Jack Ratcliffe may have won MVP at the 2022 Australian U16 Youth Championship, but he’s not slowing down anytime soon as he sets his sights on the Senior League World Series.

The #AYC2022 standout was a big part of Victoria’s silver medal finish, going 3-for-3 in the final game with 11 hits overall. He had six singles, three doubles, and two home runs for eight RBIs across the tournament, earning him the MVP honour alongside Golden Arm Logan O’Brien.

“When I was named MVP of the tournament, I was speechless and surprised as I knew there were other players who had a great tournament as well,” Jack said. “Winning this award felt like all my previous hard work on focusing to get better physically and mentally at trainings had come together.”

For Jack, nationals gave him a chance to forge a tighter bond with his teammates, who stuck together even when the games got tough.

“The energy was always high and they were always there to pick you up and get you back on your feet when something didn’t go your way out on the baseball field,” Jack added. “We all believe in one another to get the job done as well as knowing what our individual roles were for every game. Hitting my first home run against NSW Country under the lights as well as hitting a game-tying glam slam against NSW in the battle for top spot was a thrill."

As the team focused on defence and consistency, Jack worked on his composure.

“An individual challenge I had was overthinking and having too much on my mind when I was batting, pitching, or fielding. The way I overcome this was by keeping everything simple and focusing on the one thing I needed to execute which was ‘see ball, hit ball, do damage’, or ‘locate, get ahead’.

“All this hard work wouldn’t be possible without all my coaches I have had over my baseball so far, including my dad who has pushed me to my limits to improve and prepare me mentally. It was not only the coaches I would give credit to, but also my senior teammates who would stay back after trainings to hit me countless groundballs."

With the dust settled on #AYC2022, Jack has turned his attention to Eastern Athletics' campaign at the Senior League World Series. In addition to his baseball development throughout nationals, he also learned a lot playing with Upwey Ferntree Gully in the VSBL Division 1 Firsts, which won the premiership back in March.

"All this baseball and experience has set me up for this tournament as I had learnt how to stay composed in big situations under pressure," Jack added.

Jack hopes his baseball career is just getting started.

"My goal for the future is to play baseball to the highest level I can through college baseball with sights on playing professional baseball."

This year, Baseball Victoria adopted the National Integrity Framework. This means that from July 2022, concerns or complaints about alleged integrity breaches can be reported directly to Sport Integrity Australia via webform.

Baseball Victoria will continue handling all non-National Integrity Framework-related matters, including selection policy disputes. You can find more information about who manages what sort of sports complaints on our NIF Overview Fact Sheet.

View all National Integrity Framework resources HERE.

Eastern Athletics are on their way to the 2022 Senior League Baseball World Series in Easley, South Carolina from 30 July - 6 August.

This Victorian team has had a fantastic year so far, winning the Senior League State Championship 6-5 over Twins back in April on a walk-off single.

Just a few weeks later, the Athletics won their first Australian Senior League Championship with a 10-0 victory over Cronulla.

Best of luck to the Athletics as they represent Australia - click HERE for the full tournament schedule and stay tuned to the BV Facebook page for updates.

Congratulations to Geelong on winning the 2022 U16 State Winter Championship!

The champions had four wins and a draw over the weekend in Latrobe Valley. City West and Diamond Valley finished 4-1, followed by Latrobe Valley at 2-2-1 and Dandenong at 2-3. Bendigo and North Eastern both had a draw.

The 2022 U16 State Winter Championship opened in Latrobe Valley on Saturday with nine action-packed games featuring seven teams from across the state.

Geelong is 3-0 while Dandenong and Diamond Valley are both 2-1. City West and Latrobe Valley are 1-1 while Bendigo and North Eastern will look for their first wins on Sunday.

Check out game recaps below and follow along on GameChanger for the latest updates.

North Eastern 5 v Bendigo 5

Bendigo and North Eastern played to a 5-5 tie on Saturday morning as Bendigo tied the game on a walk in the third inning.

Phoebe Martin, Marcus Murphy, and Callum Bolton all had one hit to lead Bendigo. The team stole nine bases during the game as two players stole more than one. Fynn Murphy led the way with three.

Angus Weal went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead North Eastern in hits. Hunter Wilson led the side with four stolen bases, as they ran wild on the base paths with 16 stolen bases. North Eastern was sure-handed and didn't commit a single error. Weal made the most plays with three.

Geelong 9 v City West 3

City West watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 9-3 loss to Geelong.

Geelong fired up the offense in the first inning as Cade White singled on a 2-1 count, scoring two runs.

Geelong scored five more runs in the third inning with RBIs from Hudson Carr, Tanner Stack, and Bradyn Barker.

White led things off on the mound for Geelong. The hurler went two scoreless innings with no hits, just one walk and three strikeouts.

Nathan Rumbelow was on the hill for City West. The pitcher allowed one hit and three runs over two-thirds of an inning, striking out two. Baxter Maynard, Jai DiBlasi, and Walter Le Ferve all pitched in relief.

Hudson Pallay, Dylan Douglas, DiBlasi, Le Ferve, and Montgomery Pithouse each collected one hit to lead City West.

Stack led Geelong with two hits in two at bats.

Diamond Valley 7 v Dandenong 6

Dandenong's effort to come back from down five runs in the fourth inning came up just short, as they fell 7-6 to Diamond Valley on Saturday.

Dandenong collected three hits and Diamond Valley had five in the game. Patrick Matthews led things off on the pitcher's mound for Diamond Valley. The bulldog lasted one and two-thirds innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out one.

Deakin Mitchell was on the hill for Dandenong, allowing five hits and 11 runs over three innings, striking out four. Blake Ochoa threw one-third of an inning out of the bullpen.

Kai McDonald, Nicholas Kain, and Harry McMillan all had one hit for Dandenong as the team stole 11 bases. Four players stole more than one and Mitchell led the way with three.

Ryley Shanks led Diamond Valley with three hits in three at bats. Zak Stafilis led the team with three out of 11 stolen bases.

Geelong 14 v Diamond Valley 0

Diamond Valley watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 14-0 loss to Geelong on Saturday. Geelong took the lead on a single in the first inning.

Geelong got things started in the first inning as Riley Peoples drove in one when Peoples singled.

One bright spot for Diamond Valley was a single by Ben Grady in the first inning.

Peoples was on the pitcher's mound for Geelong. Peoples allowed three hits and zero runs over four innings, striking out three and walking one.

Joshua Bence was on the mound for Diamond Valley. Bence went one inning, allowing five runs on three hits. Aidan Harrison, Charlie Cook, and Ryley Shanks each contributed in relief for Diamond Valley. Daniel Crichton, Grady, and Harrison had one hit apiece.

Geelong tallied eight hits on the day, including two apiece to Jordan Ellis and Tanner Stack.

Latrobe Valley 9 v Bendigo 4

Latrobe Valley grabbed an early lead on the way to a 9-4 victory over Bendigo on Saturday. The winning team scored in the first on walks by Austin McConville and Riley Duncan and singles by Kaden Hicks and Ben Denton.

Jarrod Thomas got the start for Latrobe Valley. The bulldog allowed two hits and two runs over one and one-third innings, striking out three.

Jesse Hando started the game for Bendigo. The hurler allowed one hit and five runs. Aaron Bassett and Lachie Dennis entered the game in relief, throwing one and one-third innings and one-third of an inning respectively.

Hicks, Jesse Wilson, Alex Smith, and Denton each managed one hit to lead Latrobe Valley.

Dandenong 8 v North Eastern 0

Dandenong scored three in the first and five in the second on the way to a shutout victory. The winning side had seven hits while the pitchers threw a no-hitter. Ned Johnson and Parker Schutt threw for Dandenong, striking out five total.

Kai McDonald and Harry McMillan had two hits apiece while Blake Ochoa also got on base and knocked in a run.

Deakin Mitchell, Nicholas Kain, and Joshua Villanti all took multiple walks for Dandenong.

North Eastern's Blake Boon threw four first-pitch strikes.

City West 10 v Latrobe Valley 9

City West got out to a six-run lead in the second inning and held on for a 10-9 victory over Latrobe Valley on Saturday.

Latrobe Valley added five runs in the fourth inning, but City West still managed to pull out the victory. The big inning for Latrobe Valley Baseball Association came thanks to singles by Kaden Hicks and Jarrod Thomas and walks by Ben Denton and Riley Duncan.

City West got things moving in the first inning, when Hudson Pallay singled on a 0-2 count, scoring one run. They scored five more in the second with walks to Walter Le Ferve and Montgomery Pithouse, a single by Diego Appeldorff, and a double by Pallay.

Spencer Tyers led things off on the hill for City West. The pitcher surrendered two runs on zero hits over one and two-thirds innings, striking out one.

Riley Jackway was on the pitcher's mound for Latrobe Valley. The bulldog allowed five hits and five runs over two-thirds of an inning, striking out two and walking one. Jesse Wilson and Connor McKenzie entered the game as relief, throwing one inning and one-third of an inning respectively.

Pallay went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead City West in hits.

Wilson led Latrobe Valley with two hits in three at bats. The team was sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. Liam Duncan had the most chances with three.

Diamond Valley 14 v North Eastern 2

Ben Grady drove in five on three hits to lead Diamond Valley past North Eastern 14-2 on Saturday. Grady drove in runs on a home run in the first, a single in the second, and another homer in the fourth.

Diamond Valley got things moving in the first inning when Lachie Rosser's wild pitch allowed one run to score. The side added five runs in the second, led by Joshua Bence, Ryley Shanks, Luke Hutton, and Grady, all knocking in runs in the inning.

Zak Stafilis was on the mound for Diamond Valley. The fireballer allowed zero hits and one run over one and one-third innings, striking out three.

Rosser led things off on the hill for North Eastern. The pitcher went one-third of an inning, allowing seven runs on one hit. Asish Basnet and Angus Weal entered the game in relief, throwing one and one-third innings and one inning respectively.

Grady went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead Diamond Valley in hits and also made the most plays in the field with seven. The team stole 11 bases during the game as five players stole more than one. Stafilis led the way with two.

Ollie Chambers led North Eastern with one hit in one at bats.

Geelong 14 v Bendigo 2

Geelong had everything working on Saturday, winning big over Bendigo 14-2. Cade White, Jordan Ellis, and Hudson Carr drove in runs during the five-run second inning.

Carr led things off on the mound for Geelong. The fireballer surrendered two runs on two hits over three innings, striking out five.

Nicholas Walker toed the rubber for Bendigo. Walker went two-thirds of an inning, allowing seven runs on eight hits, striking out one and walking one. Cameron Brain threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.

Geelong had ten hits in the game, including two apiece for Ellis and White.

Bendigo didn't commit a single error in the field. Aaron Bassett had the most chances in the field with two.

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12-year-old Tylah Laurie will take his love of baseball to new heights when he heads across the globe to represent Australia at the 2022 Cal Ripken Major70 World Series in Branson, Missouri from 5-13 August.

Tylah and his brother Cooper were part of the 2022 Down Under Winter Classic on the Gold Coast earlier this month. They played six games over six days, embracing the competition and improving their skills.

Tylah left a particular impression on the tournament, making the most of his time with the Rockhounds and earning the chance to represent Australia on the international stage. The ambitious junior athlete, who plays Victorian baseball with Geelong Baycats and Guild All-Stars, was thrilled with his selection after seeing lots of different pitchers and making new friends at the winter classic.

“It feels amazing to be selected out of 120 players to represent Australia in the Cal Ripken tournament,” Tylah said. “I’m excited to experience the different level of competition and see how I play against other teams from across the world.”

The young baseballer stood out to his coach for his great attitude towards the game, something he plans to carry with him to the Cal Ripken World Series and back home in time for the summer season.

“I’m working every night on my baseball skills to be ready for the upcoming tournament as we fly out on 28 July,” Tylah said. He added that he loves “meeting new players, learning new skills, and the way baseball makes me feel, which is happy.”

Parents Brenton and Cat Laurie are grateful for this opportunity and loved watching their sons step up to the plate and compete.

“The boys love baseball - it’s a great family sport as you meet new people, get to travel, and there’s opportunities such as these. It’s a wonderful opportunity - we can’t wait for Tylah to take in the experience and just have fun.”

Logan O’Brien has enjoyed a big month of baseball, helping the U16 Victorian State Team to a strong second-place finish at the 2022 Australian U16 Youth Championship in Redcliffe, Queensland.

In addition to the silver medal, Logan brought home the #AYC2022 Golden Arm Award, much to his surprise.

“When I won the Golden Arm, I was surprised because I thought there were plenty of other great pitchers who threw well throughout the tournament,” Logan said. “I felt very honoured to receive the award and I have to give credit to not only the coaches of this Victoria team but also my coaches over the summer and winter seasons who have challenged and stretched me when playing seniors baseball.”

Logan, who plays with Preston and Greensborough, spent months training hard in the leadup to the AYC, the first national tournament in over two years. His hard work paid off, earning him a spot on the 20-player Victorian roster. He went on to pick up two wins with a 1.750 ERA over eight innings as Victoria finished 5-3 overall.

“I had a lot of fun representing Victoria with a great playing group and enjoyed spending time getting to know my team more,” Logan said.

This marked his first time playing baseball in the Victorian uniform at a national level and facing off against NSW in the grand final is something he won’t forget.

“I feel the biggest strength that our team had was the depth in our pitching lineup and how the coaches managed that, a huge credit goes to them for knowing when to pitch who and for how many pitches,” Logan said. “Another strength of this team was our closeness as a group and the culture we built being able to talk and communicate with one another freely.”

Logan learned a lot from the experience, including how to overcome nerves and get the job done.

“One of my challenges at the beginning of the tournament was dealing with the nerves but after settling down and taking the game one pitch at a time it just felt like any other game.”

Looking into the future, Logan hopes to stay healthy and continue improving his pitching and batting.

“I aim to stay fit and healthy and keep playing baseball until I’m an old man. As for my goals, like many young baseballers I’d like to continue my baseball development and academic studies in the US.”

It was a special week for Essendon Baseball Club (EBC) as construction commenced on the Chris Lane Memorial Field at Boeing Reserve, a project 8.5 years in the making.

Chris Lane was a beloved member of EBC with a bright future ahead of him when his life was tragically cut short in August 2013. Named in his honour, the memorial will provide a dedicated junior baseball field complete with synthetic turf, drainage, fencing and seating to meet Little League standards.

The turning of the ground took place on Tuesday 19 July, with the Moonee Valley City Council Mayor and committee members joining EBC for the special event. EBC President Tony Cornish says it’s been a long hard road but it’s all worth it, especially with construction officially underway.

“As we say at EBC, a goal is only as worthy as the effort needed to achieve it. This certainly took a lot of effort from a lot of people with stakeholders such as Musco Lighting, Victorian State Government, #CL40, EBC, City of Moonee Valley, Major League Baseball, and of course, the Lane family,” Cornish said.

“This field will be a great way for the baseball community to remember Chris who loved the club and the game. Hopefully the field will encourage more juniors to play our game by giving them a fantastic experience.”

The club envisions the field will be enjoyed by baseballers across the state and country.

“Council estimates the field will be finished by the end of the year, so hopefully we can have a huge opening early next year. We want to make the opening the biggest event Baseball Victoria has ever held for Little League,” Cornish added. “Chris's girlfriend at the time, her family, and his coach have also indicated they want to be present. Our initial thought is to have a round robin event with players from across the state to showcase the field under lights.”

“We would also like to thank all those outside of EBC who have helped with this journey, including Mark Ellis, Mick Wearne, Dan Omodio, Tom Nicholson, Michael Crooks, councillors Narelle Sharpe and John Sipek and Mayor Samantha Byrne.”

Read more about the Chris Lane Memorial Field HERE.

Baseball Victoria’s 2022 U16 State Winter Championship will take place in Latrobe Valley over the weekend of 23-24 July with seven teams from across the state taking part in the action-packed tournament.

Morwell Cougars and Traralgon Redsox Baseball Club of Latrobe Valley Baseball Association (LVBA) will host the tournament, featuring 18 games over two days.

“LVBA as a whole and the hosting clubs Morwell and Traralgon are very excited about the opportunity to host this year’s U16 State Winter Champs,” LVBA President Nicole White said.

“We are enthusiastic about seeing representatives from all over the state playing baseball. COVID has meant that we missed out on the opportunity to host this in 2021 and we are thrilled to be able to return to hosting. We would love to see people from all walks of life popping down to enjoy some premier junior baseball.”

The community is grateful to see this winter tradition return to Latrobe Valley for more baseball fun.

“We look forward to welcoming players, officials, and supporters to Latrobe City for the championship event, which will be a fantastic weekend of baseball,” Mayor of Latrobe City Cr Kellie O’Callaghan said. “This is the third time this event has been hosted in our City and we’re pleased to see it return, helping to support our local economy and grow participation in the sport.”

The U16 State Winter Championship is the final tournament of the season, marking the first time in three years all five age groups were able to get on the field.

“We’ve enjoyed four fantastic winter tournaments so far and we look forward to finishing the tournament season on a high note with the U16 event in Latrobe Valley,” Baseball Victoria CEO Chet Gray said. “We wish everyone the best of luck and hope all players have an awesome time out on the field.”

Click HERE to follow along on GameChanger for the latest scores across the weekend.