish drove in the winning run as Central Firebirds escaped with a 12-11 win – and ninth-place at #ALLC2018 – over Twins.
Trailing 10-6, the Twins put up five runs in the top of the sixth before the Firebirds fired back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to record a thrilling win.
Jai Hewitt homered twice for the Firebirds, driving in six runs.
Noah Murray also went deep for Central and picked up seven strikeouts in three innings.
Jai Pouaka-Grego finished with three runs batted in and William Dunn homered for Twins.
11.30am Brisbane Metro walk off against Manly
Game 58 result: Brisbane Metro 4, Manly 3
Rodney Komene’s RBI-single lifted Brisbane Metro to a walk-off win over Manly in their consolation game on Diamond 4.
Metro scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory.
Komene and Luka Moore drove in runs for Brisbane Metro as they claimed a come-from-behind win.
Parker Lovering punched out five for Metro while Angus Wyles struck out seven for Manly.
Rodney Komene’s RBI-single lifted Brisbane Metro to a walk-off win over Manly in their consolation game on Diamond 4.
Metro scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory.
Komene and Luka Moore drove in runs for Brisbane Metro as they claimed a come-from-behind win.
Parker Lovering punched out five for Metro while Angus Wyles struck out seven for Manly.
10.55am Ryde North use late runs to wrap up fifth spot
5th place playoff result: Ryde North 9, Southern Mariners 4
Ryde North scored six late runs against Southern Mariners to claim a fifth-place finish at #ALLC2018.
A six-run bottom fifth helped overturned a 4-3 deficit, lifting Ryde North to a 9-4 win on Diamond 1.
Joshua Nati drove in three runs for Ryde North on a couple of hits.
He earlier punched out five in two innings on the mound.
Simon Slapeta punched out four in 2 2/3 innings.
Lachlan Smith put the Mariners up early with a two-run homer and finished with four runs batted in.
Ryde North scored six late runs against Southern Mariners to claim a fifth-place finish at #ALLC2018.
A six-run bottom fifth helped overturned a 4-3 deficit, lifting Ryde North to a 9-4 win on Diamond 1.
Joshua Nati drove in three runs for Ryde North on a couple of hits.
He earlier punched out five in two innings on the mound.
Simon Slapeta punched out four in 2 2/3 innings.
Lachlan Smith put the Mariners up early with a two-run homer and finished with four runs batted in.
10.30am Swan Hills Aces top Far North Coast for 15th
15th place playoff result: Swan Hills Aces 12, Far North Coast 2
Swan Hills Aces used steady offence to overcome Far North Coast 12-2 in the 15th-place playoff at #ALLC2018.
The Aces raced to an 8-0 lead on Diamond 3 and scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to seal a solid win.
Jayden Becker drove in three runs and Jackson Stivey finished with a couple of runs batted in.
Stivey also struck out six in five solid innings on the mound.
Swan Hills Aces used steady offence to overcome Far North Coast 12-2 in the 15th-place playoff at #ALLC2018.
The Aces raced to an 8-0 lead on Diamond 3 and scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to seal a solid win.
Jayden Becker drove in three runs and Jackson Stivey finished with a couple of runs batted in.
Stivey also struck out six in five solid innings on the mound.
10.20am Rays top Sharks to finish in 11th place at #ALLC2018
11th place playoff result: Adelaide Rays 12, Coastal Bay Sharks 7
Adelaide Rays topped Coastal Bay Sharks to secure an 11th-place finish at #ALLC2018.
The Rays rode a six-run third to a 12-7 victory on Diamond 2 to finish with a 4-3 record for the week.
Ethan Kelsey, Lachlan Pace, Ben Ganley and Brady Smith all drove in a couple of runs.
Ganley also worked 3 1/3 innings, striking out four hitters.
The Sharks took the lead with a five-run third before the Rays took control.
Harrison Sell homered in the top of the fifth for Coastal Bay.
Adelaide Rays topped Coastal Bay Sharks to secure an 11th-place finish at #ALLC2018.
The Rays rode a six-run third to a 12-7 victory on Diamond 2 to finish with a 4-3 record for the week.
Ethan Kelsey, Lachlan Pace, Ben Ganley and Brady Smith all drove in a couple of runs.
Ganley also worked 3 1/3 innings, striking out four hitters.
The Sharks took the lead with a five-run third before the Rays took control.
Harrison Sell homered in the top of the fifth for Coastal Bay.
9.00am Fifth-place playoff set to start on Diamond 1
Southern Mariners and Ryde North will battle for fifth on Diamond 1. You can catch all the action on ABLtv.com!
8.15am Fifteen minutes from getting underway on Day 6
Adelaide Rays and Coastal Bay Sharks will battle for 11th in the first game of the day on Diamond 2. Follow all the action from 8.15am here!
8.00am Gold medal game headlines Day 6 action
We have a big final day of action to bring to you from the 2018 Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship in Lismore. The gold medal game between Adelaide Seahawks and Gold Coast Cougars starts from 3.15pm and will be broadcast live on Facebook and ABLtv.com, but first we have the lower positions to sort out and a pair of consolation games to complete. Click here for the full final day schedule!
QUICK LINKS: #ALLC2018 homepage | ABLtv.com | Download the Baseball Live app
5.00pm Day 6 schedule set!
It will be the Adelaide Seahawks and Gold Coast Cougars in the gold medal game tomorrow with a trip to Williamsport to represent Australia Region at the Little League World Series on the line. Click here for the full Day 6 schedule!
4.25pm Adelaide Seahawks to face Gold Coast in gold medal game
Semi-final 1 result: Adelaide Seahawks 7, Cronulla 2
Adelaide Seahawks are into the #ALLC2018 gold medal game, riding a five-run fourth and strong start by Drew Davies to victory over Cronulla on Diamond 1.
The Seahawks trailed early but took the lead in the third and batted around in the fourth on their way to a 7-2 win.
Jack Bushell drove in three runs and Mitchell Obst a couple.
Davies was dominant on the mound, striking out nine hitters and giving up just two runs.
Blake Kendrick opened the scoring for Cronulla with a lead-off home run in the third.
Obst’s RBI-single tied the contest before Bushell drove in the go-ahead run.
The Seahawks exploded in the fourth, batting around to build a six-run advantage.
Brendan Regan hit a lead-off homer in the sixth to give Cronulla hope.
Nicholas Paparella came in and struck out the side to end the contest and earn Adelaide Seahawks a shot at gold.
Adelaide Seahawks are into the #ALLC2018 gold medal game, riding a five-run fourth and strong start by Drew Davies to victory over Cronulla on Diamond 1.
The Seahawks trailed early but took the lead in the third and batted around in the fourth on their way to a 7-2 win.
Jack Bushell drove in three runs and Mitchell Obst a couple.
Davies was dominant on the mound, striking out nine hitters and giving up just two runs.
Blake Kendrick opened the scoring for Cronulla with a lead-off home run in the third.
Obst’s RBI-single tied the contest before Bushell drove in the go-ahead run.
The Seahawks exploded in the fourth, batting around to build a six-run advantage.
Brendan Regan hit a lead-off homer in the sixth to give Cronulla hope.
Nicholas Paparella came in and struck out the side to end the contest and earn Adelaide Seahawks a shot at gold.
Adelaide Seahawks will face Gold Coast Cougars in the #ALLC2018 gold medal game!
4.00pm Gold Coast Cougars punch ticket to #ALLC2018 gold medal game
Semi-final 2 result: Gold Coast Cougars 8, Illawarra 6
Oscar Hyde hit a grand slam and Gold Coast Cougars used steady offence to see off Illawarra and advance to the #ALLC2018 gold medal game.
The Cougars prevailed 8-6 on Diamond 2, taking the lead for good on Hyde’s grand slam in the bottom of the second.
They added valuable runs in the third and fourth.
Earlier, Emrys Mulvihill put Illawarra up on the first pitch of the contest, blasting a homer to centre field.
Mulvihill’s two-out triple in the second put Illawarra back on terms after Gold Coast had taken the lead.
Illawarra scored four runs in the final two innings but Matthew White and Hyde combined to close the door and ensure the Cougars advanced to the Championship Game tomorrow.
They will play the winner of the other semi-final between Adelaide Seahawks and Cronulla.
Oscar Hyde hit a grand slam and Gold Coast Cougars used steady offence to see off Illawarra and advance to the #ALLC2018 gold medal game.
The Cougars prevailed 8-6 on Diamond 2, taking the lead for good on Hyde’s grand slam in the bottom of the second.
They added valuable runs in the third and fourth.
Earlier, Emrys Mulvihill put Illawarra up on the first pitch of the contest, blasting a homer to centre field.
Mulvihill’s two-out triple in the second put Illawarra back on terms after Gold Coast had taken the lead.
Illawarra scored four runs in the final two innings but Matthew White and Hyde combined to close the door and ensure the Cougars advanced to the Championship Game tomorrow.
They will play the winner of the other semi-final between Adelaide Seahawks and Cronulla.
Gold Coast Cougars are off to the #ALLC2018 gold medal game!
2.35pm Big innings propel Metro to win over Canberra
Game 52 result: Brisbane Metro 19, Canberra 8
Brisbane Metro overturned an early three-run deficit to top Canberra 19-8 on Diamond 4 at #ALLC2018.
Metro scored eight runs in the third to take the lead and piled on 11 more an inning later to secure a big win.
Remi Watson had three runs batted in as five Brisbane Metro hitters collected two hits.
Koby Chesterton drove in two runs for Canberra.
Brisbane Metro overturned an early three-run deficit to top Canberra 19-8 on Diamond 4 at #ALLC2018.
Metro scored eight runs in the third to take the lead and piled on 11 more an inning later to secure a big win.
Remi Watson had three runs batted in as five Brisbane Metro hitters collected two hits.
Koby Chesterton drove in two runs for Canberra.
1.40pm Warriors overpower Aces on Diamond 3
Game 51 result: Southern Hills Warriors 12, Swan Hills Aces 1
A pair of big innings helped Southern Hills Warriors overcome WA counterparts Swan Hills Aces 12-1 on Day 5 of #ALLC2018.
Brodie Franklin-Evans homered and starter Tyler Houston punched out eight in four scoreless innings.
Cody Hopkins also had two doubles as the Warriors collected 10 hits.
A pair of big innings helped Southern Hills Warriors overcome WA counterparts Swan Hills Aces 12-1 on Day 5 of #ALLC2018.
Brodie Franklin-Evans homered and starter Tyler Houston punched out eight in four scoreless innings.
Cody Hopkins also had two doubles as the Warriors collected 10 hits.
1.35pm Big third powers Firebirds past Sharks
Game 54 result: Central Firebirds 13, Coastal Bay Sharks 10
An 11-run third inning propelled Central Firebirds to an 13-10 win over Coastal Bay Sharks on Diamond 1 at #ALLC2018.
Jai Hewitt and Noah Murray both homered as the Firebirds overturned an early 5-0 deficit with a monster inning.
Central pulled level on Hewitt’s two-run bomb and went 11-5 up on Murray’s three-run shot.
The Sharks fought back, cutting the lead to two with a three-run fifth.
Harrison Sell then homered to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
Earlier, Geoffrey Kerr blasted a three-run homer for Coastal Bay.
An 11-run third inning propelled Central Firebirds to an 13-10 win over Coastal Bay Sharks on Diamond 1 at #ALLC2018.
Jai Hewitt and Noah Murray both homered as the Firebirds overturned an early 5-0 deficit with a monster inning.
Central pulled level on Hewitt’s two-run bomb and went 11-5 up on Murray’s three-run shot.
The Sharks fought back, cutting the lead to two with a three-run fifth.
Harrison Sell then homered to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
Earlier, Geoffrey Kerr blasted a three-run homer for Coastal Bay.
1.20pm Lambert strikes out 15 in Ryde North win
Game 53 result: Ryde North 3, Northern Metros 0
Callum Lambert’s 15-strikeout start helped Ryde North to a 3-0 victory over Northern Metros in their #ALLC2018 consolation game.
Ryde North prevailed 3-0 on Diamond 2 to advance to a fifth-placed playoff against Southern Mariners tomorrow.
Lambert tossed a complete game shutout, giving up one hit while striking out 15.
Lachlan Heap’s RBI-single in the second opened the scoring for Ryde North, ahead of them adding a pair of runs in the third.
Callum Lambert’s 15-strikeout start helped Ryde North to a 3-0 victory over Northern Metros in their #ALLC2018 consolation game.
Ryde North prevailed 3-0 on Diamond 2 to advance to a fifth-placed playoff against Southern Mariners tomorrow.
Lambert tossed a complete game shutout, giving up one hit while striking out 15.
Lachlan Heap’s RBI-single in the second opened the scoring for Ryde North, ahead of them adding a pair of runs in the third.
11.20am Mills deals as Manly edge Brisbane North
Game 48 result: Manly 3, Brisbane North 0
Daniel Mills was outstanding on the mound as Manly edged Brisbane North 3-0 in their consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Mills worked a complete game shutout, striking out eight and allowing just four hits.
William Braund drove in a couple of runs for Manly on two hits.
Brisbane North starter Beau Allsworth was equally as impressive, punching out seven in 5 2/3 innings.
Daniel Mills was outstanding on the mound as Manly edged Brisbane North 3-0 in their consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Mills worked a complete game shutout, striking out eight and allowing just four hits.
William Braund drove in a couple of runs for Manly on two hits.
Brisbane North starter Beau Allsworth was equally as impressive, punching out seven in 5 2/3 innings.
Daniel Mills worked a complete game shutout as Manly edged Brisbane North at #ALLC2018!
11.10am Hills shutout Far North Coast on Diamond 3
Game 47 result: Hills 12, Far North Coast 0
Five Hills’ pitchers combined to shutout Far North Coast 12-0 in their consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Jarred Ryan, Rory Cain, Nick Suykens and Shaun Davis each punched out three hitters for Hills.
Matthew Courtney drove in three runs, tripling in the top of the fifth.
Five Hills’ pitchers combined to shutout Far North Coast 12-0 in their consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Jarred Ryan, Rory Cain, Nick Suykens and Shaun Davis each punched out three hitters for Hills.
Matthew Courtney drove in three runs, tripling in the top of the fifth.
11.05am Twins top Rays in thrilling contest on Diamond 1
Game 50 result: Twins 10, Adelaide Rays 9
Harry Foreman drove in four runs as Twins topped Adelaide Rays on Diamond 1 to advance to a ninth-place playoff at #ALLC2018.
Foreman and William Dunn homered as the Twins held on to win 10-9 to start Day 5.
Foreman finished with three hits and four runs batted in, while Spencer Wray drove in a couple of runs.
Luke Beckham had four runs batted in for the Rays.
Adelaide added four in the bottom of the sixth to fall just shy of victory.
Harry Foreman drove in four runs as Twins topped Adelaide Rays on Diamond 1 to advance to a ninth-place playoff at #ALLC2018.
Foreman and William Dunn homered as the Twins held on to win 10-9 to start Day 5.
Foreman finished with three hits and four runs batted in, while Spencer Wray drove in a couple of runs.
Luke Beckham had four runs batted in for the Rays.
Adelaide added four in the bottom of the sixth to fall just shy of victory.
10.50am Harvey stars as Mariners overcome Athletics
Game 49 result: Southern Mariners 12, Eastern Athletics 5
Jarvis Harvey finished a triple shy of a cycle as Southern Mariners downed Eastern Athletics 12-5 in a consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Harvey finished with four hits – including a solo homer in the fourth – and four runs batted in as the Mariners advanced to a fifth-place playoff on Day 6.
Southern took the lead with a three-run third and padded its lead with a six-run sixth.
Lachlan Smith tripled twice and finished with three hits, also striking out five on the mound.
Kody Taylor homered for Eastern.
Jarvis Harvey finished a triple shy of a cycle as Southern Mariners downed Eastern Athletics 12-5 in a consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Harvey finished with four hits – including a solo homer in the fourth – and four runs batted in as the Mariners advanced to a fifth-place playoff on Day 6.
Southern took the lead with a three-run third and padded its lead with a six-run sixth.
Lachlan Smith tripled twice and finished with three hits, also striking out five on the mound.
Kody Taylor homered for Eastern.
9.00am Rays and Twins underway on ABLtv.com
Adelaide Rays and Twins are squaring off on Diamond 1 and you can catch the action live on ABLtv.com! The winner will play for ninth spot on Day 6 in Lismore
8.45am Mariners and Athletics to square off on Diamond 2
Southern Mariners and Eastern Athletics will square off in a battle of Victorian charters to open Day 5. Follow all the action from the Diamond 2 contest here! The winner will advance to the fifth-placed playoff at 9am tomorrow on Diamond 1.
8.00am Massive day ahead
Day 5 of 2018 Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship is here! We have a massive day of action. Adelaide Seahawks will play Cronulla in the first semi-final - live on ABLtv.com - and Gold Coast go up against Illawarra in the second semi on Diamond 2. Click here for the full Day 5 schedule!
Here’s the Day 5 #ALLC2018 schedule, headlined by two MASSIVE semi-finals!
QUICK LINKS: #ALLC2018 homepage | ABLtv.com | Download the Baseball Live app
5.30pm Day 5 schedule set
Wow! What a big day of action that was! The schedule is set for Day 5 now with Adelaide Seahawks playing Cronulla in the first semi-final and Gold Coast going up against Illawarra in the second semi. Click here for the full Day 5 schedule!
4.55pm Illawarra advance to #ALLC2018 semi-final
Quarter-final three result: Illawarra 6, Northern Metros 2
Timely runs and a Lewis Mercieca gem were enough for Illawarra to hold off Northern Metros 6-2 and advance to an #ALLC2018 semi-final.
Mercieca tossed 5 1/3 innings innings, allowing two runs – both unearned – on a couple of hits while striking out three.
He worked with an early lead after Illawarra plated three in the top of the first.
Wil Hope, Oskar Boggiss and Liam Anderson all drove in runs to hand Illawarra a 3-0 lead.
Lachlan Rosser’s two-run triple in the top of the sixth then provided valuable insurance for Illawarra after the Metros had fought back.
Northern had cut the lead to one on a Carlos Salas double and error.
Illawarra will play Gold Coast Cougars in semi-final two tomorrow.
Timely runs and a Lewis Mercieca gem were enough for Illawarra to hold off Northern Metros 6-2 and advance to an #ALLC2018 semi-final.
Mercieca tossed 5 1/3 innings innings, allowing two runs – both unearned – on a couple of hits while striking out three.
He worked with an early lead after Illawarra plated three in the top of the first.
Wil Hope, Oskar Boggiss and Liam Anderson all drove in runs to hand Illawarra a 3-0 lead.
Lachlan Rosser’s two-run triple in the top of the sixth then provided valuable insurance for Illawarra after the Metros had fought back.
Northern had cut the lead to one on a Carlos Salas double and error.
Illawarra will play Gold Coast Cougars in semi-final two tomorrow.
4.20pm Late grand slam lifts Gold Coast into semis
Quarter-final four result: Gold Coast Cougars 5, Ryde North 1
Mitchell Anderson hit a grand slam to break a tie and send Gold Coast Cougars into a semi-final at #ALLC2018.
Anderson’s fifth-inning slam proved the difference as the Cougars downed Ryde North 5-1 in a thrilling quarter-final on Diamond 1.
Jake Scott’s RBI-single an inning earlier had drawn Gold Coast level after Ryde North opened the scoring in the first.
Callam Lambert scored to make it 1-0 for Ryde North in the top of the first after reaching on an error.
Cougars’ starter William Baker tossed a complete game, finishing with nine strikeouts.
Ryde North starter Charlie Steer was also effective, striking out four in 4 1/3 innings.
Mitchell Anderson hit a grand slam to break a tie and send Gold Coast Cougars into a semi-final at #ALLC2018.
Anderson’s fifth-inning slam proved the difference as the Cougars downed Ryde North 5-1 in a thrilling quarter-final on Diamond 1.
Jake Scott’s RBI-single an inning earlier had drawn Gold Coast level after Ryde North opened the scoring in the first.
Callam Lambert scored to make it 1-0 for Ryde North in the top of the first after reaching on an error.
Cougars’ starter William Baker tossed a complete game, finishing with nine strikeouts.
Ryde North starter Charlie Steer was also effective, striking out four in 4 1/3 innings.
2.10pm Sharks top Warriors in close battle
Game 52 result: Coastal Bay Sharks 6, Southern Hills Warriors 5
Coastal Bay Sharks overcame Southern Hills Warriors, riding a three-run third to victory at #ALLC2018.
The Sharks surrendered the lead in the top of the third on Cody Hopkins’ three-run homer and Kayne Richmann’s RBI-single, before fighting back.
Geoffrey Kerr levelled the contest with a two-run homer before Coastal Bay hit the lead on Pierce Clay’s RBI-single.
Coastal Bay Sharks overcame Southern Hills Warriors, riding a three-run third to victory at #ALLC2018.
The Sharks surrendered the lead in the top of the third on Cody Hopkins’ three-run homer and Kayne Richmann’s RBI-single, before fighting back.
Geoffrey Kerr levelled the contest with a two-run homer before Coastal Bay hit the lead on Pierce Clay’s RBI-single.
2.00pm Twins charge to win over Hills
Game 46 result: Twins 10, Hills 1
Twins scored 10 unanswered runs to down Hills 10-1 in their #ALLC2018 consolation game on Diamond 3.
Harry Foreman drove in three runs to power the Twins’ offence, which scored a pair of runs in the first and second before piling on six in the third.
Hills’ reliever Jett Watson struck out five in 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Twins scored 10 unanswered runs to down Hills 10-1 in their #ALLC2018 consolation game on Diamond 3.
Harry Foreman drove in three runs to power the Twins’ offence, which scored a pair of runs in the first and second before piling on six in the third.
Hills’ reliever Jett Watson struck out five in 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
1.50pm Grant homer lifts Cronulla into semi-final
Quarter-final 1 result: Cronulla 12, Southern Mariners 11
Liam Grant’s three-run homer in the fifth lifted Cronulla over Southern Mariners and into an #ALLC2018 semi-final.
Grant’s blast – his third hit of the game – put Cronulla up 12-11 in a thrilling quarter-final on Diamond 2.
Brendan Regan also had three hits, driving in a couple of runs.
It was a wild contest with a number of lead changes.
Cronulla scored the first three runs, lost the lead in the top of the second and regained it in the bottom of the frame.
Southern Mariners then scored six runs to go up 11-9 before Grant came up big for Cronulla.
Jarvis Harvey had three hits for the Mariners.
Liam Grant’s three-run homer in the fifth lifted Cronulla over Southern Mariners and into an #ALLC2018 semi-final.
Grant’s blast – his third hit of the game – put Cronulla up 12-11 in a thrilling quarter-final on Diamond 2.
Brendan Regan also had three hits, driving in a couple of runs.
It was a wild contest with a number of lead changes.
Cronulla scored the first three runs, lost the lead in the top of the second and regained it in the bottom of the frame.
Southern Mariners then scored six runs to go up 11-9 before Grant came up big for Cronulla.
Jarvis Harvey had three hits for the Mariners.
1.20pm Seahawks move into final four at #ALLC2018
Quarter-final two result: Adelaide Seahawks 7, Eastern Athletics 3
Adelaide Seahawks are into an #ALLC2018 semi-final after recording a come-from-behind quarter final win over Eastern Athletics.
The Seahawks scored six in the bottom of the fourth to overturn a 3-1 deficit and book their spot in the final four.
Starter Jack Bushell was dominant, striking out 11 in 4 2/3 innings.
He allowed a home run to Blake Mitchell and just one other hit.
Drew Davies struck out three in relief.
Mitchell Obst drove in two runs.
Mitchell’s two-run homer put Eastern Athletics on top earlier after Adelaide scored the opening run.
Adelaide Seahawks are into an #ALLC2018 semi-final after recording a come-from-behind quarter final win over Eastern Athletics.
The Seahawks scored six in the bottom of the fourth to overturn a 3-1 deficit and book their spot in the final four.
Starter Jack Bushell was dominant, striking out 11 in 4 2/3 innings.
He allowed a home run to Blake Mitchell and just one other hit.
Drew Davies struck out three in relief.
Mitchell Obst drove in two runs.
Mitchell’s two-run homer put Eastern Athletics on top earlier after Adelaide scored the opening run.
SEAHAWKS IN THE SEMI! #ALLC2018
11.30am Even offence lifts Firebirds to victory
Game 41 result: Central Firebirds 6, Swan Hills Aces 0
Central Firebirds used early runs and strong pitching to defeat Swan Hills Aces 6-0 on Diamond 4 at #ALLC2018.
The Firebirds built a six-run lead through three innings and kept the Aces’ bats silent.
Keelan Murray punched out four in 2 1/3 innings and Damon Cornish struck out two in two scoreless digs.
Cooper Moore, Jai Hewitt, Leah Cornish and Brandon Stockbridge drove in runs.
Central Firebirds used early runs and strong pitching to defeat Swan Hills Aces 6-0 on Diamond 4 at #ALLC2018.
The Firebirds built a six-run lead through three innings and kept the Aces’ bats silent.
Keelan Murray punched out four in 2 1/3 innings and Damon Cornish struck out two in two scoreless digs.
Cooper Moore, Jai Hewitt, Leah Cornish and Brandon Stockbridge drove in runs.
10.50am Metro top North in battle of Brisbane
Game 42 result: Brisbane Metro 14, Brisbane North 10
Brisbane Metro used a four-run fifth to break a tie and overcome Brisbane North in their consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Metro regained the lead on a Parker Lovering ground ball and extended it before Raul Romero closed out the top of the sixth.
Matthew Johnson finished with three runs batted in for Metro.
Lachlan Honsa went deep for Brisbane North and finished with four runs batted in.
Brisbane Metro used a four-run fifth to break a tie and overcome Brisbane North in their consolation game at #ALLC2018.
Metro regained the lead on a Parker Lovering ground ball and extended it before Raul Romero closed out the top of the sixth.
Matthew Johnson finished with three runs batted in for Metro.
Lachlan Honsa went deep for Brisbane North and finished with four runs batted in.
10.45am Manly claim first win of #ALLC2018
Game 44 result: Manly 10, Canberra 2
Manly collected its first win at #ALLC2018, overcoming Canberra 10-2 in their consolation game on Diamond 1.
Zac Morris made a solid start on the mound while Daniel Mills homered and Cameron Lorenzo had three hits as Manly came out on top.
Morris punched out five hitters in 4.2 innings.
Manly put up seven runs in the fifth - highlighted by Mills’ three-out homer - to make sure of the result.
Manly collected its first win at #ALLC2018, overcoming Canberra 10-2 in their consolation game on Diamond 1.
Zac Morris made a solid start on the mound while Daniel Mills homered and Cameron Lorenzo had three hits as Manly came out on top.
Morris punched out five hitters in 4.2 innings.
Manly put up seven runs in the fifth - highlighted by Mills’ three-out homer - to make sure of the result.
10.35am Adelaide Rays overpower Far North Coast
Game 43 result: Adelaide Rays 13, Far North Coast 0
Adelaide Rays scored six runs in the first and second inning to overpower Far North Coast at #ALLC2018.
Taiga Waugh drove in three runs on three hits while Brady Smith and Kai Reid had a pair of runs batted in.
On the mound, Ben Ganley punched out five and Jacob Matuszczak three.
Lachlan Pace had a couple of hits.
Adelaide Rays scored six runs in the first and second inning to overpower Far North Coast at #ALLC2018.
Taiga Waugh drove in three runs on three hits while Brady Smith and Kai Reid had a pair of runs batted in.
On the mound, Ben Ganley punched out five and Jacob Matuszczak three.
Lachlan Pace had a couple of hits.
9.00am Canberra and Manly chasing first win
Canberra and Manly are underway on Diamond 1, with both chasing their first win of #ALLC2018. Follow the scoring here and watch the game live on ABLtv.com.
8.45am Battle of Brisbane to start Day 4
Brisbane North and Brisbane Metro will open the day in a consolation game on Diamond 2. Follow the action here from 8.45am!
8.00am Day 4 is 45 minutes away!
Check out the Day 4 schedule - including four huge quarter-final match-ups - at #ALLC2018 below or the full schedule here.
A big Day 4 is not far from getting underway, headlined by four HUGE quarter finals! #ALLC2018