Men's Division 1, Williamstown at Newport. Sunday 2nd November 2014.
Score by Innings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
Williamstown Wolves
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
3
6
Newport Rams
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
4
3
The weekend of matches in the Victorian Summer Baseball League was very different to the previous round. After we saw three games decided by a ten run margin can you believe that the same competition served up three extra innings games in the same day? The match of the round is one of the ones that went into ten innings as Williamstown took it up to Newport with a strong and cold wind blowing in.
In the Top of the 1st Griffin Weir was on the hill for the Rams when Aaron Green hit to right to start it. It was to no avail though as Weir steadied and the Newport shortstop Jordan Young showed great arm strength after momentarily losing his feet during a successful double play at 2nd base. The Wolves went back to their dugout without scoring.
Bottom 1 and Jason Lester was on the mound for the Wolves throwing hard with the wind but not afraid to put his off-speed stuff in the mix. He didn’t miss by much but walked Jordan Young. Then Jason McDonald, in the dish for Williamstown, called for a pitch out but Young was too fast and made it easily to 2nd. Liam Vicory-Lovegrove worked the count to 3-1 and then hit a hard grounder to get Young to 3rd with 1 out for Malthouse who got hit by a pitch. Newport then did a delayed steal from 1 and Young scored from 3 during the run down play. After 1 Newport leading 1-0.
Top 2nd and Ryan Camov hit up the middle to provide Willy with their 2nd base runner of the game. Nathan Rogers provided a good cover swing for Camov as both teams were making stealing 2nd look easy with the catchers throwing into the wind. Weir was on target though and induced a ground ball to leave the runner on base.
Bottom 2nd and Jeremy Young squeezed the ball down the line at 3rd base when he singled to 7. Williamstown then sorted out their defence and caught him stealing 2nd. Mike Pollock reached for a high bouncer at 3rd base and stole a hit off Heath Black to end the innings.
Top 3 and Jason McDonald grounded to the infield and pressured the defence with experienced base running to get on safely. But again, Weir was throwing spots and after a strikeout and a 6-3 groundball the runner was stranded.
Bottom of the 3rd and the wind was holding up the ball giving the outfielders plenty of time to get under it. Lester was starting to hone in on the strike zone, still throwing hard with great variation and got 3 contact outs.
Top 4 and Weir was continuing on target as he got three more contact outs to sit the batters down in order.
Bottom 4 and Lester was using the wind as the Newport batters hit hard only to see the ball hold up for the shallow positioned outfielders. A spectacular catch by Camov in left, another to centre and an out at 2nd base and it was Lester’s turn to sit the batters down in order.
Top 5 and Jordan Young was making it look easy at short when he made the 1st two groundball outs. Then another flyball to centre that looked like it hovered for a while and the Rams went back into the dugout.
Bottom of the 5th and Jordan Young got a free pass then Liam Vicory-Lovegrove worked hard for a walk after 9 pitches. Tyson Foreman also worked his at bat to a full count. Lester tried to challenge him high and he fouled it off, then the next pitch missed low for the walk. Lester vacated the mound for Chircop but Newport scored two runs after 4 walks and a HPB.
Top 6 and and Griffin Weir was still in control on the hill with Newport leading 3-0. Liam Vickery-Lovegrove made a great sliding catch in centre right to end the dig.
Bottom 6 and Eric Kline lead off. Chircop was inducing contact with plenty of time for his outfielders, he settled, got 2 flyballs and ended it with a high fastball for a strikeout.
Top 7 and Andrew Russell lead off for the Wolves but Jordan Young stole a hit off him when he snagged a line drive deep in the hole at short. Mike Pollock came to bat and proved it wasn’t the day to be hitting the ball in the air when he popped up to deep shortstop, then Chris Mason worked the count to 3 balls but also flied out to centre. That ended the day for Griffin who threw 7 shutout innings for 3 hits with 2 strikeouts.
Bottom 7 and Heath Black drew a walk then Stephen Pengelly did the same, however the Wolves steadied after Black got caught in a run down play when he tried to steal 2nd. Chircop got two contact outs and the score didn't change.
Top 8 and recent Aces signing Jeremy Young came in to pitch. Young got the count to full and struck out the first batter with an offspeed pitch straight down the middle and then jammed the 2nd hitter with a hard 2 and 2 curve that fell off the table beautifully. After Darren Pollock walked, Young relied on a ground ball to 2nd and Willy went back in without scoring. Newport leading 3-0.
Top 9 and what looked like a foregone conclusion didn’t pan out. The ability and determination of the Williamstown team came to the fore in this innings. The crowd stopped packing up their chairs and starting paying attention when Aaron Green battled out a six-pitch walk with new pitcher Eric Kline. Then the intensity really lifted when Marnell hit an infield single and Andrew Russell came to bat. It looked like Kline pitched around him without going for the intentional walk, but that didn't matter to the Wolves as Mike Pollock singled to right and scored Green. Mason rolled into a 6-4-3 double play but that was enough to score another and make it a one run game. Then, in came Ryan Camov with a clutch hit to right to score another and even it up at the last gasp. Kline was good enough and steadied to leave Camov on base, with a strike out. Newport went into bat to see if they could break the deadlock.
In the bottom of the 9th Chircop got two outs and handed the ball to David Asp after Heath Black singled to left. Jack Van Wyngarden battled out a 7 pitch at bat but flied out to left for the final out and to send the game to 10th.
In the top of the 10th Kline had settled and sat the Williamstown batters down in order.
In the bottom of the 10th Jordan Young singled to centre and stole 2nd showing his skill on the bases. Then the speedy Liam Vicory- Lovegrove caused a commotion on a groundball to first pressuring Williamstown into an error. Young too, was just as fast on the other side of the diamond and scored on the play and the ended the game. It was fitting that Jordan Young was the one to score the run after he had such a good day in the field.
Williamstown will go away ruing the fact that they threw 8 walks to lose a game where they outhit the opposition 6 to 3. These teams meet again on Wednesday night at Williamstown. This will be a much different game as both teams will have to change their pitching plans after the extra innings affair. Additionally the wind is likely to be blowing out at the harbourside ground so we will see how much difference the home hill advantage has, but this time in reverse.
Match report by Cam Gleeson
@valiantcam
#vsbl
To register for the trials, please click here
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Baseball Victoria is pleased to announce the dates and venues to host both the 2015 Junior League and Little League State Championships.
Neale Price, CEO, said “Baseball Victoria is excited to be holding the State Championships at two fantastic facilities that enable us to showcase our sport through two great programs.”
“Both venues have held international events and will ensure that both players and spectators will have an enjoyable experience”, added Mr Price.
This year Baseball Victoria will be holding the inaugural Junior League Championships, with the winner going through to participate at the Junior League National Championships in April.
The Junior League program has replaced the Under 14 National Championships, with charters now participating in a State Championship.
The Little League Championships will again be held in April, and this year the event will become even bigger than last year.
“The Junior League and Little League Championships have become important events on our calendar, and are extremely important programs for player development within the Australian junior pathway. The winners of our State Championships have the potential to go on and represent Australia at the Little League World Series in the USA in August, which is played in front of 30,000 people, and is televised around the world on ESPN. This is an amazing opportunity for the players involved”, said Mr Price.
Holding the Little League Championships at the softball centre at Jells Park allows us to schedule up to 12 games at once. With the opportunity to do this, Baseball Victoria is planning on running other tournaments at the same time, such as a Minor League Championship and a Tee Ball Smash
tournament. This will provide Baseball Victoria the opportunity to create a festival of baseball,
which has the potential to attract around 350 participants at one venue at the same time. This will
provide more participants an opportunity to participate, whilst providing them with a view of the
next steps in the pathway to aim and strive for.
“Another advantage of playing the Little League tournament at a softball facility is that a softball
field is the exactly same dimensions of a Little League field”, added Mr Price.
“This is the first time we will be running other tournaments concurrently with the State Little
League Championships. This event really excites me as we have a fantastic opportunity to
showcase our sport at an entry point level, which will hopefully create a large amount of
excitement for our members and their families,” said Mr Price.
Baseball Victoria looks forward to working with all charters, clubs, players and families in the
coming months to deliver these exceptional events.
We encourage the baseball community to get involved. Whether it is as a player, coach, and
official, volunteer or as a spectator, this event is truly a reflection of the people involved in the
sport.
For further information on this event please contact: Ashley Blair – Programs Manager, Baseball Victoria - (03) 9645 8000
Women’s Division One
Footscray vs Springvale at Melbourne Ball Park- Thursday 30th October 2014
Interview with Shae Lilywhite, direct link here.
In the top of the 1st Kelly Manzie-Novotny took the mound for Springvale and got the 1st 2 outs when she zoned in from the start. The game looked to be more of a contest when Abbey Mclellan then Kelly Jewes both singled to centre. However, Manzie-Novotny was too good and finished it with a strike out to strand both runners.
In the bottom of the 1st the undefeated Springvale provided some very good at bats. Kirsten Bezzina started for the Bulldogs and the Lions went after anything in the strike zone from the get-go. Shae Lilywhite lead off with an infield hit and Shevy Stephenson doubled to score 3 runs after an earlier 2 walks. To her credit though, Bezzina then settled under great pressure with the bases loaded. Kirsten threw a strike out and Lisa Mclellan worked a double play through 3rd base and home plate to finish off the innings. Springvale went into the dugout with 3 runs.
Top 2 and Manzie-Novotny had also settled in, throwing low and hard. Locked in by Stephenson in the dish she was hitting the glove with varying speed and movement. The battery got the hitters off balance so well that they combined to sit them down in order after only 5 pitches.
In the bottom of the 2nd Bezzina zoned in for Footscray after some heavy base traffic in the 1st. She struck out the 1st batter she faced. Shae Lilywhite battled it out with the young pitcher for an 8-pitch walk, and then Haugh showed a good eye to get another free pass. However Kirsten steadied and got 2 contact outs to leave the runners on base. At this point the pressure that Springvale had applied with their batting started to ease and Footscray looked like they might be a chance to get back into the game.
Top 3 and Manzie-Novotny was just getting started. She sat the batters down in order after 9 pitches.
Bottom 3 and Footscray received a boost when a well executed relay throw caught Shirlie Loon stretching a double to be tagged out a 3rd base. Vic Brown singled to centre but the Bulldogs withstood the pressure and after a fielder’s choice and strikeout the Lions went back in with no addition to the score.
Top 4 and if you thought that Manzie-Novotny was sharp before this she became even sharper with 3 contact outs.
Bottom 4. Risa Tanaka took the mound after Bezzina had recovered well from some pressure situations. Risa was also throwing hard and low so it looked like it might be a pitcher's duel at that point. Shae Lilywhite beat out another infield single, and then found a way to score after an error and a walk. The Lions were leading 4-0.
Top 5 and the Bulldogs got a runner on after an error. Manzie-Novotny steadied again though and left the score unchanged as they went into the bottom half of the frame.
Tanaka was looking sharp in the bottom of the 5th. Risa started by inducing a fly ball to centre then threw 2 strikeouts.
The innings were starting to run out for Footscray in the top of the 6th but there was a ray of hope when Tanaka drew a 7-pitch walk. It added up to nothing though as Manzie-Novotny was pitching with power and increased movement. She sat down the remaining batters in order.
In the bottom of the 6th Lillywhite got her 3rd hit of the night and was batted in by Haugh who singled to centre. Tanaka was still in control though and finished it with a strikeout to give her team one last chance to even the score.
Manzie-Novotny remained on the mound for the Lions and was throwing with great poise late in the game. Kelly closed it for a complete game shut out and Springvale took the win 5-0.
The best players for the winners were Manzie-Novotny for her pitching and Shae Lilywhite for solid work at shortstop and for also collecting 3 hits. For Footscray Risa Tanaka kept her team in the game throwing both hard and off-speed pitches with accuracy. Whilst Kirsten Bezzina pitched well after some early inaccuracy and got 1 hit.
Hits Springvale- Lilywhite 3, Haugh 1, Stephenson 1, Loon 1, Brown 1, Atkins 1. Total 8.
Footscray- Mclellan 1, Jewes 1, Bezzina 1. Total 3
Pitching- Springvale, Kelly Manzie-Novotny threw 7 innings striking out 7 walking one and allowing 3 hits.
Footscray pitcher Kirsten Bezzina- 3 innings struck out 3, gave up 3 runs and walked 5.
Risa Tanaka pitched the last 3 innings. gave up 2 runs allowing 4 hits and one walk.
Match report by Cam Gleeson
@valiantcam
Preview Week 5.
In Division 1 this week there is one game on Saturday when Geelong hosts Sandringham at 4.30pm. Zablan threw 6 innings for 9 strikeouts last week, so expect him to take the mound as the Baycats come off 2 losses in a row. Geelong will be looking to generate some power after only getting 1 hit against Essendon last week. Sandringham are winless after 4 games so will be looking to create some runs before the midweek games commence.
Blackburn travel to Cheltenham on Sunday at 3.30pm, this should be a very interesting game with both teams on 3 and 1. Blackburn won after 7 innings on a mercy rule against Waverley last week and will be charged by the fact that Adam Bright has thrown well for them in the last 3 outings. A big concern for the Orioles will be Cheltenham’s Paul Rutgers who has collected multiple hits in the last 2 games. Rutgers got 4 last week when the Rustlers beat Doncaster 11-1. Blake Cunningham relied on a tight field throwing contact outs against the Dragons and is the likely starter for The Rustlers. So expect a pitching dual between the 2 very different styles of him and Bright.
Waverley travel to Melbourne after the Demons won with a Mitch Ayres walk off home run last week. Melbourne got on safely 10 times and matched Upwey for hits as the power and experience of their middle order is starting to show. Andy Mann pitched 4 innings last week then handed the ball to the reliable Ratcliffe so expect to see those 2 on the hill against the Wildcats. Waverley will be looking for ways to produce runs as they are coming off a 10 run loss to Blackburn. In the 1st four games of the season the team from Napier Park have managed to produce only 5 runs and these were all in the same game. Last week the Wildcats got 4 hits in the loss but they must take something from the fact that they restricted their opponents to only 7. Most of the runs for the day were given up by Waverley in the first innings on 5 walks, meaning they played another 8 frames of competitive baseball. Alteration of their pitching rotation and some results from their hitters should see them compete well with Melbourne.
Essendon are gathering strength as more of their senior players become available. The Dons travel to the undefeated Preston this week in a conference 2, top of the table match up. Luke Abels threw 5, then passed the ball to Michael Formisano to keep Geelong to 1 hit last week so it is likely that those 2 will be on the hill again for the Bombers. Whilst they must be happy with the win, Essendon will be looking for ways to improve their own batting after getting only 5 hits agianst the Baycats. Meanwhile Preston come into this game after their ace Andrew Smiley threw a no-hitter against Williamstown last week. The Pirate’s pitching depth is impressive as they also have Godbould and Bass in relief. Both of the relievers have started games this season, this is especially handy for them as they head into midweek games starting this Wednesday.
Doncaster will head to Upwey Ferntree Gully looking for a chance to get their 2nd win of the season. Donovan Hendricks started for the Tigers last week and threw 4 strikeouts in 6 and 1/3 innings so he may start. Luke Howell has thrown deep into games this season so he may be a chance to take the hill given that the Tigers face Doncaster at Deep Creek again on Wednesday night at 6pm. Upwey look to storm out of the blocks after they lost in a walk off for the 2nd time this season against Melbourne last week. Nick Rice, Evan Phillips and Kieran Lewis all got 2 hits apiece so maybe it’s the Tigers turn this week at home. The Dragons go into the game after their starter Luke Westphal threw 5 innings for 10 strikeouts last week in their loss to Cheltenham. Westphal left the mound with the game tied at 1 all before the Rustlers scored 7 of their 11 runs in one innings. If Doncaster can find a way for their young players to manufacture some runs the results may start going their way.
The match of the round this week sees Williamstown travel to their local rival Newport. Both of these teams have recently gained promotion to Division 1 so this is the 1st time they have played each other in the premier division in a very long time. David White the manager of Newport says that he has a very coachable young team, now going for 3 wins in a row that has turned out some good results this season. In the 1st couple of games the Rams had players unavailable due to the under 25 competition in Queensland but are now at full strength. Griffin Weir pitched 7 innings for 1 hit in their win against Essendon last week so is the likely starter for the Rams. Newport also have many other options for pitching in Jeremy and Jordan Young and they can call on Eric Kleine in relief.
Williamstown are coming off a 10 run defeat after Preston’s Andrew Smiley threw a no-hitter against them last week. The Wolves may take some confidence from the fact that they took a 1-0 lead into the 4th innings before it all went wrong for them. David Asp or Andrew Russell are likely starters for the Williamstown.
Daniel Chircop the Senior Vice-President of the Wolves says-
"This local derby is more than a year in the making as both teams haven't been in the same division since the 2012-2013 season when they last both competed in Division 2. These games are rarely one sided, and with both teams holding a 2-2 record this game looks to be no exception. Newport have again relied on their ace Griffin Weir to dominate in starts this season, while Williamstown is using their entire pitching staff (the likes of Andrew Russell, Jason Lester, David Asp, Josh Lee and Ryan Camov) with more waiting in the wings to get the job done.
All four club grades are at Newport's KC White Reserve tomorrow, with the 1's starting at 3:30 on Sunday 3rd of November."
In Division 2 Berwick City travel to St.Kilda for the Saturday game with both teams coming off a loss. Bonbeach take on Malvern and Fitzroy travel to Port Melbourne with both sides looking for their 2nd win. Fitzroy come off a loss to Werribee after leading early whilst the Mariners lost to Bonbeach 6-2. The Lions pitched well against the Giants so will be looking for more consistent hitting from their middle order. Port will be trying to do the same as they have been showing improvement in defence so far.
Moorabbin travel to Sunshine after the Panthers fended off the late run of Malvern last week. Finally, Springvale go down to Werribee in what promises to be a great game. Werribee starter Wes Dejong threw accurately last week and was backed up well by his pen. Springvale will look to consolidate their position in the top 4 as they, like the Giants, now sit on 3 and 1.
In women’s Division 1 Malvern travel to Doncaster and Springvale travel for a rematch from Thursday against Footscray. The Lions will have more pitching as their regular starter Cat Rowe beomes available. Their pitching depth was on show when Kelly Manzie-Novotny shut out the Bulldogs. With Shae Lilywhite and Chevy Stephenson leading their offence Springvale look strong. However, Risa Tanaka is a great leader for Footscray so should give the Bulldogs a chance at home. The Essendon women go to Werribee after 4 wins from 7 as the Bees try to get their 1st win.
Report By Cam Gleeson
@valiantcam
Division 1, Cheltenham at Blackburn Wednesday 5th November 2014.
Interview with Adam Bright manager of Blackburn. Direct link here.
Top 1 and Lefty Matt McQiggan started for the home team. It took him a little while to find his zone but he was throwing a good mix of off-speed and straight right from the word go. Nick Rossell walked then advanced on a wild pitch. After one strikeout and a ground ball to short McQuiggan straightened and threw corners for a another K to end the innings.
Jack Enciondo started for Cheltenham and had the count his way on 0-2 but Bumpstead battled and drew a walk then Ryan Phillips did the same after Bumpstead stole 2nd . Enciondo was throwing low breaking curves when he got his first strike out. However, Ross Hunter then finished his long at bat with an RBI double to the right corner. Bookluck then stepped up to the plate and smashed a line drive at the 3rd baseman (who barely had time to raise his glove) for a 2 RBI single. Dicker drew another walk after a lengthy at bat and Berg did the same. Enciondo continued around the zone to get the last out and leave the bases loaded. Blackburn was then leading 3-0.
McQuiggan started off the top of the 2nd throwing hovering breaking pitches for a strikeout. Harman held his hands back and smashed a flat line drive to left that bounced hard into the fence. Trevorah walked then Kane Davidson did the same to load the bases for Sam Michael who weathered a lengthy at bat then lined a double to deep left to score two runs and make it a one run game. McQuiggan made way on the mound after Rossell grounded out for an RBI and Berka came into the game to pitch for the Orioles with two out, the game tied and the go ahead run on 3rd. Rutgers and Michael scored on a dropped fly and Blackburn went into bat trailing by two runs. Cheltenham 5, Blackburn 3.
Blackburn was back at the top of the order in the 2nd with the game looking like it might be a shootout. Max Barrett took the mound from Enciondo for the Rustlers after Bumpstead walked, then Tierney singled to left as did Phillips to bring in a run with none out. Hunter singled to left and loaded them for Bookluck who hit hard into a 3-2-3 double play. David Dicker came to bat with bases loaded after a HBP and, in the clutch singled, to centre to drive in two and take the lead. After a balk call scored another Jacob Evans singled to score one and Blackburn were leading 8-5. Then Barrett ended it with a groundball giving Cheltenham all the work to do.
Top 3 and Berka started it with a strikeout and got ahead quickly with the next batter, then worked the count for a another K. Dylan Trevorah singled to centre, but Berka steadied and ended it with a pop-up.
Bottom 3 and Blake Cunningham came in and David Tierney walked but got caught stealing 2nd after a strikeout and a pop-up to end it.
Berka threw a breaking pitch that cut across the plate for the first strikeout of the top of the 4th and got out of it pretty quickly after Rutgers continued his hitting streak with a single to left. It then looked like the pitchers might be taking back control of the game.
Andrew Tierney beat out a high bouncing single to shortstop in the bottom of the frame after a strikeout started it but Cunningham was on target and got a 6-4-3 double play to end the dig.
Holding singled to left but got doubled off on a comebacker then Harman reached on an error. However, Berka was again good enough to get another ground ball and send his team into bat.
Cunningham made way on the mound as Ferguson came in to pitch. He started with a walk but then got three contact outs to send Cheltenham in for one last chance to even it up with the score 8-5.
Ryan Phillips came in to pitch in the top of the 6th as time was running out for the Rustlers. Two walks and a Rossell hit to load the bases was enough to get Bright in to pitch, he got the first out but things got interesting when Curnow batted into a fielder’s choice RBI to reduce Cheltenham’s deficit to two. Bright showed his class though and was too good. Adam hit the outside corner to finish it with a strike out and get the win for Blackburn 8-6.
In other matches scores to date are: Essendon got over the undefeated Preston 5-4, Newport defeated Williamstown 3-0, Melbourne defeated Waverley 3-0. In Division 2 Fitzroy defeated Port Melbourne 8-1 and Malvern beat Bonbeach 5-3. If you have any other results please tweet them to @baseballvic or @valiantcam #vsbl
Cam Gleeson
In becoming the first baseball club in the country to make such a commitment to be providing quality experiences to people of all abilities and backgrounds they are officially the first Inclusion Club Champion. This stance on quality sporting opportunities for all members of the community is placing them at the forefront of sport and society within the Brimbank community and state. The existing members of Sunshine Baseball Club will be signing the online Inclusion Deed, where they pledge to make baseball a welcoming, safe place for everyone. Baseball Victoria will also offer two free junior team registrations in the Summer League or Winter Competition to the club with the most members signing the deed prior to March 2015.
As part of this commitment, Vince Wong has taken the role of Inclusion Ambassador, advocating Baseball Victorias engaging programs within their club. Vince was involved with the Baseball For All Showcase event in September and is a valued member of the Sunshine Baseball Club committee.
Sunshine Baseball Club offer programs for participants with a disability, opening their field to Special Olympics in 2013 for a sporting gala event that hosted 80 students with a disability from the north and west regions of Melbourne. With the added support of Baseball Victoria through the Baseball For All Initiative, and external organisations, Sunshine Baseball Club will be building their capacity to offer quality physical activity experiences to all members of the community.
For information on the Inclusion Ambassador Role and how your club can become an Inclusion Club Champion, follow the links within or contact the Baseball Victoria Inclusion and Participation Development Officier
Preview by Terry Whitaker, the ABL
Some of the world’s best baseball talent will take the field across Australia when the Major League Baseball (MLB) owned Australian Baseball League opens its 2014-15 season with the Adelaide Bite taking on the Brisbane Bandits on 30 October at 6:30pm AEST.
The ABL’s fifth season will feature Australian and international players representing 24 MLB clubs, including world-famous teams like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, as well as players from Japan’s top baseball league, Nippon Professional Baseball.
Six clubs, the Sydney Blue Sox, Melbourne Aces, Canberra Cavalry, Perth Heat, Brisbane Bandits and Adelaide Bite will compete in a 48 game season that will conclude with best of three playoff series from 30 January to 1 February and the ABL Championship Series from 6 February to 8 February.
With nine former ABL players competing for MLB teams this past season, including John Holdzkom and Kevin Kiermaier, who have ascended to baseball stardom in the United States, the league will give Australian sports fans the chance to see future big leaguers on the rise.
Building on the momentum of the 2014 MLB Opening Series at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the millions of fans who attended the games and watched on television around the globe, the ABL is set to bring baseball to its widest audience ever in 2014/15.
ABL teams will host tens of thousands of fans from coast to coast, the ABL All-Star Game and Championship Series will be televised live in Australia on ESPN and to 40 countries worldwide and every game of the season streamed live on YouTube and iiNet.
SA Power Networks Adelaide Bite
2013/14 record: 21-25 (fifth place)
Manager: Brooke Knight (first full season; took over midway through 2013/14)
After finishing in fifth place each of the last two ABL seasons, the Adelaide Bite look to break their 34-year Claxton Shield drought with head coach Brooke Knight at the helm for his first full season. The Bite return a core group of veterans and welcome a host of talented imports in search of their first ABL Postseason berth since 2012.
Former Sydney Blue Sox outfielder and Team Australia mainstay Mitch Dening will play for the Bite this season along with Stefan Welch, a Boston Red Sox prospect fresh off an impressive season in Double-A, and returning veterans pitcher Darren Fidge and outfielder Tom Brice.
Former ABL Rookie of the Year Ben Lodge and MLB Australian Academy Program alumnus Corey Lyon anchor the Bite’s young group. They’ll help to assimilate MLB imports like San Diego Padres minor league catcher Rocky Gale and Los Angeles Dodgers prospects Kyle Hooper and Craig Stem on the mound and Aaron Miller and Brandon Dixon at the plate.
The Bite are scheduled to open the 2014/15 season at home on Thursday, 13 November when they host the defending champion Perth Heat at 7:00pm ACDT.
Brisbane Bandits, proudly presented by WellDog
2013/14 record: 18-28 (sixth)
Manager: Dave Nilsson (second season, also managed in 2010/11)
One of the most legendary names in Australian baseball history is back to lead the Bandits in 2014/15. Dave Nilsson, Australia’s first MLB All-Star and the Bandits’ first manager, has returned to try and lead them to the ABL playoffs for the first time.
Nilsson inherits a franchise on the rise with a strong pitching staff consisting of local products like Ryan Searle, Steven Chambers and club veterans Josh Roberts and Ryan Battaglia.
They will be joined by a talented group of Tampa Bay Rays imports and fan favourite C.J Beatty, who turned his strong 2012/13 ABL season into a contract with MLB’s Chicago White Sox.
The Bandits kick off the 2014/15 season on Thursday, 30 October at 6:30pm AEST, hosting the Adelaide Bite at AFA Stadium at Holloway Field.
Canberra Elite Cavalry
2013/14 record: 22-24 (third place, lost to Heat in ABLCS)
Manager: Michael Collins (third season)
Canberra shocked Asian Baseball fans by defeating Japan, Korea and Taiwan at the 2013 Asia Series but the Cavalry fell short of claiming back-to-back ABL titles when they lost to Perth.
The Cavalry boast one of the league’s most intriguing players entering 2014/15. Toronto Blue Jays import Anthony Alford, a third-round MLB Draft pick of the Jays in 2012, is set to focus solely on baseball after playing both on the diamond and on the gridiron for a major university football team in recent years. Alford has only played in 25 career Minor League Baseball games but hopes to benefit from an increased workload in the capital.
Cavalry cult hero Jack Murphy is back for another ABL season behind the plate, and his team added four talented Australians from the league’s inaugural Australian Player Draft in August, including veteran pitcher Tristan Crawford (QLD), New York Yankees prospect Adam Silva (VIC), infielder Kieran Bradford (QLD), and first baseman Scott Hillier (QLD).
The Cavalry’s charge at home begins on Thursday, 6 November at 7:00pm AEDT, against the Blue Sox in this season’s first round of the Hume Highway Cup.
Jet Couriers Melbourne Aces
2013/14 record: 22-24 (fourth place)
Manager: Tommy Thompson (first season)
After narrowly missing out on the postseason in 2013/14, the Aces have retooled for the new fixture. Chicago White Sox coach Tommy Thompson is in as manager as Melbourne look to return to the ABL Championship Series for the first time since 2011/12.
The Aces take the field with arguably the deepest roster of Australian professional talent. Young pitching star Daniel McGrath, hitters Ryan Dale and Darryl George and former Major Leaguers Brad Harman and Justin Huber provide Melbourne’s foundation.
They will be backed by some talented imports from the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers, including second-round MLB Draft pick Cody Buckel. Chace Numata, a Phillies prospect, will handle catching duties for a talented pitching staff.
Melbourne kicks off its season with a series against the Bandits beginning Friday, 7 November at 7:35pm AEDT at Melbourne Ballpark.
Alcohol. Think Again Perth Heat
2013/14 record: 32-14 (first place, won Claxton Shield)
Manager: Steve Fish (third season)
Perth, who have won three of the league’s four Claxton Shield premierships since the ABL’s inaugural season in 2010/11, return the core of their dynasty once more for 2014/15 and remain the team to beat this season.
Led by the Kennelly brothers, along with reliable veteran Allan de San Miguel and former Major Leaguer Luke Hughes, the Heat have a solid core of Australian baseball veterans. Starting pitcher Daniel Schmidt, with an ABL-best 25 win in his career, serves as the heart of Perth’s powerful pitching staff.
With valuable additions from talented imports in seasons past, the Heat hope 2014/15 will be no different. Colorado Rockies Minor League shortstop Joey Wong won the ABL’s Gold Glove award last season and returns to help lead the Heat’s sparkling defence. Starting pitcher Brian Baker, who saw action in the ABL Championship Series last season, joins Schmidt as part of Perth’s rotation.
The Heat begin their quest to defend their title on Friday, 31 October at 7:20pm AWST against the Blue Sox at Barbagallo Ballpark.
Sydney Blue Sox
2013/14 record: 23-23 (second place, lost to Cavalry in ABL Preliminary Final)
Manager: Jason Pospishil (third season)
Perennially one of the league’s most talented teams by Opening Day, Sydney are still seeking their first trip to the ABL Championship Series despite earning playoff trips in all four years of league play. Manager Jason Pospishil hopes a potent lineup and experienced pitching will be the key to a Claxton Shield campaign.
The Blue Sox will lean on a veteran starting pitching corps comprised of left-hander Craig Anderson and righties Vaughan Harris and Aaron Sookee. Sydney’s bullpen was terrific a season ago as right-hander Luke Wilkins pitched in 21 games and posted a 3-0 record and sparkling 0.28 ERA. Legendary closer Dae-Sung Koo converted 11 of his 12 save opportunities.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins will be sending prospects to Sydney. Diamondbacks prospect Markus Solbach, who was the ABL’s first German player when he suited up for Melbourne in 2011/12, is back for another season Down Under.
Fans can catch the Blue Sox at home on Thursday, 13 November at 7:30pm AEDT against the Cavalry in the second round of the 2014/15 Hume Highway Cup.
Baseball Victoria is now calling for applications for the coaching positions for the 2014 State Little League and Junior League Programs.
Applications are now open for the following positions:
1. Coaching Staff (Head and Assistant Coaches)
2. Little League and Junior League Charter Coordinator (Team Mangers)
We are seeking the above appointments for the below programs:
Junior League Program
This will be the inaugural State Junior League Championship.
The Junior League program has replaced the U14 National Championships, with charters now participating in a State Championship with the winner going through to participate at National Championships as they have done for the last seven (7) years within the Little League Age group.
The Junior League State Championships will be held from 23 – 25 January 2015.
This program will begin in late November 2014.
Little League Major Program
This will be the 8th year of the Little League Program. In the past, the top three teams from the State Championships have gone on to participate in the National Championships, with the winner of the National Championships going on to Williamsport to represent Australia at the Little League World Series.
The Little League State Championships will be held from 10 – 12 April 2015.
This program will begin in February 2015.
Little League Minor Program
This will be the inaugural year of Baseball Victoria running a Little League Minor Program.
This program provides more participants an opportunity to participate in great events as well as providing a pathway for players to aim and strive for. This program will be used as a development program for participants eligible for the Little League Major program in future years.
This Championship will be held from 10 – 12 April 2015.
This program will begin in February/March 2015.
1. Coaching Staff
The coaches are responsible for delivering and monitoring all aspects of their respective team in collaboration with Baseball Victoria. Some key responsibilities include:
· Execution of all team training programs for all athletes
· Setting team objectives / outcomes in consultation with Baseball Victoria
· Monitoring / evaluating game, individual player, team and coaching staff outcomes
· Coordinating day to day playing activities
A detailed Position Description accompanies this advertisement.
2. Charter Coordinators (Team Managers)
The Charter Coordinators will work with Baseball Victoria and the Head Coach to administer and Coordinate the Little League or Junior League Program within the Charter. Some key responsibilities include:
· Advertising tryouts to all clubs in your charter
· Liaising with all clubs in your charter and seeking their support and co-operation
· Organising trials/trainings venues
· Managing the team at the State Championships
A detailed Position Description accompanies this memo.
General requirements
· Hold a current membership with a Baseball Victoria club
· Hold a current Working with Children Card prior to applying
· Hold a current Driver's License
· Uphold all parts of the ABF and Baseball Victoria Code of Conduct
· Complete the forms required by both the Baseball Victoria and ABF
· Wear the required uniform and clothing as stipulated and directed by Baseball Victoria
Applications close on Friday 7th November 2014. All applications to be forwarded to Ashley Blair at ashley.blair@baseballvictoria.com.au
The venues for the championships will be announced within the next week.