Welcome to Blacktown International Sportspark for the 2026 Australian Little League Championships.

This is your Newspaper Story. Each day we will publish results with a ‘newspaper style’ recap with stats, highlights and photos.

Watch live on Baseball+ and follow on GameChanger.

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DAY 1 SCHEDULE

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– Pool B: Adelaide Marlins 25 def NT Buffaloes 12
– Pool A: Central Firebirds 10 def Brisbane North 8
– Pool A: Ryde Red 7 def Canberra Rangers 1

– Pool B: Ryde Black 10 def Melbourne Athletics 5
– Pool A: Melbourne Rangers 12 def Brisbane North 6

– Pool A: Eastern Phantoms 9 def Brisbane Metro 1
– Pool B: Melbourne Rangers 1 def Cronulla Black 0
– Pool B: Ryde Black 16 def NT Buffaloes 1

Live Scoring: GameChanger | Watch on Baseball+ 

Tomorrow’s Schedule (Day 2): Click here.

CURRENT STANDINGS

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Top Two teams advance to the semi-finals.

Pool A

Melbourne Rangers 2-0
Ryde Red 1-0
Central Firebirds 1-0
Cronulla Black 0-1
Canberra Rangers 0-1
Brisbane North 0-2

Pool B

Ryde Black 2-0
Adelaide Marlins 1-0
Eastern Phantoms 1-0
Brisbane Metro 0-1
Melbourne Athletics 0-1
NT Buffaloes 0-2

RECAPS

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Ryde Red 7 def Canberra Rangers 1 | Ryde pull away late, use big time pitching performance to secure first win of the tournament 

Aaron Dare, Edin Becirevic, Kobe Bosman, Daniel Warwick and Cormac Dillon combined to allow just one hit in an opening day win for Ryde at the Little League Championships.

The game was tight until the very end. Ryde scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull away, taking a 2-1 margin out to 7-1. Dillon, Bosman, Warwick and Riley Fury each had a key run batted in during the big inning.

Canberra held tough. It was 1-0 Ryde until the bottom of the fourth inning tanks to stand out pitching from Chase Hackett and Lincoln McIntyre.

Ryde expanded their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth but an RBI to Layton Kowert cut the lead in half.

The stats and pitching lines are below.

RYDE RED

Hits (7): A. Dare, R. Fury, E. Becirevic, J. Pearse, C. Dillon, D. Warwick, K. Bosman

RBI: D. Warwick, A. Dare, R. Fury, H. Kaneko (2), C. Dillon, K. Bosman

Pitching:
– Aaron Dare: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
– Edin Becirevic: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
– Kobe Bosman: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K
– Daniel Warwick: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
– Cormac Dillon: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

CANBERRA RANGERS

Hits: L. Kowert

RBI: L. Kowert

Pitching:
– Chase Hackett: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K
– Lincoln McIntyre: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
– Bennett MacDonald: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 0 K
– Kanata Hayashi: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Central Firebirds 10 def Brisbane North 7 | Firebirds win a wild one in early contender for game of the tournament

Talk about entertaining.

In a game that featured 18 runs, three lead changes, a couple insane starting pitcher stat lines, and a dramatic pushback, Central Firebirds survived to start their tournament with a win.

Let’s start with the pitching.

Evan Grobler (Brisbane North) and Jacob Krawec (Central Firebirds) combined for 17 strikeouts in their collective outings.

Grobler struck out 10 in 3.2 innings, allowing one hit and two earned runs. Krawec struck out 7, giving up 2 hits and 2 earned runs in 3.1 innings.

When the starters left, the bats erupted.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Brisbane North plated three runs to take a 4-3 lead.

Central Firebirds responded instantly, capitalising off doubles from Kai Ogilvie and Beau Price, scoring five runs in the fifth to hold an 8-4 lead.

Brisbane North worked the deficit within one in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three. 8-7.

Central Firebirds added a pair of key insurance runs in the top of the last. Trailing 10-7, Brisbane North summoned three base runners but only scored one.

10-8 your final.

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS

Hits: J. Krawec, B. Saban-Smithers, K. Ogilvie (2), B. Price (2), K. Aizlewood, D. Strain

RBI: J. Krawec, B. Saban-Smithers, K. Ogilvie, B. Price (2), K. Aizlewood, D. Strain

Pitching:
– Jacob Krawec: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
– Kai Andrews: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
– Callum Moffat: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
– Vincent Buckley: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

BRISBANE NORTH

Hits: T. Lyall, E. Grobler, J. Young, C. Black, A. Griffin
RBI: T. Lyall (2)

Pitching:
-Evan Grobler: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
– Porter Cox: 0.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
– Taylor Lyall: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
– James Young: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

ADELAIDE MARLINS 25 def NT BUFFALOES 12 | Northern Territory scores 12, but Marlins slug their way to an opening win

The Marlins used three huge innings and handful of big time performances en route to 25 runs on the scoreboard.

Adelaide scored six in the first, eight in the third and eight in the fifth. At one point they led 15-0 before Northern Territory mounted a frantic comeback, cutting the deficit to 15-10 after three.

The 12 runs the Buffaloes scored is more than what they accumulated in the 2025 tournament.

Jack Robertson finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park homer.  Hunter Ung also collected three hits an an inside-the-park home run.

Connor Maidment led all batters with a 5 RBI performance off his two hits.

Credit to the NT Buffaloes. They refused to roll over.

Down 15-0 in the bottom of the third, and needing to score to avoid a run-rule loss, the Buffaloes scored ten runs to extend the game. It’s the most runs in an inning they’ve ever scored at a Little League event.

Blake Derr led the Buffs with two RBI while Harry Clifton had two hits.

ADELAIDE MARLINS

Hits (11): J. Robertson (3), H. Ung (3), C. Maidment (2), B. Manning (2), O. Patman
RBI: C. Maidment (5), H. Ung (3), J. Robertson (2), B. Manning (2), H. Lee, C. Kenny

Pitching:
– C. Roach: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
– W. Miles: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
– C. Kenny: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
– B. Manning: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
– M. Guo: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

NT BUFFALOES

Hits: H. Clifton (2), K. Sleigh

RBI: B. Derr (2), T. Gawler, H. Clifton, S. Fuller, Z. Zahnen
Pitching:
– B. Derr: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 6 BB, 2 K
– Z. Zahnen: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB
– H. Clifton: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
– F. Kleiner: 0.0 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB
– S. Follayter: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

MELBOURNE RANGERS 12 def BRISBANE NORTH 6 | Rangers overpower Brisbane North to start tournament 1-0

They scored early, the scored late, they soared to victory.

The Melbourne Rangers plated three runs in each of the second and third innings to race out to a 6-2 lead. They never looked back, and even added five runs in the sixth to build a commanding 12-3 lead in the final inning.

Patrick Lane provided the get-away moment. With the game sitting at 3-2, Lane came through with a three-run Little League inside-the-parker to push the Rangers out to a 6-2 lead.

Meanwhile, Carter McGowan was dealing on the mound. He fired off 5.0 innings with 7 strikeouts, allowing nine hits, three runs and crucially walked nobody.

Felix Fliener and Archie Griffiths each had two hits for Melbourne in the win. Fleiner’s two-RBI triple was the crescendo in a five-run sixth inning.

MELBOURNE RANGERS

Hits (1): P. Lane, A. Watt-Sinclair, F. Fleiner (2), H. Duncan, A. Griffiths (2), C. McGowan, H. Reeman, E. Andrzejewski
RBI: P. Lane, F. Fleiner (2), H. Duncan, A. Griffiths, C. McGowan (2), E. Andrzejewski
Pitching:
– Carter McGowan: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
– Hudson Reeman: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

BRISBANE NORTH

Hits (13): P. Cox, H. Lokeni (2), T. Lyall, T. Hession, A. Gaskell, M. Fogg (3), A. Griffin (3), C. Black
RBI: M. Fogg (2), A. Griffin

Pitching:
– Harper Lokeni: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
– Avery Griffin: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
– Matthew Fogg: 1.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
– Harrison Campbell-Manfield – 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Ryde Black 10 def Melbourne Athletics 5 | Ryde Black score seven in the last inning to stun Athletics

Ryde Black entered the sixth and final inning down 5-3. They promptly rattled off seven unanswered runs to take the lead for good.

While they made the most of a series of walks, Haruki Sawa drove in a pair to push the lead to 10-5. Sawa followed up his heroics at the plate by shutting down the Athletics 1-2-3 to close out the game.

Moments earlier, the Athletics mounted a comeback of their own.

Down 3-1, the Athletics scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to move three outs away, scoring on a pair of wild pitches.

Liam Punch and Mason Chamberlain led Ryde with two hits each. Max Keane had two hits for the Athletics.

Alexei Post had a crucial diving catch in foul territory to make the highlight reel, too.

RYDE BLACK

Hits: L. Punch (2), M. Chamberlain (2), A. Post, H. Myles, Y. Otsuka, N. Fernie, I. Choi
RBI: L. Punch, M. Chamberlain, Y. Otsuka, L. Wolstenholme

Pitching:
N. Fernie 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Y. Otsuka 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
L. Wolstenholme 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
H. Sawa 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS

Hits: M. Keane (2), Y. Takei, T. Wilkinson
RBI: None

Pitching:
S. Yang 4.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
T. Needham 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
O. Allen 0.0 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
L. Lidgett 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

MELBOURNE RANGERS 1 def CRONULLA BLACK 0 | Jayden Sambell and Patrick Lane combine for shutout as Rangers improve to 2-0

Have a day, Melbourne Rangers.

Shortly after defeating Brisbane North, a team who has won two of the last four Little League titles, the Rangers shutout a traditional powerhouse from New South Wales.

Jayden Samuel and Patrick Lane were the definition of epic. Samuel threw 3.2 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, no runs and struck out 7. Patrick Lane threw 2.1 innings with two strikeouts, conceding just a hit.

Cronulla Black’s pitching combination of Lucas Grant and Jack Smith were equally as effective, giving up just two hits and striking out 12.

The Rangers scored their only run on a wild pitch in the second inning.

MELBOURNE RANGERS

Hits (2): A. Griffiths, A. Watt-Sinclair

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits (3): L. Grant, O. Fowler. W. Bunker

RYDE BLACK 16 def NORTHERN TERRITORY 1  | Ryde Black need just three innings to improve to 2-0

From the moment the umpire said ‘play ball’ Ryde Black were on.

The game was called (run rule) after a Ryde Black built up a 16-1 lead after three innings. It caps off a wonderful afternoon. Ryde. are 2-0 and alone at the top of Pool B after their 10-5 late-game win over the Melbourne Athletics.

Iain Choi allowed just one run on the mound off four hits. He struck out eight.

Koji Komine starred with the bat, racking up a perfect 3-for-3 stat line.

On the day, all 12 members of Ryde Black reached base.

RYDE. BLACK

Hits: K. Komine (3), A. Post (2), H. Myles, Y. Otsuka, I. Choi
RBI: K. Komine (2), J. Valente, A. Post, H. Myles, Y. Otsuka, L. Wolstenholme, I. Choi

Pitching:
Iain Choi 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

NT BUFFALOES

Hits: H. Clifton, C. Brown, K. Sleigh, T. Howell
RBI: H. Clifton

Pitching:
C. Brown 1.0 IP, 4 H, 9 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
T. Brown 1.2 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
K. Sleigh 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Eastern Phantoms 9 def Brisbane Metro 1 | Consistent Phantoms ride plucky hitting and super defense to a win

Eastern Phantoms opened their Little League Championship campaign in style on Wednesday, defeating Brisbane Metro 9-1 behind a complete team performance at Diamond 1.

They scored in all but one inning during the win.

The Phantoms struck first in the opening inning when a dropped third strike allowed the game’s first run to score before adding two more in the second after Brisbane Metro miscues extended the inning.

Eastern Phantoms continued to build pressure throughout the afternoon and effectively put the game out of reach in the third. Lachlan Kendall delivered the key blow with a two-run double as the Phantoms stretched the lead to 5-0.

Darcy Brewis started on the mound and set the tone early, allowing just one run across 3.1 innings while striking out three. Lachlan Kendall followed with a dominant relief appearance, punching out six across two scoreless innings and not allowing a hit. Ari Kelly recorded the final two outs to secure the victory.

Kendall starred at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Ari Kelly also collected two hits, while Nicholas Rowland, Darcy Brewis, Oliver Duck and Carter Stingers each contributed offensively.

The Phantoms were flawless defensively, committing no errors. Mitchell Renwick led the way behind the plate and in the field, handling 10 defensive chances.

Brisbane Metro’s lone run came on an RBI single from Kai McKenna. Benji Robertson, Hamish McMahon, Ari Holmstrom and Axel Holmstrom also recorded hits in the loss.

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: L. Kendall (2), A. Kelly (2), N. Rowland, D. Brewis, O. Duck, C. Stingers
RBI: L. Kendall (2), N. Rowland, J. McCay

Pitching:
Darcy Brewis 3.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Lachlan Kendall 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Ari Kelly 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0

BRISBANE METRO

Hits: K. McKenna, B. Robertson, H. McMahon, A. Holmstrom, A. Holmstrom
RBI: K. McKenna

Pitching:

Noah Chang 3.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Kai McKenna 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Noah Akahoshi 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Ari Holmstrom 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

An adventurous day as the tournament was relocated 300km down the highway to conclude the tournament after heavy rains hit Gold Coast and Northern NSW.

After multiple contingency fields were foiled at the last minute due to rain, teams made their way nearly 300km away in Redcliffe, Queensland to play out the rest of the tournament.

Here is your Newspaper Story. Here you’ll find today’s scores, quick game recaps, key stats, highlights, and photos from across both tournaments.

By Monday, two teams will earn the right to represent Australia at their respective World Series events.

To watch live and free, head to Baseball+ via the app or at Baseball+.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE AND SCORES

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JUNIOR LEAGUE – Tournament Hub | INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

JUNIOR LEAGUE FINALS
at Redcliffe, live Scoring via GameChanger

Semi Final: Cronulla Black 8 def Hills Blue 0

GOLD MEDAL: Eastern Phantoms 4 def Cronulla Black 2

Eastern Phantoms win gold and advance to the Junior League World Series in California later this year.

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE FINALS
at Pine Hills Baseball Club, Live Scoring via GameChanger

2:15PM – GOLD MEDAL: Adelaide Armada 13 def Southern Titans 0

Adelaide Armada win gold and advance to the Intermediate League World Series in California later this year.

RECAPS

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INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE GOLD: Adelaide Armada 13 def Southern Titans 0 | Adelaide Armada Crowned Intermediate League Champions After Dominant Gold Medal Performance

The Adelaide Armada are national champions. .

Adelaide claimed the 2026 Intermediate League Championship on Monday morning with a commanding 13-0 victory over Southern Titans, securing Australia’s spot at the Intermediate League World Series in Livermore, California this August.

It marks the first time since 2016 that an Adelaide team has won a Little League national championship.

The victory capped a remarkable and chaotic final day of the tournament.

After relentless rain up and down the New South Wales and Queensland coast left nearly every diamond in the region unplayable, the Gold Medal Game was relocated nearly 300 kilometres north to Redcliffe Baseball Club in Queensland.A huge effort from tournament officials, volunteers, and baseball clubs ensured the championship game could still go ahead.

Once first pitch arrived, Adelaide wasted no time taking control.

The Armada exploded for four runs in the opening inning before putting the game out of reach with a six-run second inning in a relentless offensive display.

Ethan Zoontjens ignited the fast start with a two-run double in the first before Archie Wallis, Brock Harding, and Harrison Malec all contributed RBI plays as Adelaide surged ahead early.

The pressure never stopped.

Cooper Scarabotti and William Fuller added RBI singles in the second inning, Wallis drove in two more runs, Zachary Gratton worked a bases-loaded walk, and Harrison Malec added another RBI hit as the lead ballooned to 10-0.

It was a complete team effort offensively.

Adelaide collected 12 hits, drew seven walks, stole seven bases, and played flawless defence behind one of the best pitching performances of the tournament.

Zoontjens was sensational on the mound, throwing a complete-game no-hitter across five innings while striking out eight.

The right-hander battled through five walks but never allowed Southern Titans to record a hit, repeatedly making big pitches whenever pressure mounted.

Wallis finished with three RBI, while Zoontjens, Wallis, Harrison Malec, and Fuller all collected two hits each.

The championship win sends Adelaide to the Intermediate League World Series in California later this year, where they will represent Australia on the international stage.

WINNING PLAYER LIST: Archie Wallis, Brock Harding, Harrison Malec, Flynn Dienelt, Angus Deer, Harvey Ingram, Cooper Scarabotti, Ethan Zoontjens, Jack Blanton, Zachary Gratton, William Fuller, Archer Spratt

ADELAIDE ARMADA

Hits (12): Ethan Zoontjens (2), Archie Wallis (2), Harrison Malec (2), William Fuller (2), Brock Harding, Harvey Ingram, Cooper Scarabotti, Archer Spratt

RBI: Archie Wallis (3), Ethan Zoontjens (2), Zachary Gratton (2), Brock Harding, Harrison Malec, Cooper Scarabotti, William Fuller

Pitching: Ethan Zoontjens — 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 8 K

SOUTHERN TITANS

Pitching:
Jack Clarke — 1.1 IP, 6 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
Jacob Golding — 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

JUNIOR LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL: Cronulla 8 def Hills Blue 0| Cronulla Black Advance to Gold Medal Game Behind Birthday Shutout From Kai Shibata

Cronulla Black are through to the Junior League Gold Medal Game after an emotional and dominant 8-0 semi-final victory over Hills Blue on Monday afternoon.

The win sets up a championship showdown against Eastern Phantoms in just 30 minutes.

In a day filled with chaos and weather drama, Cronulla came through.

The semi-final was relocated to Redcliffe Baseball Club in Queensland, nearly 300 kilometres from Lismore, after relentless rain across the coast rendered almost every diamond in the region unplayable. Thanks to a remarkable effort from tournament officials, volunteers, and local baseball clubs, the game was still able to go ahead.

And once it did, Kai Shibata owned the moment.

Pitching on his 14th birthday, Shibata was outstanding across six shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out five to lead Cronulla into the national championship game.

But the game’s most emotional moment came in the third inning.

With Cronulla building momentum, Hudson Shorey delivered a key RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0. It was bigger than baseball.

Just one month ago, Shorey lost his mother. Following the tournament relocations, Cronulla unexpectedly found themselves playing on the very diamond where his mum had grown up playing baseball in Redcliffe.

In a moment almost impossible to script, Shorey came through with one of the biggest hits of the game on the same field tied so closely to his family.

Cronulla then broke the semi-final open with an eight-run third inning, the same inning Shorey had his hit.

Fenix Cutajar drove in a run with a single before Eli Foo worked a bases-loaded walk. Shorey followed with his RBI hit, Shibata added another run with a groundout, and Franklin Pyke crushed a bases-clearing triple to put the game firmly out of reach. Logan Glasheen later added another RBI groundout to cap the inning.

Pyke finished with three RBI and two hits in the middle of the lineup, while Benjamin Napier reached base twice via walks as Cronulla’s offence continued to apply pressure throughout the afternoon.

Zack Fordyce closed the final inning with two strikeouts to complete the combined shutout.

Hills Blue threatened at times through Justin Jang, who collected two hits, while Hudson Dobb stole two bases, but Cronulla’s pitching staff and defence never allowed the game to tighten.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits: Franklin Pyke (2), Fenix Cutajar, Hudson Shorey
RBI: Franklin Pyke (3), Fenix Cutajar, Eli Foo, Hudson Shorey, Kai Shibata, Logan Glasheen
3B: Franklin Pyke

Pitching:
Kai Shibata — 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K
Zack Fordyce — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

JUNIOR LEAGUE GOLD MEDAL: Eastern Phantoms 4 def Cronulla Black 2 | Ellis dominates, Phantoms hold off late charge to claim Gold

The Eastern Phantoms are heading to the Junior League World Series.

The Western Australian club defeated Cronulla Black 4-2 in a tense Gold Medal Game on Monday evening at Redcliffe Baseball Club, earning the right to represent Australia in Taylor, Michigan this August against teams from around the globe.

It capped a remarkable tournament run for the Phantoms, who opened the national championships by conceding five runs in the top of the first inning of their opening game. They finished it as national champions without committing a single error across the entire tournament.

Lincoln Ellis was the star of the show, tossing 6.2 shutout innings in the win.

The title game was anything but comfortable.

Cronulla entered the championship less than 30 minutes after shutting out tournament favourites Hills Blue 8-0 in the semi-final, but the Eastern Phantoms struck immediately and never fully let go of control.

On the very first pitch of the game, Riley Malcolm singled to spark the offence. Hunter Gordon later drove in a run before Joshua Watts ripped a two-run single to give the Phantoms an immediate 2-0 lead in the opening inning.

The Phantoms added another run in the third when Gordon lined an RBI single down the right field line to make it 3-0.

Lincoln Ellis then took over.

The right-hander delivered one of the pitching performances of the tournament, allowing just three hits across the opening six innings while striking out nine. Ellis faced the minimum through six innings and repeatedly escaped trouble with composure and defence behind him.

His biggest moment came in the third inning.

Cronulla placed two runners on with nobody out and threatened to completely shift momentum, but Ellis responded with consecutive strikeouts before the Phantoms escaped the inning to preserve the three-run advantage.

Defence also played a massive role throughout the game.

Eastern Phantoms twice cut down Cronulla runners on the bases during the opening innings, while Joshua Watts turned a key fly ball into a double play in the fifth inning to stop another potential rally.

Cronulla’s defence answered with moments of its own, including a strong play at third base to end a dangerous Phantoms threat in the third inning and keep the deficit within reach.

The game stayed tense all the way to the final out.

Eastern extended the margin to 4-0 in the seventh before Cronulla mounted one final charge. Down to their last out with nobody on base, Cronulla rattled off three straight hits to suddenly bring the tying run to the plate.

Benjamin Napier drove in a run before Franklin Pyke added another RBI hit to cut the deficit to 4-2 and make the finish nervy for the Phantoms.

But after Jordan Abbott entered in relief, Eastern finally secured the final out to complete the championship victory.

The two teams had already played one classic earlier in the tournament, when Eastern edged Cronulla 1-0 in pool play. The Gold Medal Game proved just as tense.

The championship game was relocated to Redcliffe Baseball Club in Queensland, nearly 300 kilometres north of Lismore, after relentless rain across New South Wales and Queensland left almost every diamond in the region unplayable. A huge effort from tournament officials, volunteers, and baseball clubs ensured the national final could still go ahead.

PLAYER LIST: Jordan Abbott, Jake Hayden, Troy Kingma, Riley Malcolm, Joshua Watts, Lincoln Ellis, Samuel Gardiner, Bailey Stingers, Hunter Gordon, Ryder Canny, Brody Warner, Brody Perkins. Coaches: Adam Ellis (Manager), Jeremy Sexton, Malcolm Riley, Bianca Hayden (EO)

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: R. Malcolm, H. Gordon, J. Watts, B. Warner, T. Kingma
RBI: J. Watts (2), H. Gordon

Pitching:
Lincoln Ellis — 6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K
Jordan Abbott — 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER

CRONULLA BLACK
Hits: K. Shibata, B. Napier, F. Pyke, C. Blyton, L. Vigil, Z. Fordyce
RBI: B. Napier, F. Pyke

Pitching:
Zack Fordyce — 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Leo Vigil — 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

NEW UPDATE (12:50PM)

There have been massive amounts of rain in a short period just now in Windsor. All games relocated to Redcliffe. Approximate game times
– 2:00PM: Intermediate League Gold
– 3:00PM: Junior League Semi Final
– 30 mins after: Junior League Gold

NEW UPDATE (12:10PM)

Brisbane has endured an hour of rain between 10AM – 11AM which has made Pine Hills unplayable.

Redcliffe Padres and Windsor Royals are playable. Therefore, we will proceed with the new schedule:

At Windsor:
– 2:00PM: Junior League Semi Final: Cronulla vs Hills Blue
– 30 mins after: Junior League Gold

At Redcliffe:
– 2:00PM: Intermediate League Gold

Stay tuned for more updates. Thanks to the baseball community for their tremendous efforts.

ORIGINAL STORY (8:00AM)

There has been a significant amount of rain in the Lismore, Gold Coast and Brisbane region(s) on Sunday, overnight and yesterday morning.

Baseball Australia has made the decision to move the final games of the 2026 Intermediate League and Junior League tournaments to Pine Hills Baseball Club in Brisbane.

This outlines the new schedule and the decision making process. Thank you to the players and teams for their ongoing understanding, patience and flexibility. We can’t wait to see you fight for Gold!

New Schedule – Pine Hills Baseball Club

1:00PM – Intermediate League Gold Medal Game: Adelaide Marlins vs Southern Titans

1:00PM – Junior League Semi Final: Hills Blue vs Cronulla

30 minutes after Junior League SF – Gold Medal Game: Winner SF vs Eastern Phantoms

All consolation games are cancelled.

Early Field Inspection

We would like to thank all staff, volunteers and the incredible baseball community who woke up very early on Monday morning to inspect fields across Northern NSW, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

After two hours of field inspections and on the information provided in a short time window, contingency fields in the Gold Coast and Northern NSW area were deemed unplayable.

Moving to Brisbane

Upon inspection, Pine Hills Baseball Club became available as an option for the remaining Finals Games to be played across both divisions.

Baseball Australia has organised multiple busses to pick teams up from their accommodation and return them after the games to relieve Team Staff requirements to drive.

The broadcast and photography teams have been mobilised to attempt to capture the event. Thank you to Spacequake Sports and Dan Cohen Photography for hitting the road.

Next Steps

We play ball.

Thank you very much to the entire baseball community.

There are a lot of great people who dropped everything to try to make sure the kids get to play out the remainder of the championship.

We’d like to offer a sincere thanks to the team at Far North Coast Baseball Association. Based on the weather across the eastern half of Australia, we feel fortunate to have had this even on at Albert Park to complete four days of play.

Thank you to all the clubs, families, parents, players, staff, officials, and the broader baseball community who reached out and offered assistance in any way shape or form. We feel proud to be part of a community that comes together with the goal of giving the kids a chance to play.

Best of luck to the teams in the Finals.

Play ball.

A weather-impacted day has come to a close. No consolation games were played, and only one of the semi-finals in Junior League had a result.

Here’s what we know after today:

1. The Intermediate League Gold Medal Game is set. It will be played at a time to be confirmed Monday evening.

2. The Eastern Phantoms will play for Junior League Gold.

3. A semi-final between Cronulla Black and Hills Blue must be played on Monday morning to determine the other Gold Medal contender.

4. A schedule for Sunday has been announced below. Please note, the consolation schedule will not be confirmed until Monday morning.

5. The weather was a challenge today. Thanks to the grounds crew for making sure we played the games we did and the teams for their patience.

—-

Here is your Newspaper Story. Here you’ll find today’s scores, quick game recaps, key stats, highlights, and photos from across both tournaments.

By Monday, two teams will earn the right to represent Australia at their respective World Series events.

To watch live and free, head to Baseball+ via the app or at Baseball+.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE AND SCORES

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JUNIOR LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

FINALS
– Quarter Final 1: Cronulla Black 6 def Wanneroo Giants 3, Cronulla advance to semi-finals
– Quarter Final 2: Adelaide Marlins 3 def Melbourne Athletics 0, Adelaide advance to semi-finals

– Semi Final: Eastern Phantoms 7 def Adelaide Marlins 4

– POSTPONED UNTIL MONDAY: Semi-Final  – Hills Blue vs Cronulla

CONSOLATION GAMES – CANCELLED

–  Gold Coast vs Canberra
– Brisbane North vs Twins

Live Scoring via GameChanger

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

FINALS

– Qualifying Final (QF) – Adelaide Armada 10 def Southern Titans 0, Adelaide advance to Gold and Southern Titans to Preliminary

– Elimination Final (EF) – Gold Coast 5 def Cronulla 3, Gold Coast advance to Preliminary Final

– Preliminary Final (PF) – Southern Titans 7 def Gold Coast 5, Southern Titans advance to Gold Medal, Gold Coast win bronze

Southern Titans and Adelaide Armada will play in Gold Medal Game on Monday

CONSOLATION GAMES – CANCELLED

– Melbourne Twins vs Eastern Phantoms
– Ryde vs Brisbane Metro

Live Scoring via GameChanger

RECAPS – INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE FINALS

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QUALIFYING FINAL: Adelaide Armada 10 def Southern Titans 0 | Adelaide Armada Punch Ticket To Gold Medal Game Behind Archer Spratt Masterclass

RECAPS – JUNIOR LEAGUE

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QUARTER FINAL: Cronulla Black 6 def Wanneroo Giants 3 |Cronulla Black Advance To Semi-Finals After Big Fourth-Inning Surge

Cronulla Black are through to the Junior League semi-finals after defeating Wanneroo Giants 6-3 in Sunday’s quarterfinal clash.

The win sends Cronulla into a showdown with the tournament’s only undefeated team, Hills Blue, with a place in the Gold Medal Game on the line.

After Wanneroo surged into the finals with back-to-back wins following an 0-2 start to the tournament, the Giants carried momentum early and took a 2-1 lead in the opening inning. Hayden Thomas lifted a sacrifice fly before Harrison Richardson added another run-scoring play to put Wanneroo in front.

Cronulla answered immediately after Franklin Pyke drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning, but the defining moment came in the fourth.

Trailing 2-1, Cronulla exploded for five runs to completely swing the game. Logan Glasheen delivered the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run single, while Leo Vigil and Zack Fordyce also drove in runs during the decisive rally.

Lincoln Potter delivered a strong start on the mound for Cronulla, allowing four hits and three runs across five innings while striking out two. Eli Foo closed the game with two scoreless innings of relief to secure the victory.

Jacob Bond battled hard for Wanneroo, striking out six across 6.2 innings, while Beau Gordon and Bond each collected doubles offensively.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits (5): L. Glasheen, L. Vigil, Z. Fordyce, K. Shibata, B. Napier
RBI: L. Glasheen (2), L. Vigil, Z. Fordyce

Pitching:
L. Potter — 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
E. Foo — 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

WANNEROO GIANTS

Hits (4): J. Bond, H. Richardson, T. Oldfield, B. Gordon
RBI: H. Thomas, H. Richardson

Pitching:
J. Bond — 6.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
B. Gordon — 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

QUARTER FINAL: Adelaide Marlins 3 def Eastern Athletics 0 | Adelaide Marlins Advance Behind Dominant Jack Bowden Shutout

The Adelaide Marlins are through after winning pitcher’s battle over Melbourne Athletics in Sunday’s Junior League quarterfinal.

Jack Bowden starred in one of the pitching performances of the tournament, throwing a complete-game two-hit shutout while striking out 12 across seven innings. He also hit a homer.

He out-duelled a tremendous effort by Hayden Doganay on the mound for the Athletics, who struck out 11 in 6.2.

The Marlins gradually built pressure throughout the contest, breaking through in the third inning with a Bowden homer before adding insurance runs in the fourth and fifth by care of a Levi Burns bomb.

Bowden helped his own cause offensively with a solo home run, while Levi Burns also went deep as Adelaide combined for two home runs in the victory.

Despite the loss, Melbourne Athletics received a strong effort from Hayden Doganay, who struck out 11 across 6.1 innings on the mound.

Phil Toye collected both of Melbourne’s hits in the game, but the Athletics were unable to solve Bowden as Adelaide punched its ticket into the semi-finals.

Adelaide Marlins JL Pool A

Hits (7): A. Mogg (2), L. Burns, J. Bowden, J. Redding, A. Camerlengo, N. Sutherland
RBI: S. Haskett, L. Burns, J. Bowden
HR: J. Bowden, L. Burns
Pitching:
J. Bowden — 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K

Melbourne Athletics JL Pool B

Hits (2): P. Toye (2)

Pitching:
H. Doganay — 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
C. Fegan — 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

SEMI FINAL #1: Postponed –  Hills Blue vs Cronulla | Reschedule to 9:00AM on Monday

Due to Diamond 1 and Diamond 2 being deemed unplayable for the remainder of the day, and there being no lights on Diamond 3 and Diamond 4, this semi-final game has been moved to 9:00AM on Sunday 25 May.

Enjoy a photo of Hills and Cronulla leading the crowd in Sweet Caroline during a rain delay.

SEMI FINAL: EASTERN PHANTOMS 7 def ADELAIDE MARLINS 4 | Eastern Phantoms Advance To Gold Medal Game After Four-Hour Semi Final Thriller

Eastern Phantoms are through to the Junior League Gold Medal Game after surviving a tense, rain-affected 7-4 victory over the Adelaide Marlins on Sunday afternoon.

The marathon semi-final lasted close to four hours and came down to the final pitch, with Adelaide bringing the tying run to the plate in the last inning before the game was called due to light.

Eastern Phantoms now advance to the Gold Medal Game, while Adelaide’s tournament run comes to an end after fighting until the final out.

The Phantoms await the winner of Cronulla and Hills, whose game was postponed to Monday morning. The Gold Medal start time will be confirmed later today.

Rain shaped the afternoon from the beginning.

There was a delayed start before a 20-minute weather interruption halted play with the Phantoms leading 3-0 after the opening inning.

Before the stoppage, Eastern struck quickly through Hunter Gordon, Lincoln Ellis, and Joshua Watts, who all delivered RBI hits during a dominant first frame.

When play resumed, Adelaide responded immediately.

The Marlins clawed all the way back to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Jake Redding down the right field line. Adelaide’s energy surged as the game settled into a tense back-and-forth battle.

Another lengthy weather delay arrived in the fourth inning with Eastern leading 4-3, forcing both teams to wait again before the final stretch of the game could unfold.

Once action resumed, the Phantoms found another gear.

Brody Warner delivered a key RBI single before Eastern continued to pressure the bases with aggressive running and timely hitting. Riley Malcolm drove in two runs while the Phantoms repeatedly created chaos on the basepaths, finishing with seven stolen bases.

Eastern eventually stretched the lead to 7-3, but Adelaide refused to go away quietly.

The Marlins chipped one back late and brought the tying run to the plate in the final inning before Eastern finally secured the final out to book a place in the championship game.

Hunter Gordon started strongly on the mound for Eastern, allowing just two hits across three innings, while Brody Warner helped close out the tense finish in relief.

Jake Redding provided Adelaide’s biggest offensive spark with two RBI, while Levi Burns, Noah Sutherland, Jack Bowden, and Redding all collected hits.

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits (9): R. Malcolm (2), H. Gordon, J. Hayden, L. Ellis, J. Watts, B. Warner, J. Abbot, R. Canny
RBI: R. Malcolm (2), H. Gordon, L. Ellis, J. Watts, B. Warner

Pitching:
H. Gordon — 3.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
B. Warner — 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Adelaide Marlins JL Pool A

Hits (4): L. Burns, J. Bowden, J. Redding, N. Sutherland
RBI: J. Redding (2), N. Sutherland

Pitching:
J. Zischke — 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
S. Clarke — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
J. Connor — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

The path to a Gold Medal is clear at both the Intermediate and Junior League Championships in Lismore.

Today, we wrapped up Junior League Pool Play, locked in our finals teams, and played first round of Playoffs in Lismore. Read all abouut it below.

Welcome to your Newspaper Story. This will bring you today’s scores, quick game recaps, key stats, highlights, and photos from across both tournaments.

By Monday, two teams will earn the right to represent Australia at their respective World Series events.

To watch live and free, head to Baseball+ via the app or at Baseball+.

NOTE: Tomorrow’s Day 4 Schedule (May 24) has been adjusted from original master due to a high chance of rain in the afternoon.

– INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE SCHEDULE
– JUNIOR LEAGUE SCHEDULE

TODAY’S SCHEDULE AND SCORES

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JUNIOR LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

– Brisbane North 12 def Canberra Rangers 8
– Gold Coast 10 def Melbourne Twins 4

– Eastern Phantoms 4 def Melbourne Athletics 3
– Hills 14 def Adelaide Marlins 2

– Cronulla Black 8 def Canberra Rangers 1
– Wanneroo Giants 16 def Melbourne Twins 1

Live Scoring via GameChanger

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

FINALS
– Adelaide Armada 14 def Cronulla Black 4
– Southern Titans 3 def Adelaide Armada 1

CONSOLATION
– Ryde Red 15 def Melbourne Twins 2
– Brisbane Metro 22 def Eastern Phantoms 2

Live Scoring via GameChanger

STANDINGS AND FINALS

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JUNIOR LEAGUE – FINAL AFTER POOL PLAY

Top three in each group make finals, runs allowed in brackets in case of need of three-way tiebreaker
*clinched finals ^locked up top spot

Pool A

1. Hills Blue 4-0*^
2. Adelaide Marlins 3-1*
3. Wanneroo Giants 2-2*
—
4. Gold Coast 1-3
5. Melbourne Twins 0-4

Pool B

1. Eastern Phantoms 3-1*^
2. Cronulla Black 3-1 *
3. Melbourne Athletics 2-2*
—
4. Brisbane North 2-2
5. Canberra Rangers 0-3

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE FINALS BRACKET

– Game 1 (G1): Adelaide Armada 14 def  Cronulla Black 4
– Game 2 (G2): Southern Titans 3 def Gold Coast

– Qualifying Final (Sat): Adelaide Armada (Winner G1) vs Southern Titans (Winner G2), winner advances to Gold Medal Game, loser to Preliminary Final

– Elimination Final (Sat): Cronulla Black (Loser G1) vs Gold Coast (Loser G2), winner advances to Preliminary Final

– Preliminary Final (Sat): Loser Qualifying Final vs Winner Elimination Final

– Gold Medal (Sun): Winner Qualifying Final vs Winner Preliminary Final

RECAPS – INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE FINALS

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FINALS GAME 1 | Adelaide Armada 14 def Cronulla Black 4 – Adelaide advances to Qualifying Final behind two homer display from Archer Spratt and dominance on both sides of the ledger

Adelaide Armada are one win away from the Intermediate League Gold Medal Game after a dominant 14-4 victory over Cronulla Black in Saturday’s opening final.

The win sends Adelaide into Sunday morning’s Qualifying Final, where victory would book a place in the championship game later that day. For Cronulla, the path becomes far tougher. They now drop into the Elimination Final and will need to win twice on Sunday to keep their title hopes alive.

Adelaide controlled the game in every area, combining a powerful offensive display with a dominant performance on the mound from Archie Wallis.

Wallis was outstanding, striking out 11 batters across 5.1 innings while allowing just three hits and two runs. He consistently overpowered Cronulla hitters and set the tone early as Adelaide took control.

Offensively, the Armada launched three home runs, including two from Archer Spratt in a massive power display.

Spratt homered in both the third and fifth innings, with his second blast coming in a back-to-back sequence alongside Ethan Zoontjens during Adelaide’s four-run fifth inning that completely blew the game open.

It marked Spratt’s second and third home runs of the tournament.

Zachary Gratton was phenomenal at the plate, finishing a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, while Harrison Malec added two hits and an RBI of his own.

Adelaide jumped on the board in the first inning before adding three more in the second through RBI hits from Flynn Dienelt and William Fuller, plus a bases-loaded walk to Cooper Scarabotti.

Cronulla showed flashes offensively, highlighted by a solo home run from Ethan Uncle in the second inning that briefly cut the deficit.

Ash Garnero also collected two hits from the leadoff spot, while Kobe Chu and Tim Wicks each drove in runs.

But Adelaide’s offence kept rolling, finishing with 15 hits, nine walks and six stolen bases in one of their most complete performances of the tournament.

ADELAIDE ARMADA IL POOL A

Hits (15): Zachary Gratton (4), Archer Spratt (2), Archie Wallis (2), Harrison Malec (2), Ethan Zoontjens, Flynn Dienelt, Harvey Ingram, Jack Blanton, William Fuller

RBI: Zachary Gratton (3), Archer Spratt (2), Ethan Zoontjens (2), Cooper Scarabotti (2), William Fuller (2), Harrison Malec, Flynn Dienelt

HR: Archer Spratt (2), Ethan Zoontjens

Pitching:
Archie Wallis — 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 11 K
Cooper Scarabotti — 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Archer Spratt — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

CRONULLA BLACK IL POOL B

Hits (5): Ash Garnero (2), Kobe Chu Tim Wicks, Ethan Uncle
RBI: Kobe Chu, Tim Wicks, Ethan Uncle

Pitching:
Tyler Rixon — 4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Kobe Chu — 0.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER
Cooper Jacenko — 2.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 3 K

FINALS GAME 2 | Southern Titans 3 def Gold Coast 1 – Titans ride dominant Carr performance into Qualifying Final

Southern Titans are headed straight to the Qualifying Final after a tremendous pitching display and a timely homer powered them to a 3-1 win over Gold Coast on Saturday.

With the victory, the undefeated Titans advance directly into Sunday’s Qualifying Final against Adelaide Armada, with the winner to book a place in the gold medal game. Gold Coast now face the tougher route, needing to survive an Elimination Final against Cronulla on Sunday to keep their championship hopes alive.

The story of the game was Titans starter Brodie Carr.

The right-hander was outstanding, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning while striking out seven across six dominant innings. Gold Coast managed just one hit all game and only broke through for their lone run in the bottom of the seventh after Carr exited.

Carr worked around seven walks and repeatedly shut down Gold Coast threats in one of the best pitching performances of the tournament so far.

The breakthrough offensively came in the third inning when Enzo Lee launched a two-run home run to centre field, giving the Titans a lead they would never surrender.

The Titans added another insurance run later in the game, while Archie Golding collected two hits to help lead the offence.
Gold Coast stayed within striking distance thanks to a strong outing from Tace Ahu, who battled through six and two-thirds innings while allowing three runs against a dangerous Titans lineup.

SOUTHERN TITANS

Hits (7): A. Golding (2), P. Taylor, A. Kennelly, G. Fifield, E. Lee, A. Wieman
RBI: E. Lee (2), A. Wieman

Pitching:
B. Carr — 6.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 7 K
Jacob Golding — 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

GOLD COAST

Hits (1): L. Masuda
RBI: L. Masuda

Pitching:
T. Ahu — 6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
O. Hayward — 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

RECAPS – JUNIOR LEAGUE

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BRISBANE NORTH 12 def  CANBERRA RANGERS 8 | Brisbane North stay in the hunt for a Finals Spot 

Brisbane North kept their Junior League Finals hopes alive on Saturday, defeating Canberra Rangers 12-8 to improve to 2-2 in Pool B and keep themselves firmly in the finals conversation.

Now, the waiting game begins.

Brisbane North must now rely on other Pool B results to fall their way as the tiebreaker picture unfolds. Their earlier tournament win over Eastern Phantoms keeps them in contention, while losses to the Athletics and Cronulla could become crucial depending on how head-to-head scenarios shake out. Runs allowed may also come into effect.

Facing a must-win situation, Brisbane North delivered when it mattered most.

Canberra struck first in the second inning when Amundson singled home a run, Ahrii Matavesi drove in another on a fielder’s choice, and Jaxon Bentley added an RBI single to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead.

But Brisbane North answered immediately.

The Queensland side exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second inning to completely flip the game. The biggest blow came from Mitchell Larkin, who delivered a two-run single as Brisbane North surged in front 6-3.

They added another run in the third when Luke Baisley singled down the right field line to make it 7-3 before continuing to build pressure late.

Brisbane North eventually finished with 12 runs on eight hits while drawing seven walks and swiping six bases in an aggressive offensive display. They also flashed some nice defense:

Larkin starred both on the mound and at the plate. He threw four innings, allowing three runs while striking out six, and also collected two hits with two RBI offensively.

Baisley also had a multi-hit game, while Issei Hamano, Xander Reid and L. Roberson all drove in runs.

Canberra battled throughout and finished with 11 hits in the loss, including a three-hit performance from Caleb Edel.
Bentley, Lincoln Barrett, Lessard and Amundson each contributed RBI as the Rangers mounted a late push with four runs in the seventh inning.

But Brisbane North held on to secure the result they desperately needed.

BRISBANE NORTH

Hits (8): Mitchell Larkin (2), Luke Baisley (2), I. Hamano, C. Wheeler, X. Reid, L. Gale
RBI: Mitchell Larkin (2), I. Hamano, X. Reid, Luke Baisley, L. Roberson

Pitching:
Mitchell Larkin — 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 6 K
Lachlan Gale — 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 K
Xander Reid — 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K
CANBERRA RANGERS

Hits (11): Caleb Edel (3), Jaxen Bentley (2), Lincoln Barrett, Eric Cochrane, Lincoln Kelly, J. Chambers, Eli Lessard, Jude Amundson

RBI: Jaxen Bentley, Lincoln Barrett, Lessard, Amundson, Ahrii Matavesi, Caleb Edel

GOLD COAST 10 def MELBOURNE TWINS 4 | Gold Coast stay alive, now face nervous wait for Finals Fate

Gold Coast kept their Junior League finals hopes alive with a crucial 10-4 victory over Melbourne Twins on Saturday, but their tournament fate now rests in the hands of others.

The win was Gold Coast’s first of the tournament and keeps them mathematically alive in the race for a top-three finish in Pool A.
Now comes the waiting game.

Gold Coast need Melbourne Twins to defeat Wanneroo Giants later on Saturday and then hope the resulting three-way tie scenario falls in their favour via tournament tiebreakers. Runs allowed will play a key factor.

Gold Coast wasted little time taking control after Melbourne opened the scoring in the first inning on a Jacob Low RBI groundout.

Christopher Hill responded immediately with an RBI single in the bottom half before a Melbourne error gave Gold Coast a 2-1 lead.

The Twins briefly tied the game in the second through a Drayden Jo RBI groundout, but Gold Coast answered with a huge inning to reclaim momentum.

Marcus Vanderkemp delivered an RBI single as Gold Coast scored three times in the second inning to move ahead 5-2.

They continued to build the lead from there, adding two more in the third and never allowing Melbourne back into the contest.

Sebastian Waters drove in a run with a single down the right field line, while Gold Coast capitalised on multiple Melbourne defensive miscues throughout the game.

Marcus Vanderkemp led the way offensively with two hits, while the Gold Coast lineup showed patience at the plate with seven walks.

On the mound, Harrison Stevens provided a key relief outing, throwing 3.1 innings while allowing two runs and striking out three.

Ashton Hodgman started the game and allowed no hits across 1.1 innings.

Melbourne battled throughout despite the loss.

Myles McKelvie, Tommy Kennedy, Tyler Thomas and Isaac Davis all recorded hits, while Luis Fazio, Drayden Jo, Kennedy and Low each drove in runs.

The Twins also drew eight walks in the game.

Now all eyes turn to the final Pool A clash between Wanneroo and Melbourne, with Gold Coast hoping results fall perfectly to keep their finals dream alive.

GOLD COAST JL POOL A

Hits (7): Marcus Vanderkemp (2), Christopher Hill, Nate Marr, Sebastian Waters, Ashton Hodgman, J Mercer
RBI: Christopher Hill, Marcus Vanderkemp, Luke Anderson, Luis Peters

Ashton Hodgman — 1.1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
J Mercer — 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K
Harrison Stevens — 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

MELBOURNE TWINS JL POOL A

Hits (4): Myles McKelvie, Tommy Kennedy, Tyler Thomas, Isaac Davis
RBI: Luis Fazio, Drayden Jo, Tommy Kennedy, Jacob Low

Pitching:
Myles McKelvie — 3.0 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
F Vines — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Drayden Jo — 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
A Mazloum — 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER

EASTERN PHANTOMS 4 def MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 3 | Phantoms clinch top spot in Pool B and a spot in the semi-finals after surviving late Athletics charge

The stakes could not have been clearer for Eastern Phantoms on Saturday.

Win, and they would finish top of Junior League Pool B and advance directly to the semi-finals with a crucial bye through the quarter-finals. Lose, and they were likely heading out of the tournament.

The Phantoms delivered.

The Phantoms held off a furious late Melbourne Athletics rally to secure a tense 4-3 victory and punch their ticket straight through to the semi-finals.

But they had to earn every bit of it.

Melbourne threatened right until the final out, bringing the potential winning run on base with two outs before the Phantoms finally escaped danger with a game-ending strikeout from Lincoln Ellis.

It capped a dramatic finish to one of the tightest games of the tournament so far.

The Phantoms grabbed the early advantage in the first inning when Lincoln Ellis drove in the opening run with a single.

They added another in the second after Samuel Gardiner ripped a double down the right field line.

Melbourne responded in the third, tying the game thanks to a Josh Moulds RBI single and a wild pitch, but Eastern answered immediately.

Hunter Gordon delivered a clutch RBI double in the bottom half of the inning to restore the lead at 3-2 before the Phantoms added what proved to be a vital insurance run in the fourth.

Both starting pitchers were outstanding in a high-pressure matchup.

Samuel Gardiner delivered a tremendous start for Eastern, allowing just two runs across six innings while striking out five.

Melbourne’s Josh Moulds matched him almost pitch-for-pitch, striking out seven across six innings in a gritty complete effort that kept the Athletics within striking distance all afternoon.

Riley Malcolm sparked the Eastern offence with two hits and two runs scored, while Gordon and Ellis each collected two-hit games.

For Melbourne, Jackson Berg, Albert Baragwanath, Phillip Toye, Charlie Fegan, Moulds, Nixon Dikranis and Leo Moulton all recorded hits in a balanced offensive performance.

Despite the loss, the Athletics pushed the Phantoms to the brink before Eastern finally closed the door and celebrated a semi-final berth.

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits (9): R. Malcolm (2), H. Gordon (2), L. Ellis (2), J. Watts, B. Warner, S. Gardiner
RBI: H. Gordon, L. Ellis, S. Gardiner

Pitching:
S. Gardiner — 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
L. Ellis — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS

Hits (7): J. Berg, C. Fegan, L. Moulton, A. Baragwanath, P. Toye, N. Dikranis, J. Moulds
RBI: A. Baragwanath, J. Moulds

Pitching:
J. Moulds — 6.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 B

HILLS BLUE 14 def ADELAIDE MARLINS 2 | Hills Blue power past Adelaide Marlins to lock of Pool A top spot and place in semi-finals

Hills Blue continued their dominant run through Junior League Pool A on Saturday, exploding offensively in a commanding 14-2 victory over Adelaide Marlins.

The win keeps Hills unbeaten at the tournament and further strengthens their position as one of the championship favourites heading into finals. They’ve outscored opponents 50-5 in their four games.

Hills wasted no time taking control, erupting for five runs in the opening inning before steadily piling on throughout the afternoon.

A balanced offence drove the result, with six different players recording multiple hits as Hills finished with 14 hits and 13 RBI.

Spencer Dobb starred in the middle of the lineup, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Justin Jang drove in two runs and Tom Whalley also collected a two-hit, two-RBI performance.

Lawes and Harry Hobbs each added two-hit games as Hills consistently pressured the Marlins defence.

On the mound, Hills combined to allow just two hits across five innings.

Hudson Dobb opened the game before Spencer Dobb struck out three across one and two-thirds scoreless innings in relief. Anton Jacovides later closed things out with three strikeouts in his inning of work.

Adelaide’s best offensive moments came from Sebastien Haskett and Jack Zischke, who each recorded a hit, while the Marlins also worked six walks in the contest.

Levi Burns battled through four and one-third innings on the mound for Adelaide despite the relentless Hills offence.

HILLS BLUE JL POOL A

Hits (14): L. Lawes (2), H. Hobbs (2), S. Dobb (2), J. Jang (2), T. Whall (2), H. Dobb, A. Jacovides, H. Graham, S. Howick, F. Dobb

RBI: S. Dobb (3), J. Jang (2), T. Whall (2), L. Lawes, H. Hobbs, S. Howick, H. Dobb, A. Jacovides, H. Graham

Pitching:
H. Dobb — 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
S. Dobb — 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
H. Hobbs — 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
A. Jacovides — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

ADELAIDE MARLINS JL POOL A
Hits (2): S. Haskett, J. Zischke

Pitching:
L. Burns — 4.1 IP, 12 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
A. Mogg — 0.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

CRONULLA BLACK 8 def CANBERRA RANGERS 1 | Cronulla officially lock up second spot with win

Cronulla Black took care of business on Saturday, defeating Canberra Rangers 8-1 to continue their strong run through the Junior League Championships.

Cronulla jumped on the Rangers early and never looked back, scoring three runs in the opening inning before adding another in the second to quickly build a four-run cushion.

Kai Shibata helped spark the fast start with an RBI double to centre field, while Franklin Pyke and Christopher Blyton also drove in runs during the opening frame.

Cronulla’s pitching did the rest.

Blake Short delivered a quality start, allowing just one run across six innings while striking out two. Fenix Cutajar closed things out with a scoreless inning in relief.

Shibata finished with two hits, while both he and Blyton drove in two runs apiece. Pyke also caused havoc on the bases with two stolen bases as Cronulla played clean defence without committing an error.

Canberra showed some fight offensively, with Eric Cochrane and Jaxen Bentley both collecting two hits. Cochrane also drove in the Rangers’ lone run.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits (8): K. Shibata (2), C. Blyton, F. Pyke, L. Gilmore, B. Short, J. Garnero, F. Cutajar

RBI: K. Shibata (2), C. Blyton (2), F. Pyke, L. Gilmore

Pitching:
B. Short — 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
F. Cutajar — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

CANBERRA RANGERS

Hits (4): E. Cochrane (2), J. Bentley (2)
RBI: E. Cochrane

Pitching:
K. McIntyre — 5.2 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

WANNEROO 16 def MELBOURNE TWINS 1 | Wanneroo cruise into finals

Wanneroo Giants are heading to the Junior League quarterfinals after finishing pool play in emphatic fashion with a 16-1 win over Melbourne Twins on Saturday.

After opening the tournament 0-2, the Giants responded with back-to-back wins to finish 2-2 and secure the number three seed heading into finals. They will now face Cronulla Black in Sunday morning’s quarterfinal, with a place in the semi-finals on the line.

Wanneroo controlled the game in all facets, piling up 15 hits while their pitching staff combined to allow just one hit across six innings.

Hayden Thomas starred offensively with three hits in four at-bats, collecting RBI singles in the third and continuing to pressure the Twins lineup throughout the afternoon.

Melbourne struck first in the opening inning, but Wanneroo quickly responded with three runs in the second before breaking the game open with a four-run third inning.

The Giants then exploded again in the seventh, scoring six runs on six hits to put the game well out of reach. Jacob Bond ripped a two-run triple during the rally, while Harvey Scaife, Blake Nicol and Mason Fontoura Castro all drove in runs.

Declan Burns set the tone on the mound, allowing just one hit and one run over 3.1 innings while striking out four without issuing a walk. Harrison Richardson and Blake Nicol combined for 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to finish off the dominant performance.

Wanneroo also wreaked havoc on the bases, stealing 13 bags in the victory.

WANNEROO GIANTS

Hits (15): H. Thomas (3), H. Scaife (2), C. Branch (2), J. Bond (2), T. Oldfield (2), D. Burns (2), H. Richardson, B. Nicol, M. Fontoura Castro
RBI: B. Gordon (3), H. Scaife (2), J. Bond (2), H. Thomas, C. Branch, H. Richardson, B. Nicol, M. Fontoura Castro

Pitching:
D. Burns — 3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
H. Richardson — 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
B. Nicol — 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

MELBOURNE TWINS
Hits (1): I. Davis

Pitching:
M. Cvetanoski — 3.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
A. Mazloum — 3.2 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

RECAPS – CONSOLATION

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CONSOLATION | Ryde 15 def Melbourne Twins 2 – Ryde responds with a dominant win

Ryde Red bounced back in emphatic fashion on Saturday, defeating Melbourne Twins 15-2.

After the heartbreak of missing the semi-finals on Friday via the tournament tiebreaker system, Ryde responded with an explosive offensive display led by Jake Bunn and a dominant outing on the mound from Yoh Kaneko.

Bunn drove in four runs on three hits, including a two-run double and a solo home run, while Kaneko struck out 13 batters across five innings in one of the most dominant pitching performances of the tournament.

Ryde exploded for eight runs in the opening inning and never looked back. Jenson Koch opened the scoring with an RBI single before Liam Kelly drew a bases-loaded walk. Bunn added an RBI single, Kye Matthewson knocked in another run, Yoh Kaneko grounded out to score, Madeleine Cesare delivered a two-run single, and a passed ball capped the huge inning.

Ryde added four more runs in the third inning, including Bunn’s two-run double and another RBI from Kelly, before tacking on three more in the fifth.

Thomas Phelps singled home a run, Kelly added another RBI, and Bunn launched a solo homer to centre field to finish off his huge day.

Kaneko was electric on the mound, allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out 13 and walking only one.

Bunn went 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Phelps and Matthewson both collected multiple hits. Ryde also stole six bases and drew six walks.

Melbourne Twins battled throughout, with Tiger Ah-Lit and Nathan Macaulay each driving in a run. Nathan Macaulay, Len Farrow, Alexander Ward, Brodie Leigh and Thomas Macaulay all recorded hits.

RYDE RED

Hits (13): Jake Bunn (3), Thomas Phelps (2), Kye Matthewson (2), Jenson Koch, Liam Kelly, Yoh Kaneko, Madeleine Cesare, Miles Powell, Brian Huang

RBI: Jake Bunn (4), Liam Kelly (3), Madeleine Cesare (2), Jenson Koch, Kye Matthewson, Yoh Kaneko, Thomas Phelps

Pitching: Yoh Kaneko — 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 13 K, 1 BB

MELBOURNE TWINS

Hits (6): Nathan Macaulay, Tiger Ah-Lit, Len Farrow, Alexander Ward, Brodie Leigh, Thomas Macaulay
RBI: Nathan Macaulay, Tiger Ah-Lit

CONSOLATION | Brisbane Metro 22 def Eastern Phantoms 2 – Brisbane Metro erupt for 13-run inning

Brisbane Metro exploded for 13 runs in a monster sixth inning as they rolled past Eastern Phantoms 22-2 in an Intermediate League consolation game on Saturday.

The offensive outburst capped a dominant afternoon for Brisbane Metro, who piled up 17 hits and scored in four different innings, including six runs in the fifth before the game-breaking sixth.

Felix Moncrieff starred in every facet of the game.

The Brisbane Metro ace struck out 11 batters across 4.2 innings on the mound, while also driving in eight runs offensively with three doubles. Moncrieff delivered a two-run double in the fourth inning before adding a pair of three-run doubles in the fifth and sixth.

The sixth inning turned into a parade around the bases.

Riley Kameus opened the scoring with an RBI double before Parker Blowes added a two-run double. Jett Arevalo followed with an RBI single, Sebastian Pedder drew a bases-loaded walk, and Alex Rosuck was hit by a pitch to force home another run.

Moncrieff then cleared the bases with another three-run double as the inning spiralled further out of reach. Later in the frame, Blowes added another RBI single and Ruaridh McLean drove in two more runs with a base hit as Brisbane Metro sent wave after wave of hitters to the plate.

Blowes, McLean and Moncrieff all collected three hits in the victory, while Brisbane Metro also showed patience at the plate with eight walks.

For Eastern Phantoms, Mason Scott, Riley Connaughton, Harrison Smith and Bentley Bolton each collected hits, while Scott drove in the team’s lone RBI.

BRISBANE METRO

Hits (17): F. Moncrieff (3), P. Blowes (3), R. McLean (3), A. Rosuck (2), N. Zachary, L. Thomas, R. Kameus, J. Gryl, J. Allen, J. Arevalo

RBI: F. Moncrieff (8), P. Blowes (3), R. McLean (2), A. Rosuck, C. Wood, R. Kameus, J. Gryl, J. Allen, J. Arevalo, S. Pedder

Pitching:
F. Moncrieff — 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 11 K
J. Gryl — 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits (4): B. Bolton, R. Connaughton, M. Scott, H. Smith
RBI: M. Scott

Pitching:
R. Connaughton — 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
S. Rowland — 0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
A. Gianatti — 1.0 IP, 6 H, 10 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 0 K

Holy Guacamole! The final day of Pool Play in Intermediate League went down to the wire and we had a crazy three-way tiebreaker that was decided on the final pitch of the day. Read about it below, including how finals works for Intermediate League and tomorrow’s schedule.

But…Welcome to your Newspaper Story. This will bring you today’s scores, quick game recaps, key stats, highlights, and photos from across both tournaments.

By Monday, two teams will earn the right to represent Australia at their respective World Series events.

To watch live and free, head to Baseball+ via the app or at Baseball+. The master schedule can be found here. 

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

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JUNIOR LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

– Brisbane North 12 def Eastern Phantoms 2, replay on Baseball+
– Melbourne Athletics 9 def Canberra Rangers 5

– Cronulla Black 9 def Melbourne Athletics 4, replay on Baseball+
– Adelaide Marlins 7 def Gold Coast 5

– Hills Blue 23 def Melbourne Twins 1
– Eastern Phantoms 1 def Cronulla Black 0

– Wanneroo Giants 14 def Gold Coast 9

Live Scoring via GameChanger

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

– Ryde Red 4 def Adelaide Armada 3
– Gold Coast 6 def Eastern Phantoms 0

– Brisbane Metro 6 def Melbourne Twins 4
– Adelaide Armada 7 def Eastern Phantoms 0

– Southern Titans 5 def Cronulla Black 2
– Gold Coast 15 def Ryde Red 8

Live Scoring via GameChanger

CURRENT STANDINGS

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JUNIOR LEAGUE

Top three in each group make finals

Pool A

Adelaide Marlins 3-0*
Hills Blue 3-0*
Wanneroo Giants 1-2
Melbourne Twins 0-2
Wanneroo Giants 0-3

Pool B

Cronulla Black 2-1
Melbourne Athletics 2-1
Eastern Phantoms 2-1
Brisbane North 1-2
Canberra Rangers 0-2

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

Top two in each group make finals
*clinched finals

Pool A

Adelaide Armada 2-1*
Gold Coast 2-1*

—
Ryde Red 2-1
Eastern Phantoms 0-3

Adelaide and Gold Coast advance on runs allowed ratio.

Pool B

Southern Titans 3-0*
Cronulla Black 2-1*
Brisbane Metro 1-2
Melbourne Twins 0-3

RECAPS – JUNIOR LEAGUE

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BRISBANE NORTH 12 def EASTERN PHANTOMS 2 | Brisbane North stay alive with run-rule win 

After an 0-2 start to the Junior League Championships, Brisbane North needed a response on Friday morning. They got exactly that.

Trailing 2-1 in the fourth inning, Brisbane North exploded for 11 unanswered runs to storm past Eastern Phantoms in a 12-2 in a crucial run-rule victory. They scored five in the fourth and six in the fifth.

The win improves Brisbane North to 1-2, keeping their top three hopes alive. Eastern Phantoms drop to 1-1.

Eastern Phantoms grabbed the early lead when Sam Gardiner singled home a run in the second before Jake Hayden restored the advantage with an RBI single in the fourth.

That’s when Brisbane North’s bats erupted.

Five runs crossed in the bottom of the fourth as Brisbane North turned a one-run deficit into a 6-2 lead. Braxton Black delivered the key hit of the inning with a two-run single.

The floodgates fully opened in the fifth.

Patrick Fogg drove in two runs with a single before Edward Bain launched a two-run homer to left field. Lachlan Gale later added a two-run single to clinch the run-rule victory.

Callum Wheeler starred on the mound for Brisbane North, delivering a complete-game effort. Wheeler allowed just four hits and two runs, only one earned, across five innings while striking out eight.

Brisbane North finished with 14 hits in the win.

Fogg drove in three runs and went 2-for-3, while Bain, Luke Baisley, Wheeler and Fogg all collected two hits. Issei Hamano and Mitchell Larkin each stole two bases as Brisbane North swiped six bags as a team.

Eastern Phantoms managed four hits, with Josh Watts, Hayden, Brody Warner and Gardiner recording one each.

BRISBANE NORTH

Hits (14): E. Bain (2), L. Baisley (2), C. Wheeler (2), P. Fogg (2), M. Larkin, I. Hamano, X. Reid, A. Bell, B. Black, L. Gale

RBI (12): P. Fogg (3), E. Bain (2), L. Gale (2), B. Black (2), C. Wheeler, L. Baisley, X. Reid

HR: E. Bain

WP: C. Wheeler 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: J. Watts, J. Hayden, B. Warner, S. Gardiner

RBI (2): J. Hayden, S. Gardiner

LP: B. Stingers 1.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 9 def CANBERRA RANGERS  5 | Athletics improve to 2-0 and shoot to top of Pool A

The Melbourne Athletics jumped out early and never looked back, defeating Canberra Rangers 9-5 on Friday to stay firmly in the hunt in Junior League Pool B.

Canberra opened the scoring in the first when Eric “the Edge” Cochrane drew a bases-loaded walk, but the Athletics answered immediately with a five-run bottom half to seize control. Charlie Fegan delivered a key RBI double in the inning as Melbourne turned a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 advantage.

The Rangers kept battling and scored in four separate innings, but Melbourne continued to respond and limit damage in the process. Three more Athletics’ runs in the fourth helped create breathing room before the Athletics added another insurance run in the sixth.

Jackson Berg got the start for Melbourne and struck out two over the opening inning, while Albert Baragwanath impressed in relief with two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one.

Baragwanath also starred at the plate, collecting two hits from the number eight spot in the lineup. Alexander Knell and John Gogos each drove in two runs, while Melbourne received contributions throughout the order in a complete offensive performance.

Canberra finished with six hits in the loss. They drop to 0-2.

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS

Hits (7): A. Baragwanath, E. Lane, C. Fegan, L. Moulton, A. Knell, P. Toye

RBI (8): A. Knell (2), J. Gogos (2), C. Fegan, H. Huang, A. Baragwanath, P. Toye

WP: A. Baragwanath 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

CANBERRA RANGERS

Hits (6): I. Evans, A. Matavesi, K. Blundell, E. Cochrane, C. Edel, L. Barrett
RBI (4): I. Evans, J. Amundson, C. Edel, L. Barrett
LP: I. Evans 3.2 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

ADELAIDE MARLINS 7 def GOLD COAST 5 | Marlins first team to clinch finals spot after holding off Gold Coast rally

The Adelaide Marlins became the first team to officially secure a place in the Junior League Championships finals after surviving a late comeback to defeat Gold Coast 7-5 on Friday.

The victory improves the Marlins to 3-0 after backing up yesterday’s double-header sweep with another crucial win.

Gold Coast threatened late and even brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning, but Adelaide held firm to close out the result.

The Marlins jumped on Gold Coast early, scoring twice in the first inning before adding runs in the second and third to build a 4-0 lead. Sebastien Haskett was a key player on the mound and at the plate in the win.

Haskett opened the scoring with an RBI groundout before Jamie Ferris added an RBI single in the second. Sam Clarke later ripped a double to extend the advantage.

Haskett was dominant to start the game for Adelaide, carrying a no-hitter into the fourth inning. He allowed just one run over 3.2 innings while striking out four.

Gold Coast clawed back into the game with two runs in the fifth and another two in the seventh, but Adelaide responded with insurance runs throughout the middle innings to stay in front.

Ashton Mogg starred offensively for the Marlins, finishing 2-for-2, while the team wreaked havoc on the bases with nine stolen bags.

Adelaide has already locked in a Top 3 finals berth, but Saturday’s showdown with undefeated Hills Blue (2-0) could determine whether the Marlins secure a direct semi-final bye or are forced into a quarter-final.

Gold Coast drop to 0-2 and now likely need to win out to make the finals.

ADELAIDE MARLINS

Hits (9): A. Mogg (2), S. Clarke, L. Burns, J. Zischke, C. Sanders, J. Redding, J. Ferris, N. Sutherland
RBI (5): S. Clarke, S. Haskett, J. Zischke, J. Ferris, A. Mogg

Pitching:
S. Haskett — 3.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
S. Clarke — 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
T. Cutler — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

GOLD COAST

Hits (4): B. Shearer, N. Marr, B. Courts, J. Ryan
RBI (3): B. Shearer, B. Courts, J. Ryan

Pitching:
M. Vanderkemp — 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
L. Peters — 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
S. Waters — 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

CRONULLA BLACK 9 def MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 4 | Blyton blasts two homers as Cronulla close in on finals spot

Cronulla Black are now one win away from locking in a Junior League Championships finals spot after a power-hitting display led them past Melbourne Athletics 9-4 on Friday.

The victory improves Cronulla to 2-0 in Pool B, while Melbourne Athletics slip to 2-1 but remain firmly in the hunt for a Top 3 finish with one game still to play.

Four home runs flew out of Diamond 1 in a slugfest headlined by Christopher Blyton, who crushed two homers and drove in four runs in a dominant performance.

Cronulla wasted no time getting on the board when Benjamin Napier launched a solo homer in the first inning.

Blyton then took over.

The Cronulla slugger smashed a two-run homer in the second before going deep again in the fifth as part of a four-run inning that blew the game open. His second long ball of the day scored two more runs and gave Cronulla breathing room.

Lincoln Potter added a sacrifice fly later in the inning before Fenix Cutajar drove in another run with an RBI single.

Melbourne Athletics battled throughout and collected nine hits, including a solo home run from Leo Moulton in the seventh inning, but could not slow Cronulla’s offence.

Kai Shibata gave Cronulla a huge lift on the mound, striking out six over 2.2 scoreless innings to start the game. Franklin Pyke followed with 4.1 innings in relief to earn the win.

Cronulla now sits just one victory away from officially securing a finals berth in Pool B, as do the Melbourne Athletics.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits (7): C. Blyton (2), B. Napier (2), L. Vigil, Z. Fordyce, F. Cutajar

RBI (8): C. Blyton (4), B. Napier (2), L. Potter, F. Cutajar

HR: C. Blyton (2), B. Napier

Pitching:
K. Shibata — 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
F. Pyke — 4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS

Hits (9): J. Berg (2), P. Toye (2), E. Lane, H. Doganay, L. Moulton, A. Baragwanath, N. Dikranis

RBI (4): J. Berg, H. Doganay, P. Toye, L. Moulton

HR: L. Moulton

H. Doganay — 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
J. Gogos — 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
J. Moulds — 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

HILLS BLUE 23 def MELBOURNE TWINS 1 | Hills pile it on and clinch spot in Finals

Hills Blue locked up a top two finish in Junior League Pool A on Friday after a dominant 23-1 victory over Melbourne Twins.

The win improves Hills Blue to 3-0 and sets up a massive showdown with Adelaide Marlins, also 3-0, on Saturday. With both teams already securing top three finishes, the game will now decide first place in Pool A and a direct bye into the semi-finals.

The loser will still advance, but will have to survive a quarter-final.

Hills Blue blew the game open with a staggering 14-run second inning and never looked back, piling up 18 hits and 19 RBI across just four innings.

Thomas Whalley starred with an inside-the-park home run and four RBI, while Fletcher Dobb, Harry Hobbs, Hudson Dobb and Justin Jang all collected multiple hits.

Fletcher Dobb also impressed on the mound, allowing just two hits and one run across four innings while striking out three.

Hudson Dobb scored three runs and went 2-for-2, Harry Hobbs finished 3-for-3, and Fletcher Dobb drove in two runs while also scoring twice.

The result also creates a fascinating finals race at the bottom of Pool A.

Melbourne Twins now sit at 0-2 alongside Wanneroo Giants and Gold Coast, with just one remaining playoff spot still available.

HILLS BLUE

Hits (18): H. Hobbs (3), F. Dobb (2), S. Dobb (2), J. Jang (2), H. Dobb (2), H. Graham (2), T. Whalley, E. Cross, A. Jacovides, S. Howick, W. Bennett

RBI (19): T. Whalley (4), A. Jacovides (3), S. Howick (2), H. Dobb (2), F. Dobb (2), W. Bennett, E. Cross, H. Graham, H. Hobbs, S. Dobb, L. Lawes

HR: T. Whalley

Pitching:
F. Dobb — 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K

MELBOURNE TWINS

Hits (2): M. McKelvie, T. Thomas
RBI (1): T. Thomas

EASTERN PHANTOMS 1 def CRONULLA 0 | Riley Malcolm throws complete game shutout to stun Cronulla

Eastern Phantoms have blown Pool B wide open after knocking off previously unbeaten Cronulla Black 1-0 in a brilliant pitching duel on Friday.

The headline belonged to Riley Malcolm.

Malcolm threw a complete game shutout for the Phantoms, going all seven innings while allowing just four hits, striking out six, and walking two in one of the best pitching performances of the tournament so far.

Every out mattered in a game where runs were almost impossible to find.

The Phantoms scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the first inning when Lincoln Ellis delivered an RBI single, bringing home Hunter Gordon.

That proved enough thanks to Malcolm’s dominance on the mound and a sharp defensive effort behind him.

Cronulla starter Lincoln Potter was also outstanding, giving up just one run across three innings while striking out four without issuing a walk. Eli Foo and Logan Glasheen combined for three more scoreless innings in relief to keep Cronulla within striking distance all game.

Eastern Phantoms improved to 2-1 with the victory, while Cronulla Black dropped to 2-1 after entering the contest unbeaten.
The result plunges Pool B into complete chaos heading into the final day.

Nobody has clinched a playoff spot. All five teams can still make the playoffs, and all five teams can still miss.

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits (4): J. Hayden, L. Ellis, J. Watts, B. Warner
RBI: L. Ellis

Pitching:
R. Malcolm — 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits (4): L. Glasheen, E. Foo, C. Blyton, B. Napier

Pitching:
L. Potter — 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 K
E. Foo — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
L. Glasheen — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

WANNEROO GIANTS 13 def GOLD COAST 8 | Wanneroo pick up first win as Pool B set to go down to the wire

Wanneroo Giants are still alive in the race for the Junior League playoffs after storming back from an early four-run deficit to defeat Gold Coast 14-9 on Friday.

The result leaves Adelaide and Hills already qualified, while Wanneroo (1-2), Gold Coast (0-3) and Canberra (0-2) will battle for the final playoff spot on Saturday.

Gold Coast looked in control early.

Marcus Vanderkemp opened the scoring in the first inning before Sebastian Waters doubled home a run and Banjo Shearer ripped a two-run triple as Gold Coast jumped ahead 4-0.

But the game flipped completely in the third.

Wanneroo exploded for seven runs in the inning to surge in front 9-4, despite recording just one hit in the frame. Jacob Bond delivered the biggest blow with a two-run single during the rally.

Gold Coast continued to fight and trimmed the deficit, but Wanneroo answered again with five more runs in the sixth inning to break the game open.

Connor Branch drove in a run with a single before Bond added another clutch two-run hit. Nicol later forced a fielder’s choice that brought home two more runs in a chaotic finish.

Bond finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored, while Beau Gordon also collected two hits and delivered a huge relief outing with 2.2 scoreless innings and three strikeouts.

Wanneroo showed patience at the plate all game, drawing 10 walks and stealing six bases.

Gold Coast collected 13 hits in the loss, led by Shearer, who went 4-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored.

Vanderkemp drove in three runs, while Jeremy Ryan and Waters both finished with multi-hit games.

WANNEROO GIANTS

Hits (6): Bond (2),  Gordon (2), Branch, Burns
RBI: Bond (3), Burns (2),  Nicol (2), Branch, Thomas, Richardson

GOLD COAST

Hits (13):  Shearer (4), Vanderkemp (2), Ryan (2), Waters (2), Courts, Anderson, Hodgman
RBI: Vanderkemp (3), Ryan, Anderson, Hodgman, Shearer, Waters

RECAPS – INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

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GOLD COAST 6 def EASTERN PHANTOMS 0 | Combined complete-game shutout keeps Gold Coast Finals hopes alive

A phenomenal combined one-hitter in a must-win clash between two 0-1 teams by three young Gold Coast pitchers is the story from Diamond 3.

With both sides needing a victory to stay in the hunt, Gold Coast delivered behind an outstanding pitching performance from Luku Masuda, Reef Bevan and Isaac Foster.

Gold Coast broke through with two runs in the second inning before adding one in the fourth and three more in the sixth to steadily pull away.

The story was the pitching.

Masuda opened with two scoreless innings and four strikeouts before Bevan took over and completely silenced the Phantoms across 3.2 dominant innings, allowing no hits while striking out four. Foster closed out the combined one-hitter as Gold Coast struck out nine in total.

Jayden Zheng led the offence with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, while Bevan (pictured above) added two hits and an RBI. Kahu Bishop drove in two runs and Gold Coast finished with 11 hits overall.

Eastern Phantoms managed just one hit for the game, coming from Kai Close. Both teams close out Pool Play today with a top two finish in sight.

GOLD COAST

Hits (11): Jayden Zheng (3), Reef Bevan (2), Isaac Foster, Aidan Heschl, Kahu Bishop, Jack Railsback, Tace Ahu, Oliver Hayward

RBI (4): Kahu Bishop (2), Jayden Zheng, Reef Bevan

Pitching:

Luku Masuda — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Reef Bevan — 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Isaac Foster — 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits (1): Kai Close

RBI: None

LP: Mason Scott — 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

RYDE RED 4 def ADELAIDE ARMADA 3 | Ryde Red are the last unbeaten Pool A team after tight win

Ryde Red are 2-0 after a gritty 4-3 win over Adelaide Armada on Friday morning on Baseball+.

But, neither side locked in a playoff berth as Pool A heads toward a dramatic finish this afternoon.

Ryde Red now face Gold Coast later today, with a win sending them through to the finals. At worst, they can end up in a three-way tie at 2-1.

Adelaide Armada will take on Eastern Phantoms at 11:15am in what shapes as a must-win game. There are a lot of three-way tiebreak scenarios at play.

Ryde struck first in the opening inning before adding two more in the third to build a 3-0 advantage.

Adelaide responded in the fourth, plating all three of their runs in one inning to tie the game. Jack Blanton, Ethan Zoontjens and Archie Wallis each drove in runs during the rally.

The deadlock held until the sixth when Ryde Red found the decisive run off a Fielder’s Choice.

Jenson Koch starred for Ryde Red, driving in two runs while also dominating on the mound in relief. Koch fired 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five.

Ryde’s pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts and held Adelaide to only four hits.

Adelaide’s arms were also strong in defeat, surrendering just one earned run across six innings.

RYDE RED

Hits (6): Helliar, Koch, Phelps, Powell, Huang, Kiddle
RBI (3): Koch (2), Phelps

Pitching:
Kevin Park — 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Brian Huang — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Jenson Koch — 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

ADELAIDE ARMADA

Hits (4): Jack Blanton, Archer Spratt, Ethan Zoontjens, Flynn Dienelt
RBI (3): Jack Blanton, Ethan Zoontjens, Archie Wallis

Pitching:
Harrison Malec — 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Angus Deer — 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Zachary Gratton — 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

BRISBANE METRO 6 def MELBOURNE TWINS 4 | Brisbane Metro finish third in Pool B after a timely homer powers a victory

Brisbane Metro closed out pool play with their first win of the tournament, defeating Melbourne Twins 6-4 on Friday to finish third in Intermediate League Pool B.

The result sees Brisbane Metro end pool play at 1-2, while Melbourne Twins finish 0-3. Both teams will now move into consolation games on Saturday.

Melbourne struck first in the opening inning when Isaac Low laid down a sacrifice bunt and Harvey Coone followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

Brisbane Metro answered quickly.

Joshua Gryl delivered an RBI single before Joey Allen added another run-scoring hit in the second inning to push Brisbane Metro ahead 3-2.

The biggest swing came an inning later when Felix Moncrieff launched a two-run homer to right field, extending the lead to 5-2. Moncrieff finished with three RBI in a standout offensive performance.

Melbourne Twins threatened late with a two-run seventh inning, but Brisbane Metro held on to secure the win. Malcom Scott hit a moon-shot solo homer in the seventh.

Riley Kameus started on the mound for Brisbane Metro and allowed two runs over 3.1 innings, while Zachary Nolan tossed two scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts.

Moncrieff and Arevalo each collected two hits for Brisbane Metro, while the Queensland side also caused havoc on the bases with six stolen bases.

Melbourne Twins finished with nine hits, led by Tiger Ah-Lit, Brodie Leigh and Malcolm Scott, who each had two-hit games. Scott also homered for the Twins.

 

BRISBANE METRO
Hits (8): F. Moncrieff (2), J. Arevalo (2), A. Rosuck, Z. Nolan, P. Blowes, J. Gryl

RBI (6): F. Moncrieff (3), J. Arevalo (2), J. Gryl

Pitching:
R. Kameus — 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Z. Nolan — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
T. Lamb — 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

MELBOURNE TWINS

Hits (9): T. Ah-Lit (2), B. Leigh (2), M. Scott (2), J. McKenner, L. Farrow, N. Macaulay
RBI (4): I. Low, R. Edmonds, H. Coone, M. Scott
HR: M. Scott

I. Low — 3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
J. McKenner — 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
R. Edmonds — 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

ADELAIDE ARMADA 7 def EASTERN PHANTOMS 0 | Adelaide shutout Phantoms, now face nervous finals wait

Adelaide Armada bounced back in style on Friday, combining for a dominant shutout victory over Eastern Phantoms to finish Intermediate League Pool A play with a 2-1 record.

Adelaide’s pitching staff delivered one of the best performances of the tournament so far. It came from a trio of pitchers.

Ethan Zoontjens started the game and struck out six across four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Flynn Dienelt followed with two shutout innings before Harvey Ingram closed the door in the seventh as the trio combined for a three-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts.

The breakthrough came in the fourth inning when Archer Spratt launched a home run to left field to open the scoring. Zachary Gratton later added an RBI groundout to make it 2-0.

The Armada then exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to blow the game open. Ingram drew a bases-loaded walk, William Fuller was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Jack Blanton added another RBI walk, Spratt was plunked to force in a run, and Zoontjens capped the inning with an RBI single.

Dienelt, Harrison Malec and Zoontjens each collected two hits for Adelaide, while Cooper Scarabotti drew two walks as the Armada piled up six free passes overall.

Eastern Phantoms were held to just three hits, with Harrison Smith, Mason Scott and Sonny Rowland collecting one each.

Now comes the waiting game.

The Armada kept their finals hopes alive with the 7-0 win, but their fate now rests in the hands of Ryde Red and Gold Coast. If undefeated Ryde Red defeat Gold Coast, Adelaide advance to the finals. If Gold Coast win, Pool A will finish in a three-way tie and the calculations begin.

ADELAIDE ARMADA

Hits (9): F. Dienelt (2), H. Malec (2), E. Zoontjens (2), A. Spratt, A. Wallis, H. Ingram
RBI (5): A. Spratt, E. Zoontjens, Z. Gratton, W. Fuller, J. Blanton
HR: A. Spratt

Pitching:
E. Zoontjens — 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K
F. Dienelt — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
H. Ingram — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS
Hits (3): H. Smith, M. Scott, S. Rowland

Pitching:
H. Mann — 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
K. Close — 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 K
H. Smith — 0.0 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 BB
B. Bolton — 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

SOUTHERN TITANS 5 def CRONULLA BLACK 2 | Titans lock up top seed thanks to steady pitching

Southern Titans have secured the No. 1 seed in Intermediate League Pool B after a 5-2 win over Cronulla Black on Friday.

The victory locked the Titans into first place heading into finals after another composed performance on both sides of the ball.

Southern Titans opened the scoring in the second inning when pressure on the bases forced a Cronulla error, before adding insurance runs later in the game to pull away.

The Titans pitching staff was outstanding throughout.

Jack Clarke struck out five across two scoreless innings to start the game before Archie Golding took over and dominated in relief, tossing 3.1 shutout innings with four strikeouts while allowing just two hits. George Fifield closed things out despite Cronulla pushing across two late runs.

At the plate, Cody Knott, Archie Golding, and Enzo Lee each collected two hits for Southern. Knott also stole two bases and drove in a run, while Jacob Golding and Alexander Joseph each added RBI.

Cronulla Black battled throughout and cut into the deficit late.

Tim Wicks drove in both runs for Cronulla and finished 1-for-3, while Ethan Underwood, Kobe Chu, Ash Garnero, and Wicks each recorded a hit. Garnero and Chu both swiped two bases.

The result sees Southern Titans finish atop Pool B and head into finals with momentum.

SOUTHERN TITANS

Hits (8): Cody Knott (2), Archie Golding (2), Enzo Lee (2), Brodie Carr, Aiden Wieman
RBI: Jacob Golding, Cody Knott, Alexander Joseph

Pitching:
Jack Clarke — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
Archie Golding — 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K
George Fifield — 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 2 K

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits (4): Ethan Underwood, Kobe Chu, Ash Garnero, Tim Wicks
RBI: Tim Wicks (2)

Pitching:
Ezekiel Coughlin — 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 K
Ned Rankin — 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 K
Mason Hayes-Conway — 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K

 

GOLD COAST 15 def RYDE RED 8 | GOLD COAST SURVIVE WILD TIEBREAKER DRAMA TO REACH FINALS

Gold Coast are through to the Intermediate League semi-finals after a chaotic, high-scoring finish to Pool A that came down to the final runs allowed ratio in a three-way 2-1 tiebreaker.

Entering Friday’s final clash of the day, Ryde Red sat unbeaten at 2-0, Adelaide Armada had already completed pool play at 2-1, and Gold Coast entered at 1-1 needing a win to force a three-way tie.

But it was not that simple.

Under the tournament tiebreaker system, only the top two teams in runs allowed ratio would advance. Adelaide had finished pool play having allowed eight runs, Gold Coast had allowed nine, and Ryde just four.

In the simplest of terms, that meant Gold Coast needed to beat Ryde by at least five runs to move through.

And somehow, after a game full of momentum swings, they did exactly that (and a little more).

Gold Coast defeated Ryde Red 15-8 on Friday to punch their ticket to the playoffs alongside Adelaide, while Ryde’s tournament trophy dream comes to a heartbreaking end despite finishing 2-1.

The game itself was absolute chaos.

After the sides traded early runs, Gold Coast exploded for nine runs in the third inning to suddenly build an 11-2 lead and take control of both the game and the tiebreaker scenario.

Reef Bevan delivered one of the biggest blows of the inning with a two-run single, while Isaac Foster, Aidan Heschl, KeCheng Huang and Jack Railsback all helped pile on pressure.

At that point, Gold Coast were comfortably through.

But Ryde refused to go away. They cut the margin to the ‘cut line’ of five.

Miles Powell launched a two-run homer in the fourth inning as Ryde began clawing back into the contest, eventually cutting the margin to 11-6 and suddenly putting themselves on the cusp of a qualifying position.

With the margin sitting exactly at five, every run became massive.

Gold Coast answered again with two crucial runs in the fifth to push the lead back out to seven, only for Ryde to respond once more and trim it back to five in the top of the sixth.

13-8.

The tension only continued to build as calculators, scoreboards and dugouts all tracked the live tiebreaker implications pitch-by-pitch.

Gold Coast finally found breathing room again in the sixth inning with a dramatic late hit sequence helping extend the lead back beyond the danger zone and secure their finals place.

The result capped off one of the most dramatic finishes of the tournament so far.

Gold Coast collected 12 hits in the win, with Foster, Heschl, Huang and Railsback all recording multi-hit performances. Railsback and Bevan each drove in three runs.

Luku Masuda doubled and walked twice, while Gold Coast also drew eight walks and stole six bases in an aggressive offensive display.

Ryde battled throughout the game and threatened repeatedly despite the huge deficit.

Powell homered and drove in two runs, while Kevin Park, Flynn Helliar, Jenson Koch, Kye Matthewson and Jake Bunn all contributed hits.

But, Ryde miss out on the finals.

Gold Coast and Adelaide are in.

GOLD COAST IL POOL A
Hits (12): Isaac Foster (2), Aidan Heschl (2), KeCheng Huang (2), Jack Railsback (2), Luku Masuda, Reef Bevan, Luke Jenkins, Oliver Hayward

RBI: Railsback (3), Bevan (3), Jayden Zheng (2), Foster, Heschl, Masuda, Tace Ahu

RYDE RED IL POOL A

Hits (6): Kevin Park, Flynn Helliar, Jenson Koch, Kye Matthewson, Miles Powell, Jake Bunn
RBI: Powell (2), Park, Helliar, Koch, Matthewson

FINALS STRUCTURE – PATH TO GOLD

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Saturday 23 May – Finals Round 1

Game 1 (G1): Adelaide Armada vs Cronulla Black
Game 2 (G2): Southern Titans vs Gold Coast

Sunday 24 May  – Elimination Day

Qualifying Final: Winner G1 vs Winner G2, winner advances to Gold Medal Game, loser to Preliminary Final

Elimination Final: Loser G1 vs Loser G2, winner advances to Preliminary Final

Preliminary Final: Loser Qualifying Final vs Winner Elimination Final

Monday 25 May – Gold Medal Day

Gold Medal: Winner Qualifying Final vs Winner Preliminary Final

The sun is shining in Lismore as the 2026 Australian Intermediate League and Junior League Championships get underway.

By Monday, two teams will earn the right to represent Australia at their respective World Series events.

Welcome to your Newspaper Story. This will bring you today’s scores, quick game recaps, key stats, highlights, and photos from across both tournaments.

Intermediate League was a lot of fun – and has wrapped up. We saw a triple play, lots of homers, and two teams clinch finals! We have them below.

In Junior League, two teams start undefeated.

To watch live and free, head to Baseball+ via the app or at Baseball+. The master schedule can be found here. 

TODAY’S SCHEDULE AND SCORES

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JUNIOR LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

– Eastern Phantoms 14 def Canberra Rangers 6
– Hills Blue 4 def Wanneroo Giants 1

– Hills Blue 9 def Gold Coast 1
– Melbourne Athletics 11 def Brisbane North 9

– Adelaide Marlins 8 def Wanneroo Giants 6
– Cronulla Black 10 def Brisbane North 0

– Adelaide Marlins 17 def Melbourne Twins 8

Live Scoring via GameChanger

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE – Tournament Hub

– Adelaide Armada 9 def Gold Coast 5
– Southern Titans 9 def Melbourne Twins 6

– Ryde Red 11 def Eastern Phantoms 1
– Cronulla Black 5 def Brisbane Metro 4

– Southern Titans 10 def Brisbane Metro 5
– Cronulla Black 15 def Melbourne Twins 1

Live Scoring via GameChanger

STANDINGS

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JUNIOR LEAGUE

Top three in each group make finals

Pool A

Hills Blue 2-0
Adelaide Marlins 2-0
Melbourne Twins 0-2
Gold Coast 0-1
Wanneroo Giants 0-2

Pool B

Eastern Phantoms 1-0
Melbourne Athletics 1-0
Cronulla Black 1-0
Canberra Rangers 0-1
Brisbane North 0-2

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

Top two in each group make finals
*clinched finals

Pool A

Adelaide Armada 1-0
Ryde Red 1-0
Eastern Phantoms 0-1
Gold Coast 0-1

Pool B

Cronulla Black 2-0*
Southern Titans 2-0*
Brisbane Metro 0-2
Melbourne Twins 0-2

RECAPS – JUNIOR LEAGUE

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EASTERN PHANTOMS 14 def CANBERRA RANGERS 6 | Phantoms erase five-run deficit to storm past Canberra Rangers in Junior League opener

After surrendering the first home run of the tournament and falling behind by five runs in the opening inning, Eastern Phantoms responded with 14 of the game’s final 15 runs to defeat Canberra Rangers 14-6 on Thursday.

Canberra exploded out of the gates in the top of the first.

Lincoln Barrett opened the scoring with a two-run double before Eric Cochrane launched the first home run of the 2026 Australian Junior League Championships, a three-run shot to left field that gave the Rangers a quick 5-0 lead.

Eastern Phantoms slowly chipped away before completely flipping the game in the fourth inning.

Trailing 5-4 entering the frame, the Phantoms erupted for six runs on five hits to take control. Lincoln Ellis delivered the biggest blow of the inning with a two-run single as Eastern surged ahead 10-5.

The offense never slowed down.

Eastern added four more runs across the fifth and sixth innings while the bullpen locked things down after the rocky opening frame. Riley Malcolm, Brody Warner, Lincoln Ellis, Jordan Abbot and Bailey Stingers all combined for scoreless relief appearances.

Ellis finished 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead the Phantoms offensively, while Hunter Gordon also drove in three runs. Eastern showed patience throughout the lineup, drawing 13 walks in the win.

Cochrane drove in three runs for Canberra with his first inning homer, while Barrett and Kale McIntyre each collected two hits.

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: Lincoln Ellis 2, Riley Malcolm 1, Hunter Gordon 1, Joshua Watts 1, Samuel Gardiner 1, Troy Kingma 1, Ryder Canny 1

RBI: Hunter Gordon 3, Lincoln Ellis 3, Riley Malcolm 2, Joshua Watts 1, Brody Warner 1, Brody Perkins 1, Ryder Canny 1

WP: Lincoln Ellis 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K

CANBERRA RANGERS

Hits: Kale McIntyre 2, Lincoln Barrett 2, Eric Cochrane 1, J. Bentley 1

RBI: Eric Cochrane 3, Lincoln Barrett 2, E. Lessard 1

HR: Eric Cochrane

LP: K. Blundell 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 K

HILLS BLUE 4 def WANNEROO GIANTS 1 | Three-peat World Series-chasing Hills Blue open with statement win over Wanneroo

A group already etched into Australian youth baseball history took another step toward a third straight World Series appearance on Thursday, with Hills Blue defeating Wanneroo Giants 4-1 to open the 2026 Australian Junior League Championships.

This Hills core continues to attempt to build one of the country’s great junior dynasties.

The team represented Australia at the 2024 Little League World Series before winning the 2025 Intermediate League Championship to secure a second straight international berth. Now, they are chasing a third World Series appearance in as many years across a third division.

Sayre Howick starred in the opener, going 2-for-2 with three RBI to power the Hills offense.

After driving in the opening run in the first inning, Howick added another key RBI knock during a two-run fourth inning that helped Hills create separation.

Harry Hobbs also collected two hits, while the Hills pitching staff combined to allow just four hits and one run across seven innings.

Spencer Dobb opened with 2.2 scoreless innings before Justin Jang struck out five across 3.1 strong innings in relief. Harry Dobb closed out the victory with a scoreless seventh.

Wanneroo continued to pressure on the bases throughout the game, stealing six bags. Tate Oldfield led the Giants with two hits and two stolen bases.

Hills also played flawless defense, finishing without an error.

HILLS BLUE

Hits: Harry Hobbs 2, Sayre Howick 2, Hudson Dobb 1, Fletcher Dobb 1, Thomas Whalley 1
RBI: Sayre Howick 3, Thomas Whalley 1
WP: Justin Jang 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 5 K

WANNEROO GIANTS

Hits: Tate Oldfield 2, J. Bond 1, C. Bennetts 1
RBI: Declan Burns 1
LP: C. Branch 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 K

HILLS BLUE 9 def GOLD COAST 1 | Sayre Howick announces himself as Hills Blue roll on

The two-time champions and tournament favourites kept rolling on Thursday, with Hills Blue crushing Gold Coast 9-1 behind a huge all-around performance from Sayre Howick.

Howick did it everywhere.

He launched a two-run homer in the first inning to help Hills jump out to an early lead, then dominated on the mound with seven strikeouts across 3.1 innings.

The powerhouse Hills group, chasing a third straight World Series appearance after winning the 2024 Little League and 2025 Intermediate League national titles, never looked back.

Ethan Cross and Hugh Graham slammed the door out of the bullpen, combining for 3.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts as Hills punched out 13 batters as a staff.

Fletcher Dobb collected two hits and two RBI, while the Hills lineup showed patience all game with nine walks.

Hills are 2-0 and in good shape to make finals with two games left to play.

HILLS BLUE

Hits: Fletcher Dobb 2, Levi Lawes 1, Harry Hobbs 1, Sayre Howick 1, Anton Jacovides 1, Ethan Cross 1, Hugh Graham 1
RBI: Sayre Howick 2, Fletcher Dobb 2, Hugh Graham 2, Alex Jacovides 1
HR: Sayre Howick 1

Pitching:
– Sayre Howick: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 7 K
– Ethan Cross: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K
– Hugh Graham: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K

GOLD COAST

Hits: Banjo Shearer 1, Nate Marr 1, Benjamin Courts 1, Christopher Hill 1
RBI: Christopher Hill 1

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 11 def BRISBANE NORTH 9 | Athletics survive frantic Brisbane North comeback attempt 

Melbourne Athletics held off a furious late rally from Brisbane North to escape with an 11-9 win in one of the wildest games of Day 1 at the Junior League Championships.

The Athletics looked in complete control after building an 11-2 lead through five innings before Brisbane North erupted for seven unanswered runs to nearly steal it late.

Melbourne jumped ahead early in the opening inning when Charlie Fegan grounded out to score a run before two more crossed on an error.

Haydn Doganay added to the lead with an RBI double in the third before the Athletics blew the game open with a six-run fifth inning.

Doganay drew a bases-loaded walk, Leo Moulton ripped a two-run double, Albert Baragwanath grounded out to score another, and Phillip Toye also drew a run-scoring walk as Melbourne pushed its advantage to nine.

Brisbane North refused to go away.

The Queensland side answered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to RBI hits from Lachlan Gale, Joshua Campbell-Manfield and Logan Roberson, before continuing to chip away in the sixth.

Despite the pressure, Melbourne’s bullpen managed to hang on.

John Gogos started the game before Alexander Knell, Fegan, Hao (Tony) Huang, Doganay and Toye combined out of the bullpen. Fegan closed things out with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts.

Melbourne collected 12 hits in the victory, with Fegan, Jackson Berg and Doganay all recording two-hit games. Moulton, Baragwanath and Doganay each drove in two runs.

Brisbane North also finished with 12 hits. Issei Hamano collected two hits, while Aaron Bell drove in two runs.

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS

Hits: Jackson Berg 2, Charlie Fegan 2, Haydn Doganay 2, Leo Moulton 1, John Gogos 1, Albert Baragwanath 1, Josh Moulds 1, EvieLane 1, Alexander Knell 1

RBI: Haydn Doganay 2, Leo Moulton 2, Albert Baragwanath 2, Charlie Fegan 1

Pitching:
– John Gogos: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER
– Haydn Doganay: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 K
– Hao (Tony) Huang: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 2 K
– Alexander Knell: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 K
– Phillip Toye: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R
– Charlie Fegan: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K

BRISBANE NORTH

Hits: Issei Hamano 2, Logan Roberson 1, Xander Reid 1, Edward Bain 1, Aaron Bell 1, Lachlan Gale 1, Luke Baisley 1, Braxton Black 1, Joshua Campbell-Manfield 1, Patrick Fogg 1, Mitchell Larkin 1

RBI: Aaron Bell 2, Joshua Campbell-Manfield 2, Logan Roberson 1, Lachlan Gale 1, Patrick Fogg 1, Braxton Black 1, Issei Hamano 1

Pitching:
– Patrick Fogg: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 K
– Edward Bain: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 1 K
– Xander Reid: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 K
– Luke Baisley: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
– Lachlan Gale: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K

CRONULLA BLACK 10 def BRISBANE NORTH 0 | Cronulla Black Throw Combined Shutout To Improve To 2-0 At Junior League Championships

Cronulla Black are off to strong start to the 2026 Junior League Championships with a dominant 10-0 win over Brisbane North, who fall to 0-2.

A three-pitcher combined shutout led the way for Cronulla, while Logan Glasheen and Kai Shibata sparked the offence as the side improved to 2-0 in pool play.

Zack Fordyce started and tossed three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Pyke followed with a clean inning before Potter closed the game with three strikeouts in the fifth.

Cronulla struck first in the opening inning when Franklin Pyke walked, Logan Glasheen ripped an RBI double and Christopher Blyton drove in a run with a groundout to make it 3-0.

The lead quickly ballooned in the second inning. Fenix Cutajar doubled home a run, Hudson Shorey drew a bases-loaded walk and two more runs scored on a wild pitch as Cronulla pushed the margin to 7-0.

Cronulla added another in the third when Glasheen singled home a run before closing the scoring in the fifth.

Glasheen finished 2-for-2 with two RBI, while Shibata also collected two hits and stole four bases in an aggressive Cronulla running game that produced nine steals overall.

Cutajar and Lincoln Potter each drove in runs, while Blyton added an RBI. Franklin Pyke scored twice and reached base twice via walk.

Brisbane North managed five hits, with Mitchell Larkin, Issei Hamano, Callum Wheeler, Luke Baisley and Xander Reid all recording singles.

Cronulla Black will now take a 2-0 record into Friday’s matchup against Melbourne Athletics.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits: Logan Glasheen 2, Kai Shibata 2, Fenix Cutajar, Lincoln Potter, Benjamin Napier
RBI: Logan Glasheen 2, Fenix Cutajar, Lincoln Potter, Christopher Blyton

BRISBANE NORTH

Hits: Mitchell Larkin, Issei Hamano, Callum Wheeler, Xander Reid, Luke Baisley

ADELAIDE MARLINS 8 def WANNEROO GIANTS 6 | Zischke delivers late as Adelaide Marlins edge Wanneroo in Junior League thriller

Adelaide Marlins survived a back-and-forth battle against Wanneroo Giants, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure an 8-6 victory on Thursday to open their tournament with a win.

With the game tied 6-6 entering the final frame, Jack Zischke came through with the decisive hit, ripping a two-run single to put Adelaide back in front and cap a dramatic finish.

The contest swung repeatedly throughout the afternoon.

Wanneroo struck first in the second inning when Harvey Scaife singled home a run, before Adelaide responded with a huge five-run fifth inning to grab a 5-3 lead. Tyrone Cutler’s RBI fielder’s choice highlighted the rally.

But the Giants answered immediately.

Connor Branch drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the fifth before Wanneroo edged ahead 6-5 in the sixth inning after Cody Bennetts laid down a go-ahead sacrifice bunt.

Adelaide refused to go away.

Levi Burns opened the seventh-inning rally with an RBI single before Zischke delivered the game-winning blow moments later, scoring two and giving the Marlins the lead for good.

Zischke starred in the middle of the lineup, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI. Jet Connor and Jack Bowden also collected two hits apiece as Adelaide piled up 11 hits and swiped eight bases.

Bowden, who was named to Australia’s U15 national team today, started on the mound for Adelaide and struck out four across three innings. Burns, Zischke, and Sam Clarke combined in relief before Clarke recorded the final out to seal the win.

Wanneroo collected nine hits in the loss, with Harvey Scaife leading the way with a perfect 3-for-3 performance. Declan Burns added two hits, while the Giants also stole six bases in an aggressive offensive display. Wanneroo fall to 0-1.

ADELAIDE MARLINS

Hits: Jack Zischke 2, Jack Bowden 2, Jet Connor 2, Levi Burns, Haskett, Redding,  Camerlengo, Mogg
RBI: Jack Zischke 2, Levi Burns, Tyrone Cutler, Jack Bowden, Charlie Sanders

WANNEROO

Hits: Harvey Scaife 3, Declan Burns 2, Connor Branch, Hayden Thomas, Jacob Bond, B Gordon
RBI: Connor Branch, Cody Bennetts, B Gordon, Harvey Scaife

ADELAIDE MARLINS  def MELBOURNE TWINS | Marlins make Statement with explosive 2-0 start at Junior League Championships

The Adelaide Marlins have stormed out of the gates at the 2026 Junior League Championships, opening Day 1 with two impressive wins to sit equal top of Pool A.

After a dramatic 8-6 comeback win over Wanneroo earlier in the day, Adelaide backed it up with an offensive explosion, defeating Melbourne Twins 17-8 on Thursday night.

The Marlins showed they can win in multiple ways.

Game one required late-inning heroics, with Jack Zischke delivering the go-ahead hit in the seventh inning against Wanneroo.

Game two was built on relentless pressure, aggressive baserunning, and timely hitting as Adelaide piled on 17 runs.

One player who stood at the centre of it all was Jack Bowden.

Earlier in the morning, Bowden was named to Australia’s U15 National Team. He then delivered one of the standout individual performances of the tournament so far.

Across the two wins, Bowden finished 4-for-6 with two doubles, four RBI, and five stolen bases while also throwing three innings with just one earned run allowed and four strikeouts.

Against Melbourne, Adelaide erased an early deficit by scoring four runs in the first inning before repeatedly answering every Twins push.

Melbourne tied the game 6-6 in the fourth inning, but the Marlins immediately responded. Casey Sanders delivered a two-run single before Alexander Camerlengo added another run-scoring play to restore control.

Adelaide then blew the game open with a five-run sixth inning, highlighted by another Bowden RBI double as the Marlins raced away for the mercy-rule victory.

The Marlins finished with 10 hits, eight walks, and an astonishing 14 stolen bases in the game. Combined across both victories on Thursday, Adelaide stole 21 bases as a team, including a steal of home.

Even more impressively, all 13 Adelaide players reached base in the win over Melbourne.

Jake Redding started strongly on the mound with five strikeouts across three innings, while Jamie Ferris, Ashton Mogg, Sam Clarke, and Jet Connor combined for shutout relief innings to close the game.

Melbourne Twins collected 11 hits of their own, with Mason Cvetanoski, Isaac Davis, and Jacob Low all recording multi-hit games.

ADELAIDE

Hits: Jack Bowden 2, Sebastien Haskett, Levi Burns, Jack Zischke, Jet Connor, Tyrone Cutler, Casey Sanders, Noah Sutherland, Sam Clarke
RBI: Jack Bowden 3, Casey Sanders 2, Sebastien Haskett, Jack Zischke, Noah Sutherland

MELBOURNE TWINS

Hits: Mason Cvetanoski 2, Isaac Davis 2, Jacob Low 2, Myles McKelvie, Drayden Jo, Tyler Thomas, L. Fazio, Chester Ferguson
RBI: Mason Cvetanoski 2, Chester Ferguson 2, Isaac Davis, Myles McKelvie, Tyler Thomas

RECAPS – INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

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SOUTHERN TITANS 9 def MELBOURNE TWINS 6 | Preston Taylor’s three RBI lead Southern Titans past Melbourne Twins in tournament opener

Preston Taylor delivered the biggest swing of the game with a three-run double as Southern Titans opened the 2026 Australian Intermediate League Championships with a 9-6 win over Melbourne Twins on Thursday.

With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the third, Taylor (bel0w) ripped a bases-clearing double to put the Titans back in front for good. A bases-loaded walk to Brodie Carr later in the inning extended the lead to 6-2.

Southern Titans had jumped out early in the first when Jack Clarke doubled home a run before Archie Golding followed with an RBI single for a quick 2-0 advantage.

Melbourne responded in the third after Brodie Leigh smoked a two-run double down the left field line to even the game.

The Twins kept battling throughout the contest, scoring twice in both the fourth and seventh innings, but Southern Titans continued to pressure on the bases and finished with 11 stolen bases in the win.

Taylor and Golding each collected two hits for Southern Titans, with Golding also driving in two runs. Carr was strong out of the bullpen, striking out five across 2.2 scoreless innings.

Leigh paced Melbourne offensively, going 2-for-2 with two RBI. Tiger Ah-Lit added three stolen bases, while the Twins drew seven walks as a team.

SOUTHERN TITANS

Hits: Preston Taylor 2, Archie Golding 2, Jack Clarke, Cody Knott, Jacob Golding
RBI: Preston Taylor 3, Archie Golding 2, Jack Clarke

WP: Brodie Carr 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K

MELBOURNE TWINS

Hits: Brodie Leigh 2, Jackson McKenner, Thomas Macaulay

RBI: Brodie Leigh 2, Tiger Ah-Lit, Isaac Low

HR: None
LP: Seleyne Ilievski 1.2 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 K

ADELAIDE ARMADA 9 def GOLD COAST 5 | Adelaide Armada pitching staff powers opening win over Gold Coast

Adelaide Armada showcased its pitching depth in the opening game of the 2026 Australian Intermediate League Championships, defeating Gold Coast 9-5 behind a dominant performance from six different arms.

The Armada struck first in the opening inning when Ethan Zoontjens delivered an RBI single before Adelaide slowly built separation through the middle innings.

Adelaide’s pitching was the story early.

Archer Spratt (above) overpowered Gold Coast hitters with seven strikeouts across 2.1 scoreless innings to open the game, while Archie Wallis followed with a clean inning and three more strikeouts. In total, Armada pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts while working around eight hits and seven stolen bases.

Gold Coast stayed within striking distance and produced the biggest swing of the game in the sixth inning when Tace Ahu launched a two-run homer to right field to cut into the deficit.

Adelaide responded immediately.

Ethan Zoontjens and Harrison Malec each collected two hits, while Zoontjens, Angus Deer, Cooper Scarabotti and Brock Harding all drove in two runs apiece.

The Armada also showed patience offensively, drawing nine walks. Harvey Ingram and Spratt each walked twice, while Ingram added two stolen bases.

Gold Coast used seven pitchers in the game and received multi-hit performances from Jayden Zheng and Luku Masuda.

ADELAIDE ARMADA

Hits: Ethan Zoontjens 2, Harrison Malec 2, Jack Blanton 1, Brock Harding 1, Angus Deer 1, Cooper Scarabotti 1
RBI: Ethan Zoontjens 2, Angus Deer 2, Cooper Scarabotti 2, Brock Harding 2

WP: Archer Spratt 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 7 K

GOLD COAST
Hits: Luku Masuda 2, Jayden Zheng 2, Aidan Heschl 1, Reef Bevan 1, KeCheng Huang 1, Tace Ahu 1
RBI: Tace Ahu 2, Jayden Zheng 1, Reef Bevan 1, KeCheng Huang 1
HR: Tace Ahu

LP: Kahu Bishop 0.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER

CRONULLA BLACK 5 def BRISBANE METRO 4 | Cronulla Black rally, hold on late to edge Brisbane Metro in Intermediate League opener

Cronulla Black used a three-run fifth inning to break a tie and escape with a 5-4 victory over Brisbane Metro in a back-and-forth Intermediate League battle on Thursday.

Brisbane Metro struck first in the opening inning when Zachary Nolan grounded out to bring home a run before extending the lead to 2-1 in the second on a Parker Blowes RBI groundout.

Cronulla responded.

Zeke Coughlin tied the game in the second with an RBI groundout before Mason Hayes delivered another game-tying RBI single in the fourth inning.

The game turned in the fifth.

Ash Garner ripped a go-ahead double down the right field line before sacrifice flies and walks from Kobe Chu and Axle Stubbs helped Cronulla push across three runs to grab control.

Brisbane Metro had a pushback in the sixth, scoring twice to move the scoreline to 5-4. Thats’ as close as they’d come.

Will Crynes gave Cronulla a strong start on the mound, allowing just one hit across four innings while striking out three. Ethan Uncle followed with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts before Mason Hayes closed the final two innings.

Felix Moncrieff was impressive early for Brisbane Metro, striking out five over 2.1 innings without allowing a hit.

Ash Garner, Ethan Uncle, Axle Stubbs, Cooper Jacenko, Ned Rankin, Mason Hayes and Will Crynes all recorded hits for Cronulla, while Hayes added two stolen bases.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits: Ash Garner 1, Ethan Uncle 1, Axle Stubbs 1, Mason Hayes 1, Ned Rankin 1, Cooper Jacenko 1, Will Crynes 1
RBI: Ash Garner 1, Kobe Chu 1, Axle Stubbs 1, Mason Hayes 1, Zeke Coughlin 1

WP: Ethan Uncle 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K

BRISBANE METRO

Hits: Alex Rosuck 1, Thomas Lamb 1, Riley Kameus 1
RBI: Alex Rosuck 1, Zachary Nolan 1, Parker Blowes 1

LP: Parker Blowes 2.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 K

RYDE RED 11 def EASTERN PHANTOMS 1 | Ryde Red launch four homers in dominant opening game win.

Kye Matthewson, Flynn Helliar, Liam Kelly and Brian Huang all homered as Ryde Red powered past Eastern Phantoms 11-1.

Many of the Ryde players featured in last year’s Little League Championship gold medal game and looked every bit the experienced tournament group in their opening Intermediate League outing.

Eastern Phantoms struck first in the opening inning when Harrison Mann grounded out to score a run, but Ryde answered quickly.

Matthewson launched a two-run homer to centre field in the top of the second to hand Ryde a 2-1 lead before Helliar broke the game open an inning later with a three-run blast.

Ryde continued to pile on throughout the middle innings. Kelly connected for a solo homer in the fourth before Miles Powell added an RBI single. Huang then capped the performance with a two-run shot in the seventh.

The Ryde pitching staff matched the offence.

Matthewson started on the mound and struck out six across 2.2 innings while allowing just one unearned run. Yoh Kaneko, Billy Kiddle and Kevin Park combined to close out the final 4.1 innings as Ryde pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts.

Ryde finished with 10 hits and seven stolen bases in the victory.

Thomas Phelps and Powell each collected two hits, while Helliar drove in a game-high three runs. Madeleine Cesare drew two walks, while Kevin Park and Powell each stole multiple bases.

Eastern Phantoms were led by Bentley Bolton, who collected two hits from the leadoff spot. Mann drove in the team’s lone run.

RYDE RED

Hits: Thomas Phelps 2, Miles Powell 2, Flynn Helliar 1, Jenson Koch 1, Liam Kelly 1, Kye Matthewson 1, Brian Huang 1, Yoh Kaneko 1
RBI: Flynn Helliar 3, Kye Matthewson 2, Brian Huang 2, Jenson Koch 1, Liam Kelly 1, Miles Powell 1
HR: Flynn Helliar, Kye Matthewson, Liam Kelly, Brian Huang

Pitching:
– Kye Matthewson: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 6 K
– Yoh Kaneko: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
– Billy Kiddle: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 K
– Kevin Park: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: Bentley Bolton 2, Bremer Renwick 1, Mason Scott 1, Aiden Gianatti 1
RBI: Harrison Mann 1

Pitching:
– Riley Connaughton: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 K
– Mason Scott: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 K
– Harrison Mann: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 K
– Bremer Renwick: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 K
– Judd Moyle: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 K
– Aubree Mills: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 K

CRONULLA BLACK 15 def MELBOURNE TWINS 1 | Two homer as Cronulla Black Stay Perfect With Mercy-Rule Win Over Melbourne Twins

Cronulla Black improved to 2-0 and grabbed a stranglehold on Pool B with a 15-1 run rule win to conclude their double-header day.

Ash Garnero and Tim Wicks both homered for Cronulla, who exploded offensively with five-run innings in both the third and fifth frames.

Cronulla opened the scoring in the first before taking full control in the third inning. Ash Garnero launched a home run as part of the rally, while the lead continued to grow with four runs in the fourth and another five-run outburst in the fifth.

Garnero finished 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI to lead the offence, while Wicks added a two-run homer. Cooper Jacenko continued a strong tournament with two hits, three runs scored, one RBI and three stolen bases.

Will Crynes also collected two hits and drove in two runs, while Zeke Coughlin scored twice and added an RBI. Axle Stubbs, Ned Rankin and Kobe Chu each contributed hits as Cronulla piled up 11 hits and seven walks.

On the mound, Kobe Chu was excellent in relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts while allowing just one hit. Tyler Rixon started the game before Jacenko closed it out with 1.1 hitless innings and two strikeouts.

Melbourne Twins scored their lone run in the first inning and finished with four hits. Malcolm Scott led the offence with two hits, while Brodie Leigh drove in the team’s only run. Alexander Ward also recorded a hit.

Tiger Ah-Lit started on the mound for Melbourne Twins, with Len Farrow, Nathan Macaulay and Harvey Coone also appearing in relief.

A win for the Southern Titans later today would mean Cronulla clinch a spot in top two.

CRONULLA

Hits: Ash Garnero 2, Cooper Jacenko 2, Will Crynes 2, Kobe Chu, Tim Wicks, Axle Stubbs, Ned Rankin, Zeke Coughlin
RBI : Ash Garnero 4, Tim Wicks 2, Will Crynes 2, Cooper Jacenko, Zeke Coughlin
HR: Ash Garnero, Tim Wicks

MELBOURNE TWINS

Hits:: Malcolm Scott 2, Brodie Leigh, Alexander Ward
RBI:: Brodie Leigh

SOUTHERN TITANS 10 def BRISBANE METRO 5 | Southern Titans storm back, clinch Intermediate League playoff spot after triple play twist

The Southern Titans punched their ticket to the 2026 Intermediate League Championship playoffs with a remarkable 10-5 comeback victory over Brisbane Metro.

The Titans scored nine unanswered runs and erased a four-run deficit in a wild contest that featured one of the tournament’s rarest defensive plays.

Brisbane Metro appeared to seize complete momentum in the top of the fourth inning. After escaping a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam with a stunning triple play in the bottom of the third, Metro exploded for five runs on six hits to take a 5-1 lead.

Felix Moncrieff delivered the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run double, while Zachary Nolan added two hits in the game.

But Southern Titans responded immediately. Jack Clarke singled home a run, Brodie Carr ripped an RBI double and Cody Knott added another RBI single during a four-run fourth inning that tied the game at 5-5.

The Titans then broke the game open in the sixth, ending the 5-5 deadlock.

Southern piled on five runs on three hits, highlighted by Alexander Joseph’s two-run single as the side raced away to secure a crucial victory and playoff berth.

Clarke starred offensively, going a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Archie Golding collected two hits, while Carr, Knott and Joseph each drove in runs.

Preston Taylor started for Southern Titans and battled through 3.2 innings before Jack Clarke and Jacob Golding combined for 3.1 scoreless innings in relief. Golding struck out four across the final two innings to close the door.

Brisbane Metro finished with eight hits despite committing nine errors in the field. Moncrieff drove in two runs, while Riley Kameus and Nolan each added RBI hits.

Southern Titans will now face Cronulla Black on Friday with a playoff position already secured.

SOUTHERN TITANS

Hits: Jack Clarke 3, Archie Golding 2, Brodie Carr, Cody Knott, Alexander Joseph, George Fifield, Enzo Lee, Preston Taylor
RBI: Jack Clarke, Archie Golding, Brodie Carr, Cody Knott, Alexander Joseph

BRISBANE METRO

Hits: Zachary Nolan 2, Felix Moncrieff, Alex Rosuck, Crosby Wood, Riley Kameus, Parker Blowes, Sebastian Pedder
RBI: Felix Moncrieff 2, Zachary Nolan, Riley Kameus

 

UPDATE: Going forward, all up-dates and any changes will be communicated via the Tournament Hub at www.baseball.com.au/2026littleleague

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The marquee event of the Australian Little League calendar is almost here.

12 teams from around the country have qualified locally for the Little League Championships. They’ll play June 3-8 at Blacktown.

The winner of the tournament? They go to the famous Little League World Series where they will play in front of crowds of 20,000+ and TV audiences of 2+ million.

Teams representing different “baseball neighbourhoods” around Australia have earned their way to this tournament by qualifying through their local state championships. Now, they face each other. Winner goes to their respective World Series tournament in the USA. More on that below.

MASTER SCHEDULE: Download the PDF to see when your team plays 

The schedule can be viewed above.

Closer to the tournament, a ‘Hub’ will be set up to follow along with results and information.

Make sure you follow Baseball.com.au for coverage including recaps, photos, highlights and more!

LITTLE LEAGUE SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

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Games on Diamond 1 will be broadcast live and free on Baseball+ with commentary. You can download the App from the App Store or visit plus.baseball.com.au.

Other games will be scored and feature a single camera live stream on GameChanger.

Make sure you follow Baseball.com.au on social media for updates.

Teams are divided into two pools of six.

The top two teams in each pool qualify for the semi finals.