The first day of pool play at the Australian Youth Championship presented by Beastwear threw up one run games, eight inning shutouts and much more! Read about all eight games below!!
U16: Western Australia 6-4 Victoria White | BOX SCORE
WA used a massive fifth inning to overcome a determined Vic White side to claim their first win of pool play on Diamond 2.
Vic White held a one run lead in the fifth, but WA sent seven men to the plate, as they scored four runs from three hits.
Maddux Stivey drove in two runs in the fifth, with Dylan Bojarski and Michael West also picked up RBIs.
Victoria White threatened in the final inning, but Tye Kazmierowski induced two groundouts to seal a hard-fought win for WA.
Aaron Callaghan kept Vic White’s bats quiet through three scoreless innings, while Connor Schibeci fanned six in four strong innings for Vic White.
Nick Parton lead Vic White with two hits, while catcher Balin O’Callaghan drove in two runs.
WA take on Victoria Blue in a crucial pool play matchup tomorrow, while Vic White go up against New South Wales.
U16: New South Wales 4-3 Victoria Blue | BOX SCORE
Victoria Blue and New South Wales played out a highly competitive matchup on Diamond 1, but it was NSW who just held on, maintaining their perfect record through eight games.
Victoria Blue had the winning run at first with only one out in the seventh inning, but some clutch pitching from Jaxon Forbes ensured NSW’s undefeated streak continued.
Christos Lyberopoulos tripled and scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth, as Brent Iredale drove him in with a single.
Clayton Campbell struck out five in six innings, but Victoria Blue made him work, as the righty tossed 92 pitches.
Marcus Graham nailed three hits for Vic Blue, while leadoff man Charlie Collins went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three stolen bases.
Mitchell Thomas gave Vic Blue a chance with three solid relief innings, but it wasn’t to be as NSW snuck home in dramatic fashion.
Vic Blue take on WA tomorrow at 8am, while NSW match up with Victoria White.
U18: Queensland 8-5 Victoria White | BOX SCORE
Queensland out-hit Victoria White 15 to 8 as they began pool play with a three run win on Diamond 2.
The heart of the Queensland lineup did the damage, as Franco Natale, Liam MacDonald and Angelo Natale accounted for eight of Queensland’s hits.
MacDonald doubled twice, and Franco Natale claimed two RBI.
After Victoria White plated a run in the sixth and seventh, Maxim Watson and Brandon Bidois steadied the ship for Queensland, as the pair each tossed an inning of scoreless relief.
Nick Pascuzzi tossed 3 2/3 innings of solid relief for Vic White, while offensively it was Harvey Mitchelhill and Mac Turley claiming two hits apiece.
Queensland match up with the ACT tomorrow night and Vic White take on Country at 5pm.
U18: Victoria Blue 9-4 South Australia | BOX SCORE
Victoria Blue plated a run in seven of their eight innings en route to a five run win over South Australia on Diamond 1.
Connor Hughes was immense in relief for Vic Blue, striking out eight and only allowing four hits in six innings of relief.
Catcher Chris Burke continued his solid tournament, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Will Tucker's pinch-hit two RBI double extended Vic Blue's lead.
SA lead four one in the bottom of the second after RBIs from Will Day, Jacob Scott, Blake Farr and Zak Heintze-Unger, but Vic Blue's consistent scoring got them over the line.
Scott and Seiichiro Suzuki finished with two hits apiece for SA.
SA take on NSW at 7pm tomorrow night, while Vic Blue put their undefeated streak on the line when they face WA.