Division 1 Round 1
1sts
Saturday, Game 2: Essendon vs. Geelong 1-7
The Bombers couldn’t ignite the fire as they struggled to hit against the Baycats’ for the second straight game. The reigning champs were once again shut down by a complete start, this time from Geelong’s Rudy Jarramillo. Essendon’s Dean McIntyre hit a home run in the first, but their bats were silenced for the rest of the game, while the Baycats took an early lead with Keli Zablan’s three-run blast. Geelong continued to make the most of scoring opportunities to secure a comfortable lead and a trip to the Grand Final, denying Essendon their seventh straight premiership.
Photo: Alex McCulloch/Essendon Baseball Club Facebook
Saturday, Game 2: Melbourne vs. Blackburn 5-4
The fierce rivalry continued with Melbourne’s narrow win, forcing a game three on Sunday. While Blackburn’s pitching was shutout stellar on Wednesday, the Orioles struggled to start, with Melbourne racking up four of their five runs in the first inning. Blackburn managed to get within one run, and they had men on in the ninth but couldn’t bring them home as Melbourne hung on for the win.
Sunday, Game 3: Melbourne vs. Blackburn 10-8
This intense tiebreaker got out to a quick start as Melbourne took a 1-0 lead after the first, only to give up a three-run homer for Blackburn to take a 1-4 advantage. Both teams battled, with Blackburn ahead 10-8 in the seventh. Melbourne’s Andy Tierney went down with a leg injury, and time was called as the sun set at Billabong Park. Best wishes to Andy for a speedy recovery.
Grand Final Game 1 Geelong vs. Blackburn 4-2
Another fantastic start by Sam Gibbons and a two-run homer from Cameron Brown lifted Geelong over Blackburn. Although Scott Mitchinson had another solid start for the Orioles, giving up just two runs, the Baycats were able to break free in the tenth to secure the win. Now, Geelong will enjoy a 1-0 series lead as they meet again on Saturday for game two. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm at Melbourne Ballpark.
2nds
Blackburn vs. Geelong 3-8
The Baycats overpowered the Orioles to take home the division one premiership. Blackburn jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings, but Geelong’s Duane Davenport settled down and threw four scoreless innings to keep the Baycats in the game. Geelong jumped on the board in the fifth, making it 3-1 and leaving bases loaded as they challenged Blackburn’s defense.
Photo: Katie Davenport/ Geelong BAYCATS Baseball Club Facebook
Geelong’s Emerson Richard took over the mound in the fifth, needing only eight pitches to get the job done. The Baycats were trailing 1-3 but tied it up in the sixth on a Kobe Greenhalgh two-run homer, giving Geelong the momentum to add three more on four hits to take a 3-6 lead. Jarryd Wood notched 3 RBI in that inning on a massive hit.
There was no turning back for Geelong, as Blackburn ran out of steam against Richard, managing only two base runners in the last four innings. The Baycats added one in the seventh and another in the ninth to round out their 3-8 Grand Final victory.
3rds
Geelong vs. Blackburn 2-1
Meanwhile, at home the Baycats were celebrating the thirds premiership after a close game fueled by on-the-spot pitching. In the end, Geelong got the edge over Blackburn to take home the Grand Final win.
Photo: Meryl McColl/ Geelong BAYCATS Baseball Club Facebook
4ths
Sunshine vs. Melbourne 8-5
First-place Sunshine earned their third consecutive flag in a competitive matchup vs. third-place Melbourne. Both teams fought hard, with the Eagles pulling away in the last few innings to secure the premiership.
Congrats to all teams on their Grand Finals success!
Retirement of Baseball Victoria Director
Geoff Pearce
At the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of Baseball Victoria held recently, Baseball Victoria Director Geoff Pearce retired from the Board of Baseball Victoria.
Geoff has a long involvement with baseball including as the owner of the Melbourne Reds a team in the original Australian Baseball League. In 1999 he joined the Australian Baseball Federation Board becoming President in 2006 and serving until 2012. He was also a Director of the Australian Baseball League until 2015 when he joined the Board of Baseball Victoria.
Upon joining the Board of Baseball Victoria Geoff assumed the High Performance and Facilities portfolio. In this capacity he joined the Committee of Management which manages the Melbourne Ballpark on behalf of the Victorian State Government.
“Few have made the contribution to State and National Baseball that Geoff Pearce has made over many years. His clear and concise counsel and sharing of knowledge and experience will be missed by the Board of Baseball Victoria and Baseball Victoria Management. On behalf of the Victoria Baseball Community I thank Geoff for his service and for his lasting and positive contributions to the sport of Baseball” said Myles Foreman – President of Baseball Victoria.
Geoff will not be lost to National and State Baseball with Geoff continuing to play a significant role in baseball as the Chair of the Melbourne Ballpark Committee of Management. With the Baseball Victoria Office moving to Melbourne Ballpark shortly and plans for expanded use of the facility Victorian Baseball Geoff’s continued involvement is great news for Baseball.
We look forward to acknowledging and honouring Geoff Pearce at the upcoming Baseball Victoria Award Night.
Division 3 Round 1
1sts
St. Kilda vs. Chelsea 12-2
First-place St. Kilda dominated fourth-place Chelsea as they secured their spot in the Grand Final. The Saints will play the Ormond Blue Hunters on Sunday, with time TBA. The Hunters won their last meeting back in round 13, but St. Kilda topped their first meeting in round five, 11-4.
Pakenham vs. Ormond Blue 4-7
Third-place Ormond Blue edged second-place Pakenham in Sunday’s game thanks to quality pitching and solid hitting. This big win sends Ormond Blue into the Grand Final vs. St. Kilda.
2nds
St. Kilda vs. Pakenham 18-0
The Saints enjoyed a comfortable, confident shutout win over the Pumas as they advanced to the Grand FInal. Second-place St. Kilda will face first place Ormond Blue on Sunday, with start time and venue TBA.
Ormond Blue vs. Fitzroy 11-6
Fourth-place Fitzroy put up a fight, but in the end first-place Ormond Blue prevailed. With the same final two teams for the 1sts and 2nds, this weekend’s games are sure to be competitive. The last time these two teams met, back in round 13, Ormond Blue pulled off a 8-5 victory.
The Pirates sailed to the Grand Final with a solid win over the Wolves, thanks to strong starting pitching and key team batting when it counted. Williamstown was the first on the board after a massive triple in the third, but their 0-1 lead didn't last long. Preston answered with a leadoff double from Cam Deeble and a pair of singles to take a 2-1 lead. The Pirates added to their advantage in the middle innings, and by the end of the eighth, they were up 9-1. Preston moves on to the Grand Final series, with the first game scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Melbourne Ballpark in Altona.
The Lions valiant efforts weren't enough to overcome first-place Berwick in this matchup, which saw the Cougars gain a more comfortable lead compared to Wednesday night's close 4-3 victory. Berwick adds to their great season by making it to the Grand Final and scoring a move to division one next year. Berwick and Preston will meet for game one on Wednesday, with game two on Saturday and a possible game three on Sunday.
A competitive game from both sides ended with the Cougars ahead by four. Berwick's Jesse Brum hit for the cycle as his team battled to capture the Premiers flag. It was a thrilling end to the season for the third-place team that managed to dethrone first-place Williamstown.
Photo: Berwick City Baseball Club Facebook
3rds
Photo: Berwick City Baseball Club Facebook
3rds
This close match opened up with Preston taking a two-run lead into the seventh. Although it looked like it would go in the Pirates' favor, the Lions battled back in the last frame, overtaking Preston and securing their Grand Final victory. In the end, Preston's pick-offs and errors gave Springvale the room they needed to capture the win.
Photo: Springvale Lions Baseball Club Facebook
Australia struggled to make the most of their opportunities against a formidable Japanese lineup, as they fell 6-0 at a packed Kyocera Dome in Osaka.
Japan piled the pressure on the Aussies from the first inning, plating three runs in the first two innings to gain momentum.
Australia has been far from dominated in the past two games against one of the world’s best teams, however Japan’s ability to execute in key situations proved the difference.
Despite not having his best on the night, Australian starting pitcher Tim Atherton denied Japan the opportunity to put up big offensive numbers.
For the most part I was throwing strikes and my cutter was there,” Atherton said.
“I struggled with my curveball a little bit tonight. We don’t get the opportunity much to play in an atmosphere like this, so I try to take it in as much as I can.”
@lukehughes38 Slick. @teamausbaseball pic.twitter.com/ZgBa85KwOp
The top of the Japanese lineup impressed one again, with Go Matsumoto and Shogo Akiyama both driving in multiple runs.
One of Australia’s strengths in their game in Nagoya was their perfect defence, however a trio of uncharacteristic errors enabled Japan to maintain the ascendency.
In the late stages of the ballgame, Team Australia blooded a number of debutants including pitchers Greg Mosel and Sam Holland which in turn set the foundations for crucial upcoming international competitions.
Australia has gained invaluable experience against one of the most dominant teams in international baseball as they gear up for multiple international events including the 2019 Premier12, the 2020 Olympics and the 2021 World Baseball Classic.
Watch this space, this is only the beginning of our journey.
Despite an outstanding start from veteran pitcher Travis Blackley, Japan claimed clutch hits in big situations to claim a 2-0 win at the Nagoya Dome.
Blackley showed every ounce of his experience against a powerful Japanese lineup, with the former MLB star striking out six and not allowing an earned run in five innings of work.
A specialist at mixing his pitches, Blackley knew exactly what was needed to cool the Japanese offence.
“I stuck to gameplan with the information provided, stayed within myself and tried to keep hitters off balance,” Blackley said.
“I didn’t go out there tonight to blow fastballs by them, we stuck to the plan.”
Blackley PICKOFF @TeamAusBaseball #WBSCGameTime pic.twitter.com/218XGYoItl
The Japanese lineup were held in check through the first five innings, however a walk and a base hit brought to the plate two of Japan’s most powerful hitters. Yuki Yanagita and Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh didn’t disappoint the 33,748 strong crowd in Nagoya, with back-to-back RBIs to break the scoreless deadlock.
Darryl George !!!!!!!!!!! @teamausbaseball #WBSCGameTime pic.twitter.com/epTtTGgjRQ
Perth Heat young gun Robbie Glendinning finished with a pair of hits on the night for Australia, and looked far from out of place in his first game in the green and gold.
Japanese tandem Kodai Senga and Shota Imanaga were lights out through the first three innings, striking out 10 of the first 12 Australian hitters.
Australian relievers Sam Street and Todd Van Steensel both escaped challenging situations in the later stages, but Japan’s ability to take advantage of key situations proved the difference.
Australia will be given an immediate opportunity to rectify this defeat, with the two teams going head-to-head tomorrow at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka.
Division 4- East Finals
St. Kilda vs. Melbourne 7-2
The home team’s hitting streak continued in Sunday’s game. The Saints came into this matchup with confidence, having smashed their way into the Grand Final with a 33-2 win over Monash in round one. While their bats were slightly subdued by Melbourne pitching, St. Kilda still cruised to the premiership. Melbourne beat Blackburn 8-3 in the first round, but they weren’t able to catch up to the Saints in the end.
Division 4 North West
Footscray vs. Essendon 10-8
Division leader Footscray came away with a narrow win in Sunday’s Grand Final. Essendon fought hard, with three rallies to recapture the lead, but the Bulldogs managed to push ahead for a huge victory. In round one, Essendon bested Mitchell Majors 4-3, while Footscray enjoyed a 15-5 finish ahead of North Coburg.
Photo: Chris Stevens/Facebook
Division 4- South
St. Kilda vs. Bonbeach 5-14
The second-place Saints fell to fourth-place Bluejays as Bonbeach earned three flags in one day, including the 16’s and 18’s. Bonbeach successfully manufactured a big victory with lots of runs, much like their 8-21 win at Cheltenham in round one. While St. Kilda beat Monash 12-7 last weekend, they were unable to produce the same results against the Bluejays’ solid pitching and defense.
Photo: Bonbeach Bluejays Facebook
Congrats to the Grand Final winners and all teams for a great season!
Team Australia were put through their paces for the last time on tour, as they took part in their last group practice session before taking on Samurai Japan.
A lighter day engagement wise for the team saw a number of players taking in some of Nagoya’s most popular attractions.
Sydney Blue Sox reliever Todd Van Steensel visited the Nagoya City Science Museum, while former MLB pitcher Travis Blackley took in the breathtaking Nagoya Castle, which was built in the early 1600s.
The first engagement for the team took place in the early afternoon, as both the hitters and pitchers conducted meetings regarding the tactics and plans for the upcoming games.
The team are meeting before their practice at the Nagoya Dome! #2020OurJourney pic.twitter.com/R0ifl3XZNt
— Team Australia ⚾️ (@TeamAusBaseball) March 2, 2018
The team are meeting before their practice at the Nagoya Dome! #2020OurJourney pic.twitter.com/R0ifl3XZNt
Hitting coach David Nilsson preached a simple and clear approach among the hitters, while pitching coach Graeme Lloyd emphasized the need to be 100% invested in each and every pitch.
After the team meetings, Team Australia manager Steve Fish was accompanied by starting pitcher Travis Blackley at the official press conference at the Nagoya Dome, which featured Japanese manager Atusnori Inaba and starting pitcher Kohai Senga and upwards of 50 members of the Japanese media.
At the press conference, Fish was asked about the aim of this particular Australian team.
“Ultimately, the end goal is to qualify for Tokyo 2020,” Fish said.
“In the short term, we’re looking for our young squad to gain more experience on the international stage.”
For a number of Australian players, this was the first time they had experienced a domed stadium – and the experience was unforgettable.
NAGOYA DOME
We here.#2020OurJourney pic.twitter.com/pCpNdk8dxJ
Prior to practice beginning, MLB All-Star Dave Nilsson and two-time World Series winner Graeme Lloyd addressed the entire squad, with a special emphasis on the players wearing the uniform for the first time on the international level.
Nilsson made a clear emphasis on the level of respect required to represent Australia.
“There’s a lot of generations who have come before you, it’s important we respect and acknowledge them,” Nilsson said.
“There’s also 24 million people back home that you represent, and while you’ve always been part of the team as an Australian, you now get the honour to wear the uniform on the international stage.”
Multiple members of the Japanese media were present as the hitters put on an impressive show in batting practice, with Luke Hughes and Boss Moanaroa both showing some solid power.
Tonight, #2020OurJourney begins in earnest as Australia take on Japan in the first of two exhibition games.
Australian fans can join #2020OurJourney by tuning in LIVE on FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA. Check your local guides for broadcast information.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to an ongoing issue with the Sports TG application we are currently unable to upload the Junior Fixture. Below is the official spreadsheet forwarded to the presidents and secretaries.
Good luck to all teams playing finals this weekend.
