Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

Central Coast vs. Hills

In one of the most remarkable games in recent memory, Central Coast turned a six run final innings deficit into a four run lead, plating 10 runs to claim the unlikeliest of victories. An offensive onslaught early from Hills broke the game wide open, with day 1 hero Jack Dormor claiming three hits and an RBI and Kaiden Costa driving in two runs. For Central Coast, the comeback began in the seventh with Jeremy Scott being hit by a pitch with bases loaded, and ended with the second bases loaded triple of the tournament, this time it came from the bat of Bryce Calderon.

Eastern Athletics vs. Adelaide Armada

The Eastern Athletics and Adelaide Armada traded blows early and often, but ultimately, offence dominated and the Armada picked up a hard fought 11-8 victory. Brendan Kane impressed for the Athletics, pitching two innings for no earned runs, no mean feat in a game with 18 hits. For the Armada, Ethan Marchioro was the offensive standout, going 2-for-3 and collecting an impressive 4 RBIs. Luke Cartwright and James Wolstencroft proved a handful in the middle of the Athletics lineup, combining for four hits and five RBIs.

Adelaide Titans vs. Southern Mariners

After a tense first two innings, the Southern Mariners offence exploded in the third, piling on six runs and putting the game out of reach for the Adelaide Titans. Two insurance runs in the 7th proved the icing on the cake, as the Mariners ran away 9-3 victors. Jackson Boyd gave the Mariners a strong start on the mound, going three innings that included five strikeouts and no earned runs. Jayson Arthur provided the offensive spark for the Mariners, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs. For the Titans, Nick Platten handled the Mariners pitchers with ease, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Sean Maple impressed on the mound, throwing two innings of one hit relief for the Titans.

Eastern Athletics vs. Eastern Phantoms

Lead by a strong out from starting pitcher Mason Talbot (5.2IP, 3K, 0ER), the Eastern Phantoms cruised past the Eastern Athletics, running out 6-0 winners on Diamond one. Eastern Athletics starter Liam Evans worked hard for his four strikeouts, having to throw 60 pitches in just over three innings of work. Jayson Miller took a liking to the Athletics’ pitching rotation, picking up a game high three hits and two RBIs. Blake Hodgson proved some offensive resistance for the Athletics, picking up two hits. Tiernan Culbert also picked up a pair of hits in a tough match.

Manly vs. Cronulla

The first real blowout of the tournament came late on day two, as Cronulla defeated Manly 14-2 in five innings. Hits came early and often for Cronulla with every player in the starting lineup collecting at least one hit. Heath Fisher picked up three RBIs for Cronulla, while Darcy Edwards’ form continues, going 3-for-4 and driving in a pair of runs. Manly’s offense just couldn’t get going in this one, however Sam Hurwit proved the only real issue for Cronulla’s pitching staff, picking up two of Manly’s three hits.

Brisbane South vs. Adelaide Titans

In the final game of the day on Diamond three, Brisbane South had to bide their time until a monster fifth inning offensive onslaught. Five runs blew the game wide open and proved the difference, with Brisbane South taking the game 6-1. Conor Laverty was unstoppable on the mound for Brisbane South, throwing five innings conceding only one hit and striking out six Adelaide Titans. Brisbane South’s lineup took a little while to get going, with Andrew Cusick the only player with a multi-hit game. Tom White was consistent in his start for the Adelaide Titans, only giving up one earned run through four innings on the mound.

Hills vs. Eastern Phantoms

Two teams that have looked strong for the first couple of days did battle on Diamond two, and it was the Eastern Phantoms that came out on top, defeating Hills 13-6 The Phantoms got off to an incredible start, scoring 10 runs in the first two innings. Mason Talbot continued his great start to the tournament, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs for the Phantoms as well as nailing an impressive home run. Kaiden Costa threw well for Hills, not conceding a hit in two innings of relief. Liam Holm was electric at the plate and speedy along the base paths, with his two hits both turning into triples, Holm also claimed two RBIs.

Southern Mariners vs. Cronulla

Two undefeated teams coming into the final game on Diamond one, but only one team could remain without a loss, and that team was the Southern Mariners, defeating Cronulla 14-2. The Mariners fired early and often, with every player in the starting lineup claiming a hit. Jai Lyttleton went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and history was made, with Ciaran Palmer nailing a home run live on ABL.tv for the Mariners. The Mariners pitching staff worked wonders, with Joshua Meyer and John Paul Calill teaming up to only give up five hits and one walk through five innings, striking out five.

Day three is the final day of pool play, and it kicks off at 9.15am with Cronulla and the Adelaide Titans doing battle.

Stay up to date with everything #AustSLChamps by keeping connected through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Eastern Athletics vs. Central Coast

The tournament’s opening game did not disappoint, with a hard fought 7-6 victory to Central Coast. Central Coast starter Thomas Holland was absolutely lights out early on, striking out the first five Eastern Athletics batters. From there, the floodgates opened after Holland was relieved, with the Eastern Athletics plating four in the second. Julian Vance was a standout for the Eastern Athletics with bat in hand, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs. An offensive explosion for Central Coast in the fifth proved decisive, as they pulled back from two runs down to two runs up thanks to some costly errors, and smart hitting.

Brisbane South vs. Cronulla

A seesawing affair between Brisbane South and Cronulla on Diamond 2 culminated in some late game action, giving Cronulla a heard fought 7-6 victory. Darcy Edwards went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Cronulla, making him the most dominant offensive player in the game. Callum Pike pitched exceptionally for Brisbane South, throwing 60% of his pitches for strikes and conceding only one hit through three innings of work.

Adelaide Armada vs. Hills

In a tight tussle on Diamond one, Hills and the Adelaide Armada played out an enthralling contest, with Hills snatching the game 2-1 late thanks to a Jack Dormor RBI single. Hills’ pitchers threw exceptionally well, with a quality start from Liam Holm (4IP, 6K, 1ER),which was followed by three hitless innings from Lachlan McCarthy. Patient plate appearances from Hills saw the Armada only claiming three strikeouts during the game.

Adelaide Titans vs. Manly

An electrifying performance from starting pitcher Jack O’Loughlin led the Adelaide Titans to a 9-2 victory against Manly. O’Loughlin struck out 11 batters in his four innings of work. Kynan Skein opened the floodgates for the Titans, with a bases loaded triple to give the Titans a five run lead after two innings. Manly’s Sean Tanno impressed on the mound, striking out three in 1.2 innings of relief.

Brisbane South vs. Southern Mariners

In the most entertaining game of day one’s action, the Southern Mariners and Brisbane South needed extra innings to decide a winner, and it was the Mariners that prevailed 7-6 thanks to a Jordan Barnett RBI single in the 8th. Seemingly cruising, Brisbane South scored the first six runs of the game behind three hits from Conor Laverty, and a pair of RBIs from Callum MacDonald. However thanks to some quality relief work from Jai Lyttleton, Declan Croker and Jordan Barnett, the Mariners offense sparked. Two RBIs from Aiden Wills and some pinch-hitting magic lead the Mariners to an incredible seven run comeback victory.

Adelaide Armada vs. Eastern Phantoms

The day’s final game saw some tough moments early on for the Eastern Phantoms, but they rallied to defeat the Adelaide Armada 7-3 on Diamond 1. The Armada jumped the Phantoms early, scoring the first three runs of the game. Leadoff hitter Curtis Mead (2-for-4, RBI) and Harry Knuckey (3-for-4) lead the charge for the Armada. After some early struggles on the mound, the Phantoms went to Sam Collier who set the tone for the rest of the game, throwing 4.1 innings and giving up no earned runs.

By Nina Zimmerman

NEW YORK -- For the ninth time in a professional baseball career that began 20 years ago, Team Australia's own Peter Moylan is back in the Majors, this time with the reigning World Series Champion Kansas City Royals. The Royals called up Moylan on 12 May to reinforce their pitching staff, after putting two players on the disabled list.

In the latest chapter of a professional career that dates back to 1996, his first season in the Minors in the USA, Moylan signed with the Royals in January, at the end of the Australian Baseball League season. He made one appearance for the Jet Couriers Melbourne Aces, tossing a scoreless inning on 15 January against Brisbane.

One month later, he took the field for Team Australia in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Sydney, showing spotless form on the mound as the Southern Thunder powered past the New Zealand, the Philippines and South Africa to qualify for the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Moylan went 1-0 with a save in two games spanning 2.1 innings in the tournament, striking out four batters while walking one. Returning to the WBC with Team Australia carries more meaning for Moylan than for most players, since his original shot at MLB came after he signed with the Atlanta Braves on the heels of his standout performance in the 2006 WBC.

Shortly after the WBCQ, Moylan reported to Royals Spring Training in Arizona, and went 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 10 spring outings on the mound. The Royals released him at the end of March, but re-signed him two days later to a Minor League contract. He began the 2016 season with Triple-A Omaha, posting a 1-1 record, 5 saves and a miniscule 0.71 ERA in 12 games, striking out 10 batters and allowing just eight hits in 12.2 innings pitched.

When he debuts for Kansas City, Moylan will join Aussie legends Justin Huber, Graeme Lloyd and Liam Hendriks as the only Australian-born players to play for the Royals. He will also be the second Australian to play in MLB this season, joining Hendriks, who is currently on the disabled list for the Oakland Athletics.

Baseball Victoria today announced the Working Group’s successful candidates, who will unite to help meet Baseball Victoria’s main goal to gain, train and retain players.

Baseball Victoria board member and former Olympian Sonia Heath will chair the new group. Joining her is General Manager of VicSport, Meghan Albert, Baseball Victoria Participation and Women’s Program Officer Bronwyn Gell, Secretary of Melbourne Baseball Club, Alicia Pentreath, President of Footscray Baseball Club Lynn Fraser, former Victorian Youth Women’s Team assistant coach Paul Hung and former Victorian baseball representative Victoria Brown.

The group will work to identify and address the issues in women and girls baseball and develop a clear pathway for Victoria’s female participants to play, administer, umpire and coach in all aspects of Baseball in Victoria.

“I’m thrilled with be working with such a great team to help drive female participation in baseball,” Chair of the Group Sonia Heath said.

Baseball Victoria General Manager Ashley Blair said Baseball Victoria was delighted to have secured the quality of people it has to participate in this working group.

“Each member brings their own unique areas of experience and expertise that will enhance the important role this group will play in formulating how Baseball Victoria and its members can address the issues in women’s and girls’ baseball,” he said.

President of Baseball Victoria Myles Foreman said;

“Baseball Victoria’s role as the peak body for the sport of Baseball in Victoria is to lead strategy and the implementation of programs and services which result in gaining, training and retaining participants across Victoria all year round.

One of the strategies being implemented by Baseball Victoria is the formation of Working Groups which provide a structured opportunity under terms of reference to address specific objectives while ensuring actions taken by Baseball Victoria are integrated and linked to the common goals of gain, train and retain.

Consistent with this strategy earlier this year the Board resolved to form a Women and Girls Working Group to bring focus and structure to the growth of Women and Girls participation. The appointment of Bronwyn Gell as Participation and Women’s Program Officer formed part of this overall strategy. This focus has resulted in Baseball Victoria launching the Girls team competition at the recent Little League tournament and the Women’s and Girls Baseball Academy.

With strategic focus through the structure and calibre of the Working Group’s members as well as focused operational support within the Baseball Victoria office our sport is well positioned. Baseball Victoria will continue to work with the Victorian baseball community to build upon the strong foundations which have been laid over the last 12 months to implement change and deliver programs and focus which gain, train and retain”.

President of Baseball Victoria Myles Foreman said;

Please see below for full biographies of all members of the working group:

Sonia Heath; Chair

Sonia is a Board of Baseball Victoria Member with the inclusion portfolio. Sonia brings a unique blend of sporting and career experience that combines Olympic representation honours with senior leadership roles in media, government, and the not-for-profit sector. A communications professional with almost 20 years industry knowledge, Sonia has worked as a television journalist, radio journalist, and political media adviser. She is currently a Senior Communications Manager in the Victorian Government. Sonia is also a Beijing Olympian and world rowing champion who started through the club system at 21 years of age. As an Australian representative rower, she has a natural affinity for elite sports, including baseball, and she believes strongly in fostering inclusion, particularly at the grass roots level. She has previously served as a Director on the Board of Deaf Sports Australia during which time she worked strategically on improving inclusion and promotion of deaf athletes.

Meghan Albert;

Meghan comes with a strong background in sports administration including experience with governance, HR and policy development. Most recently Meghan was the Operations and HR Manager at Bowls Australia. Meghan’s career in Bowls saw her progress through several roles over the past 8 years. Meghan is now the General Manager of Vicsport where her main responsibilities include maintaining Vicsport’s close relationship with members, funding partners, state government and other stakeholders.

Bronwyn Gell;

Bronwyn brings a strong background in baseball including experience with grass roots, participation, inclusion, high performance, and administration. Bronwyn has represented Australia at the 2010, 2012, and 2014 Women’s Baseball World Cup and is a 9 time Victorian Women’s Baseball Team representative. Bronwyn was recently appointed as the Participation and Women’s Program Officer here at Baseball Victoria and takes pride in the development of the sport especially in the area of inclusion.

Alicia Pentreath;

Alicia is the Secretary of Melbourne Baseball Club and the coach of their Division 3 Women’s Team. Alicia brings to the group some fresh ideas and experience in coordination’s and communications through her role in school sport coaching and as a Volunteer and Communications Coordinator. Alicia is excited about the opportunity in making a real difference in the sustainability and development of women’s baseball in Victoria.

Lynn Fraser;

Lynn is the President of Footscray Baseball Club and has a wealth of experience in baseball as a player, coach, scorer, umpire and administrator, being involved in women’s baseball since it established in 1994/5. Through the years Lynn has taken action to attempt to implement strategies for a more even competition and for more participation at all levels; she was a Spokesperson for the women’s program, she was a coach at the first Girls Charter State Championships, she is the current president of a Baseball Club which strongly supports women’s baseball, and Lynn established the History of Women's Baseball in Victoria facebook page which educates and creates awareness of current and past actions. It is evident that Lynn is very passionate about women’s participation in Victoria and she will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Paul Hung;

Paul is associated with both Preston and Watsonia Baseball Club, and brings to the group a broad experience in baseball and management. Paul is very passionate about the development of women’s baseball and grass roots. Paul was the 2016 Victorian Youth Women’s Team assistant coach and was one of the coaches at the very first Girls Charter State Championships. It is of great credit to Paul and head coach, Robert Gell, that Victoria entered a Youth Women’s team at the 2016 National Championships, after not representing since 2013. Paul offers experience in planning, designing, specifying, installing, modifying and maintaining plant facilities, systems and equipment as the Plant Engineer at Ingham, and will be a great asset to the group.

Victoria Brown;

Vic is currently associated with the Springvale Baseball Club and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in women’s baseball as a player, coach and administrator for some 15 years. Vic has been involved in all levels of the sport from club level through to international tournament participation. Vic was a dual MVP winner of the 2015/16 Women’s Division 1 Summer League, which goes with her numerous league awards and premierships as both a player and coach in the Victorian Summer Baseball League and the Dandenong Baseball Association throughout her career. Her career was not only outstanding at a club level but Vic also went on to represent Victoria at 8 National Championships and was awarded the Australian women’s pitching champion in 2009. Vic offers experience in membership recruitment and retention, event management, communications, and service delivery through her profession. Vic is now a Managing Director of her workplace and will bring many aspects to the group.

Baseball Australia is proud to launch the 2016 Australian Junior League Championship in Adelaide, South Australia.

The Australian Junior League Championship will take place in Adelaide this year for the first time after securing a deal to host the Junior League Championship for the next three years.

This year 16 teams from across Australia will compete for the Australian Junior League Championship, with the winner gaining an automatic place in the Junior League World Series, which will take place in Taylor, Michigan, USA between 14-21 August 2016.

The Championship will begin on the 22nd of May, and will conclude on the 26th of May at Diamond Sports SA, West Beach, South Australia.

For full team rosters for the AJLC, click here.

For full schedule for the AJLC, click here.

For all information regarding the championship, stay in touch with Baseball Australia on Facebook, Twitter, and the Baseball Australia website.

Adam Bright recently informed the Blackburn Baseball Club committee that due to family and work commitments he will be unable to coach the club next year.

Adam’s contribution to the success and reputation of the club over his tenure as club coach is evident in an impressive record which included two division one Grand Final’s.

The Blackburn Baseball club as a result is seeking expressions of interest for the position of Club Coach for the Summer Season 16/17.

Given the clubs recent performances and current group of players this is a unique opportunity for the right person to have an immediate impact and work towards achieving the clubs goal of another Division 1 premiership.

Please contact Bruce Dicker in confidence on 0418371857 or bruce21@dodo.com.au for further information.

Baseball Australia is proud to launch the inaugural Australian Senior League Championship in Lismore, NSW.

The Australian Senior League Championship is this year debuting on the Australian Baseball calendar, as a pathway for participants in the Little League and Junior League Championship.

The inaugural championships will see 10 teams from across the country compete, and for the victor, qualification for the Senior League Asia Pacific Championship awaits, which this year will be held in the Philippines.

The Championships will begin on the 14^th of May, and will conclude on the 19^th of May at the Far North Coast Baseball Association, Lismore, NSW.

For full team rosters for the ASLC, click here.

For full schedule for the ASLC, click here.

To purchase personalised ASLC merchandise, click here.

For all information regarding the championships, stay in touch with Baseball Australia on Facebook, Twitter, and the Baseball Australia website.

Baseball Australia is pleased to announce the completion of the coaching staff for the 2016 Women’s Baseball World Cup to be held in Gijang City, South Korea, from 3 September - 11September, 2016.

Joining Australian Baseball Hall of Famer and Head Coach of the Emeralds, Simone Wearne, will be Matt Williams, Lisa Norrie, David Nagy and Jonie Ralph-Wilkie.

Williams, a former professional and current Southern Thunder pitcher, will act as the teams pitching coach. He will be looking to bring his years of experience in International competition to help guide the Emeralds staff through the World Cup.

Bringing a wealth of playing and coaching experience in Women’s baseball Lisa Norrie will be the team’s assistant coach. Fresh off her stint as the Head Coach at the Phoenix Cup, Norrie will make her debut coaching appearance for the Emeralds.

The team will ably supported by two return staff members in Executive Officer David Nagy and Physiotherapist Jonie Ralph-Wilkie. Both veterans of International baseball, David and Jonie will be bring their skills and expertise to ensure that the Emeralds are prime position for another outstanding performance at the Women’s World Cup.

“The staff assembled for this program bring a wealth of experience in their respective areas,” Head Of High Performance Glenn Williams said.

“With Simone Wearne leading this group of staff, the players and program, as whole, is definitely in good hands.”

“Baseball Australia is excited with the caliber of the staff assembled for the program and have no doubt that the team is in great hands leading into the July selection camp and World Cup later this year,” concluded Williams.

In April 2017, Auckland is hosting the World Masters Games and Baseball New Zealand is pleased to announce that Baseball is one of the 28 sports being offered at the largest multisport event of 2017.

With 1 year to go we hope that you can get together with your Masters Baseball mates and form a team to travel to the event that will be full of competition, fun and outside sports events at the Games Hub on the city’s waterfront. We are also looking for experienced scorers and umpires who wish to travel with teams or just travel to the event as a game official.

All information relating to Baseball and this event can be found at

http://www.worldmastersgames2017.co.nz/the-sports/find-your-sport/baseball/

Information on how to register can be found here:

http://www.worldmastersgames2017.co.nz/the-sports/how-to-register/

PROPOSED AGE CATEGORIES

A Grade (Competitive) 35+ and 45+ B Grade (Recreational) 35+ and 45+ Open Grade 55+

The age category you will compete in for Baseball will be determined as at 31 December 2017. For teams, the category you compete in is based on the age of the youngest team member.

For example, if your youngest team member is 44 during Games time but has turned 45 by 31 December, you would compete in the 45+ age category.

Please find attached more information.

PROPOSED AGE CATEGORIES

A Grade (Competitive) 35+ and 45+ B Grade (Recreational) 35+ and 45+ Open Grade 55+

The age category you will compete in for Baseball will be determined as at 31 December 2017. For teams, the category you compete in is based on the age of the youngest team member.

For example, if your youngest team member is 44 during Games time but has turned 45 by 31 December, you would compete in the 45+ age category.

Please find attached more information.