Continued heavy rain in Geelong prompted the cancellation of all Day 2 games on Sunday 8 June at the Aces Sporting Club Senior & Senior Women's SWC and the BV All-Girls Winter Invitational.
Senior SWC Div 1 Current Ladder
1. Ballarat
2. Dandenong
3. Geelong
4. Ringwood
5. City
Senior Women’s SWC Current Ladder
1. Geelong
2. Dandenong
3. MWBL
4. Ballarat
5. Bendigo
Senior SWC Div 2 Current Ladder
1. Bendigo
2. Sunraysia
3. North East
4. Latrobe Valley
Please see the updated schedule for Day 3 and note any updates will be communicated to teams as soon as possible.
Baseball Victoria's State Winter Championship season got underway on Saturday 7 June, with the Aces Sporting Club Senior & Senior Women's SWC at Geelong Baseball Centre, alongside the BV All-Girls Winter Invitational.
Senior SWC Div 1 Current Ladder
1. Ballarat
2. Dandenong
3. Geelong
4. Ringwood
5. City
Senior Women’s SWC Current Ladder
1. Geelong
2. Dandenong
3. MWBL
4. Ballarat
5. Bendigo
Senior SWC Div 2 Current Ladder
1. Bendigo
2. Sunraysia
3. North East
4. Latrobe Valley
Stay tuned for updates - the first and second round (all morning games) on Day 2 (Sunday) have been called off due to weather.
Senior SWC Highlights
- Reigning champs Geelong shut out MWBL City in first game before Ballarat beat them 5-3.
- Dandenong and Ballarat with the biggest run margins of the day (10 and 9, respectively)
- Bendigo battled back, with a go-ahead single by Kaileb Anglin giving them a 3-2 lead over Latrobe Valley. Bendigo starter Callum Bolton gave up two hits and two runs (zero earned) over five innings, striking out seven and walking three. LV starter Sammy Garcia gave up three runs (two earned) over four innings, striking out five and walking two. Deon Strahan went 2-for-2.
- In the afternoon, Bendigo's Brad Muns gave up two hits and zero runs over three innings, striking out three, while Sunraysia's Blake Peterson struck out six in four innings.
Senior Women's SWC Highlights
- Two-time champs Geelong opened with back-to-back nine-run victories.
- Last year's runners-up Dandenong won big twice, while MWBL opened strong against Bendigo.
- Kira Kumamoto struck out six over five innings with no earned runs, while Sophia Law batted 3-for-3 with 2RBI in the second game.
BV All-Girls Winter Invitational Highlights
- Three close games showcasing promising talent with MWBL, BV All-Stars, and BV Cubs all taking out wins.
- BV All-Stars lead the way with a one-run loss and a two-run win.
Baseball Victoria is thrilled to continue the tradition of State Winter Championships, with the beloved annual tournaments kicking off at Geelong Baseball Centre over the long weekend.
It will be an action-packed three days from 7-9 June with the Aces Sporting Club Senior State Winter Championships featuring the following teams:
- Division 1: Ballarat, Dandenong, Geelong, MWBL City, MWBL Ringwood
- Division 2: Bendigo, Latrobe Valley, North East, Sunraysia
The third annual Senior Women’s SWC will feature teams from Ballarat, Bendigo, Dandenong, Geelong, and MWBL.
Running alongside these events is the Baseball Victoria All-Girls Winter Invitational, also in its third year, with four games each morning followed by training in the afternoon. Over 50 girls registered to participate, a fantastic turnout as we strive to keep growing female participation.
“We are excited to welcome dedicated baseballers and supporters from across Victoria to Geelong for a wonderful weekend filled with competition and camaraderie,” BV Tournament Officer Tony McPherson said. “Best of luck to all participants as we showcase impressive talent in winter baseball across Victoria.”
Baseball Victoria acknowledges the fantastic ongoing support of hosts Geelong Baseball Association, Guild All-Stars Baseball Club, and East Belmont Saints Baseball Club.
“We have a great group of volunteers at Guild and East Belmont Saints who are ready for the weekend,” GBA President Stuart McGovern said. “Thank you to BV and City of Greater Geelong for this opportunity to host State Winter Championships once more.”
You can view the weekend's schedule HERE.
Stay tuned to BV Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates from the tournament.
Baseball Victoria will once again be entering teams to participate in the 2025 Barclay Cup and 2026 Australian Youth Championships (U16 and U18). Our teams have a very rich and successful history competing in these events and this is your chance to lead young Victorian baseballers to new heights.
Expressions of interest are open for manager (head coach), assistant coach, pitching coach and executive officer roles. Please click HERE to register your interest by Friday 13 June.
Please email any questions to BV High Performance Officer damian.shanahan@baseballvictoria.com.au.
Baseball Victoria is pleased to open expressions of interest for the newly created General Manager Operations role, one of the four leadership roles in BV.
As 2IC for the organisation, the GM Operations is responsible for the strategic and operational delivery of all baseball competitions, events, and related pathway programs across Victoria.
This role ensures the effective planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of Baseball Victoria’s operations, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s strategic objectives and stakeholder expectations.
Applications for this full-time role close Friday 13 June 2025. Click HERE to learn more and apply.
It was an absolute honour to present the first-ever Baseball Victoria Hall of Fame Evening on Wednesday 21 May at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park. Thank you to all who attended as the Victorian baseball community came together to celebrate the past and share excitement in the future.
“Congratulations to our inaugural inductees who have achieved incredible success across grassroots, state, national, and international baseball,” BV CEO Chet Gray said.
“It was wonderful to see family, friends, fellow club members, and teammates come together to acknowledge the dedication of standout players, managers, administrators, umpires, and scorers. We look forward to continuing our Hall of Fame celebrations in the years to come.”
Our inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 2025 included the following inductees:
PLAYERS: Amy McCann, David Clarkson, Don Deeble*, Ernie George Bolton, Graeme Deany, Graeme Lloyd, John Hodges*, John Swanson, Matthew Sheldon-Collins, Ross Straw*, Samantha Hamilton, Simone Wearne
MANAGERS: Frank Laver*, Jon Deeble, Lenton ‘Lyn’ Straw*
PLAYER AND MANAGER: David Went, Phil Dale
ADMINISTRATORS: John O’Brien*, Les Flower, Michael O’Brien, Paul Collins*, Peter Dihm, Ron Clack*
UMPIRES: Barry Smith*, Dick Chapman*
SCORERS: Jennie Moloney
SERVICE TO BASEBALL: John Viney
MEDIA: Richard (Dick) Mason*
*deceased
North West Umpire Hub Launch
On Monday evening, North Coburg Rebels hosted the first Northern Umpiring Hub. This hub is the second to be launched after the Eastern Hub at Forest Hill/Blackburn had its first meeting two weeks ago.
The idea behind the hubs is to have "club-like" environments for umpires to get together, receive instruction, study the rules, and talk about all things baseball and umpiring in places easily accessible to them locally. The goal is that umpires feel more supported and can continue developing their skills.
Currently, the Northern Hub meets on the second Monday of the month, and the Eastern Hub meets on the last Monday of the month. The hubs are open for anyone interested in baseball umpiring to attend.
If you are interested in hosting a hub or an Introduction to Umpiring Community Level Course, please email Alan Sutherland: bvumpirecommunications@baseballvictoria.com.au.
Victorian Umpires at ASLC
Four Victorian umpires have been selected to officiate at the 2025 Australian Senior League Championship from 21-25 May in Geelong. Congratulations to Neil Douglass, Damien Ebenwaldner, Taylor Field and Patrick White.
Baseball Victoria is thrilled to announce a new 1-year partnership with School Sport Victoria (SSV) to deliver the #SSV Interschool Sport Baseball Competition along with opportunities for students to represent #TeamVic at the School Sport Australia Championships.
SSV/school sport is an important component of BV’s participation strategy with 4,113 students participating in interschool sport in 2024, which was an increase of 4% from 2023.
We look forward to continuing our partnership with #SSV and providing more opportunities for Victorian students to play baseball!
Learn more about SSV Baseball.
Baseball Victoria is saddened to hear of the passing of Adam Burton, a beloved member of the Victorian baseball community.
Over the years, Adam played and coached at Waverley, Blackburn, Melbourne, Preston, and Watsonia Baseball Clubs.
Adam was a talented baseballer, representing Australia in the 2000 Olympic Games, the Baseball World Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, and the World Youth Series.
Adam, who impressed as a Waverley junior, made the Reds inaugural roster in the 1990 Australian Baseball League as a 17-year-old, and was soon signed a professional contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He also spent time in the Atlanta Braves system before returning home for an 11-year ABL career with Waverley, Brisbane, and Melbourne.
He continued playing and coaching in local summer and winter baseball, including leading Preston Pirates to a VSBL Division 2 Premiership as club coach in the 2017-18 season. He was also part of Watsonia’s A Grade Grand Final in 2024.
Adam will always be remembered for his unwavering love of the game and infectious personality. He will be truly missed, and we send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and fellow club members during this difficult time.