Game 20 - Monday 12 June 2017

Game 21 - Monday 12 June 2017

 

Game 22 - Monday 12 June 2017

 

Game 23 - Monday 12 June 2017

 

Game 24 - DIVISION 1 FINAL - Monday 12 June 2017

 

Game 25 - DIVISION 2 FINAL - Monday 12 June 2017

Two days before the NSW Little League Championship Final, Nic Tyrpenou’s life was turned upside down.

Nic is a promising young baseball player for Manly Little League, and only days before his team took on the best Little Leaguers in his state, an unfortunate incident took place at his school.

Nic was stabbed in the eye with a pen.

After Nic’s mother Joanne Harper overcame the initial shock, her thoughts immediately turned to Little League.

“Nic was really looking forward to playing in Lismore,” Harper said.

“Initially the doctors were scared Nic was going to lose his eye altogether, however after the first operation, he gained a little bit of sight back. Fortunately that has been improving ever since and we hope he’ll be playing baseball again soon.”

As of today, Nic still has eight stitches in his eye, and will head back to hospital after the Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship to receive an artificial iris. Following the incident, Nic’s pupil doesn’t dilate, and the artificial iris will control dilation to his pupil.

Nic is a passionate and skilled young player, and according to his father, Les Tyrpenou, his desire to improve in the sport he loves is clear for all to see.

“Nic was the youngest member of Manly’s team last year and he had a pretty good tournament,” Tyrpenou said.

“However as soon as he got home last year, he said, ‘Dad, I want to start training for next year’, and he did. Nic has put in an incredible amount of work to prepare for the Australian Championship, so for something so unfortunate to happen so close to the tournament, we were all devastated for him.”

Nearly any other parent in this situation would have every right to stay at home, care for Nic and watch from afar as his team vied for the ultimate prize in Little League Baseball, however the desire and drive of Nic is clear for those who know him, and that carrot still dangles despite what’s happened.

“When Nic was seven years old, Les showed him a video of the Little League World Series, and ever since then, he’s been determined to get there,” Harper said.

“The only way for Nic to play at the Little League World Series was for him to be here, around his teammates, cheering them on every step of the way.”

The support that Nic has shown for his teammates has been returned in spades by not only the Manly family, but the entire Australian Little League community.

“The support has really knocked me over to be honest,” Les Tyrpenou said.

“Not only have the other kids in our team been checking on Nic every day to make sure he’s going okay, but players from other charters from New South Wales and interstate have heard about Nic’s story and have pledged their support. It’s been truly incredible.” 

That support after what has been such a devastating time for Nic and his family is something that the family believes is a characteristic of the broader Little League program.

Many of the teams at the 2017 Australian Little League Championship are wearing maroon wristbands that are inscribed with ‘I Support Nic’, and win, lose or draw, each and every game Manly plays, Nic is in the dugout, riding every moment, wearing his heart on his sleeve and keeping everybody upbeat and involved.

Nic’s determination and drive to continue his baseball is obvious, and as he continues to recover, he’s aiming to get back on the diamond in July for the Emerging Blue Sox program.

The three founding principles of Little League are courage, character and loyalty, and Nic’s story in undoubtedly a prime example of those three principles in action. The courage he’s shown in his adversity, the character demonstrated by the Little League community and the loyalty of his family, friends, coaches and teammates is a prime example of why Little League is so special.

Game 11 - GROUP 2 - Sunday 11 June 2017

Game 12 - GROUP 2 - Sunday 11 June 2017

 

Game 13 - GROUP 2 - Sunday 11 June 2017

 

Game 14 - GROUP 1 - Sunday 11 June 2017

 

Game 15 - GROUP 2 - Sunday 11 June 2017

 

Game 16 - GROUP 1 - Sunday 11 June 2017

Group 1 Standings

Pos	Team	H2H	P	W	L	D	F	A	WP
1	Ringwood		3	3	0	0	27	15	100
2	City		3	2	1	0	29	21	66.67
3	Mt Gambier		3	1	2	0	20	20	33.33
4	NEBA		3	0	3	0	14	34	0

Group 2 Standings

Pos	Team	H2H	P	W	L	D	F	A	WP
1	Dandenong	1	4	3	1	0	38	11	75
2	Sunraysia	1	4	3	1	0	48	13	75
3	Geelong	1	4	3	1	0	43	12	75
4	Bendigo		4	1	3	0	14	57	25
5	LVBA		4	0	4	0	10	60	0

Game 17 - Sunday 11 June 2017

 

Game 18 - Sunday 11 June 2017

 

Game 19 - Sunday 11 June 2017

Following the inspection of multiple baseball diamonds in Lismore and on the Gold Coast, tournament officials have concluded that as at 7am AEST there are no playable field for games at the #AustLLChamps.

There will be no consolation games today, and if the opportunity presents itself, the quarter finals will be played in Lismore today. An updated schedule will be released when an announcement is made.

Please stay tuned to Baseball Australia's facebook page and website for the latest updates.

Tournament Management are currently liaising with Little League International for direction on how they want us to determine the Champion team in the case no further play is possible for the tournament.

Tournament Management are currently liaising with Little League International for direction on how they want us to determine the Champion team in the case no further play is possible for the tournament.

Game 1 - GROUP 1 - Saturday 10 June 2017

Game 2 - GROUP 2 - Saturday 10 June 2017

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dandenong	3	1	0	2	0	1	2			9
LVBA	0	0	0	1	0	0	0			1

Game 3 - GROUP 2 - Saturday 10 June 2017

 

Game 4 - GROUP 1 - Saturday 10 June 2017

 

Game 5 - GROUP 1 - Saturday 10 June 2017

 

Game 6 - GROUP 2 - Saturday 10 June 2017

Game 7 - GROUP 2 - Saturday 10 June 2017

 

Game 8 - GROUP 2 - Saturday 10 June 2017

 

Game 9 - GROUP 2 - Saturday 10 June 2017

 

Game 10 - GROUP 1 - Saturday 10 June 2017

Canberra 8-6 Northern Diamondbacks

Canberra came from behind and held on for a fantastic victory, defeating the Northern Diamondbacks 8-6. 

Khayne Morales nailed a home run, which was followed by a Ryan Lyddiard RBI single that gave Canberra the lead. From there, Canberra looked to Rohan McDonough, who threw 2.1 shutout innings to finish the ballgame and seal Canberra’s second win in pool play.

Macks Powell nailed two hits and drove in a pair from the cleanup spot for Canberra, with McDonough swinging the bat well to claimed two hits of his own.

Ben Howard played the leadoff role to perfection for the Diamondbacks, going 4-for-4 and scoring twice. Tye Robinson was a tough out for the Diamondbacks, going 2-for-2 with two RBI.

Canberra made the most of their hits, and finished with a morale boosting victory as they look to the second round.

Swan Hills 11-0 Brisbane Metro

Behind a strong hitting performance and a fantastic pitching effort for Jesse Brown, Swan Hills defeated Brisbane Metro 11-0.

Jesse Brown threw the first complete game shutout of the 2017 tournament, striking out eight and only giving up three hits in a wonderful performance.

Elijah Hewett continued his excellent tournament for the Aces, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a home run and two RBI to anchor the Aces lineup. Ben Ferencakovic also hit exceptionally well for Swan Hills, driving in a pair of runs from his two hits.

Ben Walmsley, Jock Millar and Rubens Romero claimed the three hits for Metro, but Swan Hills took the win, sealed first place in Pool B, and a spot in the quarter finals.

Macarthur 11-4 Southern Mariners

Macarthur booked their place in the quarter finals following an 11-4 win against the Southern Mariners.

A balanced team hitting approach from Macarthur lead them to victory, with Owen Glover and Samuel Jackson picking up two RBI each. Bayley Stevens also chimed in with a pair of hits each.

Glover and Zac Small both pitched well for Macarthur, as Glover struck out four in his start, and Small only giving up one run in his 2.2 relief innings.

Charlie Pierson picked up two hits and an RBI for the Mariners, and he was ably supported by Ryan Langworthy and Xander Gunn who claimed a pair of hits each.

Cronulla 8-4 Eastern Phantoms

Cronulla sealed their place at the top of Pool C, following their fourth win from as many games against the Eastern Phantoms.

Ethan Martin was strong in the leadoff spot for the Sharks, going 2-for-3, while Jye Burns and Patrick Glasheen drove in two runs apiece for Cronulla.

Cronulla used a battery of pitchers, with Jye Burns one of the most impressive, striking three in two perfect innings of relief.

Hits were shared for the Phantoms, with Owen Paschke driving in two runs, and Ethan Oliphant nailing a solo home run to keep the Phantoms in contention.

Will Morel gave it his all on the mound for his team, with the Phantoms starting pitcher striking out four and kept a dominant Cronulla lineup relatively under control.

That win sees Cronulla seal a spot in the quarter finals, as they remain undefeated at the Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship.

Gold Coast Pirates 5-4 Central Firebirds

Gold Coast made the most of their opportunities and withstood a comeback from the Central Firebirds to claim a narrow 5-4 win.

William Baker starred for Gold Coast, striking out nine and only giving up one earned run across his five inning start. Baker also swung the bat well, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Dane Gibson and Lucas Pascoe chimed in with a hit apiece for the Pirates, with Pascoe and Damon Norris driving in an RBI each.

Taeyeon Jeon was the only Firebirds hitter to claimed two hits on the day, with Callum Plant continuing his good tournament, going 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBI.

Despite Jaxon Limpus scoring late on a wild pitch, Peter Alexander was the final out of the ballgame, grounding out to Jaecob Arnott and sealing a hard-fought win for the Gold Coast Pirates. 

Northern Metros 9-5 Illawarra

Both teams hit well, but eventually it was the Northern Metros who ran away with it, defeating Illawarra 9-5.

The Metros trio of Tom Spreckley, Reef Tana and Aden Browne pitched exceptionally well, striking out 10 and only walking four in six innings.

Browne also hit well for his team, nailing a home run and driving in a pair of runs. Ethan Campbell went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Metros as he continued his tournament well.

Callum Donnelly went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Mitchell Wheatley continued an excellent tournament with another two hits and an RBI.

Liam Herbert played a tough role for Illawarra as both the leadoff hitter and starting pitcher, however two hits and an RBI and a gusty start showed his quality.

Southern Mariners 7-2 Brisbane South

The Southern Mariners scored three runs in the opening frame and never looked back, defeating Brisbane South and sealing their place in the Quarter Finals.

Ryan Langworthy was one of the Mariners best with the bat, claiming a team high three hits and driving in a run. Charlie Pierson also hit well for the Victorian charter, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Wesley Ka had a strong start for the Mariners, striking out three and only giving up two runs in a fantastic performance.

Gabe Kushi kept the Mariners offence relatively quiet in his 2.2 innings of relief, only allowing the one earned run. Ben Paton was one of Brisbane South’s best with bat in hand picking up two hits, while David Riley and Josh McDougall picked up an RBI each.

That result sees the Southern Mariners claim three wins from four games and seal a place in the quarter finals of the Australian Championship. 

Hills 12-8 Adelaide Rays

Hills kept their undefeated tournament alive with a 12-8 victory, but it wasn’t without a scrap as the Adelaide Rays pushed the defending champions all the way.

Tom Stancic drove in a team high four RBI for Hills, while Tyler Spiteri and Harrison Wheeldon picked up three RBI each. 

Stancic, Spiteri and Wheeldon all nailed home runs for Hills, as they used the long ball to great effect.

Jett Watson struck out four in three innings of work Hills, while Cody Brian finished it off for Hills, only giving up one run in two innings of relief.

Jordan Hodges and Archie Lovelock picked up two RBI each for the Rays, with Hodges nailing a home run for his team.

Chase Rowe had an exceptional relief outing against a solid lineup, only giving up a pair of runs in 3.1 innings of work.

Ryde 13-4 Gold Coast Pirates

Consistent scoring from Ryde saw them defeat the Gold Coast Pirates 13-4 and in turn seal the second seed in Pool D.

Matt Cecere was exceptional in his 3.2 inning start for the Hawks, striking out five and not giving up a run in a fantastic performance.

Matthew Roberts was a tough out for the Pirates as the Hawks utility went 3-for-3 with three runs, a walk and two RBI. Zen Stevens and Callum Lambert also hit well, picking up two hits and two RBI apiece.

Oscar Hyde, Lewis Day and Damon Norris all managed hits and RBI for the Pirates, however Ryde won the day and secured a place in the Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship Quarter Finals.

Eastern Athletics 10-2 Brisbane North

Eastern Athletics moved one step closer to qualifying for the Quarter Finals after a 10-2 victory against Brisbane North.

Beau Allsworth and Sam Wilson both claimed a pair of hits for Brisbane North, while Joel Hogan and Miller Bell drove in an RBI each.

Tyler Ellis and Cameron Bieker each threw exceptionally well in relief for the Athletics, with Bieker striking out four and not allowing a hit in 2.1 innings.

Nick Parton and James Patterson each nailed three RBI for the Athletics, with Nicholas Harris going 2-for-2 with three runs, an RBI and two walks at the top of the Athletics order.

Manly 12-2 Brisbane Metro

Manly sewed up the second seed in Pool B following a 12-2 win against Brisbane Metro.

Oliver Tibbett had to work hard during his two inning start, as he struck out four and only gave up two earned runs. Sean Parkinson threw two excellent innings of relief for Manly, only allowing two hits and striking out three in two innings. 

Tallulah Lewis hit well in the cleanup position, as she picked up a team-high two hits. Daigo Yamaguchi drove in two of his team’s runs at the top of the lineup, while hits were shared for Brisbane Metro.

Three wins from four games is good enough for the second seed in Pool B for Manly, as they look to keep it rolling to improve on their seventh place finish from a year ago.

Adelaide Marlins 16-13 Eastern Athletics

The Adelaide Marlins finished off pool play with a lengthy 16-13 victory against the Eastern Athletics.

Both teams hat to endure a length rain delay, and it was the Marlins who came back the stronger, as Jude Barker nailed a massive home run to finish with five RBI on the night.

Aiden Lucas chimed in with three hits and three RBI of his own, while Flynn McKee went 3-for-4 with two RBI and some flashy plays at third.

Hits were shared for the Athletics, with Tyler Evans driving in a team high three RBI.

Taran Rose and Nick Parton both had three hits apiece, as Rose and Evan Maury both chimed in with three RBI.

Despite that loss, the Eastern Athletics have qualified for the quarter finals of the Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship.

For a full day four schedule, click here.

A zero per cent High Performance funding allocation from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has made qualification for the Australian Baseball team even more challenging, as they seek to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Australian men’s baseball team who won an Olympic silver medal in 2004, and have since achieved a highest ever world ranking of eighth, following a ninth placed finish at the World Baseball Classic earlier this year.

As well as the historic efforts of the Men’s National team, the future is bright for Australian baseball. The Australian U23 team gave the best indication yet as to the success of the current high performance programs in place, winning a Silver medal at the U23 World Cup in Monterrey, Mexico, last November.

However, the funding freeze in High Performance funding, at a time when a number of sports received a significant funding boost, is disappointing for a sport on the rise, according to Baseball Australia’s CEO Cam Vale. 

“We are disappointed the ASC and AIS has failed to recognise our medal potential despite an extensive consultation process,” commented Vale.

Vale went on to say, “I will need to educate the leaders at the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport more over the next 12 months, on not only our medal potential, but how difficult it is to run a proper qualification campaign on so little support.” 

“Availability of our top players is critical for our success and is a major challenge for us. This lack of funding support will make it more difficult to coordinate the availability of our top players currently playing in the MLB, MiLB, Asian Leagues and College teams in the USA.”

“We remain the most underfunded Olympic team sport, men or women, by a considerable margin despite having had success only two Olympic cycles (that baseball was eligible in) ago.”

Despite the funding short-fall, Vale was clear that the sport would not seek to fund Baseball’s Olympic qualification campaign through grassroots funding, given that Baseball’s participation numbers have seen the sport reclassified from a Category D sport to a Category B sport in the recent ASC/AIS Funding allocation

“We remain indebted to the backbone of our sport, grassroots, who won't wear the burden of our funding challenge, and we will pursue other avenues for a successful High Performance program.”

Cronulla 11-1 Brisbane North

Behind a dominant start from Nathan Howarth, Cronulla claimed their second win from as many games, defeating Brisbane North 11-1. 

Howarth struck out seven and didn’t allow a hit in his 2.2 innings of work. From there, Patrick Glasheen struck out another four as Cronulla only allowed two baserunners across four innings.

Jye Burns and Glasheen drove in two runs each, while Matthew Palmer was one of Cronulla’s best with bat in hand, going 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.

Brisbane North scored the opening run of the ballgame, as Samuel Wilson scored, however from there Cronulla showed their strength despite a solid relief outing from Wilson.

Swan Hills 28-2 Canberra

Swan Hills piled on 12 runs in the opening inning and never looked back, defeating Canberra 28-2.

Tiaan Janse van Rens claimed a double and an RBI for Canberra, while Hamish McGuire claimed the other RBI.

Elijah Hewett was an impossible out for Swan Hills, going 3-for-3 with a walk, a home run and four RBI in an impressive performance.

Ben Ferencakovic nailed a triple and three RBI for the Aces, while Corey Edwards claimed two RBI from his two hits.

Taj Schofield and Joseph Chapman combined to only give up two earned runs and struck out four in a solid team pitching performance.

Southern Mariners 16-4 Illawarra

The Southern Mariners and Illawarra couldn’t be separated in the early stages of the opening game on Diamond 1, however 10 late runs saw the Mariners claim their second win of the tournament.

Lachlan Smith had a strong day with both bat and ball for the Mariners, scoring three times, driving in two runs from his two hits, and tossing 2.2 scoreless innings in relief.

Tom Brookes also drove in a pair of runs for the Mariners, while Charlie Pierson’s double also scored one of the Mariners 16 runs.

Mitchell Wheatley was the lone Illawarra player to claim two hits, while James Burgess and Callum Donnelly picked up two RBI each.

Manly 6-1 Northern Diamondbacks

Both Manly and the Diamondbacks scored early, however Manly’s bats continued to fire, as they eventually claimed a 6-1 win. 

Daigo Yamaguchi played his role of leadoff hitter to perfection for Manly, going 3-for-4 and scoring three runs.

Tallulah Lewis was the only Manly player to drive in two runs, while the pitching staff fired for the second consecutive day.

Yuto Goto’s 3.1 inning start was spectacular, as he struck out six, only gave up one run and threw more than 70% of his pitches for strikes.

Nick Gall picked up where Goto left off, striking out six and throwing 83% of his pitches for strikes.

Ned Hargreaves was one of the Diamondbacks best with bat in hand, as he claimed two hits and an RBI. Harry Fitzgerald also chimed in with a double.

Manly scored a run in each of their final four innings, kept the line moving and claimed their second consecutive win of the tournament.

Swan Hills 7-5 Manly

A hard fought game between two strong charters end saw Swan Hills hold off a gallant Manly to claim a 7-5 victory.

Elijah Hewett was a star offensively for the Aces, going 4-for-4 with two RBI, while Corey Edwards also chimed in with two RBI.

Ben Ferencakovic struck out seven and only gave up three earned runs in his strong five inning start for the Swans.

Wilson Spinks only gave up the one earned run during his two inning start, striking out four and throwing well. Tallulah Lewis backed Spinks up well, as she struck out five and only gave up two hits in her relief outing. 

Hits were shared for Manly, as Spinks, Jacob Wander and Daigo Yamaguchi all picked up a base hit each, Yamaguchi stretched his into a double.

Both teams traded runs late, and despite a final inning rally from Manly, the Aces just held on for a narrow win.

Cronulla 24-3 Adelaide Marlins

Cronulla scored 12 runs in the first inning against the Adelaide Marlins and never looked back, claiming a dominant 24-3 victory on Diamond 2.

Flynn McKee claimed a hit and an RBI for the Marlins, while Aiden Lucas claimed the team’s other base hit.

Anthony Tsoukarellis struck out four and only gave up one earned run in his 2.1 inning start for Cronulla and his offence backed him up perfectly.

The top half of the Sharks lineup did the damage, as Ethan Martin, Brendan Regan and Nathan Howarth driving in 13 of the team’s 24 runs.

Howarth finished with two singles, a double and a home run, while Jye Burns chimed in with two triples in a fantastic team hitting performance.

Hills 20-1 Ryde

Harrison Wheeldon threw exceptionally well and was backed up by some heavy run support as Hills defeated Ryde 20-1.

Wheeldon struck out seven and only gave up two hits across his 2.2 inning start, and his offence fired, as Stephen Courtney nailed a massive grand slam to finish with six RBI.

Tyler Spiteri also was a lynchpin in the Hills lineup, going 4-for-4 with a double, a triple and four RBI. Matthew Cecere, Edward Hogg and Kaden Fasion picked up a hit each for Ryde, with Josh Lander driving in the Hawks’ lone run in the fourth inning.

Macarthur 15-0 Brisbane South

An exceptional start from Blake Gooding and a strong offensive performance lead Macarthur to a 15-0 victory over Brisbane South.

Gooding struck out five and only allowed one hit in three innings on the mound for Macarthur, while Lachlan Bigwood struck out all three hitters he faced in the final frame to put the exclamation point on a fine performance.

Bayley Stevens lead the line for Macarthur offensively, going 3-for4 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI, while Owen Glover also hit well, claiming two RBI from his two hits.

Sam Jackson gave Macarthur a solid offensive option at the tail end of the order as he went 2-for-2 with a triple and two RBI.

Hills 13-0 Gold Coast Pirates

Hills’ hitting was contagious against the Gold Coast Pirates, as they continued their undefeated tournament with a 13-0 victory.

Tom Stancic was outstanding for Hills on the mound, striking out five in 2.1 innings. Stancic didn’t allow a hit in his start, while Liam Padovan finished the job. The young right-hander only allowed two hits in his relief appearance.

Stephen Courtney nailed a home run for Hills, while Ethan Treble claimed three RBI in the leadoff spot. A seven run inning from the defending champions broke the game open in the first and they never looked back, putting in a complete offensive performance.

Bailey Dennis and Ethan Holland claimed the Pirates’ two hits of the day, however consistent hitting from Hills ensured they came home with the victory.

Brisbane Metro 10-3 Northern Diamondbacks

Brisbane Metro swung the bats early to put some space between them and the Diamondbacks, as they ended up taking out the ballgame 10-3.

Robert Harris had a fantastic ballgame for Brisbane Metro, nailing two doubles, a single and driving in three runs for his team.

Ben Walmsley set his team up exceptionally well as the starting pitcher, striking out eight hitters and only giving up one earned run in his four innings on the mound.

Ned Hargreaves and Joel Prpic lead the line for the Diamondbacks, with Hargreaves claiming a pair of his, and Prpic nailing a solo home run.

Spencer Wray kept a strong Metro side at bay, with the Diamondbacks reliever striking out three in two scoreless relief innings.                 

Eastern Athletics 12-10 Eastern Phantoms

The Phantoms and Athletics were knotted at five after two innings, however a big seven run inning from the Athletics lifted them to a 12-10 win.

Ethan Oliphant was outstanding for the Phantoms with bat in hand, going 3-for-4, nailing two home runs and finishing with six RBI.

Braydon Moyle and Yuto Uemoto each had multi-hit games at the top of the Phantoms lineup as they grabbed the early momentum.

Nicholas Harris lead the Athletics with the ball, throwing efficiently in his three innings of relief, only giving up the one earned run.

Tyler Evans had a fantastic game for the Athletics, driving in four of his team’s 12 runs, and nailing a home run in the process 

To their credit, the Phantoms never gave up, scoring five runs in a wild sixth inning, however their fantastic comeback fell just short, as the Athletics claimed their first win of the tournament.

Central Firebirds 8-5 Ryde

The Central Firebirds scored five runs in the fourth inning, and despite a strong comeback from Ryde, held on for an 8-5 win on Diamond 4.

Taeyeon Jeon was one of many consistent Firebirds hitters throughout the ballgame, going 2-for-2 with a home run and 2 RBI. Peter Alexander continued his strong tournament driving home another pair of runs in the leadoff spot for the Firebirds.

Matt Cecere held his own in Ryde’s leadoff spot, showing patience and power to go 2-for-2 with two walks. Sebastian Miezis was a tough out for the Firebirds, going 3-for-3 with a triple and two runs.

Kynan Leong brought Ryde back into the ballgame with a three run home run in the final frame, however Taeyeon Jeon came in to strike out Peter Bae, and the Firebirds escaped with a much needed win.

Adelaide Rays 13-3 Central Firebirds

The Rays scored six runs in the opening frame and never looked back, claiming a 13-3 victory to keep their quest for the Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship alive.

Lucas Burnell nailed two doubles and drove in a run, and he was supported well by Noah Scott who chimed in with two RBI of his own. Archie Lovelock hit well in the seven hold for the Rays, going 2-for-2 with a double, two runs and two RBI.

Jayden Bubner tossed a complete game for the Rays, giving up three runs in four innings, mixing his pitches well and keeping the Firebirds hitters off balance. 

Peter Alexander continued his excellent tournament with another two hits, while Callum Plant, Taeyeon Jeon and Jaxon Limpus all chimed in with an RBI each.

The Firebirds scored a run in each of the second, third and fourth innings, but the Rays kept on scoring, extending their lead and eventually claiming a must-win game.

Macarthur 11-1 Northern Metros

Behind a fantastic team hitting performance and a lights out pitching tandem, Macarthur defeated the Northern Metros 11-1.

Bayley Stevens was dazzling in his 3.1 innings of work, only giving up one hit and striking out five hitters. Jesse Toon came in and finished the ballgame off well, as he struck out four and only gave up one hit in 1.2 innings.

Stevens also starred with bat in hand for Macarthur, driving in three of his team’s 11 runs. Owen Glover continued his strong tournament for Macarthur, picking two hits, while Christopher Fergie gave Macarthur some life out of the nine hole, picking up two hits and scoring twice.

Tyler Jones and Aden Browne claimed a hit each for the Metros, with Jones nailing a double.

CLICK HERE FOR STANDINGS AFTER DAY 2 OF THE AUSTRALIAN LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

Hills 11-0 Central Firebirds

The defending champions picked up right where they left off, defeating the Central Firebirds 11-0 in five innings to begin the tournament.

Eight runs in the first two innings saw Hills provide their pitchers some solid run support, and they never looked back.

Tom Stancic and Harrison Wheeldon combined to strike out five and only allow three baserunners in the first two frames, while a strong relief outing from Cody Brian (2.2IP, 2H, 3K) kept the Firebirds offence at bay.

The top third of the lineup did the majority of the damage for Hills, with Ethan Treble, Harry Wheeldon and Stephen Courtney combining for seven hits and five RBI.

Callum Plant picked up two hits for the Firebirds, with Peter Alexander and Jai Hewitt also claiming a base hit each.

Illawarra 5-4 Macarthur

At their first game at the Bendigo Bank Australian Little League Championship since 2011, Illawarra claimed a narrow 5-4 victory over Macarthur.

Both teams scored three in the first frame, however Illawarra scored a pair of runs in the middle innings and held on to pick up their first win of the tournament.

Mitchell Wheatley went 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI, while Liam Herbert played his role of leadoff hitter well, picking up two hits and a walk. 

Owen Glover, Blake Gooding and Jesse Toon claimed two hits each for Macarthur, as Toon showed his skills on the mound too, striking out three in his relief inning.

Macarthur's bats fired early, however an amazing relief outing from Zach Cole kept the Macarthur side at bay, and lead his team to a historic victory.

Canberra 9-8 Brisbane Metro
Macks Powell played the hero, as he nailed a walk-off double to pick up a narrow 9-8 victory against Brisbane Metro.

Canberra was down by one heading into the final frame, however back-to-back RBI doubles from Will Page-Allen and Powell saw Canberra draw level, then pick up a walk-off victory.

Brisbane Metro used the long ball to great effect, nailing three home runs. A two run blast from Jackson Grounds levelled the game in the top of the sixth, while Jett Raven showed his power, nailing two home runs including the go-ahead run in the sixth.

Takuma Arakawa and Will Page-Allen claimed two RBI each for Canberra, while Hamish McGuire also chimed in with a pair of base hits.

Southern Mariners 10-9 Northern Metros

An eventful final frame saw Northern Metros score five to grab a narrow lead, however two runs in the bottom half of the inning saw the Southern Mariners claim a 10-9 win in the first game on Diamond 1.

Felix Brunner stepped up to bat with the bases loaded and worked a full count before watching ball four and scoring Lachlan Stevens to end the ballgame.

Aden Browne put his Metros back in the lead in the top of the sixth with a solo home run, while Tyler Jones (3-for-3, 2RBI) and Josh Davies (2H, 2RBI) also contributed strongly with the bat.

Tyler Ellis claimed two hits and an RBI for the Mariners, while Lachlan Stevens also claimed a hit and an RBI in the Victorian Charter’s narrow victory.

Brisbane North 14-12 Adelaide Marlins

Brisbane North withstood a late Adelaide Marlins fightback to claim a narrow 14-12 win on Diamond 2.

Brisbane North flew out to an 8-0 lead, but the Marlins wouldn’t go away, scoring three runs in the final frame, but ultimately falling just short.

Joel Hogan and Miller Bell both showed power and speed as each claimed a home run for Brisbane North. Hitting third and fourth in the lineup, Bell and Hogan each claimed three RBI.

Hogan also was exceptional on the mound, striking out seven and only giving up the one run in 2.2 innings of work.

The Marlins pitching staff shared the duties, with no pitcher throwing more than 1.1 innings. Aiden Lucas threw more than 70% of his pitches for strikes, and didn’t allow an earned run to keep the Marlins in the contest.

The Marlins scored 11 of their 12 runs in the final three frames, however their late fightback fell just short, as Blair McDonald finished off the game in style, striking out the final Marlins hitter to seal a first up win for Brisbane North.

Adelaide Rays 14-4 Gold Coast Pirates

Archie Lovelock put the ultimate exclamation point on the Adelaide Rays 14-4 victory, nailing a grand slam to end the ballgame.

Gold Coast hit well early as they lead by three runs after three innings, however the Rays came home with a wet sail, scoring a combined 14 runs in the fourth and fifth inning to put the game beyond doubt.

Oscar Hyde finished with a perfect day at the plate for the Pirates, going 2-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk. Will Baker had a fantastic start for the Pirates, striking out three and only giving up one hit in his 2.2 innings.

Jay Couzner went 2-for-2 with 3 RBI for the Rays, while on the mound, the Rays pitching staff showed their stuff, striking out a massive 11 hitters across five innings.

Brisbane South 10-8 Illawarra

Brisbane South broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth, and held on against Illawarra for a narrow 18-0 victory.

Harry Stewart and Josh McDougall both nailed home runs for Brisbane South, while Gabe Kushi and David Riley each drove in a pair of runs in the victory.

Callum Donnelly was one of Illawarra’s best with bat in hand, picking up two hits and two RBI. Mitchell Wheatley finished off his day strongly, with the Illawarra cleanup hitter going 2-for-2 with a double, a triple, two walks and an RBI.

Ty Iddon came into the game into a tough situation and finished it on the mound for Brisbane South, striking out two and only giving up one run in his two innings of work.

Northern Diamondbacks 15-12 Swan Hills

Victoria’s Northern Diamondbacks claimed their first opening round win in Australian Little League Championship history as they defeated Swan Hills 15-12 on Diamond 1.

Trailing by five after three frames, the Diamondbacks rallied hard, scoring 12 runs in their final three innings to escape with a tight win over the Aces.

The Diamondbacks’ offence was consistent all day, with Shintaro Kato and Joel Prpic each claiming three hits. Ned Hargreaves and Harry Firtzgerald did the bulk of the damage for the Diamondbacks, driving in a pair of runs each.

Hits were shared for the Aces, with leadoff man Matt Kemp scoring three times, claiming one hit and driving in a run.

The Aces split the pitching responsibilities, using six pitchers, with Elijah Hewett striking out three and only giving up one hit across 1.1 innings.

Northern Metros 33-5 Brisbane South

The Northern Metros struck early and often, and eventually ran away with the ballgame, defeating Brisbane South 33-5.

Reef Tana only allowed three baserunners in his two innings of work, as he struck out three and only gave up the one hit. Brody Pickett and Ethan Campbell drove in four runs apiece for the Metros, as every player that made a plate appearance claimed an RBI.

Taylor Robitaille picked up a single and a triple for Brisbane South, while Ben Paton went 1-for-2 with a triple and an RBI.

The Metros piled on 16 runs in the opening inning, and despite the Brisbane South bats coming to life late in the game, the damage was done.

Manly 10-0 Canberra

Manly used a balanced overall performance to defeat Canberra 10-0 on Diamond 1.

Wilson Spinks, Nick Gall and Yuto Goto combined for a no-hitter as they struck out nine and only allowed two baserunners in a clinical performance.

Hits and RBI were shared among the Manly lineup, as Gall, Daigo Yamaguchi, Jaden Grant and Jacob Wander managed a hit and an RBI each.

Gall and Jack Leonard each picked up doubles for Manly, and that hitting combined with a number of walks kept the line moving for the NSW charter.

Brisbane North 12-11 Eastern Phantoms

Runs came thick and fast for both teams, however at the end of the day, Brisbane North snuck home care of some heads up baserunning from Joel Hogan, who crossed care of a wild pitch in the final inning.

Ben Randall went 3-for-4 with three runs, a home run and three RBI and was one of the Phantoms best with bat in hand. Riley Oliphant also excelled at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Randall also struck out three across his 2.2 inning start, as he only gave up one earned run during his start.

Joel Hogan was solid in the Brisbane North lineup, as he claimed three hits and two RBI. Enzo Moriguchi also chimed in with two hits and an RBI.

Both teams traded late runs, however Brisbane North managed to maintain the slimmest of leads, and eventually claimed their second victory of the day.

Cronulla 10-5 Eastern Athletics

A five run first inning saw Cronulla defeat the Eastern Athletics 10-5 to claim a first up with at the championship.

Nathan Howarth nailed a home run for the Sharks, while Brendan Regan and Finn Ramanauskas each drove in three runs apiece in a strong hitting display.

Cronulla manager Jarrod Martin used his pitchers wisely, as six Cronulla players took the mound. Those six worked well, as they combined for 13 strikeouts across six innings of work.

Tyler Evans and Austin Neave threw well in relief for the Athletics, striking out seven hitters and only allowing one earned run in the middle innings.

Ellis, Jack Ratcliffe and Finley Ronalds-Greatbatch each claimed hits for the Athletics, with Matthew Lavery driving in the only earned run.

The Athletics trimmed the Sharks lead to two with an inning to play, however a three spot from Cronulla and a game ending strikeout from Van Lister sealed his team’s first win of the tournament.

Ryde 4-2 Adelaide Rays

The Adelaide Rays scored an early run, however Ryde came back to eventually run out 4-2 winners.

Callum Lambert struck out four in his 4.1 inning start, as he only gave up two earned runs in a strong performance. Edward Hogg relieved Lambert and kept it rolling for Ryde, striking out four and only giving up one hit in 1.2 innings.

Peter Bae claimed Ryde’s only hit of the ballgame in the top of the sixth, as he drove in the go-ahead run. That run broke open the ballgame and Ryde never looked back. Hogg then slammed the door shut on the Rays offence, and Ryde claimed a win as the action finished up on Diamond 1.

Adelaide Marlins 8-7 Eastern Phantoms

The floodgates didn’t open until late in the game on Diamond 2, as the Adelaide Marlins snuck by the Eastern Phantoms 8-7.

Hitting in the two hole, Yuta Uemoto nailed a home run and drove in three RBI for the Phantoms, while for the Marlins, Aiden Lucas also drove in three RBI from his three hits. 

Brandon Hale was exceptional for the Phantoms in his start, striking out six and only giving up one baserunner in his 3.1 innings of work.

Jude Barker struck out nine through his five inning start, while Connor Yeatman fanned the final three hitters in the seventh inning to end the Phantoms rally.

With bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, a two-RBI single from Aiden Lucas tied the game. Owen Paschke claimed a fielders choice out, and some heads up running from Gregorio Bravo saw the Marlins utility cross the plate and seal a hard-fought win for the South Australian side.