Fitzroy and Geelong hosted this week’s Under 12 members of the Little League Charter & Junior League Charter Academy. The Under 14s played last week. All previous iterations of the weekly wraps are also available.
Geelong Baycats 10, Southern Mariners (A) 9
Dramatic walk-off home runs are not just reserved for major leaguers. Baycats cleanup hitter Jordan Peoples provided ample evidence of that as his two run shot to right field—his second of the game—capped off a thrilling four run rally in the bottom of the last to give Geelong a scintillating victory.
Of all the Charter games so far this was easily the most exciting. The Baycats opened the scoring by tallying three times in the bottom of the first. Undaunted, the Mariners fought back, plating six in the top of the second to enjoy their own three run cushion.
Geelong then scored once in the second but it could have been much worse. Southern turned a slick 5-4-3 double play to limit the damage. Both teams then traded runs in the third before the exhilarating final frame. Leading 8-6, the Mariners added an insurance marker in the top of the fourth but it was simply not enough to withstand Peoples’ heroics.
The young Baycat finished with five runs batted in and was joined in the mutli-hit parade by Jordan Baumann (three) and Cooper Rickond (two). For the Mariners, they were led by Angus Newman (three), Tyler Ellis (two) and the dynamic duo from St Kilda: Ferris Salka (two) and Millar Kuhl, who the hit the ball hard all day.
On the mound, Hudson Canter started and Cooper Tipping got the win for Geelong. Luke Anson, Salka, Charlie Pierson and Jordan Doughty threw for the Mariners.
Eastern Athletics (Gold) 12, Northern Diamondbacks (Green) 3
One thing both Eastern Athletics teams have done very well over the first two weekends of Little League play has been to score early. And often. True to form, the A’s plated five runs in the top of the first and then added single runs in the second and third before exploding for another five in the final inning, the fourth. The D’Backs hit well also, scoring a single run in the first and two in the third.
Jack Romanin started and threw 38 pitches for the winning side; he was followed first by Ryan Othen and then Ethan Scalzo. For the D’Backs it was Billy Kolyniuk, Denizel Pelle-Lopeti and Cuttor Harris doing the dealing.
Zac Clorman caught the first three innings and Josh Dawson was behind the dish for the final frame. James Richardson and Blake Mitchell handled the catching duties for the Northern side.
Eastern Athletics (Green) 11, Northern Diamondbacks (Orange) 8
Three games and three wins for the Eastern Athletics (Green) team. But it didn’t come easy. Plating their traditional five runs in the top of the first, the A’s did something unusual: they allowed their opponent to immediately respond. Answer the call they did as the D’Backs scored three of their own to make it a game.
Eastern then tacked on a marker in the second while holding Northern scoreless. More fireworks followed in the last inning when both teams plated five runs apiece.
Sam Skinner started for the home team, pitching the first two innings. He was relieved by Lachlan Davis. The former threw 51 pitches and the latter 36. Mitch Nolan caught the entire game for the D’Backs.
Across the diamond, Finn Weichard started before giving way to Kynan Jones, Sam Pritchard, and Ewan Jones.
The loss dropped the Northern Diamondbacks (Orange) squad to 0-3 early in the season.
Southern Mariners (B) 8, Geelong Baycats 2
Seeing their brethren lose in such heartbreaking fashion provided the Southern Mariners (B side) all the motivation they needed to thump the Geelong Baycats, 8-2. The Mariners started fast, scoring four times in the first to take the early lead. After two scoreless innings for the home side, they upped their lead to six by scoring a couple in the top of the third. After the Baycats answered with two of their own, the Mariners effectively put the game away with an additional two markers.
Starring on the hill were a sextet of Southerners: Tom Connolly, Tyler Ellis, Josh Tribe, Matt Kaplan, James Lynch, and Lachlan Smith.
Cooper Rickard, Brayden Barker, and Peoples took the mound for the Baycats.
Geelong only mustered three total hits while the Mariners had six, led by Tyler Ellis’ two knocks.
Eastern Athletics (Green) 10, Northern Diamondbacks (Green) 2
In the Eastern Athletics second victory over the Northern Diamondbacks squad, victory wasn’t assured until the very last. This one was never in doubt. The A’s scored three times in the first, once in the second, added another in the third and put up a resounding five in the fifth to take a 10-0 lead in to the bottom of the last. The D’Backs showed some impressive moxie to score twice in the fifth to provide the final margin.
Tyler Evans started for the victors, throwing 52 pitches in a winning performance. Nick Parton, Zac Danes, and Hudson Priamo also took the mound for the A’s. For the D’Backs it was Zac Corman, Campbell Hutton and Josh Dawson on the hill.
Eastern Athletics (Gold) 16, Northern Diamondbacks (Orange) 9
There are pitching duels and then there is what broke out in Fitzroy on Saturday morning. Twenty-five runs in four innings. Two hundred and four pitches from eight different hurlers. And two exhausted third base coaches. In the end, it was the A’s victorious, 16-9, completing the four game weekend sweep of the Diamondbacks from the north.
Eastern scored five in the first, three in the second, and five more in the third before topping up their total to 16 with three in the fourth. Northern only scored in two innings but made them count, plating five in the second and four in the fourth.
For posterity the pitchers for the D’Backs were Mace Poole, Band Leuga, Wartky Miller and Jaycob Pascuzzi. The A’s sent Blake Mitchell, Kecky Ronalds-Greatbatch, Will Stone and James Richardson to the hill.
Here is how the comp stands after two rounds: https://sportsdesq.imgstg.com/portal/index.cfm?fuseaction=competition&competitionID=10393&OrgID=16724&clubOrganisationId=0#ladder.
The Under 14s are scheduled to take the field again next Saturday. Check back here for a full report of all six games.
Geelong Baycats 10, Southern Mariners (A) 9
Dramatic walk-off home runs are not just reserved for major leaguers. Baycats cleanup hitter Jordan Peoples provided ample evidence of that as his two run shot to right field—his second of the game—capped off a thrilling four run rally in the bottom of the last to give Geelong a scintillating victory.
Of all the Charter games so far this was easily the most exciting. The Baycats opened the scoring by tallying three times in the bottom of the first. Undaunted, the Mariners fought back, plating six in the top of the second to enjoy their own three run cushion.
Geelong then scored once in the second but it could have been much worse. Southern turned a slick 5-4-3 double play to limit the damage. Both teams then traded runs in the third before the exhilarating final frame. Leading 8-6, the Mariners added an insurance marker in the top of the fourth but it was simply not enough to withstand Peoples’ heroics.
The young Baycat finished with five runs batted in and was joined in the mutli-hit parade by Jordan Baumann (three) and Cooper Rickond (two). For the Mariners, they were led by Angus Newman (three), Tyler Ellis (two) and the dynamic duo from St Kilda: Ferris Salka (two) and Millar Kuhl, who the hit the ball hard all day.
On the mound, Hudson Canter started and Cooper Tipping got the win for Geelong. Luke Anson, Salka, Charlie Pierson and Jordan Doughty threw for the Mariners.
Eastern Athletics (Gold) 12, Northern Diamondbacks (Green) 3
One thing both Eastern Athletics teams have done very well over the first two weekends of Little League play has been to score early. And often. True to form, the A’s plated five runs in the top of the first and then added single runs in the second and third before exploding for another five in the final inning, the fourth. The D’Backs hit well also, scoring a single run in the first and two in the third.
Jack Romanin started and threw 38 pitches for the winning side; he was followed first by Ryan Othen and then Ethan Scalzo. For the D’Backs it was Billy Kolyniuk, Denizel Pelle-Lopeti and Cuttor Harris doing the dealing.
Zac Clorman caught the first three innings and Josh Dawson was behind the dish for the final frame. James Richardson and Blake Mitchell handled the catching duties for the Northern side.
Eastern Athletics (Green) 11, Northern Diamondbacks (Orange) 8
Three games and three wins for the Eastern Athletics (Green) team. But it didn’t come easy. Plating their traditional five runs in the top of the first, the A’s did something unusual: they allowed their opponent to immediately respond. Answer the call they did as the D’Backs scored three of their own to make it a game.
Eastern then tacked on a marker in the second while holding Northern scoreless. More fireworks followed in the last inning when both teams plated five runs apiece.
Sam Skinner started for the home team, pitching the first two innings. He was relieved by Lachlan Davis. The former threw 51 pitches and the latter 36. Mitch Nolan caught the entire game for the D’Backs.
Across the diamond, Finn Weichard started before giving way to Kynan Jones, Sam Pritchard, and Ewan Jones.
The loss dropped the Northern Diamondbacks (Orange) squad to 0-3 early in the season.
Southern Mariners (B) 8, Geelong Baycats 2
Seeing their brethren lose in such heartbreaking fashion provided the Southern Mariners (B side) all the motivation they needed to thump the Geelong Baycats, 8-2. The Mariners started fast, scoring four times in the first to take the early lead. After two scoreless innings for the home side, they upped their lead to six by scoring a couple in the top of the third. After the Baycats answered with two of their own, the Mariners effectively put the game away with an additional two markers.
Starring on the hill were a sextet of Southerners: Tom Connolly, Tyler Ellis, Josh Tribe, Matt Kaplan, James Lynch, and Lachlan Smith.
Cooper Rickard, Brayden Barker, and Peoples took the mound for the Baycats.
Geelong only mustered three total hits while the Mariners had six, led by Tyler Ellis’ two knocks.
Eastern Athletics (Green) 10, Northern Diamondbacks (Green) 2
In the Eastern Athletics second victory over the Northern Diamondbacks squad, victory wasn’t assured until the very last. This one was never in doubt. The A’s scored three times in the first, once in the second, added another in the third and put up a resounding five in the fifth to take a 10-0 lead in to the bottom of the last. The D’Backs showed some impressive moxie to score twice in the fifth to provide the final margin.
Tyler Evans started for the victors, throwing 52 pitches in a winning performance. Nick Parton, Zac Danes, and Hudson Priamo also took the mound for the A’s. For the D’Backs it was Zac Corman, Campbell Hutton and Josh Dawson on the hill.
Eastern Athletics (Gold) 16, Northern Diamondbacks (Orange) 9
There are pitching duels and then there is what broke out in Fitzroy on Saturday morning. Twenty-five runs in four innings. Two hundred and four pitches from eight different hurlers. And two exhausted third base coaches. In the end, it was the A’s victorious, 16-9, completing the four game weekend sweep of the Diamondbacks from the north.
Eastern scored five in the first, three in the second, and five more in the third before topping up their total to 16 with three in the fourth. Northern only scored in two innings but made them count, plating five in the second and four in the fourth.
For posterity the pitchers for the D’Backs were Mace Poole, Band Leuga, Wartky Miller and Jaycob Pascuzzi. The A’s sent Blake Mitchell, Kecky Ronalds-Greatbatch, Will Stone and James Richardson to the hill.
Here is how the comp stands after two rounds: https://sportsdesq.imgstg.com/portal/index.cfm?fuseaction=competition&competitionID=10393&OrgID=16724&clubOrganisationId=0#ladder.
The Under 14s are scheduled to take the field again next Saturday. Check back here for a full report of all six games.