We are halfway through the 2019 Australian Youth Championship presented by Beastwear, and there are some crucial games tomorrow to decide which teams will make the top four!
Check out recaps for all 12 games from today's action below.
U16: Victoria Blue 12-2 Queensland | BOX SCORE
Keeley Ronalds-Greatbatch starred as Victoria Blue picked up their fourth win of the championship after a strong performance against Queensland on Diamond 2.
Ronalds-Greatbatch struck out five and didn’t allow a hit in four innings.
Vic Blue’s offence rallied around Ronalds-Greatbatch, piling on 10 runs in the first two innings, as Blake Holding, Mitchell Thomas and Sam Skinner each picked up two hits.
Billy Richters only allowed two hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief for Queensland, while Lachlan Maurer and Declan Summerford claimed QLD’s two hits.
Vic Blue’s final opening round game is against WA tomorrow, while Queensland ends their opening round with a matchup against the ACT.
U16: Victoria White 15-11 New South Wales Country | BOX SCORE
Victoria White came from six runs down in the fourth to record their third consecutive win of the championship against New South Wales Country.
Vic White plated 11 of the last 12 runs and held off Country in warm conditions this morning.
Rhys Fairweather lead the way with three RBI for Vic White, while Nick Bertucci and Angus Stals each claimed triples.
Josh Ashen was crucial to Vic White’s success, tossing three scoreless innings of relief, which gave his offence plenty of confidence.
Seven of NSW Country’s 10 hits were doubles, as Roan North lead the way with three RBI.
Country end their opening round against NSW tomorrow, while Victoria White take on SA.
U16: Western Australia 9-2 South Australia | BOX SCORE
WA plated four runs in the first and never looked back, as they picked up their fifth win from six games against SA on Diamond 1.
Aaron Callaghan went 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBI, while Australian U15 World Cup representative BJ Cooke claimed a team-high three hits.
Caleb Goodwin set a strong platform for WA, allowing one run in his 3 1/3 innings on the mound.
SA’s Max Stagg picked up both of his team’s hits, which included a double and an RBI.
WA used consistent scoring and some solid pitching and defence en route to their second win in a row.
WA take on Victoria Blue in their opening round finale tomorrow, while SA match up with Victoria White.
U18: Western Australia 11-3 South Australia | BOX SCORE
WA scored early and often as they topped South Australia to claim their fifth win from as many games on Diamond 1.
William Sherriff only allowed two runs in 3 2/3 innings for Western Australia, striking out five. Caiden Deal and Kieren Hall continued Sherriff’s strong work, as the trio allowed three hits in seven innings.
Shortstop Byron Armstrong went 4-for-5, while Scott Cornish nailed his first homer of the tournament, driving in three.
Seiichiro Suzuki tripled and drove in SA’s only RBI of the afternoon.
SA finish their opening round against Victoria Blue tomorrow night, while WA take on NSW at 2pm.
U18: Victoria Blue 22-2 Victoria White | BOX SCORE
Victoria White stuck with Victoria Blue for the first two innings, but Blue stormed home scoring 20 unanswered runs on Diamond 2.
Liam Evans nailed two doubles and picked up five RBI, while Chris Burke fell a home run shy of the cycle.
Chris Nielsen tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, while Dante Caruso finished things off on the mound for Vic Blue.
Luke Socic and Kyle Douglass picked up two hits each and Douglass nailed Vic White’s only double of the afternoon.
Vic Blue take on South Australia tomorrow, while Vic White finish their opening round with a clash against ACT.
U18: Queensland 12-9 Australian Capital Territory | BOX SCORE
ACT jumped out to an early lead, but a late flurry from Queensland saw them pick up a three run win on Diamond 3.
ACT scored the first six runs of the ballgame, but Queensland kept their composure and struck late, plating four in the fifth and six in the sixth inning to run out winners.
Queensland’s first five hitters each claimed two hits, with Liam MacDonald leading the way with three RBI. Riki Ward had a team-high three hits as Queensland recorded their third win of the championship.
Grant Craft doubled and drove in four runs for the ACT, while catcher Trent Buchanan picked up three hits of his own.
Queensland end pool play with a clash against NSW Country, while ACT take on Victoria White tomorrow morning.
U18: New South Wales 8-3 Victoria White | BOX SCORE
A big third inning from NSW turned the game on its head as they ran out five run winners over a determined Vic White outfit.
Luke Krkovski continued his impressive tournament, surrendering only two hits in four scoreless innings. Krkovski’s efficiency was impressive, as he only needed 48 pitches to navigate four innings.
Offensively, Taituha Nukunuku belted three doubles and drove in a run for New South Wales, while first baseman Blake Cavill had a team-high two RBI.
Travis Duxson threw well in relief for Vic White, allowing one earned run in 3 2/3 innings.
Connor Hickey nailed a triple and Mason Wray picked up a double, accounting for Vic White’s two extra base hits.
Vic White end their opening round with a morning game against the ACT, while New South Wales take on WA at 3.30pm tomorrow.
U18: New South Wales Country 10-7 Australian Capital Territory | BOX SCORE
Early runs proved crucial for NSW Country, as they staved off a comeback from the ACT on Diamond 3.
Country starter Josh Smith battled manfully in sweltering conditions at Blacktown, only allowing three runs in four innings of work.
Leadoff man Tom Newbold picked up three hits and tossed a scoreless final frame to ensure the win for Country.
Left fielder Sam McLean picked up two hits, two walks and swiped two bases for Country, while Kai McIntosh-Walsh went 3-for-3.
Luke Readdy claimed three hits for the ACT, while Hayden Salt nailed a triple.
ACT plated four late runs, but it wasn’t enough as Country bounced back from last night’s loss.
Country face Queensland in their opening round finale, while the ACT take on Victoria White.
U18: South Australia 6-2 Queensland | BOX SCORE
A Connor McLeod inspired South Australia picked up a narrow win over Queensland in tough conditions on diamond one.
McLeod put in the pitching performance of the tournament so far, tossing a complete game, scattering four hits and striking out 10.
McLeod was backed up by some early offence, as SA raced to a three run lead.
Seiichiro Suzuki continued his excellent tournament, picking up a double and nailing a solo home run.
Franco Natale went 2-for-2 with a triple for Queensland, while on the hill, Patrick Day only allowed two runs in his four-inning start.
Maxim Watson tossed 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for Queensland, but it wasn’t enough as South Australia claimed their third win of the championship.
SA wrap up pool play with a matchup against Victoria Blue, while Queensland take on NSW Country.
U18: Victoria Blue 7-3 Western Australia | BOX SCORE
Victoria Blue will go into the final opening round game as the only undefeated team in the U18s after defeating Western Australia 7-3 on Diamond 2.
Blake Townsend again impressed for Victoria Blue, striking out four and only allowing one unearned run in four innings.
Conor Myles doubled and drove in a pair of RBI, while designated hitter Liam Evans continued his strong day, going 3-for-3.
WA quelled Vic Blue’s offence reasonably well, but some consistent scoring through the middle innings saw Vic Blue pull away.
Callum Schipp was impressive on the mound for WA, allowing only one earned run through 3 2/3 innings, while offensively, Nick Riley picked up a double and drove in a pair of runs.
Mitchell Schofield recorded a team-high two hits for WA, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to their first loss of the championship.
WA ends pool play with a battle against NSW, while Vic Blue takes on South Australia.
U16: New South Wales 11-6 Australian Capital Territory | box score coming soon
NSW trailed early, but a seven run second inning proved the difference, as NSW claimed their sixth win in as many games.
Clayton Campbell was the offensive spark, as the third baseman went 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.
Tom Stancic also claimed three hits, while second baseman Tyrone Fergie claimed two RBI.
Josh Beezley struck out three in two solid innings of relief for the ACT, and offensively it was Jack Bennetts who impressed, picking up three hits and an RBI.
NSW will look for an undefeated opening round when they take on NSW Country tomorrow, while the ACT take on Queensland.
U18: New South Wales 9-0 New South Wales Country | box score coming soon
New South Wales will enter the final day of the opening round with only one loss under their belt after a late flurry against New South Wales Country tonight.
Luke Brown gave NSW the perfect platform with four scoreless innings, while Cody Godbold and Mitch McDonough finished the job.
Jaylin Rae's seventh inning double yielded two RBI for NSW, and Caleb Shepherd backed him up perfectly, driving in another two with a triple.
Country stuck with NSW for most of the ballgame, but that big seventh inning proved the difference.
NSW finish pool play with a clash against WA tomorrow, while Country face off with Queensland.