The 2021/22 VSBL Division 3 season is off to a competitive start with four teams sitting at 2-1 behind 3-0 Springvale. There are three rounds left before the summer break as teams look to finish 2021 on a high note.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and check out recaps below.
Division 3 Firsts
Geelong Baycats 1 v Chelsea Dolphins 9
The Dolphins made up for a 15-5 loss to Springvale in round 2 with a great game on Sunday, recording their second victory of the season.
Chelsea led 2-0 after the first and added two more runs before Geelong got on the board in the fifth. By the end of the inning the Dolphins had further extended their lead and were ahead 6-1. They went on to score three more in the bottom of the sixth to reach the final score.
Chelsea's Ryoji Shinoda threw six solid innings with 12 first pitch strikes, three strikeouts, and a 1.33 WHIP. Shannon Groenendyke pitched in relief as both pitchers had a pair of RBIs at the plate too.
Matt Hannan had three quality at-bats including two walks while Rhys Tippett had two hits and two walks.
Geelong stayed competitive on the field with four U16 players and some awesome defense, including Will Cavanagh's unassisted double play from centre field at home.
2-1 Chelsea hosts North Western and the Baycats play Springvale at home in round 4.
North Coburg Rebels 9 v Footscray Bulldogs 13
The Bulldogs bounced back from a 4-1 loss to Pakenham the week before while the Rebels stayed competitive at the plate with their smallest margin yet.
The Rebels strung together a few walks and timely hits to put six runs on the board in the first. By the end of the opening inning it was a 6-4 ballgame.
The Bulldogs tied it up in the bottom of the second but the Rebels pulled in front by one in the third. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that Footscray captured the lead, scoring four runs and another two in the fifth.
The sixth inning saw North Coburg get two back but a final run for Footscray and a scoreless last turn at the plate for the Rebels had them down by just four runs.
Addison Kaye, Andy Karp, and Jack Pinches all spent time on the mound for North Coburg as Footscray managed nine hits overall.
Justin Lake had three RBIs on four hits - three singles and a home run - and Kaye had a home run, a single, two RBIs, and a stolen base. Jay Grahovac singled twice, doubled once, stole two bases, and brought home a run.
Marc De Petro had two singles and an RBI, Learmonth had a single, double, and an RBI, and Jonathan
Anderson recorded a base hit.
The Bulldogs sit second on the ladder at 2-1 with 31 runs scored and just 14 given up. They host Bonbeach in round 4 while North Coburg plays Pakenham at home.
Bonbeach Bluejays 8 v North Western Titans 1
Bonbeach scored one in the first before four quick, quiet innings setting them up for seven runs in the sixth. The Titans got one back but that was it as the Bluejays won their second game of the season.
Mathew Prior pitched well for Bonbeach and was great at the plate with a single, a double, a walk, and two RBIs. Matthew Bucci had an RBI double and Jarad Curwood recorded an RBI single.
The Titans had Daniel Hamilton on the mound for 6.66 innings, giving up seven hits, four walks, and eight runs (one unearned) with 10 strikeouts. Connor Wilson struck out one with no hits or walks in 1.33 innings of work.
Matthew Howe got two singles while Kyle Hodgetts, Ryan Tompkins, and Cameron Wilson had one each.
Bonbeach looks to go three in a row on the road at Footscray while North Western's round 4 matchup is at Chelsea.
Springvale Lions 8 v Pakenham Pumas 2
The Lions won their third straight despite a quiet start for both sides, as Pakenham held Springvale off until the fourth.
Two runs in both the fourth and fifth gave the Lions a 4-0 lead, but the Pumas cut that in half in the bottom of the fifth. Springvale wasn't fazed, adding three in the sixth and one more in the seventh.
Springvale's Scott Baillie threw six innings with no walks and five hits, two runs, and four strikeouts. Rydge
Hogan had a three-up, three-down inning, striking out every batter he faced.
Pakenham's Max Hunter handled four innings with five hits, three walks, one HBP, two runs, and six strikeouts. Tim Bellerby struck out four in three innings with eight hits, three walks, and six runs - four of them unearned.
Adam Thatcher had a two-RBI single for Springvale while Steve Hughes had three RBIs on two singles, a triple, and a walk. Matthew Stenhouse and Joel Stubbs singled and brought runners home. Hogan had three singles while Matthew Cameron and Ryan Kirby had one each.
Darren Reeves and Bellerby plated runs for Pakenham as Danny Cannizzaro, Scott Dale, Travis Hough, and Hunter all had singles.
3-0 Springvale sits atop the ladder and heads to Geelong this weekend while 2-1 Pakenham is away at North Coburg.
The 2021/22 VSBL Division 2 season is off to a busy start with Werribee, Newport, and Mulgrave leading the way although the other teams are not far behind. There's lots more action-packed baseball to come as teams set their sights on a successful summer.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and read recaps below.
Division 2 Firsts
Newport Rams 15 v Mulgrave Rebels 5
The Rams improved to 2-1 on the road at Mulgrave, bouncing back from a 5-4 loss to Moorabbin the week before.
Mulgrave was forced to play catchup from the get-go as Newport scored two in the first and four in the second. The Rebels gave up one more to the Rams in the third before scoring four of their own, but Newport quickly answered with four more in the fourth.
A quiet fifth on both sides led to the final frame as Newport added four and Mulgrave scored one.
Tyler Comben threw six innings for Newport, giving up nine hits, two walks, and five runs - two of them unearned. He struck out nine.
Mulgrave's Jayson Arthur handled 2.66 innings with five hits, three walks, five runs, and six strikeouts. Ryan Phillips pitched 1.33 innings with four hits, two walks, six runs, and three strikeouts.
Donnie Poole struck out two and gave up five hits and four runs during two innings.
Newport's big day at the plate included two singles and two RBIs for Jared Berman, and a double, a triple, and three RBIs for Ben Howard.
Matthew Lawman doubled and walked for three RBIs as Dean Malthouse plated two with a single and a double. Aaron Robson had two singles and Alan Ortiz had one base hit as both recorded RBIs. Trenell Hutchins, Zachary Gorman, and Comben had singles too as the entire lineup recorded at least one hit.
Caleb Poole had two singles, a double, and an RBI for Mulgrave while Nicholas Thompson knocked in a run on a single and a double. Paul Rutgers had an RBI single as Arthur and Michael Morgan singled.
Both teams are now 2-1 as Newport will go for back to back wins on the road at Ormond Glenhuntly while Mulgrave visits Werribee.
Doncaster Dragons 4 v Moorabbin Panthers 7
The Panthers got back to back wins after a solid outing v Doncaster featuring six hits and solid pitching.
Mitchell Sheldon-Collins threw four innings with six hits, three runs, and two strikeouts. Matt Hardie handled two innings with a hit, a run, and four strikeouts while Nicholas Veale contributed one inning with no walks, hits, or runs.
Angus Stals threw 3.66 innings for Doncaster with two hits, three walks, and two runs - one unearned. He struck out four.
Simon Fitzmaurice pitched 1.66 innings, giving up three earned runs and one unearned with two hits, two walks, and a strikeout. Brian Chen handled 0.66 innings with two hits, a walk, a run, and two strikeouts.
Moorabbin's offense included Mitch Barr's single, walk, and two RBIs, plus doubles and RBIs for Adam Harris and Stewart Mathieson. Veale and Tom Brookes also knocked in runs.
Nic Unland led Doncaster's efforts with three RBIs on two home runs while Dakota Gibson doubled and Stals and Brian Chen singled.
Moorabbin is 2-1 going into this week's game at St Kilda while Doncaster will look for a win at home v Preston.
Port Melbourne Mariners 0 v St Kilda Saints 3
The Saints got their first win of the season after scoring an early run and carrying that lead through the rest of the game, eventually adding two more in the fifth.
Adam Schoppe got the win for St Kilda with four hits and seven strikeouts in seven innings. He threw 21 first pitch strikes and had a 0.57 WHIP.
Matthew Parker threw four innings, giving up four hits, a walk, and a HBP for three runs - two of them unearned. He struck out seven and threw 17 first pitch strikes with a 1.25 WHIP.
Petri handled two scoreless innings with a hit, a walk, and three strikeouts. Petri had four first pitch strikes and a 1.00 WHIP.
St Kilda had eight hits including three for Deilyn Guzman (two singles and a home run) and base hits for Shuji Sanuki, George Polley, Daniel Hogg, Mariano Favia, and Rolando Curiel. Guzman, Curiel, and Hogg had RBIs.
Toby Gleeson-Payne, Aaron Petri, and Jack White singled for Port Melbourne.
The Mariners are 1-2 and host Williamstown while 1-2 St Kilda plays reigning premiers Moorabbin at home.
Preston Pirates 0 v Williamstown Wolves 10
Williamstown had the upper hand offensively and defensively in this matchup, scoring three runs in both the first and the second.
The Wolves added one in the third and another in the fourth before scoring a final two runs in the fifth.
Williamstown's Dennis Neal covered four innings with just two hits, one HBP, and seven strikeouts. Tobimaru
Yamamoto struck out one in an inning of work.
Zachary Breen, Aaron Green, Robert Higginson, Jason McDonald, and Hiroshi Narasaki had RBIs. Higginson doubled and McDonald had three base hits.
Logan O'Brien threw three innings for Preston, giving up three runs with two walks and a strikeout. Mitch Legge had a single.
The Wolves improved to 1-1-1 and visit Port Melbourne this weekend while Preston is 1-2 and on the road playing Doncaster next.
Werribee Giants 3 v Ormond Glenhuntly 0
Werribee followed up on a 6-2 win last week with their first shutout victory of the year, made possible thanks to strong pitching and a few timely hits.
The Giants led 1-0 and the score didn't change until the seventh when they got two more runs. Ormond Glenhuntly managed four hits while Werribee had two.
Trent Pantalleresco threw five scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. Wesley de Jong struck out five and gave up one hit in two innings.
Pantalleresco and Wade Balzer had singles to help the Giants go 3-0 as they host Mulgrave next. Ormond Glenhuntly also plays at home v Newport as the Hunters look to improve on their 1-2 record.
Berwick, Geelong, and Essendon are undefeated in VSBL Division 1 as the 2021/22 season continues. There are three rounds to go before the Christmas break as teams look to finish the year strong.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and check out recaps below.
Division 1 Firsts
Geelong Baycats 10 v Cheltenham Rustlers 3
Geelong improved to 3-0 thanks to a 16-hit day and strong pitching from Hayden Peoples and Rudy Jaramillo.
Peoples gave up just two hits in four scoreless innings with a walk and four strikeouts for a 0.75 WHIP. Jaramillo backed it up with three innings in relief featuring 12 first pitch strikes, two strikeouts, and a 1.33 WHIP.
For Cheltenham, Joshua Tribe threw four scoreless innings with three hits, four walks, three strikeouts, and a 1.75 WHIP. 10 runs scored during Max Barrett's time on the mound but only three were earned as four errors came back to bite Cheltenham.
Keli’i Zablan had three hits and three RBIs with a home run, while Josh Davies sent one over the fence in the fourth inning. James Wood, Peoples, Jaramillo, Davies, and Zablan all had multiple-hit games. Ryan Darcy came around to score twice thanks to great base running.
Geelong's big outing including first-time appearances in the top nine for Jye Robinson who beat out an infield groundball and Jackson Viney who walked and made a great play in right field. Jake Elderfield, Jordan Baumann, and Harper Rickard helped Geelong defensively too.
Geelong aims to stay undefeated at home v Upwey Ferntree Gully in round 4 while Cheltenham heads to Fitzroy.
Blackburn Orioles 1 v Essendon Bombers 5
Essendon is 2-0 to start the season after a solid win over Blackburn.
The Bombers got things moving in the second when James Purcell grounded out, scoring one run. After another run in the fifth, Essendon tacked on three runs in the sixth with an RBI double by Michael Formisano.
Blackburn's lone run came in the top of the sixth on Jacob Evans' single, his second of the day.
Essendon's Gareth Formisano threw five innings, allowing three hits and zero runs while striking out four and walking zero. Sam Street handled two innings with one hit, one unearned run, and two strikeouts.
Blackburn's Sam Bucello covered four innings, allowing one run on two hits, striking out two and walking one. Charlie Collins and Jacob Evans entered the game from the bullpen to cover an inning each.
Essendon saw the ball well today, racking up eight hits in the game. Formisano and Scott McIntyre each managed multiple hits for Essendon. Scott McIntyre and Michael Formisano each collected two hits to lead Essendon as the team had eight hits total.
Liam Hopkins and Thomas Kerr-Chapman singled for Blackburn as the Orioles had an error-free day in the field and Hopkins made the most plays with eight.
Essendon looks to stay undefeated on the road at Melbourne while 1-2 Blackburn heads to Sunshine.
Melbourne Demons 3 v Sunshine Eagles 4
Sunshine was down by three but came back to win 4-3 over Melbourne for their second win of the season.
The Eagles saved all their runs for the final sixth inning after giving up two to Melbourne in the second and one in the fourth.
Allister Lovelock drove in a pair of runs for Sunshine while Clayton Campbell and Cameron Deeble also had RBIs.
Adam Irons picked up the win throwing three scoreless innings in relief with just two hits, a strikeout, and no walks. Griffin Weir contributed four innings, giving up three runs on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Melbourne's Kurtis Smith singled to start the game but a double play quickly ended the inning.
Sunshine's hits on the day included Campbell's double and two singles for Deeble, plus base hits from Joshua Byrne, Allan de San Miguel, and Allister Lovelock.
The Eagles are 2-1 going into this weekend's home game v Blackburn while Melbourne looks for a win at home v Essendon.
Sandringham Royals 2 v Waverley Wildcats 4
Waverley got their first win at home this season after coming back in the later stages.
Sandringham led 1-0 through the top of the third before Waverley scored twice in the bottom frame. The fourth inning was quiet before the fifth when Waverley added one more.
Both teams scored a run in the sixth with the Wildcats pulling just in front. Waverley had four hits and Sandringham had three on the day as strong pitching prevailed.
Darcy Longstaff handled three innings for Waverley with just one hit, four walks, an unearned run, and two strikeouts. Jamie Papanicolaou gave up one run with two hits and a strikeout while Luke Papanicolaou struck out two during two scoreless innings with a lone hit.
Sandringham's Riley Trad was on the mound for five innings, throwing 13 first pitch strikes with three hits, five walks, and three runs - one unearned - plus four strikeouts. Genevieve Beacom pitched an inning in relief.
Jordan Ley helped power the Wildcats offence with a pair of hits while also driving in a run. Tommy Maxfield also knocked in a run as Mitchell Homfray, Ned Hargreaves, and Ben Aslett all singled.
Harrison Wills had two hits for the Royals while Joshua Meyer doubled and Declan Ferguson walked and singled for an RBI.
Waverley is 1-1 going into an away game at Malvern and Sandringham is 1-2 before hosting Berwick this Sunday.
Berwick City Cougars 4 v Malvern Braves 2
Berwick stayed undefeated with a late score to win the game, which was tied at two with the Cougars batting in the top of the sixth when Aaron Ouwehand reached on a dropped third strike.
Berwick was first on the board with one run scoring on Matthew Homfray's single to start the game. Malvern scored two in the bottom of the fourth but Aidan Willis tied it back up with a sacrifice fly.
A two-run sixth was enough to give Berwick the lead as Craig Barnett got the win, allowing six hits and two runs over seven innings, striking out 14 and walking zero.
Mitch Kennedy took the loss for Malvern. The righthander allowed one hit and two runs over two and a third innings, striking out three and walking zero.
Jon Kennedy started the game for Malvern. The hurler lasted three innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out five and walking zero.
Mitch Kennedy homered in the fourth inning while Ryan Dale led Malvern with two hits in three at bats.
Homfray went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Berwick in hits as the Cougars were sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. Marcus Graham had the most fielding chances with 16.
3-0 Berwick plays at Sandringham in round 4 while Malvern hosts Waverley.
Fitzroy Lions 5 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 5
Both sides battled hard as the Tigers worked their way back from a 4-1 deficit in the first. The score was 4-2 Fitzroy at the end of the third as both sides scored one run in the fourth.
Fitzroy held a 2-run lead for two and a half innings before the Tigers scored a pair of runs in the final frame, denying the Lions their first win of the season. Wade McConnon was responsible for the 2-RBI base hit to tie it up.
Ftizroy's Warwick Purchase covered four innings of pitching work with five hits, four walks, one strikeout, and three runs - two of them unearned. Danny King's three innings included five hits, two runs, and a strikeout.
For Upwey Ferntree Gully, Harvey Chinn, Staci Rogers, and Randy Senn had two hits apiece while catcher Jordan Elliott collected a hit and two walks.
Riley Hill doubled for Fitzroy while King plated two on a big single and Alec Smith had a base hit.
The Tigers now have one win, one loss, and a draw as they head to Geelong for round 4 while Fitzroy hosts Cheltenham.
The 2021/22 VSBL Women's season is off to an exciting start with three rounds in the books. Several teams have undefeated streaks going, including Springvale, Doncaster, Preston, Waverley, South East, Sunshine, Geelong, North Western, and Moorabbin.
The action will continue with a big round 4 coming up - view full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and check out recaps below.
Women's Division 1 & 2
Essendon Bombers 7 v Springvale Lions 8
Emily Devine's walk-off sealed the deal in Springvale's 8-7 victory over Essendon.
The first two innings were quiet on both sides before Essendon scored two in the third. The Bombers made it 6-0 in the fourth but Springvale fought back, scoring three in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Neither team scored in the sixth as the game was tied, but Essendon got one on the board in the seventh. Then it was Springvale's time to shine, scoring two to win the game.
Springvale had 11 hits overall including three apiece to Shae Lillywhite and Lili Cavanagh. Abbey Kelly had four of Essendon's eight hits.
Siobhan Stephenson had four quality at-bats for Springvale while Simone Wearne had a pair of RBIs. On Essendon's side, Courtney Foura had three RBIs, Jasmine Bentley had two, and Tayla Weldon knocked in two runs. Bentley, Foura, and Weldon all walked twice.
Kelly was impressive on the mound for 3.1 innings, throwing 20 first pitch strikes for Essendon with three strikeouts. Allie Bebbere also pitched with 12 first pitch strikes and a 2.00 WHIP.
Springvale's Gabby Bevan covered 3.1 innings, striking out three with a 2.70 WHIP. Maddy Patrick had 14 first pitch strikes and a 1.64 WHIP.
2-0 Springvale plays Footscray at home while 1-2 Essendon plays Doncaster.
Doncaster Dragons 19 v Newport Rams 3
Doncaster racked up double-digit runs for the first time this season as Jamie Bastian and Maddison Weller had four RBIs each.
Erin Collins joined Bastian and Weller with doubles while Ursula Howard, Brooklyn Hutton, Amy McCann, and Chelsea Stewart all had base hits.
Newport's Kira Jansen, Erin Collis, and Leslie Anglin all had hits, facing Jessica Johnson and Bastian on the mound.
In four innings, Johnson gave up three hits, four walks, one HBP, and two runs (one unearned) while striking out seven. Bastian threw a one-run inning with a hit, a walk, and a strikeout.
Newport's next game is at home v Springvale B while Doncaster hosts Essendon Jets in hopes of going 3-0.
Doncaster Dragons B 29 v Geelong Baycats 12
The bats were swinging on both sides but Doncaster made the most of an early lead, putting up 13 runs in the first two innings.
Geelong's Lily Kevelham put in two solid innings on the mound in her first pitching appearance this year, with five hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. However, Doncaster's pitchers had the upper hand, allowing just three hits and two runs during the same time.
Jen Mason also pitched for Geelong, giving up just one hit and two runs. The Baycats managed to rally for five runs in the bottom of the third, but Doncaster answered with seven in the fourth.
The same score followed in the final innings as Geelong got five and Doncaster got seven runs as the game finished 29-12 in the Dragons' favour.
Magda Boros, Michelle Searle, and Sarah Upton had great debuts for Geelong this season with Upton and Searle both singling. Nyah O’Brien, Emma Hill, Ruby Benne, and Kevelham also had hits. Geelong's pitchers Kevelham, Mason, and Hill combined for 11 strikeouts.
Katherine Colclough had a single, three walks, and three RBIs for Doncaster while Michelle Love had a base hit, three walks, a HBP, and an RBI.
Sherryn Medlicott had a single, walk, and an RBI, while Lilly Simpson singled, walked, knocked in a run, and got on with a HBP. Katrina Wapsas had two singles, two walks, and two RBIs.
Doncaster B is 1-1 and hosts Essendon Bombers next while Geelong has a bye.
Essendon Jets 5 v Springvale Lions B 13
The Lions are 3-0 after another double-digit offensive effort, scoring one in the second and three in the third. Springvale put four on in the fourth and five in the fifth, while Essendon scored once in the first and three in the fourth.
A final Essendon run came in the sixth but the deficit was too great. Now, the Jets turn their focus to an away game at Doncaster while Springvale B visits Newport.
Women's Division 3 North East
Research Lower Plenty 10 v Malvern Ormond Glenhuntly 11
Both sides battled hard but ultimately Malvern Ormond Glenhuntly came away with the win on a walk-off double.
Research Lower Plenty scored first with three early runs, followed by three more in both the second and third. Malvern Ormond Glenhuntly wasn't deterred, scoring one in the second and six in the third.
Research led 10-7 going into the bottom of the fourth, but Malvern Ormond Glenhuntly managed four more to seal the deal.
Malvern Ormond Glenhuntly is 1-1 and plays at Waverley this Saturday while Research hosts Pakenham.
Melbourne Demons 10 v South East Warriors 11
The Warriors are 2-0 going into the bye weekend after a narrow victory over Melbourne, made possible by a seven-run start and a strong finish.
A back and forth battle ensued as the Warriors led 9-5 after the second before Melbourne came within one in the third. The Demons tacked on two in the fourth but the Warriors loaded the bases and successfully secured the walk-off win.
1-1 Melbourne will have the chance to dust off the close loss in search of a win at home v Malvern in round 4.
Pakenham Pumas 3 v Waverley Wildcats 16
Waverley scored 13 runs last week and picked up right where they left off, racking up the runs to stay undefeated.
Waverley takes a 2-0 record into round 4 at home v Malvern Ormond Glenhuntly, while Pakenham looks for a win at Research Lower Plenty.
Upwey Ferntree Gully 13 v Malvern Braves 10
The Tigers enjoyed their first victory for a women’s team in 12 years as Chelsea Mosbey was strong on the mound for five innings and nearly had a grand slam, which was robbed by a wandering dog in the outfield.
All the Tigers chipped in offensively as Jess McDonald kept things under control behind the plate. Malvern had a 1-0 lead after the first but it didn't last long as the Tigers tacked on seven in the second.
By the end of the third, Upwey Ferntree Gully was in front 10-3. A final three runs in the top of the fourth put them in front by 10, but Malvern wasn't going down without a fight, scoring seven in the final frame to make it a much closer finish.
The Tigers are 1-1 now and play at Preston this weekend while the Braves look for a win at Melbourne.
Women's Division 3 South
Bonbeach Bluejays 4 v Berwick Cougars 13
The Cougars secured back to back double-digit wins after besting Springvale 17-4 the week before.
The team sits second behind Moorabbin with Bonbeach in third and both sides on 2-1 records. Berwick hosts Pakenham next and Bonbeach heads to Moorabbin.
Sandringham Royals 8 v Moorabbin Panthers 9
It was a close contest but ultimately Moorabbin came back to win thanks to a final two runs in the fifth.
The Panthers led 5-2 after the first but Sandringham took the lead with four runs in the top of the second. The next three frames were scoreless before Sandringham added one more in the top of the fourth.
Moorabbin tied it up at 7 but the Royals put in one last effort, scoring a run in the top of the fifth. Sandringham tried to hang on but Moorabbin scored two more in the final frame to get the win.
The Panthers stay undefeated at 3-0 and will host Bonbeach next while Sandringham hosts Springvale.
Pakenham Pumas 10 v Springvale Lions 8
Springvale was competitive through the end but ultimately, the Pumas got their first win on the board.
Springvale led 6-4 after the first but the Pumas fought back to score five in the top of the second. The scored was 9-8 going into the third, when Pakenham scored one more and Springvale was unable to bring runners home.
Pakenham is 1-2 and plays at Berwick in round 4 while Springvale heads to Sandringham.
Women's Division 3 West
Fitzroy Doncaster 10 v Sunshine Eagles 21
Sunshine won 22-3 last round and kept it up against Fitzroy Doncaster, staying undefeated and moving to the top of the ladder on runs scored.
Anisha Bunsee, Bridget Byrne, Mia Courtne, and Kiera Tarleton put in solid efforts for Fitzroy Doncaster while Sunshine was led by Elizabeth Basadur, Ozzy England, Lily McKenner, Ana Meljen Quach, Katherine Salkovic, Ingrid Scanlon, and Amy Wilkie.
The 2-0 Eagles are off to face North Western Orange on the weekend while Fitzroy Doncaster hosts Essendon.
Essendon Bombers 18 v Newport Rams 13
Both teams didn't make it easy, racking up double-digit runs in a high-scoring matchup. Essendon jumped on the board with four early runs but Newport was right behind them, scoring two to cut the lead in half.
The Bombers stayed in front 6-2 going into the third as they added seven runs and then five more in the final frame. Newport put in a great effort to score four in the third and seven in the fourth, but it wasn't enough as they came up just short.
Essendon is 1-2 and plays away at Fitzroy Doncaster while Newport looks for a win at home v Port Melbourne.
North Western Orange 14 v Port Melbourne Mariners 6
North Western Orange improved to 2-0 after another double-digit run tally, following up on last week's 14-2 win over Essendon.
The Titans led 7-0 after the first and added three more in the second, although the Mariners scored one run in each of the middle innings. By the end of the fourth it was an 11-3 ballgame, and then both teams scored three in the final frame.
North West Orange looks to stay undefeated at home v Sunshine while 1-1 Port Melbourne heads to Newport.
The Titans got started right away, putting up 20 runs in their first game after a washout and a bye.
North Western Black 20 v Werribee Giants 5
There were strong contributions up and down the lineup from Sarah Cuthbert, Kim Gasior, Katrina Hoenig, Anna Radnay, Charmaine St John, Dianne Tompkins, and Tracie Williams.
Now, the Titans prepare for a home game v Geelong while Werribee has a bye.
Congratulations to Victorian pitcher Angus Stals who recently committed to Three Rivers College.
The 18-year-old national junior squad member will join the Missouri-based Raiders, continuing the Division I junior college’s strong ties to Australia.
Angus hopes to one day play professionally and looks forward to taking what he learned in Baseball Victoria Aces Academy to the next level.
He enjoyed many years playing with the Greensborough Burras and Doncaster Dragons, and represented Victoria at the U16 and U18 level. He also took part in Victoria’s National Showcase Series this year and struck out 10 in seven innings for Victoria Blue at the 2020 U18 Australian Youth Championship in Geelong.
Stals’ commitment follows Queenslander Nicolas Hawkins announcement on joining the Raiders. They won't be the only Aussies there as ACT duo Trent Buchanan and Stuart Tharle, Queensland’s Kailen Hamson and West Australian pitcher Lachlan Waite are all with Three Rivers now.
The second round of the 2021/22 VSBL Division 4 season featured better weather and big wins across the board as teams aim for strong starts.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and read recaps below.
Division 4 East
Monash University Farmers 11 v Malvern Braves 6
The Farmers had the upper hand in this matchup, bouncing back quickly despite giving up three runs to Malvern in the first.
The score was 3-1 to Malvern at the end of the second but five runs in the third put the Farmers in front. Monash led 9-5 going into the fifth and got two more in the final frame while the Braves scored one last run.
Monash had nine hits while giving up just one to Malvern, although the Braves did take advantage of a Monash error on the base paths.
Louis Francois-Downey. Kay Louis Shimizu, and Ashley Aylen all had two hits while Paul Blakeney had four quality at-bats and Josh Duff had three.
Blakeney and Joseph Chim were patient at the plate, taking three walks apiece, while the former had two RBIs along with Francois-Downey. Shimizu plated three runs too.
Aylen had a pair of strikeouts in two innings of work with a 1.50 WHIP and five first pitch strikes. Shubhankar Verma struck out three in two innings and Cristos Giannopoulos fanned two in one inning.
The Farmers are 1-1 and play at Upwey Ferntree Gully Black next while Malvern hosts Waverley Red.
Doncaster Dragons 2 v Blackburn Orioles 7
The Orioles got their first win on the board, getting the better of the Dragons who are hoping to get in the win column in round 3 at Upwey Ferntree Gully Gold.
Blackburn visits Waverley Black in hopes of back-to-back wins on Sunday.
Waverley Wildcats Red 8 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Black 3
Waverley scored two in the first and six in the second, putting the game out of reach for the Tigers.
Now 2-0, Waverley Red visits Malvern next while the 1-1 Tigers host Monash Uni.
Waverley Wildcats Black 8 v Upwey Ferntree Gully Gold 3
In a similar result for the other two sides, Waverley Black earned win number one of the season and handed the Tigers their first loss.
Despite the final result, the Tigers were excited to welcome some new players to the field and will look to bounce back at home v Doncaster in round 3. Waverley Black will also be at home playing Blackburn.
Division 4 South
Pakenham Pumas White 4 v Bonbeach Bluejays Blue 9
Senior wins across the board made the Bluejays happy as the side is now 2-0.
After giving up two runs to start the game, the Bluejays powered back with seven in the first. By the end of the second, it was an 8-4 ballgame, and one more run in the fourth finalised the score.
Bonbeach Blue plays at Mornington Red in round 3 and Pakenham White visits St Kilda in search of a win.
Chelsea Dolphins 2 v Mornington Pirates Black 23
The Pirates were first to score, putting up seven in the first and two in the second. They didn't stop there, adding seven more in both the third and the fourth while the Dolphins managed two in the final frame.
The Pirates are 1-0 and host Mulgrave on the weekend while Chelsea hosts Bonbeach White.
Bonbeach Bluejays White 10 v Sandringham Royals 5
The Bluejays rode the momentum of their 18-2 win in the opening round, keeping up the offense to win over Sandringham.
Bonbeach White is now 2-0 and sits atop the ladder on runs scored as the Bluejays head to Chelsea for round 3. Sandringham is 1-1 and hosts Pakenham Black next.
Mulgrave Rebels 2 v Pakenham Pumas Black 20
The Pumas were a force to be reckoned with, taking a 7-1 lead into the second before taking on five more runs.
By the end of the third it was a 13-2 ballgame, and that was before the Pumas got seven more in the third.
This marked Pakenham's first win of the season as the Pumas head into round 3 at Sandringham. Mulgrave will visit Mornington Black in search of a win.
Mornington Pirates Red 12 v St Kilda Saints 16
This high-scoring game was a back and forth battle from the get-go, with Mornington putting two on to start the game before St Kilda cut the lead in half.
The Saints managed an eight-run rally in the second but the Pirates fired back to keep things interesting, and by the end of the third, it was 10-7 St Kilda's way.
Mornington scored three more in the fourth and two in the fifth, but St Kilda squeaked past with an extra six runs to record win number one of the season.
The Saints are 1-0 and play Pakenham White at home while Mornington hosts Bonbeach Blue in hopes of getting their first win.
Division 4 North West
Essendon Jets 15 v Port Melbourne Mariners 4
Troy Grady pitched well for Essendon as son Ben Grady made his first senior at-bat, doubling to right field.
The success didn't stop there as the Jets scored in four out of the five innings. It was close to start with the game tied at 2-2 after the first.
Essendon led 4-3 at the end of the second inning but then broke free, adding four in the third and seven in the fourth. Port Melbourne got one back in the final frame but it wasn't enough to erase the deficit.
The Jets are 1-0 and on the road to Mitchell Majors this weekend while Port Melbourne plays away at Melbourne Red.
Fitzroy Lions Maroon 8 v Essendon Spitfires 13
Fitzroy wasn't going down without a fight as the Lions battled back from a 7-3 deficit after the first. Both sides scored once in the second, and four Fitzroy runs across the middle innings went unanswered until Essendon's final few at-bats.
One run in the fifth and four in the sixth sealed the deal for the Spitfires, although Fitzroy's Dion Cust had a solid effort on the mound.
The 1-0 Spitfires host Melbourne Blue and Fitzroy Maroon plays at home v Geelong in the next round.
North Western Titans 4 v Mitchell Majors 12
Mitchell Majors enjoyed an early 5-0 lead after the first and by the end of the next inning, they led 9-0.
North Western battled back to put two on in the third and another two in the fourth. However, three more runs in the bottom of the sixth put the finishing touches on Mitchell Majors' victory, made possibly by 16 hits.
The Titans collected five hits and did their best to capitalise on three errors by the opposition.
Lance Keighran had three hits and threw four innings for Mitchell Majors, with six first pitch strikes, five strikeouts, and a 2.00 WHIP. Corey Dennehy recorded two RBIs and handled two innings on the mound with five first pitch strikes, three strikeouts, and a 1.00 WHIP.
North Western's Dan Mudford Jr. went 2-for-3 with a single, a double, and two RBIs while Jarrod Johns was 1-2 with a single, 5.1 innings pitched, and 10 strikeouts.
Michael Morrissey proved challenging at the plate, knocking in three runs for Mitchell Majors while Ben Harkom had two hits as well.
Next up, 1-0 Mitchell Majors hosts Essendon Jets as North Western looks for a win at Fitzroy Blue.
Geelong Baycats 2 v Research Lower Plenty 18
Research scored six in the first and led 9-2 by the end of the second before adding seven in the third and a final two in the fourth.
Essendon Bombers 15 v Melbourne Demons Red 12
Neither side was willing to give up easily after an early 3-3 tie.
Melbourne made it a 4-3 ballgame in the second but Essendon wasn't satisfied, making it 7-4 in the third before adding two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth.
The Bombers put up five in the sixth to pull in front, although the Demons did their best to fight back with another eight runs to finish the game.
The 2-0 Bombers will visit Research Lower Plenty in round 3 while Melbourne Red hosts Port Melbourne.
The 2021/22 VSBL Division 3 season is delivering plenty of excitement as Springvale and Pakenham enjoy undefeated starts with the rest of the teams not far behind.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and read recaps below.
Division 3 Firsts
Chelsea Dolphins 5 v Springvale Lions 15
Chelsea fell behind early and couldn't make up the deficit as Springvale collected 16 hits overall.
Springvale came out of the first with a 7-0 lead, although Chelsea battled back to come within two by the middle of the second.
While that strong frame was Chelsea's only scoring for the day, Springvale stayed busy at the plate, adding another two in the second, one in the third, and four in the fourth. A final run came in the bottom of the fifth as the Lions finished 10 in front.
Scott Baillie threw 3.33 scoreless innings for Springvale, giving up just one hit with five strikeouts. Five unearned runs scored during Matthew Cameron's time on the mound, with two hits, six walks, and three strikeouts in 1.66 innings.
While Springvale kept Chelsea to just three hits, the Lions were busy up and down the lineup, with Cameron earning three RBIs on two doubles and a single. Adam Thatcher also had three RBIs with three singles, while Rydge Hogan and Ryan Kirby recorded extra base hits too.
Lucas Anderson had one double and two singles as Joel Stubbs, Rowan Hall, and Baillie had base hits.
With two big wins under their belts, the Lions are looking to go three in a row at Pakenham while Chelsea is 1-1 and playing Geelong at home in round 3.
Pakenham Pumas 4 v Footscray Bulldogs 1
The Pumas have won their first two games of the season after a solid performance at Footscray.
Pakenham opened with one run in the first frame and held on to 1 -0 lead until the bottom of the fifth when Footscray tied it up. Pakenham was undeterred, scoring three in the top of the sixth to create a buffer. With a scoreless seventh on both sides, the Pumas secured the win.
Now 2-0, Pakenham hosts fellow undefeated side Springvale while 1-1 Footscray hosts North Coburg.
North Western Titans 13 v Geelong Baycats 3
The Titans got started early with six runs in the first and consistent scoring throughout the rest of the game. Although the Baycats got two back in the bottom of the first, they were always playing catchup, and eventually the deficit proved too much.
Geelong's only other run came in the bottom of the third as the Titans added one run in the second and third before adding four runs in the fourth and a final run in the sixth.
Connor Wilson threw four innings for North Western, giving up five hits, five walks, and three runs with four strikeouts. Both Dan Hamilton and Wilson went 3-for-5 with three singles and two RBIs, while Anthony Falzon went 1-for-4 and got his first hit with the top nine. Kyle Hodgetts singled and doubled with three RBIs too.
Duane Davenport and Matthew Noonan pitched for Geelong as the side had hits from Davenport, Cade White, and Jesse Buzza.
North Western is 1-1 and plays Bonbeach at home in round 3 as Geelong heads to Chelsea.
Bonbeach Bluejays 23 v North Coburg Rebels 2
Not only did Bonbeach get a big win over the Rebels, but the club's seven senior sides all won on a great weekend for the Bluejays.
Mathew Prior's three innings of pitching work included six strikeouts and helped the Bluejays focus on offense, ultimately winning their first game of the year.
Bonbeach led 2-1 after the first inning and soon made it a 4-1 ballgame. The Bluejays broke it open in the fourth with six runs, followed by two in the fifth and 11 in the seventh. The Rebels got one back in the sixth but that was it.
Matthew Bucci had an awesome day at the plate, recording six RBIs with a single, a triple, and a home run. Jacob Bald doubled and knocked in two runs while Liam Bald singled for two RBIs.
James Crowe doubled, Olly Hookey-Rizzo plated two, and Prior singled and walked twice.
On North Coburg's side, Jack Pinches, Andy Karp, and Addison Kaye shared pitching duties while Jonathan Anderson, Jay Grahovac, and Kaye had singles.
Bonbeach takes a 1-1 record into the next round at North Western while the Rebels look for a win at Footscray.
Teams have hit the ground running for the 2021/22 VSBL Division 2 season, with Mulgrave and Werribee leading the way and the other clubs following close behind.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and read recaps below.
Division 2 Firsts
Newport Rams 4 v Moorabbin Panthers 5
The Panthers narrowly came away with the win, a welcome result after just missing out in a 6-5 loss to Preston in round 1.
Newport led 3-0 after four but Moorabbin walked it off to win the game after scoring four in the bottom of the sixth. The Rams managed one more in the top of the seventh as the back and forth battle continued, with the Panthers ultimately coming out on top.
Moorabbin had eight hits and made three errors while Newport had seven hits and two errors on the day.
Stewart Mathieson handled just over three innings for Moorabbin, giving up six hits and two walks with three runs - one unearned - and two strikeouts on 14 first pitch strikes. Nicholas Veale struck out four in his scoreless innings while Mitch Sheldon-Collins gave up a hit, a walk, and a run in one inning.
The Rams had Tyler Comben on the mound for five scoreless innings, giving up just three hits with four strikeouts. David Asp came on in relief with five runs - four of them unearned - scoring against him. Asp had 10 first pitch strikes and Comben had eight.
Newport's Nathan Smith and Matt Lawman had three quality at-bats and Connor Schibeci had two, with Lawman collecting three hits and two RBIs. Zachary Gorman, Ben Howard, and Aaron Robson all had hits on the day too.
Moorabbin's offense was led by Travis Finney with two RBIs on a big double, plus singles from Mitch Barr, Matt Hardie, and Mitch Johnston.
Both Moorabbin and Newport are 1-1 now with the Panthers playing Doncaster at home in round 3 and the Rams visiting Mulgrave.
Preston Pirates 3 v Mulgrave Rebels 12
The Rebels followed up on their 5-0 win over St Kilda in the first round with strong offense on Sunday to get ahead of Preston.
Mulgrave jumped on board early with two runs in the first followed by another in the third. However, it wasn't until the fourth that the Rebels really came alive, putting up nine runs to take the game out of reach.
The fifth was scoreless and Preston did score twice in the sixth and once in the seventh, but it wasn't enough to make up the deficit.
Jayson Arthur got the win for Mulgrave after throwing six innings and giving up four hits, a walk, and two runs - one unearned - while striking out seven. Donnie Poole handled one inning, giving up one hit and one unearned run.
Caleb Poole knocked in two runs for Mulgrave while Jason Cousins, Grant Miller, Riley O'Shea, Ryan Phillips, and Nicholas Thompson each had one RBI. Jordan Gavin and Doonie Poole had two singles apiece.
Gabriel Valderrama threw three innings for Preston as Logan O'Brien also took a turn on the mound. Offensively, the team had three hits on the day, including a single and a double for Jaycob Pascuzzi and a base hit by Luke Williams.
Now 2-0, Mulgrave hosts Newport and 1-1 Preston visits Williamstown next.
St Kilda Saints 2 v Ormond Glenhuntly Hunters 3
The Hunters got their first win on the board in a tight game against the Saints.
Ormond Glenhuntly got on the board first with two runs in the second, although St Kilda cut their lead in half in the fourth. The Saints momentarily tied it up in the fifth, but the Hunters powered back to score one more and retake the lead, with the score staying that way for the rest of the game.
St Kilda starter Adam Schoppe covered six solid innings, giving up three hits and four walks with four strikeouts along the way. One of Ormond Glenhuntly's runs was unearned.
The Saints managed six hits with a double by Shuji Sanuki and singles for Todd Clarkson, Rolando Curiel, Mariano Favia, Bryan Livett, and Tom Snowden. Livett and Sanuki batted one run in each.
Now 1-1, Ormond Glenhuntly while the Saints look for their first win at home v Port Melbourne.
Werribee Giants 6 v Port Melbourne Mariners 2
The Giants battled back to win their second straight game. Port Melbourne led 1-0 at the end of the second, but Werribee tied it up in the fourth and kept the offense going from there.
Werribee put three runs on in the fifth and one more in both the sixth and the seventh, all while keeping Port Melbourne to a lone run in the bottom of the sixth.
Wesley de Jong pitched seven strong innings for Werribee with five hits, one walk, and two runs - one unearned. He also struck out eight and had 20 first pitch strikes with a 1.00 WHIP.
Matthew Parker covered five innings for Port Melbourne with six hits, four walks, four runs (three earned), and four strikeouts. Parker had a 1.80 WHIP and 14 first pitch strikes while reliever Toby Gleeson-Payne had eight with two strikeouts and a 2.00 WHIP.
The Giants had nine hits total, including two singles and a double for Wade Balzer, a pair of base hits for Evan McPherson, and Trent Pantalleresco's double. Ryan Balzer doubled and Harry Garrett singled too as Simon Hibbert had three quality at-bats and Addison Bishop-Worn and Tyler Huisman had two each.
Port Melbourne's six hits came from Gleeson-Payne and Parker as Jack White had three singles. Parker and Beau Graham knocked in runs.
Port Melbourne is 1-1 and plays St Kilda on the road while 2-0 Werribee visits Ormond Glenhuntly for round 3.
Williamstown Wolves 5 v Doncaster Dragons 5
Williamstown and Doncaster both battled hard, with the game ultimately ending in a draw after timely bursts of offense.
Angus Stals pitched 2.66 innings for Doncaster, giving up seven hits, three walks, and five runs - four of them earned. Simon Fitzmaurice handled 2.33 scoreless innings with just two hits, two walks, and a strikeout. Brian Chen also struck out two during his scoreless outing.
Dennis Neal handled pitching duties for Williamstown, covering seven innings with 11 hits, 11 strikeouts, three walks, and five runs - four of them earned.
Doncaster's Dakota Gibson knocked in a pair of runs with two base hits, while Jean Alvarado also had an RBI and Derek Medlin doubled. Brian Chen had two base hits, Nic Unland had three singles, and Josh Lacey got on base with a single too.
Williamstown's runs were batted in by Curtis Cox, Aaron Green, Jason McDonald, and Hiroshi Narasaki. Cooper Carrison, Nicholas Gray, and Robert Higginson also had hits.
After this draw, Williamstown hosts Preston and Doncaster heads to Moorabbin with both teams in search of their first wins.
The 2021/22 VSBL Division 1 season is heating up as both Berwick and Geelong are 2-for-2. The other teams aren't far behind as it's early days yet, and plenty more baseball left to come this summer.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and check out recaps below.
Division 1 Firsts
Fitzroy Lions 0 v Berwick City Cougars 7
Berwick defeated Fitzroy 7-0 on Saturday as two pitchers combined to throw a shutout. Mike McGillivray induced a fly out from Warwick Purchase to finish off the game.
Berwick got things moving in the second inning as Nick O'Shea's sac fly scored one run. John King kept the offense going with a 2-for-3 day at the plate to lead Berwick in hits as the team collected nine hits total.
Aidan Willis was patient at the plate, taking three walks with four quality at-bats while teammate Andrew Gibbens had two RBIs and Aaron Ouwehand had one.
Craig Barnett earned the win on the mound after giving up just three hits and zero runs over five innings, striking out seven. McGillivray threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.
Purchase took the loss for Fitzroy, throwing four and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out three.
Berwick was sure-handed and didn't commit a single error as Marcus Graham made the most plays with nine.
A single by Purchase in the first inning was a positive for Fitzroy while Tom Dicker had two of the team's four hits. Alec Smith helped the team have an error-free day in the field, taking five chances to help keep Berwick from scoring more.
Berwick has two wins and heads to Malvern in search of a third while Fitzroy plays Upwey Ferntree Gully on the road this weekend.
Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers 0 v Essendon Bombers 3
Essendon earned a 3-0 victory over Upwey-Ferntree Gully as three pitchers combined to throw a shutout. Sam Street struck out Peter Schroeders to finish off the game.
Scott McIntyre drove in Essendon's first run of the game on a single in the opening inning. Jack Giles ended up leading the team with three hits in three at-bats.
Essendon pitchers struck out six and kept the Tigers to just a lone single from Staci Rogers.
Gareth Formisano was the winning pitcher, covering four scoreless innings, allowing zero runs on one hit and striking out three. Street and Luke Abels entered the game out of the bullpen to help close things down.
Despite a solid start, Donovan Hendriks took the loss, giving up seven hits, three runs, and a walk across five innings.
With win number one in the books, Essendon will host Blackburn in the next round while Upwey Ferntree Gully plays Fitzroy at home in hopes of improving to a 2-1 record.
Melbourne Demons 5 v Sandringham Royals 8
Sandringham weathered Melbourne's three-run effort in the sixth, hanging on for an 8-5 win and their first of the season.
The Royals opened up scoring in the second inning as Will Tucker doubled on a 1-0 count. From there the team racked up 13 hits total, including a 3-for-3 day by Josh Meyer and multiple hits for Tucker, Grant Irving, and Tahj Roussell.
Riley Trad led the Sandringham to victory on the mound. The ace went four innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out seven. Genevieve Beacom and Charlie Pierson pitched in relief.
Hayden Godbold took the loss for Melbourne, allowing two hits and three runs in two innings with three strikeouts.
Melbourne had eight hits in the game including two apiece for Stephen Lawrence and Oliver McMahon. Lawrence, Sadi Nergiz and Kurtis Smith all had RBIs.
Round 3 has Sandringham at Waverley while Melbourne visits Sunshine.
Sunshine Eagles 13 v Cheltenham Rustlers 5
The Eagles outhit the Rustlers 17 to 11 in this high-scoring matchup, dominated by Nikau Pouaka-Grego who had five hits, including two singles, two doubles, and a triple.
Pouaka-Grego batted in five while Clayton Campbell had two RBIs. Tyson Cox-Davies, Allan de San Miguel, Cam Deeble, Nathan Gatt, Allister Lovelock and Jordan Young also recorded RBIs as Lovelock and Young hit for extra bases.
Cheltenham wasn't quiet at the plate either, with three singles from Jack Dunn and two apiece for Josh Ashen, Dante
Caruso, and Dylan Trevorah. Russell Ferguson knocked in two runs as well.
Griffin Weir threw six innings for Sunshine, giving up 10 hits but just two earned runs and three unearned runs. He struck out three and walked two. Connor Young handled one scoreless inning with two hits, a walk, and a strikeout.
Cheltenham's Ferguson pitched for most of the game and was backed up by Caruso and Trevorah in relief.
After a big win, Sunshine will look for two in a row v Melbourne at home while Cheltenham hosts Geelong.
Blackburn Orioles 9 v Malvern Braves 4
Malvern opened up scoring in the first as Mitch Kennedy grounded out to bring home a run.
Blackburn scored two in the top of the second although Malvern evened things up at two in the bottom frame on a James Squire single.
Blackburn pulled away for good with two runs in the third inning. Nick Rossell's sac fly scored one run and Steven Bookluck's single scored another.
Three more runs came in the fifth inning with RBIs from Mitch Whiting and Liam Hopkins, while Charlie Collins led Blackburn to victory on the hill. Collins surrendered one run on two hits over two and a third innings, striking out five. Starter Jacob Evans started the game for Blackburn. The fireballer allowed five hits and three runs over four and two-thirds innings, striking out three
John Kennedy took the loss for Malvern. The pitcher allowed six hits and four runs over three innings, striking out four.
Ryan Dale went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Braves in hits while Hopkins, Bookluck, Collins, and Rossell helped Blackburn reach 13 hits on the day.
Blackburn is 1-1 going into the third round at Essendon while Malvern will look for a win at home v Berwick.
Geelong Baycats 1 v Waverley Wildcats 0
It was a true pitcher's duel between Geelong and Waverley as the Baycats broke through with one in the second and that was it.
Geelong had four hits total including two for Lewis Weldon and one apiece from Ryan Darcy and Tyler Luther-Wilson.
Sam Gibbons threw seven strong innings with 19 first-pitch strikes, four strikeouts, and a 0.71 WHIP.
For Waverley, Jamie Papanicolaou collected the team's lone single while Darcy Longstaff handled five innings on the mound, giving up two hits and one run with three strikeouts and four walks.
Geelong travels to Cheltenham this weekend while Waverley hosts Sandringham.
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