Day four saw all U16 teams play doubleheaders, and we were treated to some scintillating baseball! Check out game recaps from all 12 games from day four at the Australian Youth Championship presented by Beastwear.
U16: Victoria White 7-6 Victoria Blue
Victoria White scored a late go-ahead run and held their nerve, staving off Victoria Blue in an incredible matchup.
Angus Stals threw three pressure-filled innings of relief to keep Victoria White in the ballgame, allowing one unearned run.
Andrei Popa-Smith went 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for Vic White, while Vic Blue’s Bronson Neave claimed three hits of his own in the leadoff spot.
Charlie Collins’ one out triple gave Victoria Blue hope in the bottom of the seventh, but Stals held his nerve, Victoria White’s second win of the championship.
Victoria Blue play Queensland tomorrow morning, while Victoria White take on NSW Country.
U16: Victoria White 10-4 Queensland
Victoria White plated six in the first and never looked back, picking up their second win of the day on Diamond 2.
Andrei Popa-Smith again impressed with bat in hand driving in three of Victoria White’s seven runs, while third baseman Nick Bertucci claimed three hits.
Popa-Smith also was key on the mound, only allowing one earned run in three innings of work.
Ian Lee doubled and tripled in the leadoff spot for Queensland, while catcher Cain McClelland also chimed in with two hits.
Queensland rallied late to score three runs, but Victoria White kept their cool to record their third win of the championship.
Queensland take on Victoria Blue tomorrow morning, while Vic White match up with New South Wales Country.
U16: Victoria Blue 19-14 Australian Capital Territory
Two major offensive innings highlighted a run-scoring feast on Diamond 1, as Victoria Blue overcame an eight run deficit.
ACT scored eight in the second, before Vic Blue scored 13 in the third, highlighted by a triple and a long home run from Trenell Hutchins. Hutchins finished a single shy of the cycle, and lead Vic Blue with four RBI.
Marcus Graham also drive in four runs, as Vic Blue racked up 22 hits in seven innings.
Jack Bennetts continued his strong tournament, with a triple and three RBI.
The ACT pulled within two, but Vic Blue managed to score six late runs to claim the win.
ACT take on NSW at 6.30pm tomorrow, while Victoria Blue match up with Queensland at 9am.
U18: Victoria White 13-3 New South Wales Country
Victoria White used two big innings to pull away from New South Wales Country, running out 13-3 winners on Diamond 3.
Harvey Hadlow tossed five stellar innings, anchoring the Victoria White victory. Hadlow kept the ball on the ground and only gave up three hits in his start.
Vic White put together a solid team performance, with every player in their starting lineup contributing with either a hit or an RBI.
Connor Hickey lead Vic White with three hits, while Riley Light went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Country managed to pull some runs back late, but the damage was done as Victoria White claimed their first win of the championship
Victoria White take on Victoria Blue and New South Wales tomorrow, while Country face off with the ACT and NSW.
U16: Victoria White 7-6 Victoria Blue
Victoria White scored a late go-ahead run and held their nerve, staving off Victoria Blue in an incredible matchup.
Angus Stals threw three pressure-filled innings of relief to keep Victoria White in the ballgame, allowing one unearned run.
Andrei Popa-Smith went 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for Vic White, while Vic Blue’s Bronson Neave claimed three hits of his own in the leadoff spot.
Charlie Collins’ one out triple gave Victoria Blue hope in the bottom of the seventh, but Stals held his nerve, Victoria White’s second win of the championship.
Victoria Blue play Queensland tomorrow morning, while Victoria White take on NSW Country.
U16: Victoria White 10-4 Queensland
Victoria White plated six in the first and never looked back, picking up their second win of the day on Diamond 2.
Andrei Popa-Smith again impressed with bat in hand driving in three of Victoria White’s seven runs, while third baseman Nick Bertucci claimed three hits.
Popa-Smith also was key on the mound, only allowing one earned run in three innings of work.
Ian Lee doubled and tripled in the leadoff spot for Queensland, while catcher Cain McClelland also chimed in with two hits.
Queensland rallied late to score three runs, but Victoria White kept their cool to record their third win of the championship.
Queensland take on Victoria Blue tomorrow morning, while Vic White match up with New South Wales Country.
U16: Victoria Blue 19-14 Australian Capital Territory
Two major offensive innings highlighted a run-scoring feast on Diamond 1, as Victoria Blue overcame an eight run deficit.
ACT scored eight in the second, before Vic Blue scored 13 in the third, highlighted by a triple and a long home run from Trenell Hutchins. Hutchins finished a single shy of the cycle, and lead Vic Blue with four RBI.
Marcus Graham also drive in four runs, as Vic Blue racked up 22 hits in seven innings.
Jack Bennetts continued his strong tournament, with a triple and three RBI.
The ACT pulled within two, but Vic Blue managed to score six late runs to claim the win.
ACT take on NSW at 6.30pm tomorrow, while Victoria Blue match up with Queensland at 9am.
U18: Victoria White 13-3 New South Wales Country
Victoria White used two big innings to pull away from New South Wales Country, running out 13-3 winners on Diamond 3.
Harvey Hadlow tossed five stellar innings, anchoring the Victoria White victory. Hadlow kept the ball on the ground and only gave up three hits in his start.
Vic White put together a solid team performance, with every player in their starting lineup contributing with either a hit or an RBI.
Connor Hickey lead Vic White with three hits, while Riley Light went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Country managed to pull some runs back late, but the damage was done as Victoria White claimed their first win of the championship
Victoria White take on Victoria Blue and New South Wales tomorrow, while Country face off with the ACT and NSW.
U18: Victoria Blue 9-0 Australian Capital Territory
Victoria Blue kept their perfect start to the championship going, needing all nine innings to defeat a determined ACT outfit.
It took until the seventh inning for the floodgates to open, as Kobe Greenhalgh’s two-out triple sparked a six run inning. Henry Hayman, Damon Hill and Will Tucker all claimed RBI as Victoria Blue’s offence got going.
Aiden Flynn gave Victoria Blue a perfect platform, tossing 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and only allowing one hit. Connor Hughes backed his starter up to perfection, striking out three in three scoreless innings.
Tom Pellow and Cooper Sheather both managed doubles for the ACT, but it wasn't enough as Victoria Blue claimed their fourth win in as many games.
Vic Blue take on Vic White and WA tomorrow, while the ACT match up with Queensland and NSW Country.
U18: Victoria Blue 9-0 Australian Capital Territory
Victoria Blue kept their perfect start to the championship going, needing all nine innings to defeat a determined ACT outfit.
It took until the seventh inning for the floodgates to open, as Kobe Greenhalgh’s two-out triple sparked a six run inning. Henry Hayman, Damon Hill and Will Tucker all claimed RBI as Victoria Blue’s offence got going.
Aiden Flynn gave Victoria Blue a perfect platform, tossing 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and only allowing one hit. Connor Hughes backed his starter up to perfection, striking out three in three scoreless innings.
Tom Pellow and Cooper Sheather both managed doubles for the ACT, but it wasn't enough as Victoria Blue claimed their fourth win in as many games.
Vic Blue take on Vic White and WA tomorrow, while the ACT match up with Queensland and NSW Country.