The 2021 Victorian Masters Baseball Carnival continued at Geelong Baseball Centre on Saturday with teams battling it out in good spirit for a shot at the finals.
Click HERE to view the official GBA page for updates and photos.
50+ Division
Sandringham 0 v Coburg 8
Coburg produced an eight-run shutout win over Sandringham in the opening game of the day, starting with a five-run first dig which quickly ballooned out to seven runs after two innings.
Coburg added one more in the fourth, all the while keeping the Sandringham bats quiet with the pitching combination of David Simpson and Peter Locklier steering the side to victory.
Tony Morosi and Chirs Myberg were on the mound for Sandringham.
Pandas 9 v Gold Diggers 2
All of the runs in this game came within the first two frames as the Gold Diggers scored their only two in the very first dig.
The Pandas responded with five runs at the bottom and shut out the Gold Diggers for the rest of the game, while extending their lead by four runs as the second came to a close.
Kyle Murrells got the start for the Pandas and Michael Alldis entered in relief in the fifth inning.
Andrew Fox was on the mound to begin the game for the Gold Diggers until John Patte came on to pitch in the second after catching the first inning.
Big Cat Tomatoes 9 v Sloths 1
The Sloths scored a run in the first inning but that was the extent of their offense as the Tomatoes shut them out for the remainder of the game.
It took until the third inning for the Tomatoes to score, pulling ahead by a run when they when they plated two.
The Tomatoes’ bats were firing at the bottom of the fourth, scoring seven runs to finish off the game.
Big Cat Tomatoes had Adam Hill on the mound for the entire game while Jason Humbles and John Emery shared pitching duties for the Sloths.
Bees 6 v Big Cat Tomatoes 11
Big Cat Tomatoes kept on fighting against the Bees, ending in a five-run win thanks to a big seven-run fifth inning.
The Bees opened up the scoring in the first with one run before the Tomatoes got ahead with a four-run effort at the top of the second. The Tomatoes kept a two-run lead after the Bees added one more at the bottom.
The Bees kept the Big Cats scoreless in the third and the lead changed again when the Bees scored three runs at the bottom of the third.
A scoreless fourth inning saw the score remain a one-run lead to the Bees until a big fifth inning from the Tomatoes saw them go ahead by six runs. The Bees scored once more in the bottom of the sixth to end the game but they couldn't make up the deficit.
Ross Hornstra got the start for the Bees with Greg Di Blasi and Rob Di Blasi coming in as relief in the fifth and sixth innings respectively. Tim Hanson was on the mound for the Tomatoes to start before Scott Baillie entered in the fourth.
Sloths 3 v Tassy Tigers 20
The Tigers got their first win on the board by scoring in all five innings over the Sloths. They opened with seven runs and followed that up with six in the second. One more in the third and three runs in each of the last two innings gave the Tigers a dominant win.
The Sloths avoided the shutout by putting together three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Bees 5 v Doncaster 23
Doncaster recorded their first win with a big performance over the Bees. The game was tied at two apiece after the first but Doncaster turned up the heat from there, scoring seven in each of the next few innings as David Medlin threw well.
The Bees managed two runs in the second and one in the third.
45+ Division
Gold Diggers 4 v Sloths 9
The Sloths got on the board early, netting one run in the first and adding two more in the third while shutting out the Gold Diggers through the first four innings.
The Gold Diggers drew the game at the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs. The Sloths powered ahead and responded with six runs in the next dig to create a buffer the Gold Diggers couldn't erase, only scoring one in reply at the bottom of the seventh.
Tony Cornish pitched for the Gold Diggers before Michael Sullivan came in as relief in the fifth inning.
Steve Ellis was handed the ball to start the defense for Sloths, with Cam Hubbard coming on in the fifth inning.
Gold Diggers 20 v Rebels 0
Richard King led the Gold Diggers on the mound as they cruised to victory, bouncing back after a morning loss to the Sloths.
The Gold Diggers scored four runs in the first and another four in the second before a five-run third. They finished off the game with a 7-run fourth inning for their second win of the tournament.
Fitzroy 0 v Big Cat Tomatoes 12
The Tomatoes picked up right where they left off after two big wins on day 1. Myles Barnden and Ben Pittaway pitched for the winning side as the Tomatoes scored three in the first and six in the second.
The third inning was scoreless on both sides before the Tomatoes tacked on two in the fourth and one more in the fifth.
Sloths 8 v Fitzroy 2
Both defenses were strong in the opening inning with neither side scoring, but the Sloths broke through in the second with three runs. They went on to score once more in both the third and the fourth before finishing with a three-run fifth.
Fitzroy's two runs came in the bottom of the third as the Sloths went 2-for-2 on the day.
35+ Division
Red Sox 5 v Doncaster 1
The Red Sox claimed a victory over Doncaster this morning, scoring in the first inning and then pulling ahead late in the game after Doncaster tied it one-all in the fourth.
The Red Sox took a two-run lead during the fifth dig, and then doubled the lead in the next frame to secure win number two of the tournament.
Sloths 14 v Bald Eagles 13
This high-scoring game started with the Bald Eagles scoring two, although their lead was cut in half by the end of the inning when the Sloths scored one.
The second frame started with the Bald Eagles extending their lead by four, but the Sloths sensed a challenge and responded with seven runs at the bottom.
Two tight, scoreless frames followed before the Eagles put together a seven-run effort in the fifth. The Sloths never backed down, scoring six to claim victory at the bottom of the fifth.
Brendan Robinson started on the mound for the Sloths with Shannon Groenendyk pitching in relief. Warren Attard and Sheldon Christie threw for the Bald Eagles.
Rebels 6 v Tip Rats 10
The Tip Rats came from behind with a seven-run fifth inning to claim the win, their first of the tournament. They scored two in the second to start the scoring, although the Rebels fought back to cut the margin in half at the bottom.
The Rebels managed to get ahead at the end of three innings after shutting out the Tip Rats at the top and securing three runs of their own.
It turned into a one-run game when the Tip Rats brought in a run at the top of the fourth and shut out the Rebels at the bottom.
The Tip Rats cruised ahead in the fifth and never looked back to finish four-run winners at the end of the game, although the Rebels did tack on two at the very end.
Andrew Banks was handed the ball first for the Rebels with Glenn Farrell coming on to pitch in relief the fifth.
Nathan Taylor was the starting pitcher for the Tip Rats before Ben Morris entered in the fourth.
Cods 4 v Tip Rats 3
It was a walk-off win to the Cods in a low-scoring game against the Tip Rats this afternoon.
The Tip Rats scored a run in each of the first three innings before the Cods got on the board with one in the third and another in the fourth.
A scoreless fifth inning kept the score at 3-2 in favour of the Tip Rats until the Cods penciled in the winning two runs at the bottom of the sixth, marking their first win of the weekend.
Sloths 6 v Cods 1
The Sloths won both of their games today after a late six-run rally in the fourth. The Cods scored one in the third but gave up the lead, falling short of back-to-back victories.
Bald Eagles 1 v Pandas 10
The Pandas followed up on a 9-0 win over the Tip Rats last night with another win on Saturday afternoon. Neither side could score in the first three innings, but the Pandas eventually broke through with three in the fourth and seven in the fifth.
The Bald Eagles scored just one in the fifth to end the game after Michael Peters and James Clow took turns on the mound.
The 2021 Little League State Championships continued on Saturday at Cheltenham Baseball Club as 100 Little Leaguers made the most of their tournament game time.
The standings heading into Sunday's semi-finals are:
Little League Major
- Southern Mariners (3-0)
- Twins (2-1)
- Eastern Athletics (1-2)
- Geelong Baycats (0-3)
Little League Development
- Twins (3-1)
- Eastern Athletics (2-2)
- Southern Mariners (1-3)
Click HERE to view the official tournament page with updates and GameChanger links.
Click HERE for the updated fixtures including semi-finals.
Little League Major
Geelong Baycats 3 - Southern Mariners 18
The Mariners took a 3-0 lead into the second and racked up the runs from there, relying on Euan Clarkin's strong two innings with three strikeouts, plus good pitching from Harrison Brodie.
Brodie had two hits for the Mariners while Theo Hedt and Jack Northfield had one each for Geelong. Sid Grimmer threw 11 first pitch strikes for Geelong.
Riku Takano and Alex Smith were part of the Mariners offence with hits, while Mitch Langworthy homered.
The Baycats briefly tied the game at three-all in the top of the second with back-t0-back singles and a hit by pitch to load the bases. They scored on two wild pitches and a groundout.
Twins 8 - Eastern Athletics 5
The Twins stole the lead late and defeated Eastern Athletics 8-5 on Saturday. The Twins were down 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Andrew Zdihan doubled on a 2-1 count, scoring two runs.
Lachlan Brennan led things off on the hill for the Twins. Brennan allowed two hits and three runs over four innings, striking out seven and walking one.
Darcy Squire led things off on the pitcher's mound for the Athletics. Squire went four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out two. Oliver Allen threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.
The Twins had ten hits in the game as Windsor Breckenridge went 3-for-3. Zdihan and Cooper Bishop-Worn had multiple hits too. The Twins were sure-handed and didn't commit a single error as Brody Stokes made the most plays with seven.
Kycen Dowling went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Athletics in hits. The team was sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. Dowling had the most chances in the field with four.
Southern Mariners 16 - Eastern Athletics 7
Both teams put up a bunch of runs, but Eastern Athletics fell to Southern Mariners 16-7 on Saturday.
The Athletics notched five runs in the third inning, driven by groundouts from Kycen Dowling, James Governlock, and Denzel Wynne-Primus and a double by Ethan Nakamura.
The Mariners scored four runs in the sixth inning, led by Riku Takano, Jack Thomas, Jarvis Johansen, and Mitch Langworthy who all knocked in runs.
Matt Fielden was on the mound for the Mariners. He surrendered four runs on two hits over two and a third innings, striking out one.
Cooper Busch threw one and one-third innings for the Athletics, allowing two runs on two hits, striking out three and walking zero.
Tom King led the Athletics with two hits in two at bats. The side didn't commit a single error in the field as Brodie Trevean had nine chances in the field, the most on the team.
The Mariners had 13 hits in the game as Langworthy went 4-for-4 and Thomas also had multiple hits.
Little League Development
Southern Mariners 7 - Eastern Athletics 13
Southern Mariners watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 13-7 loss to Eastern Athletics on Saturday. The Athletics scored on an error, a walk by Nathan Healy, and a double by Finn Welte in the first inning.
The Mariners collected five hits and the Athletics had six in the high-scoring affair. The winning side scored five runs in the fourth inning with RBIs from Sam Stafilis, Jackson Schneider, William Ferguson, and Nathan Clark.
The Mariners tallied three runs in the fifth inning thanks to RBIs from Ryder Ochoa and Ishant Dittakavi.
Matthew Gooden got the start for the Athletics. The pitcher lasted four innings, allowing five hits and seven runs while striking out three.
Ochoa was on the hill for the Mariners. The hurler allowed three hits and seven runs over two and a third innings, striking out four. He also went 2-for-2 at the plate. Cooper Gust and Kai Cottam entered the game from the bullpen, throwing one and one-third innings and one-third of an inning respectively.
The Athletics totaled six hits in the game included two apiece to Cooper Box and Clark. The team stole nine bases with Stafilis stealing two.
Eastern Athletics 5 - Twins 14
The Twins defeated Eastern Athletics 14-5 thanks to a strong start. The winning side scored on a single by Cruise Chase-Tukapua, a walk by Reeve Hammond, a double by Harry Davenport, and an error in the first inning.
The Twins answered with one of their own after the Athletics scored one run in the top of the third. Chase-Tukapua singled on a 3-2 count, scoring one run.
The Athletics scored three runs in the fourth inning on doubles by Finn Welte and Cooper Box and a single by Nathan Clark.
Hammond led things off on the mound for the Twins, surrendering seven runs on nine hits over five innings, striking out one.
Welte, Nathan Healy and Sam Stafilis pitched for the Athletics as the Twins tallied 12 hits in the game. Maisen Ricketts, Emily Loong, and Chase-Tukapua had two hits apiece.
Box went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Athletics in hits.
Twins 3 - Southern Mariners 10
Even though Southern Mariners gave up three runs in the fourth inning, they still defeated the Twins 10-3 on Saturday afternoon.
The Mariners scored one run when Connor Mckenzie singled in the first. Charlie Waugh homered in the fifth.
The Twins runs came off the bats of Louie Shimakura and Murphy Carrison in the fourth.
Ishant Dittakavi earned the win for the Mariners, giving up three runs on three hits over five innings, striking out five. Dittakavi also went 3-for-3 at the plate.
Harry Davenport took the loss for the Twins. The pitcher allowed five hits and eight runs over one and two-thirds innings, striking out two.
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The 2021 Victorian Masters Baseball Carnival kicked off at Geelong Baseball Centre today, and already teams are into the thick of the action. Through three divisions, players have taken to the diamonds in high spirits as they come back tomorrow in search for spots in the grand final.
Click HERE to view the official GBA page for updates and photos.
50+ Division
Tassy Tigers 5 v Bees 8
Tassy Tigers got on the board early in a close encounter with the Bees, scoring two runs at the bottom of the first after shutting the away side out.
Each team scored two runs in the second frame before the Tigers added one more to lead by three runs after three complete innings.
The Bees came hard at the top of the fourth to bring the margin even once again, the scoreboard reading five-all. The Bees were able to shut out the Tigers for the remainder of the game, while continuing to pile on the runs, adding three more across the final two innings.
Peter Hubble started on the mound for Tassy while Michael Hegarty came on in relief in the third inning.
Shane Haywood got the ball first for Bees, assisted by Ross Hornstra who entered the game in the fifth inning.
Tassy Tigers 2 v Sandringham 11
Sandringham handed the Tigers their second loss of the morning thanks to a couple of big innings. Darren Wilcox started for the winning side, with no runs given up until two in the fourth.
Steve Millington threw for Tassy with three Sandringham runs coming in the second, followed by another three in the fourth and five in the fifth to finish off the win.
Coburg 2 v Pandas 13
The Pandas opened their campaign with an 11-run victory off the back of a solid start from pitcher Greg Buzza.
Peter Locklier threw the first three for Coburg before handing the ball over to Mark Lowe. The game was tied at two apiece after the first but the rest of the offence belonged to the Pandas, as they scored seven in the second, three in the third, and one in the fourth to complete the 13-2 victory.
Gold Diggers 2 v Sandringham 10
Marshall Skinner threw four solid innings, giving up just two runs in the second to set Sandringham up for the win. Chris Nyberg came in the fifth for a scoreless relief appearance.
Richard King, Wayne Pollock, and Geoff Fleeman shared pitching duties for the Gold Diggers, who were first on the board with two in the second.
Sandringham's runs came a bit later with two in the fourth, seven in the fifth, and a final run in the sixth.
Pandas 11 v Doncaster 2
David Medlin started for Doncaster before Neil Southwell took over in the fifth as the side gave up 10 runs late in the game.
The score was 1-1 from the first through to the bottom of the fourth, when the Pandas tacked on three in support of starting pitcher Michael Alldis. Justin Charles pitched the last inning as the Pandas scored three in the fourth and seven in the fifth for their second win of the day.
Gold Diggers 2 v Big Cat Tomatoes 12
Scott Baillie and Mick Wearne pitched the Tomatoes to victory as the team turned a 1-0 deficit after the first into a 10-run victory.
The Gold Diggers had Al Condie start the game before Bill Leropoulos came in to pitch. The side scored once more in the fifth but three runs given up in the third plus five in the fourth and four in the fifth secured the win for the Tomatoes.
Coburg 18 v Sloths 3
It was a huge win to Coburg over the Sloths, as pitcher John McBride led the team to victory and was baked up by a solid offence.
The Sloths got the ball rolling with one run at the top of the first but a big seven-run inning from Coburg turned the tables.
Coburg kept the Sloths scoreless through the next two innings while adding seven to the board – four in the second and three in the third.
The Sloths got back on the board in the fourth with two runs but Coburg responded with four of their own at the bottom part of the inning.
Mick O’Halloran and John Emery each had a turn on the mound for Sloths to try and limit Coburg's offense.
45+ Division
Fitzroy 1 v Gold Diggers 10
The Gold Diggers ran rampant against Fitzroy, cruising to a nine-run lead to claim the victory.
The winning side scored four runs to open the account and had a three-run lead at the completion of the first inning after Fitzroy tallied one run.
The score stayed the same through the second but in the top of the third, the Gold Diggers tabled two more to extend the lead. They added four more in the fourth while shutting out Fitzroy ahead of a scoreless fifth to end the game and get their first win of the tournament.
Big Cat Tomatoes 9 v Rebels 1
The Tomatoes opened their tournament run with a comprehensive win over the Rebels. The first inning was scoreless before the Rebels put up one in the second. The Big Cats fired back with three in the bottom of the inning.
The score remained 3-1 through the top of the fifth, before the Tomatoes finished off the game with a six-run inning.
Bruce Barnes and Andy Malthouse threw for the Rebels while Andrew Peulen started for the Tomatoes before handing the ball to Scott Baillie.
Sloths 1 v Big Cat Tomatoes 17
The Tomatoes are two-for-two on the day after a double-digit effort to top the Sloths. Grant Taylor started on the mound and was quickly met with a few opportunistic hitters, as the Tomatoes put four on in the first and seven in the second.
The Tomatoes kept scoring with two in the third, one in the fourth, and a final three in the fifth. Meanwhile the Sloths lone run of the game came in third. Danny Haymes pitched in relief for the Sloths while Simon Pole and Simon Ratcliffe kept things under control for the Tomatoes.
35+ Division
Doncaster 1 v Bald Eagles 11
The Bald Eagles had a big 10-run win over Doncaster after back-to-back four-run digs in the first and second. Michael Peters got a lead-off single in the first and scored when Jason Harriage singled. Harriage came around to score, as well as Troy Waterman on a Warren Attard double. He scored the Bald Eagles' fourth run.
Peters hit another lead-off single at the top of the second, scoring his second run of the morning when the bases were loaded. Warren Attard drew a walk and later scored while Sheldon Christie scored after hitting a double via a sacrifice fly from Lonnie Attard.
Jonathon Van Der Hagen had a lead-off single in the third and later scored after Peters and Christie hit singles too. Peters scored on a Waterman sacrifice fly before the remaining outs were recorded.
Doncaster held the Bald Eagles to zero runs and only two baserunners in five plate appearances in the fourth inning before some big strikeouts also ensured the eventual winners wouldn't plate another run in the fifth. Todd Messinger pitched the first inning for Doncaster, giving up six hits and four runs with a strikeout. After that, Neil Munro came onto the mound, surrendering eight hits for seven runs with two strikeouts.
Waterman started on the mound for the Bald Eagles with Christie coming on in the second. Peters went three from four as Christie, Waterman, Harriage, Lonnie Attard and Van Der Hagen each had two hits for the team.
Rebels 7 v Cods 4
The Cods started the game well with Tetsu Kamiyama smashing a lead-off double and scoring the first run of the game as Damon Barker also doubled the next at-bat. Ash Meyers continued the hitting streak with a single, putting runners on the corners before a fielders choice allowed Barker to score. The next three hitters each singled with Jason Jonker batting in Simmonds.
Tim LeeTet had a lead-off single and the home side had two runners on when Glenn Farrell was hit by pitch. Luke LeeTet singled to bring a run home and a base hit to Craig Learmonth scored another run. The Rebels followed up with a sharp defensive inning, keeping it scoreless despite a two-down single to Tim Seymour before grabbing the lead at the bottom of the second, scoring two runs.
Meyers was hit by pitch with two outs and had made it to home to score on a Simmonds double to bring the Cods within one. At the bottom of the third, the first three Rebels batters got on base with Jay Grahovac and Brayden Prescott scoring on errors. The Cods needed a few runs to keep the game going and despite a lead-off single to Jonker, couldn’t get him around as the side was retired.
Jonker was the starting pitcher for the Cods, throwing one inning for three hits and two runs. Kamiyama came onto the mound for the next two innings, giving up nine hits for two earned runs with one strikeout. Jonker scored two hits from two at bats while Kamiyama, Barker and Simmonds hit doubles. Simmonds tallied two RBIs.
Waters started on the bump for the Rebels, also lasting one inning for six hits and three runs. Farrell then went to the mound, giving up three hits and one run in three innings, along with four strikeouts. Luke LeeTet and Joel Zika both went two for two at the plate while Brad Windsor drew two RBIs.
Doncaster 6 v Rebels 19
It was a completely dominating performance from the Rebels in a 13-run win over Doncaster. Lead-off batter Tim LeeTet walked and advanced on a groundout before scoring on a home run from Luke LeeTet. Shane Waters singled with the following three batters reaching first on either a hit by pitch or walk and by the end of the Rebels' turn at bat, five runs had been plated.
Doncaster's first chance at the plate saw the side down two quickly before back-to-back singles to Chris Nunn and Craig Hutton before the third out was recorded.
Farrell started on the mound for the Rebels as the team kept up the scoring, with Learmonth coming in as relief. For Doncaster, its defense was headed by Nunn, with Robertson in relief.
Nunn, Mayo and Messings each had two hits for Doncaster. Medlin was credited with two RBIs as Munro also came home twice.
For the Rebels, Luke LeeTet went four from four including a home run and two RBIs. Waters also went four from four and had three RBIs. Learmonth, Friedman and Brad Watson each went three from four as Luke LeeTet and Waters scored four runs apiece.
Red Sox 5 v Sloths 2
It was a tight contest between the Red Sox and the Sloths with the Red Sox leading at the end and running out two-run victors.
The Sloths led 2-1 after one inning but by the time the second ended, the Red Sox had tied it up. They doubled their lead as the third inning came to a close and after a scoreless fourth inning, scored again in the fifth with the game coming to a close.
Jude Power was the main pitcher for the Red Sox while Daniel Conway-Jones started on the mound for the Sloths, replaced by Shannon Groenendyk.
Pandas 13 v Red Sox 3
It was a three-up, three-down innings for both sides in the opening inning, but the Red Sox got on the board first in the second frame as Luke Hornstra hit a lead-off single. The scoring continued with Trent Curwood, John Kus, and Josh Graham knocking in runs.
The Pandas started the second inning similarly, with a lead-off singles to Jarrod Fraim and Blake Witham. Consecutive errors plated two which turned into seven by the end of the frame. The third was much the same with six runs, including RBIs for Steven Baumann and Lyndon Karstake.
Cameron Forbes was the main pitcher for the Pandas, giving up six hits and two earned runs with five strikeouts. Tristan McDonald, Fraim, Ross and Peoples each went two from three at the plate. McDonald secured three RBIs while Karstake had two RBIs.
Josh Graham pitched for the Red Sox, giving up 14 hits for six earned runs. Kus collected two hits from two at bats with Curwood coming home to score two of the Red Sox three runs for the game. Ross Hipke and Jason Peoples had singles in the fourth.
Tip Rats 0 v Pandas 9
The Pandas started the game on fire with five runs scoring in the first, adding three in the second before scoring the ninth run in the sixth inning. Casey Jones led off with a single before Cameron Forbes reached on an error. Tristan McDonald then singled to bring Jones home. Russell Spears, Adrian Kelly and Jason Peoples all singled in the first inning also as Forbes, McDonald and Jarrod Fraim scored.
The Tip Rats got a few runners on bases from walks and Trevor Elliot singled but couldn't bring either player home.
The Pandas put together a string of five hits in the second with two outs, including a McDonald double as he, Forbes, and Ryan Stewart all scored. It was a three-up, three-down dig for Tip Rats in the second.
The Pandas were quiet across the third and fourth, and despite singles to Ross Hipke and Fraim in the fifth, didn't score. The Tip Rats found runners on base with a hit by pitch and a fielder's choice, but they were left stranded.
Phil Northfield started on the mound for Tip Rats, pitching four innings for 14 hits and four earned runs. Russell Millard and Elliot helped out in relief.
Blake Witham had the ball in hand to begin the defense for the Pandas, finishing scoreless four innings with nine strikeouts and just two hits.
The Tip Rats only recorded two hits for the game, one each to Elliot and Meeman. McDonald had a 4-for-4 outing with an RBI while Forbes, Spears, Hipke and Peoples each had two hits for the Pandas. McDonald and Spears had two RBIs while Forbes and McDonald scored twice.
Photo: Cheltenham Baseball Club
100 Little Leaguers took to the field for the opening day of the 2021 Little League State Championships at Cheltenham Baseball Club.
The standings after the first day of play are:
Little League Major
- Eastern Athletics (1-0)
- Southern Mariners (1-0)
- Twins (1-1)
- Geelong Baycats (0-2)
Little League Development
- Twins (2-0)
- Eastern Athletics (1-1)
- Southern Mariners (0-2)
Click HERE to view the official tournament page with updates and GameChanger links.
Little League Major
Southern Mariners 7 - Twins 6
Southern Mariners nabbed the lead late in the game, claiming a 7-6 victory over the Twins. The game was tied at six-all with the Mariners batting in the bottom of the fifth when Ned Richards drew a walk to score a run.
The Twins scored five runs in the fourth inning but the Mariners still managed to pull out the victory. The big innings for the Twins came thanks to singles by Lachlan Brennan, Charlie Davenport and Brody Stokes.
The Mariners got their offense started in the first when Euan Clarkin grounded out to score a run.
Brooklyn Riwaka led things off on the mound for the Mariners, surrendering one run on one hit over two innings, striking out five.
Windsor Breckenridge started for the Twins, giving up one run on one hit over three innings, striking out four. Cooper Bishop-Worn and Roman Coote entered the game as relief.
Southern Mariners tallied one home run on the day – Mitch Langworthy connecting well in the fourth inning.
Jarvis Johansen went two from three at the plate to lead the Mariners while Bishop-Worn lead Twins in hits with two in two at bats.
Eastern Athletics 15 - Geelong Baycats 0
It was an impressive outing for Eastern Athletics, securing a big shutout victory over Geelong, 15-0.
The game started off with the Athletics claiming a three-up, three-out display of the Baycats batters. The bottom of the frame saw the Athletics plate seven runs, helped by two walks to start the inning.
Ethan Nakamura got the first hit of the game, hitting a triple on a ball that sailed into left field, scoring one run in the process. Nakamura scored next on a wild pitch. Another walk and a catcher's interference saw the bases loaded but the Athletics scored two more after a fielder's choice. They tacked on another two before Lachie Kilmartin was caught stealing second to end the inning.
The second inning started well for Geelong, Beau Spencer doubling on a hard hit that could've seen the Baycats' fortunes change. However, a tight defense from the Athletics resulted in three quick outs.
The Athletics lead grew to 13 by the end of the second inning, a Kycen Dowling double kicking things off. Nakamura grounded out but not before Dowling reached third, and he later scored on a error.
The Athletics were down to two outs when Angus Saggers grounded out, but the side knuckled down and back-to-back singles from Denzel Wynne-Primus and Tom King scored two more runs.
Darcy Squire doubled next to score King, and then Squire came home on a Oliver Allen single. Minsung Shin was walked and advanced to third on a Dowling double that saw Allen score. Finally, Geelong was able to record the final out.
Arnott struck out to start Geelong's third chance at the plate, but a single to Ash Kaberry and walk to Archillies Baumann saw some baserunners on for the Baycats. Unfortunately for the side, the Atheltics got the final two outs before either runner could advance or score.
A walk to Cooper Busch, a single to Saggers, and a walk to Scott Takairangi saw bases loaded for the Athletics. King singled on a line drive to left field which allowed Busch and Saggers to score, ending the game in the Athletics’ favour.
Dowling and King each lead the way for the Athletics with two hits, King claiming three RBIs and Harvey Devlin two RBIs.
Brodie Trevean saw two innings on the mound for the Athletics, claiming one strikeout. Saggers pitched one innings for two strikeouts. Theo Hedt plied his trade on the mound in one and two-thirds innings for Geelong.
Twins 15 - Geelong Baycats 5
The Twins claimed a 15-5 victory over Geelong, despite the Baycats fighting back throughout the fourth inning.
The Twins' nine-run fourth inning was led by Joseph Lotan, Oliver Bergin, Lachlan Brennan, Samuel Land, Andrew Zdihan and Sawyer Fisher, all knocking in runs through the frame.
Roman Coote singled in the first inning for the Twins that kickstarted their runs tally.
The Twins racked up 11 hits in the game as Windsor Breckenridge went 3-for-4 and Land and Zdihan had multiple hits too. Three players stole at least two bases, Lotan leading the way with three stolen bases.
Beau Spencer, Tylah Laurie and Toby Arnott tried their hardest in the fourth inning to bring Geelong back into the game, all driving in runs.
Oliver Baillargeon was on the mound for Twins, lasting one and two-thirds innings, giving up zero runs on zero hits while striking out one. Cale Morris came in from the bullpen in relief.
Laurie had the ball in hand to start the Baycats defensive innings, allowing one hit and two runs over two innings with two strikeouts.
Little League Development
Southern Mariners 6 - Twins 7
The Twins seized victory in dramatic walk-off fashion, thanks to an Olivia Walker single that ended the game to topple the Mariners. The game was tied at six-apiece with Twins batting in the bottom of the fifth when the winning run scored.
The Twins got things started in the first inning when Reeve Hammond drew a walk, scoring a run. The team collected three hits in total from Harry Davenport, Maisen Ricketts and Walker. The Mariners had four hits over the course of the game.
Walker led things off on the pitcher's mound for Twins, surrendering six runs on four hits over three and two-thirds innings, striking out five. The Twins backed up their pitcher in the field, with no errors committed.
Chase Potts started the game for the Mariners, going one-third of an inning and allowing three runs on zero hits. Hunter Rouse, Charlie Waugh and Ryder Ochoa each contributed in relief for the Mariners.
Eastern Athletics 13 - Southern Mariners 7
The Athletics claimed a 13-7 victory, despite a big push by Southern Mariners in the fourth inning.
The Mariners fired up the offense in the first as Connor Mckenzie drew a walk, scoring a run.
However, the Athletics pulled away with five runs in the second inning. Jonathan Ryan, Sam Stafilis and Harry Govenlock each drew walks that scored runs while Nathan Healy and Matthew Gooden had RBI singles.
The Athletics kept the offence going with five runs in the fourth inning – Angus Friend, Cooper Box, Healy and Govenlock all driving in runs.
There was plenty of action on the basepaths as the Athletics collected six hits from Flynn Gallagher, Nathan Clark, William Ferguson, Healy, Gooden and Friend.
The Mariners recorded four hits over the course of the game. Kai Cottam, Grayson Corrington, Cooper Gust, and Charlie Waugh each had RBIs in the fourth inning for the Mariners.
Govenlock led things off on the mound for the Athletics, surrendering three runs on one hit over one and one-third innings, striking out one batter.
Mckenzie pitched one inning for the Mariners, allowing two hits and two runs, striking out two. Xander LaPrade, Corrington, Gust and Cottam pitched in relief.
Eastern Athletics 9 - Twins 11
Eastern Athletics fought back from down seven runs in the third inning but came up just short, as they fell 11-9 to Twins on Friday. The Athletics scored five runs in the failed comeback on a walk by Harry Govenlock and an error in the third and a stolen base by Nathan Healy in the fourth.
Despite the loss, the Athletics did collect five hits in the high-scoring affair, while the Twins had seven on the way to victory.
The Twins got things moving in the first inning, when Cruise Chase-Tukapua grounded out, scoring one run. They added five in the second on RBIs from Olivia Walker, Nikau Galligan, and Maisen Ricketts.
The Athletics tallied five runs in the third inning with RBIs from Govenlock and Angus Friend.
Kieran Hurlestone led things off on the hill for the Twins. The bulldog lasted two-thirds of an inning, allowing zero hits and one run.
William Ferguson was on the pitcher's mound for the Athletics. The pitcher allowed five hits and seven runs over one and one-third innings, striking out one. Flynn Gallagher, Cooper Box, Reiley Marshall, and Nathan Clark each entered the game as relief, throwing one inning, two-thirds of an inning, two-thirds of an inning, and one-third of an inning respectively.
Marshall went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Athletics in hits. They tore up the base paths, as two players stole at least two bases. Marshall led the way with two.
Ricketts led the Twins with two hits in two at bats. The Twins stole ten bases during the game as three players stole more than one. Hurlestone led the way with two.
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It was the Warriors’ weekend as the VSBL Women’s Division 3 East team prevailed in a shutout win over Moorabbin.
The two teams faced off as part of Women’s Super Saturday at Essendon Baseball Club, with the Warriors beating the ladder-leading Panthers 10-0.
During the season, Moorabbin was the team to beat, staying undefeated in 10 games while the Warriors only lost two games, both to the Panthers.
However, when it came to the final game that counted, the Warriors were in control from start to finish, limiting Moorabbin to a small number of hits and striking out the side in critical moments. The winning side was clean in the field with no real mistakes made.
Warriors player Penny Donnelley reflected on the incredible win and how the side came together on the final day of the season when it mattered most.
“Us and Moorabbin are pretty similar on the field but the team was working together really well," Donnelley said. "We were a comprehensive unit out on the diamond. At the end of the day, it was the result we wanted and a good way to end the season."
The win was headlined by Warriors pitcher Emma ‘EJ’ Pastowski who pitched a shutout, a remarkable feat considering Moorabbin had scored 156 runs during the home and away season – 45 more than the second-best Warriors.
“Emma was awesome on the mound. We hadn’t really shown Emma and her pitching to Moorabbin before," Donnelley said.
The Warriors had a full squad make themselves available for Women's Super Saturday, so coaches worked to best utilise their players, even if that meant they played out of normal position.
“Everyone on the team was doing their bit, especially the defence. It was a really good effort," Donnelley said. "We had a few coming down to training to work on a few things and get better."
The training paid off as the Warriors made crucial plays and catches in the field, with constant contact at the plate putting pressure on Moorabbin's defense.
Remembering back three years ago to an agonising 2018/19 VSBL Women’s Division 3 Grand Final loss against a combined Melbourne/Doncaster side, Donnelley says it was a great feeling to celebrate a premiership. That season, the Warriors were undefeated all year until they lost the grand final, much like Moorabbin this time around.
“It comes down to one game at the end of the season, so you’ve just got to do your best in that one game.," Donnelley said. "Whatever happens prior to that doesn’t really count."
Speaking about the ever-changing scenario surrounding COVID, Donnelley admits it was hard to stay motivated amidst the uncertainty of when play would resume and even then, the potential for it to be stopped at any moment.
“It was a challenging season, a little different than normal because of the pandemic but to go out there and play when we could play was what kept us going," Donnelley said. "We kept doing what we were doing and got the result we wanted to finish off a successful season."
With a premiership now in the record books for the women’s program, the Warriors will be setting new goals for next season.
“We want to retain players, new girls we’ve picked up this season and help them improve and get better,” Donnelly said. “Down the line, we’d like to keep having women’s teams and keep growing those new players. They want to stick around so we will keep them and continue to practice and play together by playing winter.”
The 2020/21 VSBL season wrapped up with Division 3 grand finals on Sunday 28 March, as well as the Division 1 Fourths game that was rained out the week before.
Congratulations to the premiers and well done on a successful summer season!
Click HERE to view winner's photos.
Division 1 Fourths
Melbourne capped off a strong season where the Demons finished 9-1 in the regular rounds, the same record as Essendon.
Melbourne avenged last year's grand final loss to Essendon by scoring two runs in the last inning for a nail-biting 9-8 victory. Tom Arthur batted in Lenny Chiverton to win the game, which was highlighted by Jimmy Vandethoff's strong performance at first.
Division 3 Firsts
After missing out on the premiership last year, Springvale got a 10-7 victory over the Titans, rounding out a strong season in which the Lions lost only once. The Titans were down by four in the bottom of the eighth and despite their best efforts, they fell to the ladder-leading Lions.
Lucas Anderson gave up a walk to start his time on the mound, but a quick pick-off got the out. He single in his first at-bat and came around to score in a four-run inning for Springvale, with singles to Matt Cameron, Scott Baillie, and Mark Richards, plus a double to right from Neal Cavanagh.
The Titans followed up with three hits but six batters were retired in the third and fourth as they tried to play catchup. Scott Baillie came in to pitch and the back-nd-forth battle continued. Adam Thatcher closed it out with the Titans threatening a big rally.
Anderson was the winning pitcher and had three hits, while Baillie got the save with three hits and two RBIs. Neal Cavanagh had a perfect day batting while Rydge Hogan and Mark Richards also had hits.
Division 3 Seconds
Both teams finished with an 8-2-1 record in the regular season, but their grand final meeting saw Footscray pull ahead by two for an 11-9 victory. This marked the Bulldogs first Division 3 Seconds premiership since 2012/13, when they won back-to-back after taking out the championship in 2011/12 as well.
The venues for the Little League State Championships in Victoria have been confirmed:
- Friday 9 – Sunday 11 April 2021 - Cheltenham Baseball Club
- Little League, Little League Major, Development and 6-A-Side
- Friday 16 – Sunday 18 April 2021 – Werribee Baseball Club
- Junior League, Intermediate League and Senior League
Uniforms for selected teams are currently being distributed and charters are reviewing fixtures for both weekends which will be confirmed next week.
Please note further updates on payment information and other details will be available in the coming weeks.
Click HERE to view more on our Little League State Championships page.
Essendon claimed its first VSBL Division 1 Premiership since 2016/17 and its seventh in 10 years after sweeping Waverley in the grand final series with a 6-4 win on Tuesday night and a 9-6 win on Saturday.
Essendon had 15 hits in the high-scoring affair and Waverley collected 11 hits.
Waverley loaded the bases in the first with singles from Mitchell Homfray and Reece Longstaff and a walk by Jordan Ley. Essendon pitcher Gareth Formisano got the third out to escape the threat.
Scott McIntyre had a 2-out double in the bottom of the first but didn't score until the second with four singles and a HBP. Darby Sexton and Cody Rodwell singled before scoring on a base hits from Shoma Ikehata and Jack Giles. A double play ended the inning.
Neither side scored in the third, although Waverley's Longstaff doubled with two outs and Essendon's Jarryd Rogers had a lead-off single before three quick outs.
Jordan Ley cut Essendon's lead in half with a solo homer in the fourth but Essendon battled back with three straight singles to Rodwell, Ikehata, and Jared Cruz before Giles reached on an error. Waverley got out of the inning but not before Essendon made it a 4-1 ballgame.
Waverley scored two in the fifth as Oscar Hargreaves and Jacob Sheldon-Collins singled. Homfray grounded out to score a run and Longstaff had a sacrifice fly to center to score another.
Essendon powered back in the bottom of the fifth with a lead-off double to Ross Bament and an RBI single by Michael Formisano. Sexton and Ikehata singled and by the end of the inning, Essendon led 6-3.
The Bombers kept up the scoring following a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, thank to singles from McIntyre and Rogers. A groundout and an error gave Essendon a 7-3 lead.
Waverley got back on the board in the seventh with singles by Andrew Russell, Oscar Hargreaves, and Homfray.
Essendon held on to an 8-5 lead and got one last run with a sacrifice fly by Giles to score Ikehata in the bottom of the seventh.
A bases-loaded walk brought Waverley within three in the top of the eighth and Ley singled with two outs in the ninth, but Michael Formisano closed it out to lock in the win and get the save.
Gareth Formisano was credited with the victory after giving up five runs on nine hits over seven innings, striking out eight and walking one.
Click HERE to read the recap from the first game of the grand final series.
The 2020/21 VSBL season finished on a high note with Women’s Super Saturday at Essendon Baseball Club, where the baseball community came together to enjoy four fantastic grand finals highlighting women's baseball.
Congratulations to grand final winners Springvale (Women's Division 1 and 2), South East Warriors (Women's Division 3 East), and Melbourne Demons (Women's Division 3 West). Well done to all teams on making the VSBL Women’s Finals!
Women’s Division 1
Essendon and Springvale faced off in a familiar grand final matchup, bringing back the Bombers' memories of a 2018/19 premiership over the Lions.
Springvale was eager to secure back-to-back premierships and the club's first VSBL Women's Division 1 and 2 flags in the same season, and they made it happen with a 5-0 win over Springvale to end the day.
Simone Wearne was stellar on the mound, giving the Lions the room they needed to get on the board.
The Lions scored one in the second and another two in the fifth. One more came home in the sixth and a final fifth run scored in the top of the seventh on a double from Hannah Jackson to bring Lili Cavanagh home.
Springvale kept the competition's highest-scoring team off the board in the grand final as the Lions secured the premiership.
Women’s Division 2
Springvale won 8-4 over Footscray on Saturday afternoon. Aspen McGovern led the Lions on the mound as the team brought home its second VSBL Women’s Division 2 flag in three years.
Springvale jumped on the board early and had a 5-0 lead before Footscray battled back with three in the bottom of the third.
Caitlin Hoy and Alanna Kappler pitched for Footscray as the Bulldogs did their best to keep Springvale off the base paths, but the Lions kept rolling, scoring three more in the top of the fourth. Footscray got one more run in the final frame but Springvale recorded the final out as two runners were left on base.
The Lions add to their premiership collection with the club's other VSBL Women's Division 2 Championships from 2018/19 and 2011/12.
Women’s Division 3 East
The South East Warriors took out the win with a 10-0 shutout performance against Moorabbin.
The Warriors got the premiership win over the top side Moorabbin as the Panthers struggled against pitcher Emma Pastowski, someone they hadn't seen much of on the mound.
The Warriors got started early and kept rolling with quality at-bats throughout the lineup and solid fielding to keep Moorabbin's high-powered offense to a minimum.
After an undefeated run came to an end in the grand final back in the 2018/19 season, the Warriors were thrilled to turn the tables on Saturday against their seasoned competitors.
Women’s Division 3 West
Charmaine Neate led the Demons to a 6-2 win on the mound as Melbourne brought home another flag following the combined win with Doncaster back in 2018/19.
The Demons scored two off Keeley Harrison and the Doncaster defence to open the game and kept up the pace from there.
Melbourne took a bases-loaded walk to add to the scoreline as the Demons wrapped up the season with just one loss.
Lilly Simpson and Michelle Love had hits for Doncaster while Melbourne's Megan Payne put her side in scoring position with a big single.