We can't wait for tomorrow night's practice match vs. Melbourne Aces, especially with this talented roster of BV All-Stars!

We've rounded up some of the top players in VSBL Division 1 and 2 to take the field at Melbourne Ballpark for a friendly game ahead of the 2022/23 ABL season.

Thank you to the Aces for inviting us and we hope to see you there! Tickets are only $1 and available online or at the gate. First pitch is at 7pm.

Victorian outfielder Riley Light is making the most of every opportunity that comes his way as he chases his college baseball dreams.

After growing up playing for local clubs Upwey Ferntree Gully and Knox, the Victorian State Team representative made the leap overseas, going on to Hill College in Texas. His freshman year was a learning experience both on and off the field, but his determination paid off as he adjusted to vigorous training and competition.

"Early morning workouts, 5-hour practises, and trying to be organised with school work is something you must quickly adapt to in order to keep moving forward," Light said of life as a junior college baseballer. "A highlight for me would be when I hit my first home run in the spring. It felt great to see and feel the ball coming off the bat during an actual game, which helped benefit my team."

Instead of going home to Australia for the summer, Light stayed in the U.S. to continue developing his baseball skills in the Kansas Collegiate League Baseball, a premier summer league. He joined fellow Victorians including Oscar Hargreaves, Mason Wray, Ben Fierenzi, Henry Hayman, and Kobe Greenhalgh, who all took part in summer ball.

Light's summer season with the Park City Rangers saw him play five or six days a week and win the 2022 KCLB All Star Home Run Derby. "I met even more people from all over the US and the world, and had an absolute blast in my downtime with my newfound teammates."

Light enjoyed working out at the local YMCA and gaining more strength, fitness, and confidence than ever before.

"On the field, I played very well, both statistically and as a leader for the team. I would highly recommend anyone who is attending college to stay on and play in a summer competition," Light added.

Even with all the excitement of his first year in America, Light makes sure to acknowledge those who have helped him get to where he is today.

"The life experiences that attending college in the U.S. has given me are something I could have never imagined and I am grateful to everyone who has played a part in helping me live my dream, especially my parents," Light explained.

"My junior years in Victoria were definitely a stepping stone in my baseball career. The BV High Performance Academy and mentoring from my head coach Donavon Hendricks at Upwey FTG Baseball Club helped me in my younger years to learn the importance of the game and the fundamentals of it."

All of these opportunities have made a difference to Light in his baseball journey, and he's looking forward to another great season of college baseball.

"My favourite thing about college baseball so far is the competitiveness and the number of games that we play," he said. "I also love the sense of family that you grow with your teammates. As an international player living on campus, the guys that surround you turn into your family. I have made friendships with people here that will last a lifetime, people from both the USA and other international players. But with that, a level of competitiveness gets brought out, as you have to compete with them day in and day out for your position on the team."

He's embraced the U.S. sporting culture and is excited to return home for Christmas and share his experiences with family and friends. In the meantime, he will be working hard on his goals of finding a four-year school where he can continue his education.

"I will need to perform well on the field and in class as it is very competitive to get into a good school, but I am very determined to do so," Light explained. "I hope to successfully finish school and be a solid collegiate baseball player having a good college career on the field. I also hope I can hopefully help win a championship for whichever school I play for."

"Beyond that the world is my oyster, whether I stay on in the U.S. and play, head over to Europe and play, or head home and hopefully play in the ABL, time will only tell."

Finally, Light has some advice for junior players who want to play college baseball. He wants aspriring college athletes to know that the whole experience is enjoyable, but it's important to be prepared for the hard work involved.

"The game of baseball here is very tough mentally and physically. Learn to love the game early on. Both success and failure will provide a path for you to become a better baseballer."

The first month of VSBL is complete after another awesome weekend of baseball across seniors, juniors, and masters.

Don't forget to follow VSBL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates or view fixtures, results, and standings HERE.

As a reminder, all players, coaches, and volunteers must register to be covered by insurance – please click HERE to access club registration links if you haven’t already.

Women's Week 5

Springvale stayed undefeated in Women's Division 1 with a 13-2 win over Footscray as Doncaster and Essendon drew 5-5.

Women's Division 2 included an 11-11 draw between Melbourne and Sandringham and Essendon's close 11-10 win over Doncaster. Geelong finished 10-4 in front of North Western while Springvale came from behind to win 7-4 against Newport.

Women's Division 3 East was washed out, while Moorabbin and Springvale drew 8-8 in the South. Pakenham racked up the runs in a 20-8 victory against Berwick as Chelsea shut out St Kilda 16-0.

In Women's Division 3 West, a high-scoring matchup between Geelong and Alfredton finished with the Baycats up 14-10. Newport won 22-3 over Mitchell Majors while Fitzroy outlasted Werribee 20-16. Port Melbourne recorded a 16-4 victory over Williamstown.

Seniors Week 5

Division 1 Firsts: Essendon shut out Geelong 3-0 while Blackburn held on for a 6-4 win over Sunshine. Malvern came back for a 3-1 win vs. Mulgrave while Moorabbin also rallied, winning 10-7 against Melbourne. Sandringham held off Berwick for a 6-5 victory and Waverley finished 7-4 in front of Upwey Ferntree Gully.

Division 2 Firsts: Williamstown outlasted Preston 9-7 while Werribee got the job done at Bonbeach 8-1. Port Melbourne shut out North Western 8-0 as Doncaster blanked St Kilda 10-0. Newport recorded a 13-4 victory at Ormond Glenhuntly.

Division 3 Firsts: Geelong won 10-0 over Essendon while Pakenham came away with a 13-3 victory vs. Chelsea. Sandringham got a 14-1 win against Footscray.

Division 4 East: Blackburn beat Doncaster 7-1 as Melbourne Blue overpowered Monash University 12-5. Research Lower Plenty Maroon picked up a 10-2 victory at Waverley Red.

Division 4 North: Newport was busy at the plate in an 18-1 win against Essendon. Alfredton also had a good day of offense, winning 19-1 at Footscray.

Division 4 South: Chelsea White won 9-4 over Upwey Ferntree Gully Gold while Pakenham Black had the edge over Chelsea Blue 8-6. South East Warriors drew 2-2 with Pakenham White as Springvale shut out Upwey Ferntree Gully Black 11-0.

Masters Week 5

Masters 38+ East featured Melbourne's 18-0 win over Ormond Glenhuntly, plus a 3-1 victory for Monash/Ormond GH vs. Research Lower Plenty.

In Masters 38+ North West, Essendon shut out Port Melbourne 10-0 while the Jets got the job done in a 13-11 win vs. Williamstown. Pivot City secured a 10-3 victory against Sunshine White.

In Masters 38+ South, Springvale Bigcats scored seven early runs on their way to a 13-3 victory at Pakenham/Berwick.

Melbourne won 12-3 against Malvern in Masters 45+.

Juniors Week 4

U14 East Metro: Malvern finished 12-4 in front of Berwick/Mulgrave while Melbourne overpowered Cheltenham 18-8. Bonbeach/Chelsea won 15-6 over Doncaster as Upwey Ferntree Gully held on for an 11-10 victory against Sandringham.

U14 West Metro: Port Melbourne picked up a 13-12 win vs. North Western while Sunshine had the edge over Newport/Footscray14-13. Werribee outlasted Essendon 12-6.

U14 East State: Moorabbin shut out Sandringham 10-0 as Chelsea held off Malvern 8-6.

U14 West State: Essendon added runs in every inning, earning a 14-7 victory over Geelong.

U16 Metro: Port Melbourne recorded a 12-8 win vs. North Western as Sandringham came back to win 15-13 over Williamstown. A close battle between Werribee and Malvern saw the Giants finish in front 9-8.

U16 State: Williamstown cruised to a 9-1 victory over Doncaster while Moorabbin pulled ahead of Geelong 6-4. Sandringham got the job done 10-1 at Waverley.

U18 Metro: Doncaster scored 11 and gave up six to St Kilda as Mulgrave held off Cheltenham's rally for a 7-6 victory. Essendon piled on the runs in a 19-5 win at Sandringham.

U18 State: Blackburn/Upwey Ferntree Gully won 19-1 against Werribee and Melbourne picked up an 8-3 win at Newport.

Under 12s Week 3

U12 A State East: Melbourne won 11-0 vs. Cheltenham while Sandringham finished 11-6 in front of Bonbeach. Waverley held on for a 7-5 win vs. Chelsea as Blackburn scored 18 and only gave up two to Springvale.

U12 A State West: Essendon edged Sunshine in a close 2-1 matchup as Geelong won 11-5 against Research Lower Plenty Maroon.

U12 B East: Malvern overpowered Melbourne 15-5 while a high-scoring matchup between Chelsea and Sandringham ended with the Dolphins up 19-13.

Six baseball projects will receive funding through the latest round of the Victorian Government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund. The statewide grant program offers five funding streams to support inclusive, thriving sports communities.

Congrats to our baseball recipients - we look forward to seeing the progress of these projects moving forward:

• Female Friendly Facilities  - Greater Geelong City Council - Lara Recreation Reserve Baseball & Oval Three Pavilion
• Community Sports Lighting - Kingston City Council - Bonbeach St. Chads Baseball Sports Lighting Project
• Community Sports Lighting - Mitchell Shire Council - Broadford Baseball Lighting Upgrade
• Community Facilities - Maroondah City Council - Heathmont Reserve Baseball Diamond Fencing & Dugouts
• Community Facilities - Maroondah City Council - Proclamation Park Baseball Diamond Fence and Dugouts
• Community Facilities - Whittlesea City Council - Mill Park Reserve Softball and Baseball Practice Nets

Read more about the Local Sports Infrastructure Fund HERE.

The Victorian Government recently announced the Community Sport Emergency Flood Assistance Program, which will support sport and active recreation organisations directly affected by the October 2022 floods. This funding program will deliver a one-off payment of $5,000 to directly-affected sport and active recreation organisations across the state, helping them meet some upfront costs of equipment and resource replacement so communities can get back out on the field as soon as possible.

Victorian baseball clubs affected by the flooding can apply for these grants, which will close on 13 January 2023, or when the funding allocation is exhausted. The application process is very simple for those impacted by floods.

Further information, including FAQs, eligibility, and contact details can be found via the Community Sport Emergency Flood Assistance Program - Sport and Recreation Victoria website.

Liam Evans, Blake Townsend, Matt Beattie, Chris Burke, and Jarryd Dale made Victoria and Australia proud at the U23 Baseball World Cup!

Team Australia finished sixth overall and Chris Burke was named to the All-World Team following his stellar performance.

Well done to all our representatives – we can’t wait to see what the future holds for these talented baseballers.

Catch up on World Cup photos and results on Facebook.

The 2022/23 VSBL season continued with a busy week of seniors, juniors, and masters.

Don't forget to follow VSBL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates or view fixtures, results, and standings HERE.

As a reminder, all players, coaches, and volunteers must register to be covered by insurance – please click HERE to access club registration links if you haven’t already.

Women's Week 4

Women's Division 1 was washed out but Springvale picked up a 14-1 win at Melbourne in Women's Division 2. Sandringham overpowered North Western 12-7.

Women's Division 3 East was also washed out, although in the South Springvale took home a 23-10 win over Cheltenham. South East Warriors won 14-6 at Chelsea.

Fitzroy pulled away from North Western for an 18-10 victory in Women's Division 3 West.

Seniors Week 4

In Division 1 Firsts, Geelong broke through for a 6-1 win vs. Malvern while Waverley held on for an 8-7 win over Sunshine. Berwick rallied to beat Essendon 7-5 as Melbourne did the same for a 12-9 victory against Blackburn. Sandringham overpowered Mulgrave 10-2 and Upwey Ferntree Gully snuck past Moorabbin 5-4.

Cheltenham staged an eighth inning comeback for a 3-2 win vs. Newport in Division 2 Firsts as Ormond Glenhuntly secured an 8-1 win over St Kilda. Werribee held off Port Melbourne 5-2 while Preston racked up the runs in a 17-6 victory at Bonbeach. Fitzroy won 15-10 at Doncaster as Williamstown finished 8-4 in front of North Western.

In Division 3 Firsts, Geelong scored 11 and gave up just one to Chelsea while Pakenham shut out Port Melbourne 13-0. Sandringham picked up a 13-9 win at Mornington.

Division 4 North included Alfredton's 14-6 victory against Fitzroy Maroon. Greensborough beat the Blue Lions 9-3 as a high-scoring battle between Mitchell Majors and Essendon ended with the Majors up by one, 16-15.

Masters Week 4

Masters 38+ East featured Blackburn's 12-3 win over Research Lower Plenty and Melbourne's 12-3 victory at Monash Ormond Glenhuntly. Upwey Ferntree Gully picked up two wins, with the Black side winning 5-1 vs. Waverley while the Gold team overpowered Ormond Glenhuntly 10-3.

In Masters 38+ North West, Essendon Bombers stayed undefeated with a 10-1 win vs. Pivot City as Essendon Jets prevailed 12-3 over Sunshine White. Port Melbourne beat Werribee 13-3 and Williamstown cruised to a 14-4 victory against Fitzroy. Newport came back in the late stages to draw with Sunshine Blue 2-2.

In Masters 38+ South, Sandringham held on for a 3-1 victory over Mornington while Cheltenham shut out Pakenham/Berwick 13-0. Bonbeach Blue pulled away from Springvale Bigcats 5-4.

Blackburn stayed undefeated in Masters 45+ with a 2-1 win over Malvern. Melbourne held off a Sandringham rally for an 8-5 victory.

Juniors Week 3

It was an action-packed weekend for the U14, U16, and U18 competitions. U14 East Metro Blackburn battled back to beat Melbourne 17-10. Malvern overpowered Cheltenham 14-11 as Doncaster and Berwick/Mulgrave drew 10-10. Waverley finished 15-3 in front of Upwey Ferntree Gully.

In U14 West Metro, Werribee went back-to-back with a 16-1 win over North Western. Over in U14 East State, Waverley came back for a 7-6 victory over Moorabbin while Melbourne also came from behind for a 6-4 win at Malvern. Essendon cruised to a 21-2 win at Sandringham as Chelsea recorded a 9-1 result against Upwey Ferntree Gully.

U14 West State saw Research Lower Plenty with the edge against Geelong, 7-5.

In U16 Metro, Waverley won 13-5 vs. Essendon and Werribee picked up an 11-4 win over Fitzroy Blue. Port Melbourne racked up the runs in a 16-5 victory at Fitzroy Maroon as Malvern scored 28 runs and gave up just four to North Western.

Research Lower Plenty/Preston scored late for a 10-10 draw at Moorabbin in U16 State while Sandringham stayed undefeated with a 13-5 win over Williamstown. Doncaster snuck past Geelong for an 8-7 victory.

In U18 Metro, St Kilda scored in every inning for a 13-2 win vs. Mulgrave as Cheltenham scored five in the fourth for a 6-4 win over Pakenham.

U18 State saw Blackburn/Upwey Ferntree Gully record an 11-1 victory vs. Sunshine as Melbourne shut out Waverley 7-0. Bonbeach/Moorabbin finished 19-4 over Werribee while Sandringham scored 10 and allowed just one to Newport. Essendon came away with a 9-4 win against Geelong.

Under 12s Week 2

Lots of excited young baseballers hit the field for a big round of baseball. In U12 A State East, Bonbeach won 15-3 vs. Springvale while Chelsea prevailed 15-5 over Melbourne. Waverley scored 20 runs and gave up just one to Berwick and Sandringham came away with a 15-5 victory against Cheltenham.

Geelong racked up 19 runs and allowed one to Sunshine as Port Melbourne overpowered Research Lower Plenty Gold 12-4 in U12 A State West.

U12 B East Chelsea hung on for an 11-10 win over St Kilda while Malvern walked away 15-2 winners against Sandringham.

U12 B West featured A high-scoring game between Preston and Fitzroy Blue, ending with the Pirates up 14-10.

U12 Baycats Riverdogs won 8-6 over Firefrogs and Mudhens finished 16-3 in front of Lake Monsters.

In Eastern Athletics Metro A, Blackburn Black won 12-4 over Malvern Blue while Blackburn Grey finished 16-1 over Malvern Red. Upwey Ferntree Gully shut out Melbourne 10-0 as Blackburn White won 17-4 against Greenhills Montmorency.

In Eastern Athletics Metro B Gold, Blackburn came back to win 14-13 over Malvern Blue while Melbourne Red recorded a 25-21 win vs. Malvern Red. Melbourne White secured a 26-17 win against Ormond Glenhuntly and Melbourne Stars beat Melbourne Blue 13-5.

Last but not least, Eastern Athletics Metro B Green saw Waverley and Upwey Ferntree Gully go head to head with Wildcats winning 22-14 against Tigers Gold. Waverley Panthers picked up a 17-5 win as Blackcats tied with Upwey FTG Black at 25 runs apiece. Waverley Cougars rounded things out with a 28-17 win over Doncaster.

Baseball Victoria is excited to announce a new partnership with SportsLink Travel.

As the Official Travel Supplier for Baseball Victoria for the next three years, SportsLink will provide travel management services for Victorian teams going to state, national, and international tournaments and events.

SportsLink will also serve as the travel management service provider of Official Baseball Victoria Tours, including development tours and training. SportsLink will manage travel for BV Staff/Board and officials attending national tournaments, too.

As an official partner of baseball in Victoria, SportsLink has joined the BV Diamond Partnership Program at the Home Run level.

“We are pleased to have SportsLink on board, providing travel management services for Victorian State Teams, tours and events,“ BV CEO Chet Gray said. “SportsLink works with Baseball Australia and Team Australia, and their extensive experience in baseball trips and tours will benefit our organisation. We are excited to have the support of such a trusted and well-known travel company to ensure our players, coaches, officials, and families get the best experience while travelling for baseball.”

Founded in 2002, SportsLink is a sport travel and tour company focused on teams, athletes, and their supporters, providing suitable travel arrangements for events all around the world.

“We are thrilled to step up to the plate and serve Victorian baseballers as the Official Travel Supplier for Baseball Victoria,” SportsLink Founder & CEO Paul Kelly said. “We look after thousands of athletes every year, including Baseball Australia and ABL teams, and we are excited to create amazing sporting experiences for Baseball Victoria teams and representatives.”

For more info, visit the SportsLink Travel website.

Mark your calendars for EducationUSA US College programming sessions next month.

EducationUSA provides a free service for families, offering accurate and comprehensive information about opportunities to study in the US, including being recruited as a student-athlete.

The US Consulate General outreach program will conduct two EducationUSA sessions for athletes and parents interested in learning more about US College education and sports programs. The two info sessions will be offered in-person and live-streamed.

Staff travelling from the USA with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics will be on hand for these sessions, which are aimed at students in years 9-11, their parents, schools, and athletic stakeholders. NJCAA and NAIA opportunities will be discussed and athletes/parents can ask questions in a forum setting.

Date: Wednesday November 2
Time: 5:15pm - 6:45pm AEDT
Where: Maribyrnong College - 2 River Street, Maribyrnong 3032
For more details and to register to attend in-person or virtual visit: https://bit.ly/EdUSACollegeSportsNov2

Date: Thursday November 3
Time: 5:30pm - 7pm AEDT
Where: Carey Baptist Grammar School - 349 Barkers Road, Kew 3101
For more details and to register to attend in-person or virtual visit: https://bit.ly/EdUSACollegeSportsNov3