The last day of Pool Play featured a rare scenario. No team started the day with a spot in the semi-finals locked in.

Only four had been mathematically eliminated leaving eight teams battling for four spots the semi-finals. Tiebreakers were at the top of minds of all managers, with potential three-way or four-way scenarios in play.

You can read about how the day unfolded below, with a note on a pre-game scenario in each blurb.

We saw multiple walk-offs in a crazy day. The semi-finals are now locked in.

This is, after all, 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.

DAY 4 SCHEDULE – SATURDAY 6 JUNE

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– Pool A: Cronulla Black 2 def Brisbane North 1 (Extra Innings, Baseball+)
– Pool A: Central Firebirds 5 def Canberra Rangers 4 (Baseball+)
– Pool A: Ryde Red 8 def Melbourne Rangers 1 (Baseball+)

– Pool B: Eastern Phantoms 9 def Adelaide Marlins 6
– Pool B: Eastern Athletics 11 def Northern Territory Buffaloes 1
– Pool B: Brisbane Metro 6 def Ryde Black 3

Live Scoring: GameChanger | Watch on Baseball+ 

SEMI FINAL SCHEDULE –> CLICK HERE

FINAL STANDINGS

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Top Two teams advance to the semi-finals.

Pool A (Runs allowed)

Ryde Red 4-1
Central Firebirds 4-1
—
Cronulla Black 3-2
Melbourne Rangers 3-2
Brisbane North 1-4
Canberra Rangers 1-4

Pool B (Runs Allowed)

Eastern Phantoms 4-1*
Adelaide Marlins 4-1*
—
Brisbane Metro 3-2
Ryde Black 3-2
Melbourne Athletics 1-4
NT Buffaloes 0-5

RECAPS

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CRONULLA BLACK 2 def BRISBANE NORTH 1 | Cronulla keep playoff hopes alive with great Xavier Dunn pitching performances and Flynn Donnelly walk-off heroics

Pre Game Scenario: Cronulla Black must win to keep chances of finals alive.

Flynn Donnelly came through with a clutch 2-RBI single in extra innings to propel Cronulla Black to a much needed 2-1 win over Brisbane North to finish Pool Play.

Cronulla end up with a 3-2 record, and now will hope the Canberra Rangers defeat the Central Firebirds and Melbourne Rangers beat Ryde Red to end up in a four-way tie. Then, math goes to work.

They also needed to keep the runs low. Xavier Dunn insured that happened. The Cronulla starter fired off 5.2 shutout innings with 12 strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Harper Lokeni and Xavier Griffin kept Cronulla scoreless through six innings in a scoreless shutout bid. Griffin tossed five of those innings.

It was 0-0 after regulation.

Taylor Lyall singled home the go-ahead run in the top of extra innings before Donnelly shut them down and limited the damage to a single score.

Then, the dramatics.

The teams now turn their attention to the future results….

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits: X. Dunn, L. Grant, E. Wall, J. Smith, H. Castillo, O. Fowler, B. Saunders
RBI: F. Donnelly

Pitching:
– X. Dunn — 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 12 K
– F. Donnelly — 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

BRISBANE NORTH
Hits: H. Lokeni, P. Cox, T. Lyall, A. Gaskell
RBI: T. Lyall

Pitching:
– H. Lokeni — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
– A. Griffin — 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 11 def NORTHERN TERRITORY 1 | Athletics pick up first win of tournament as Austin Neill and Evan Doganay hit inside the park homers

Pre Game Scenario: Both teams looking for first win of tournament

It was a close game until the Melbourne Athletics busted it open.

Up 4-1 in the fourth, the Athletics scored five runs to jump to a 9-1 lead. They sealed the deal with an Evan Doganay inside-the-park homer to end game via run rule.

Austin Neill hit a two-run inside-the-park homer in the five run fourth. Tristan Needham also had an RBI.

Yugo Takei was brilliant in his start. He struck out 11 in 5.0 innings, giving up one unearned runs and three hits.

Max Keane also had two hits.

Both teams advance to the consolation round.

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS

Hits: M. Keane 2, Y. Takei, E. Doganay 2, O. Allen, T. Needham, J. Buys, A. Neill, R. Tamura
RBI: M. Keane, E. Doganay 3, T. Wilkinson 2, A. Neill 2

Pitching:
– Y. Takei — 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K

NT BUFFALOES

Hits: H. Clifton, B. Derr, W. George
RBI: B. Derr

Pitching:
– H. Clifton — 3.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
– Z. Zahnen — 0.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS 9 def ADELAIDE MARLINS 6 | Phantoms withstand Marlins charge, keep finals hopes alive 

Pre Game Scenario: Adelaide win, they advance to semi-finals. Adelaide can also advance if they lose by five runs or less. Eastern Phantoms clinch with a win by 6+, or a win and a Ryde Black loss.

Needing a win to ensure they remained in the finals conversation, the Eastern Phantoms took down previously undefeated Adelaide Marlins to improve to 4-1.

It moves both teams to a share of the lead in Pool B with one game to play. If Brisbane Metro defeat Ryde (3-1), both Adelaide and Eastern Phantoms will advance on a 4-1 record.

If Ryde win, we go to a three-way tiebreaker where tournament administrators have some math to do.

The Phantoms woke feeling sharp. They scored in each of the first four innings to build an 8-1 lead. Lachlan Kendell looked solid on the mound, and picked up a key early inning RBI. Ashton Westwood also drove in a pair.

With runs allowed at a premium and a determining factor in a potential three-way tiebreaker, the Marlins needed to make a move.

Enter Will Cox. He stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and two outs down 8-1 in the bottom of the fourth. He ripped a bases clearing double to cut the margin four.

Eastern Phantoms added another before the Marlins scored a pair in the ninth to finish with a 9-6 scoreline.

Mandel Guo continued his strong tournament for the Marlins with two more hits.  Will Maidment and Mandel Guo threw an important 2.2 innings of relief for Adelaide.  They halted the Phantoms scoring momentum,  allowing just one unearned run.

Now teams await the result of Brisbane Metro and Ryde Black.

Post Game Scenario: Adelaide are in (runs allowed). Eastern Phantoms need Brisbane Metro to win to advance. 

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: D. Brewis, L. Kendall, A. Westwood 2, H. Nicholls
RBI: L. Kendall 2, A. Westwood 2, H. Nicholls

Pitching:
– L. Kendall — 3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
– D. Brewis — 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

ADELAIDE MARLINS

Hits: C. Roach, J. Robertson, M. Guo 2, C. Maidment, W. Cox, C. Kenny, B. Manning
RBI: O. Patman, C. Majewski, H. Ung, W. Cox 3

Pitching:
– C. Roach — 3.1 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
– W. Miles — 1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
– M. Guo — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

BRISBANE METRO 6 def RYDE BLACK 3 | Brisbane Metro play spoiler,  Adelaide and Eastern Phantoms advance

Pre Game Scenario: Ryde Black win, they are in. Ryde Black lose, they finish fourth. 

Brisbane Metro came out firing. They scored four runs in the top of the first and held on late for a win that sealed Ryde Black’s fate.

Both Brisbane and Ryde finish with a 3-2 record and will play consolation finals. Nervous supporters of Eastern Phantoms and Adelaide Marlins can breathe easy – they’ll play finals.

Brisbane Metro took advantage of walks and errors in the first, punctuated by a Benji Robertson RBI.

Robertson had another RBI in the third thanks to a double that pushed the score to 5-1.

Ryde cut the lead to 5-3 in the fifth thanks to a Yokaze Otsuka base hit.

Otsuka put together a great relief effort Ryde Black. He threw 4.0 innings, allowing two hits and two runs to give his team a chance at a comeback.

Axel Holmstrom provided an insurance mark for Brisbane Metro with an RBI double in the fifth.

Lincoln Wood tossed a complete game for Brisbane Metro: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO.

BRISBANE METRO

Hits: N. Akahoshi, A. Holmstrom (2), B. Robertson (2)
RBI: A. Holmstrom, A. Wild, B. Robertson, T. Sheeran, H. McMahon

Pitching:
– L. Wood — 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

RYDE BLACK
Hits: A. Post (2), Y. Otsuka, J. Melhem, L. Wolstenholme, I. Choi
RBI: Y. Otsuka, J. Melhem

Pitching:
– N. Fernie — 1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
– Y. Otsuka — 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS 5 def CANBERRA RANGERS 4 | Jacob Krawec delivers walk-off hit to send Firebirds to final, completing four run comeback

Pre Game Scenario: Central Firebirds win, they are in the semi-finals. Central Firebirds lose, they go to a three-way tie and hope they win it on runs allowed. 

You can’t get much more dramatic.

Facing potential elimination, down 4-3 and down to their final out, Jacob Krawec ripped a double to the wall that score two runs and secured a walk-off win for the Central Firebirds.

The victory moves the Firebirds to a 4-1 record in Pool A and guarantees a spot in the finals. Had they lost, they very well could have been eliminated.

Canberra threw everything they had at the Western Australians. They built up a 4-0 lead.

Lincoln McIntyre’s RBI single put Canberra up 2-0 in the third. They took advantage of walks and errors to jump out to a 4-0 advantage in the fourth.

Lincoln McIntyre, Layton Kowert, and Chase Hackett provided a plucky effort on the mound for the kids from the Capital.

The Firebirds scored three in the bottom of the fourth.

Meanwhile, Ashton Fisher and Kai Aizlewood combined to throw 3.0 shutout relief innings to give the Firebirds a chance.

Then, the Krawec dramatics.

The Firebirds will play in the semi-finals in the Final Four of the tournament.

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS

Hits: A. Fisher, J. Krawec, B. Saban-Smithers, K. Ogilvie, H. Welten, A. Martinez
RBI: J. Krawec (2), A. Fisher

Pitching:
– F. Kalin — 3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
– A. Fisher — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
– K. Aizlewood — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

CANBERRA RANGERS

Hits: L. McIntyre (2), L. Kowert (2), H. Kerns, E. Tunningley, T. Jenkins
RBI: B. MacDonald, C. Hackett

Pitching:
– L. McIntyre — 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
– L. Kowert — 2.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
– C. Hackett — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

RYDE RED | Ryde Red win their way through to a semi-final

Pre Game Scenario: Winner advances to the semi finals. 

In the final game of the group stage the scenario was quite simple: win and in for both of these teams.

Ryde Red came out flying.

They ripped 17 hits and scored in four different innings to lock up top spot and a place in the semi-finals. Riley Fury and Frederick Loats led the way with three hits a piece, while four players had two hits.

Fury opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the first. He and Aaron Dare combined for back-to-back hits in the third to move the score to 4-1. Jasper Pearse, Cormac Dillon and Kobe Bosman had RBI in the fifth inning to bring the scoreline beyond doubt to 8-1.

Daniel Warwick did his job on the mound. He threw 5.2 innings, allowing five hits with no walks, 7 strikeouts and one unearned run.

He also benefitted from some terrific defense.

Ryde Red advance to the semi-finals as Pool A #1 seed. They’ll play Adelaide Marlins tomorrow morning.

The schedule is below.

MELBOURNE RANGERS

Hits: F. Fleiner, A. Griffiths, L. Yule, F. McAleese, E. Andrzejewski
Runs: A. Griffiths

Pitching:
– P. Lane — 5.0 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
– A. Watt-Sinclair — 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

RYDE RED

Hits: D. Warwick, A. Dare (2), R. Fury (3), H. Kaneko (2), J. Lee, E. Becirevic, F. Loats (3), C. Dillon (2), K. Bosman (2)
RBI: A. Dare, R. Fury (2), H. Kaneko (2), J. Pearse, C. Dillon, K. Bosman

Pitching:
– D. Warwick — 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
– R. Fury — 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

We are through three days of the Little League Championships Group Stage. Amazingly, no team has clinched a spot in the top two.

Pool A and Pool B both have four teams battling for two spots, with multiple tiebreaker scenarios in play. Runs allowed and head-to-head will be at the top of every coach’s mind. Coaches will be all over the Little League Handbook tonight making sure they know all the tiebreaking procedures.

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

Watch live on Baseball+ and follow on GameChanger.

Yesterday’s recap: click here. Original PDF Schedule: click here.

DAY 3 SCHEDULE – FRIDAY 5 JUNE

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– Pool A: Canberra Rangers 13 def Melbourne Rangers 3
– Pool A: Ryde Red 11 def Brisbane North 7
– Pool A: Cronulla Black 13 def Canberra Rangers 3
– Pool A: Central Firebirds 19 def Cronulla Black 2

– Pool B: Ryde Black 8 def Eastern Phantoms 0 (Baseball+)
– Pool B: Eastern Phantoms 21 def Melbourne Athletics 7
– Pool B: Brisbane Metro 18 def Northern Territory Buffaloes 3 (Baseball+)
– Pool B: Adelaide Marlins 4 def Melbourne Athletics 1

CLICK HERE FOR SATURDAY SCHEDULE

Live Scoring: GameChanger | Watch on Baseball+ 

CURRENT STANDINGS

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Top Two teams advance to the semi-finals.

Pool A (Runs allowed)

Ryde Red 3-1 (21)
Central Firebirds 3-1 (18)
Melbourne Rangers 2-2 (20)
Cronulla Black 2-2 (23)
Brisbane North 1-3
Canberra Rangers 1-3

Pool B (Runs Allowed)

Adelaide Marlins 4-0 (16)
Ryde Black 3-1 (10)
Eastern Phantoms 3-1 (22)
Brisbane Metro 2-2 (15)
Melbourne Athletics 0-4
NT Buffaloes 0-4

Tiebreakers:
1. Head-to-head
2. Runs Allowed Ratio

RECAPS

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BRISBANE METRO 18 def NT BUFFALOES 3 | Brisbane stay in finals contention with a convincing win

Brisbane Metro have improved to 2-2 with one game to play in Pool B. They’ll need to beat Ryde Black (currently 2-1) and get some help to navigate their way into the top two of the tournament.

They did their job today. Brisbane Metro scored 13 runs in the second inning to race away.

Lars Van Der Hook, Noah Akahoshi, Toby Sheeran, Hamish McMahon and Kai McKenna all had RBI base hits in the 13-run inning. In fact, Van Der Hook had two hits in the frame. He finished the day with four RBI to lead all players.

Akahoshi went 2-for-3 with an inside-the-park homer to help pace the offense.

Benji Robertson and Axel Holmstrong pitched for Brisbane Metro, each tallying three strikeouts.

Tobias Howell and Korey Sleigh had RBI base hits for the Buffaloes, who drop to 0-4.

Check out the stats below.

Brisbane Metro (2-2) next play Saturday at 11:15AM vs Ryde Black (2-1). The Buffaloes finish Pool Play against the Athletics (0-3) tomorrow morning.

BRISBANE METRO

Hits: Kai McKenna 2, Noah Akahoshi 2, Anderson Wild 2, Axel Holmstrom, Noah Chang 2, Hamish McMahon 2, Lincoln Wood, Lars Van Der Hoek 2

RBI: Lars Van Der Hoek 4, Noah Akahoshi 3, Noah Chang 2, Kai McKenna, Toby Sheeran, Hamish McMahon

HR: Noah Akahoshi

Pitching:
– Benji Robertson — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
– Axel Holmstrom — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Hits: Tobias Howell, Korey Sleigh
RBI: Tobias Howell, Korey Sleigh

Pitching:
– Tobias Howell — 1.1 IP, 10 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
– Sam Follayttar — 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

CANBERRA RANGERS 13 def MELBOURNE RANGERS | Teddy Tudor helps lead Canberra to first victory, sending Pool A into wild scenarios

Teddy Tudor went 3-for-3 with a triple, double and two RBI. He also tossed 3.0 innings,  allowing two hits, two runs and struck out five.

He was a key part of a full team effort that sees Canberra pick up their first win of the tournament and improve to 1-2.

It creates some pretty crazy scenarios for Pool A. Every team has at least one win. No team has more than two. There’s 24 hours left of Pool Play.

Canberra’s offense was steady throughout the game. They scored four in the first, four in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth to win it on the run rule. Seven different Rangers had hits and eleven reached base.

Check out the stats below.

Canberra (1-2) will look to build on momentum later this afternoon vs Cronulla Black (1-2). The Melbourne Rangers (2-2) next play Ryde Red (2-1) in the final game of the minor rounds tomorrow afternoon.

All five teams are still mathematically alive for a top two spot.

CANBERRA RANGERS

Hits: T. Tudor 3, B. MacDonald, L. McIntyre, H. Kerns, D. Hurley, K. Hayashi, T. Matavesi
RBI: T. Tudor 2, K. Hayashi

Pitching:
– T. Tudor: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
– C. Hackett: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

MELBOURNE RANGERS

Hits: A. Watt-Sinclair 2, P. Lane, C. McGowan
RBI: A. Watt-Sinclair, P. Lane

Pitching:
-F. Fleiner: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
– H. Reeman: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
– E. Andrzejewski: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS 21 def MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 7  | Flurry of runs brings Phantoms to perfect 3-0 record

The Eastern Phantoms scored a flurry of runs to bring themselves within striking distance of finals.

The scenario is this: if the Eastern Phantoms defeat Ryde Black, they will advance to the semi-finals at 4-0. They play at 1:30PM on Baseball+.

While the scoreline was flattering, the Phantoms had to do it the hard way. The Phantoms were down 4-1 after two innings before they rattled off 14 unanswered runs. They scored six in the third, eight in the fourth and six in the fifth.

12 different Phantoms had a hit and all players in the line-up reached base. Darcy Brewis went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI to pace the attack.

Jack McCay, Lachlan Kendall, Mitchell Renwick and Ashton Westwood each had a pair of base-hits.

Oscar Allen had two hits for the Athletics

The Phantoms improve to 3-0. The Athletics drop to 0-3.

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: D. Brewis 3, J. McCay 2, L. Kendall 2, M. Renwick 2, A. Westwood 2, N. Rowland, O. Duck, A. Kelly, C. Stingers, H. Nicholls, O. A

RBI: N. Rowland 3, D. Brewis 3, M. Renwick 2, A. Westwood 2, J. McCay, L. Kendall, O. Duck, A. Kelly, H. Nicholls

Pitching:
– N. Rowland: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
– J. McCay: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
– A. Westwood: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS

Hits: O. Allen 2, N. Singline, L. Giles, T. Needham

RBI: O. Allen 2, N. Singline

Pitching:
– O. Allen: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
– N. Singline: 1.1 IP, 11 H, 11 R, 9 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
– T. Needham: 1.2 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 5 BB, 2 K

ADELAIDE MARLINS 4 def MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 1 | Hamish Lee tosses tournament high 13 strikeouts as Marlins improve to 4-0

Hamish Lee delivered the best pitching performance of the tournament so far.

The 11-year-old left-hander threw 5.2 shutout innings, allowing just two hits, two walks and posted 2026 tournament high 13 strikeouts.

He needed to be every bit as great as he was. The Athletics Luca Lidgett was also excellent.

Adelaide scored four runs in the top of the first and Lidgett took over from there. He finished with 5.0 innings pitched,  allowing just three earned runs with five hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts.

A sequence of back-to-back-to-back hits from Jack Robertson, Oscar Patman and Cameron Majewski spurred on a four run first inning for the Marlins and Lee took over from there.

The Athletics pressured in the last, scoring a run and loading the bases before Will Miles struck out the final batter.

The Marlins are now 4-0. They turn their attention to the upcoming Eastern Phantoms (3-0) vs Ryde Black (2-1) game. If the Phantoms win, the Marlins are through. If Ryde Black win, the Marlins will likely need to defeat the Phantoms tomorrow to reach the semi finals. In event of a three-way tie, runs allowed may come into factor.

ADELAIDE MARLINS

Hits: O. Patman 2, C. Roach, J. Robertson, C. Majewski
RBI: J. Robertson, O. Patman, C. Majewski, M. Guo

Pitching:
– H. Lee: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 13 K
– W. Miles: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS
Hits: L. Lidgett, O. Allen, S. Yang, T. Wilkinson, T. Needham
RBI: O. Allen

Pitching:
– L. Lidgett: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS 19 def CRONULLA BLACK 2 | Firebirds first to three wins in Pool A after overpowering Cronulla

The Firebirds stormed out of the gate for five runs in the fifth, and finished with 10 runs in the last.

The win puts Central Firebirds in first place in Pool A and a win away from securing a semi-finals spot.

Ashton Fisher led the way with three hits. and three RBI. Beau Price, Kai Ogilvie and Harrison Welton all had three RBI.

As a team, the Firebirds combined for 11 hits and 12 walks. Everybody in the line-up reached base at least once.

Declan Strain went the distance, going 4.0 innings. with four hits,  two runs, two walks and six strikeouts.

The Firebirds (3-1) move to first place in Pool A. They play Canberra Rangers (1-2) tomorrow to wrap up Pool Play. If they win that, they are through to the finals.

Cronulla Black (1-2) play Canberra Rangers (1-2) in a must-win game this afternoon.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits: L. Grant 2, E. Wall, H. Castillo
RBI: E. Wall, J. Smith

Pitching:
– L. Percey: 1.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
– E. Wall: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
– C. Wooden: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 7 BB, 1 K
– B. Saunders: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS

Hits: A. Fisher 3, F. Kalin 2, B. Price 2, K. Ogilvie, K. Aizlewood, H. Welten, V. Buckley
RBI: A. Fisher 3, F. Kalin, B. Price 3, K. Ogilvie 3, H. Welten 3, C. Moffat, V. Buckley

Pitching:
–  D. Strain: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

RYDE BLACK vs EASTERN PHANTOMS | Ryde Black take home must-win game to send Pool A to the final day thanks to shutout effort from Koji Komine

The pre-game scenario was simple. Eastern Phantoms win? They’re in with Adelaide and Ryde Black would be eliminated. Ryde Black win? They bring Pool B to the final day.

Ryde score six runs in the first two innings and never looked back. 8-0 your final.

Koji Komine was terrific on the mound. He threw 5.1 shutout innings, allowing just two hits, four walks and had nine strikeouts.

Eight different Ryde Black players had hits. Haruki Sawa had two RBI.

It leaves Pool B with four teams fighting for two spots. Runs allowed will factor into the equation should we go to a three-way tiebreaker and head-to-head can’t be used.

Ryde Black (3-1) finish tomorrow vs Brisbane Metro (2-2). Adelaide (4-0) play Eastern Phantoms (3-1).

RYDE BLACK

Hits: L. Punch, H. Myles, Y. Otsuka, J. Valente, J. Melhem, L. Wolstenholme, K. Komine, I. Choi
RBI: H. Myles, Y. Otsuka, J. Valente, J. Melhem, N. Fernie, H. Sawa 2

Pitching:
– K. Komine: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K
– L. Punch: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: L. Kendall, H. Nicholls

Pitching:
– P. Thomas: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
– M. Renwick: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
– H. Nicholls: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

RYDE RED 11 vs BRISBANE NORTH 7 | Ryde Red are a win away from finals 

Ryde Red scored six runs in the last inning to pull away from Brisbane North in a pivotal Pool A battle.

They became their group team to a 3-1 record. Their 11-7 win moves them just a win away from a semi-final sport and a chance at Williamsport.

Ryde Red built up a 5-1 lead before Brisbane clawed back within one.

Entering the sixth inning up 5-4, Ryde Red scored six runs on three hits to push the score out to an 11-4 margin. Edin Becerivic and Frederick Coats heat had two-RBI base hits.

Brisbane North push pushed back in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs and loading the bases.

Becerivic had two hits for Ryde Red. Jasper Pearse had three RBI. Loats had three stolen bases.

Ryde Red improve to 3-1. They play their final game vs the Melbourne Rangers (2-2) on Baseball+. If they win that, they are in the semi finals.

RYDE RED

Hits: D. Warwick, H. Kaneko, J. Lee, N. Robson, E. Becirevic 2, F. Loats, K. Bosman
RBI: H. Kaneko, N. Robson, E. Becirevic 2, F. Loats, J. Pearse 3, C. Dillon

Pitching:
– H. Kaneko: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
– K. Bosman: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
– J. Lee: 0.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
– C. Dillon: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

BRISBANE NORTH

Hits: H. Lokeni, A. Griffin 2, T. Hession 2, J. Land, J. Young

RBI: E. Grobler, M. Fogg 2, A. Gaskell

Pitching:
– T. Lyall: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
– M. Fogg: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
– H. Campbell-Manfield: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

CRONULLA BLACK 13 def  CANBERRA RANGERS 3| Cronulla bounce back with nine run inning to keep finals hopes alive

Cronulla need to win their final two games and find some help to get into the finals.

They accomplished part the challenge on Friday afternoon with a resounding win over Canberra.

The game was close until it wasn’t. Cronulla led 4-0 in the fourth before exploding for nine runs. Hudson Castillo, Charlie Wooden, Leonardo Percey, Lucas Grant and Jack Smith each had RBI base hits in the inning.

The hits from Wooden and Grant were triples.

Hudson Castillo pitched all four innings, surviving a three-run charge in the final inning by Canberra.

Teddy Tudor built on a three-hit day earlier for Canberra, tallying two more in the afternoon.

The win moves Cronulla to 2-2. They face Brisbane North (1-3) tomorrow at 9:00AM on Baseball+. To make the finals, Cronulla will need to win the game, then hope Canberra Rangers (1-3) to defeat the Central Firebirds (3-1), and Melbourne Rangers (2-2) to defeat Ryde Red (3-2). From there, they would need to hope to come out in a four-way tiebreaker.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits: L. Percey, X. Dunn, L. Grant, E. Wall, F. Donnelly, A. Fils-Aime, O. Fowler, C. Wooden
RBI: L. Percey, L. Grant, E. Wall, J. Smith, F. Donnelly, H. Castillo, C. Wooden 2
Pitching:
– H. Castillo — 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
– A. Fils-Aime — 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

CANBERRA RANGERS
Hits: T. Tudor 2, C. Hackett, E. Tunningley, T. Matavesi

Pitching:
– D. Hurley — 0.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
– K. Hayashi — 3.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
– K. Herath — 0.1 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
– E. Tunningley — 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

END OF DAY STANDINGS AND SCHEDULE

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Top Two teams advance to the semi-finals.

Pool A (Runs allowed)

Ryde Red 3-1 (21)
Central Firebirds 3-1 (18)
Melbourne Rangers 2-2 (20)
Cronulla Black 2-2 (23)
Brisbane North 1-3
Canberra Rangers 1-3

Pool B (Runs Allowed)

Adelaide Marlins 4-0 (16)
Ryde Black 3-1 (10)
Eastern Phantoms 3-1 (22)
Brisbane Metro 2-2 (15)
Melbourne Athletics 0-4
NT Buffaloes 0-4

Tiebreakers:
1. Head-to-head
2. Runs Allowed Ratio

By the end of the day, some teams may have their foot in the door of finals at 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 2 SCHEDULE

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– Pool A: Brisbane North 6 def Canberra Rangers 0 (Baseball+)
– Pool A: Ryde Red 8 def Central Firebirds 3
– Pool A: Central Firebirds 1 def Melbourne Rangers 0  (Baseball+)
– Pool A: Cronulla Black 10 def Ryde Red 0 (Baseball+)

– Pool B: Adelaide Marlins 4 def Ryde Black 3
– Pool B: Brisbane Metro 9 def Melbourne Athletics 1
– Pool B: Adelaide Marlins 2 def Brisbane Metro 0
– Pool B: Eastern Phantoms 10 def Northern Territory Buffaloes 6

Live Scoring: GameChanger | Watch on Baseball+ 

DAY 3 SCHEDULE HERE  

CURRENT STANDINGS

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Top Two teams advance to the semi-finals.

Pool A

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

Pool B

Adelaide Marlins 3-0
Eastern Phantoms 2-0
Ryde Black 2-1
Brisbane Metro 1-2
Melbourne Athletics 0-2
NT Buffaloes 0-3

RECAPS

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BRISBANE NORTH 6 def CANBERRA RANGERS 0 | Despite being outhit, Brisbane North do enough to pick up first win of the tournament

Likely needing to win out to make the finals, Brisbane North found a way to get it done vs the Canberra Rangers.

Porter Cox and James Young each pitched three shutout innings, combining for six hits, seven strikeouts and crucially no walks.

They needed to be flawless because Canberra only allowed two hits for the game and took a no-hitter into the sixth.

Brisbane took advantage of a series of walks and errors to build a 4-0 advantage. They weaved around base runners, stranding all 10 batters Canberra managed to push aboard.

Teddy Tudor picked up two hits for the Rangers.

Brisbane North improve 1-2, keeping their Pool B finals hopes alive.

BRISBANE NORTH (1-2)

Hits: A. Griffin (2B), C. Black (2B)
RBI: P. Cox, T. Lyall, A. Griffin, E. Grobler, M. Fogg, J. Young

Pitching:
– P. Cox — 3.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
– J. Young — 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

CANBERRA RANGERS (0-2)

Hits: T. Tudor 2, H. Kerns, K. Herath, L. Kowert, D. Hurley

Pitching:
T. Tudor — 0.1 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB
L. McIntyre — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
L. Kowert — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB
K. Herath — 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
T. Matavesi — 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K

ADELAIDE MARLINS 4 def RYDE BLACK 3 | Marlins walk-off Ryde Black in crucial battle to stay undefeated

In a clash between two undefeated teams, Adelaide delivered the most dramatic finish of the tournament so far.

Trailing 3-2 entering their final at-bat, the Marlins found a way.  Jack Robertson cashed in the tying run before Mandel Guo lifted a sacrifice fly to score the winner, completing a 4-3 comeback walk-off victory over Ryde Black.

The win moves Adelaide to 2-0 and gives the Marlins a crucial result in the race for a top-two finish.

It was a tense contest from the opening pitch. Both teams’ pitching staffs came to play.

Adelaide starter Cameron Majewski was outstanding, allowing just one hit and no earned runs across 2.2 innings while striking out six. Jack Robertson followed with 3.1 innings of relief, surrendering four hits and two walks while striking out five. All three Ryde runs were unearned.

Ryde’s pitching staff was equally impressive. Haruki Sawa and Alexei Post combined for 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and four runs, with only one of those runs earned. The pair walked two and struck out nine.

Scoring was hard to find, and came off of walks and errors.

Adelaide took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning. Then, Ryde made their move. Jacob Melham delivered an RBI single and Lily Westenholme followed with a clutch triple.

It set the stage for the dramatic final inning.

With their backs against the wall, Adelaide rallied. Robertson brought home the tying run before Guo’s sacrifice fly sealed a memorable walk-off victory.

ADELAIDE MARLINS (2-0)

Hits: C. Majewski (2), B. Manning, H. Ung, W. Cox
RBI: J. Robertson, M. Guo, C. Maidment

Pitching:
– C. Majewski — 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
– J. Robertson — 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

RYDE BLACK
Hits: H. Sawa (2B), H. Myles, J. Melhem, L. Wolstenholme (3B), I. Choi

Pitching:
– H. Sawa — 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
– A. Post — 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

RYDE RED 8 def CENTRAL FIREBIRDS 3 | Ryde Red’s five-run fifth inning is the difference in improving to 2-0

Ryde Red blue the game opening with a monster five run fifth inning. Cormac Dillon and Daniel Warwick each had key RBI singles to plate four of the five runs.

They were backed by excellent pitching from Edin Becirevic. The starter allowed five hits and one run over 4.2 innings, striking out seven and walking two. Daniel Warwick closed it out and picked up the save.

Ryde took advantage of errors to build up a 3-1 lead before ripping off the five runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Central Firebirds did push back in the final innings thanks to RBIs from Vincent Buckley and and Flynn Kalin. But despite outhitting Ryde Red 8-6, Central Firebirds’ scoring was capped at three runs.

The Firebirds drop to 1-1 and still very much in the hunt for finals.

RYDE RED
Hits: D. Warwick, A. Dare, R. Fury, H. Kaneko, N. Robson, C. Dillon
RBI: D. Warwick 2, H. Kaneko, C. Dillon, K. Bosman

Pitching:
– Edin Becirevic — 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
– Daniel Warwick — 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS
Hits: F. Kalin 2, H. Welten 2, A. Fisher, J. Krawec, K. Ogilvie, B. Saban-Smithers
RBI: F. Kalin, K. Ogilvie

Pitching:
– Callum Moffat — 3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
– Kai Aizlewood — 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
– Kai Ogilvie — 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS 1 def MELBOURNE RANGERS 0 | Beau Price and Archie Griffiths deliver one of the best tournament pitcher’s duels in recent memories

Take a bow, Beau and Archie!

Beau Price tossed the tournament’s first complete game shutout, firing 6.0 shutout innings with no runs, three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts for the Central Firebirds.

Archie Griffiths was equally as impressive in his complete game effort. He went 5.0 innings with 3 hits, 2 walks 10 strikeouts and just one run.

“It’s the best pitcher’s duel I can remember at an Australian national championship,” said play-by-play commentator Luke Eisenhaur, who has called five Little League Nationals and multiple Australian Youth Championships and Senior League Tournaments.

Both players looked exhausted after the game but met up for a commemorative photo.

The Firebirds scored the game’s only run in the first inning off a fielder’s choice from the batt of Bentley Saban-Smithers.

The Rangers had their best chance in the fifth inning. They had runners on first and second with nobody out, but Beau Price worked his magic and preserved the shutout.

The result throws Pool A into chaos.

The Melbourne Rangers and Firebirds are now equal at 2-1. Ryde Red sit at 2-0, with Cronulla Black (0-1) and Brisbane North (1-2) firmly within striking distance and key games to play.

CENTRAL FIREBIRDS

Hits (3): Ashton Fisher, Jacob Krawec, Callum Moffat
RBI: Bentley Saban-Smithers
Pitching:
– Beau Price: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 7 SO

MELBOURNE RANGERS

Hits (3): Archie Watt-Sinclair (2), Leigh Yule
Pitching:
– Archie Griffiths: 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 10 SO

BRISBANE METRO 9 def MELBOURNE ATHLETICS 1 | Metro dominate on the mound in and in the batters box to pick up first win of the tournament

Four Brisbane Metro pitchers combined to allow two hits, 12 strikeouts and just one run in a much needed 9-1 Brisbane Metro victory on Thursday morning.

Ari Holmstrom threw 1.2 innings with four strikeouts, allowing just one run, to start. Lincoln Wood fired of 3.0 perfect shutout innings with five strikeouts to follow. Alfred Kelly and Axel Holmstrom both worked a pair of outs to close the door.

Metro were buoyed by timely bats. They scored five runs in the fifth, large in part to a 3-RBI Anderson Wild triple, Noah Akahoshi triple, and Kenji Robertson RBI single. It bounced the score out from 3-1 to 8-1 and put the game beyond doubt.

Kai McKenna led the way for Brisbane Metro with three hits.

Brisbane Metro improve to 1-1 and put themselves firmly in the mix for a top-two position and spot in the finals. The Athletics fall to 0-2.

BRISBANE METRO

Hits: K. McKenna 3, N. Akahoshi 2, A. Holmstrom 2, T. Sheeran 2, A. Wild, B. Robertson
RBI: A. Wild 3, N. Akahoshi, B. Robertson, K. McKenna, T. Sheeran

Pitching:
– Ari Holmstrom — 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
– Lincoln Wood — 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO
– Alfred Kelly — 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
–  Axel Holmstrom — 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

MELBOURNE ATHLETICS
Hits: Lucas Yang, E. Doganay
Pitching:
Max Keane — 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Nathaniel Singling — 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO
Yugo Takei — 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Austin Neill — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

ADELAIDE MARLINS 2 def BRISBANE METRO 0 | Marlins win second game of day, improve to tournament’s only 3-0 team

The Adelaide Marlins are the first and only 3-0 team at the 2026 Little League Championships.

Hunter Ung and Mandel Guo combined to allow four hits in a 6.0 inning shutout effort with just one walk and 7 strikeouts.

It builds on a comeback 4-3 walk-off win earlier in the day over Ryde Black, putting the Marlins in an optimal position to push for a top two position and spot in the Finals.

Jack Robertson continued his hot start to the tournament with a key RBI single in the third inning. They scored their second run off an error in the fourth.

Anderson Wild was excellent on the mound for Brisbane Metro. He struck out nine batters in his 3.0 innings of work.

How about the day Mandel Guo had? He had the walk-off sacrifice fly to win the first game of the day and 2.1 innings of near flawless shutout relief work in a shutout effort today.

The Marlins improve to 3-0, Metro split the day and drop to 1-2.

BRISBANE METRO

Hits: Benji Robertson, Axel Holmstrom (2B), Toby Sheeran, Seryoung Chang

Pitching:
– Anderson Wild — 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
– Noah Akahoshi — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

ADELAIDE MARLINS

Hits: Jack Robertson, Connor Maidment, William Cox, William Miles
RBI: Jack Robertson

Pitching:
– Hunter Ung — 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
-Mandel Guo — 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

EASTERN PHANTOMS 10 def NORTHERN TERRITORY 6 | Eastern Phantoms score four in the last inning to break tie and improve to 2-0

The Phantoms won a wild one.

With the score tied at six in the top of the last, Paddy Thomas came up to the plate with bases loaded and nobody out.

He hit a ground ball to third, which triggered a sequence of errors that resulted in all four prospective Phantoms runs coming home. Four on the board and a 10-6 lead. A chaotic way to end a chaotic game.

The Phantoms gradually built up a 4-0 lead through three innings with RBI to Lachlan Kendall, Nicholas Rowland and Jack McCay.

But the Phantoms responded with five runs in the bottom of the third off five hits. Blake Derr had the biggest hit of the inning – a single that drove in two.

Paddy Thomas tied the game up at five in the fourth.

With his team down 6-5 in the fifth, Northern Territory’s William George ripped a single down the right field line which helped square the game up.

In the end, it’s jubilation for the Phantoms and heartbreak for the Buffaloes. But, what a tremendous effort from both teams.

Northern Territory drop to 0-3 on the tournament while the Phantoms are one of two remaining unbeaten teams at 2-0 ahead of their double header day on Friday.

EASTERN PHANTOMS

Hits: N. Rowland 2, J. McCay, L. Kendall, A. Westwood, P. Thomas, A. Kelly 2, H. Nicholls
RBI: N. Rowland, J. McCay 2, L. Kendall, P. Thomas

Pitching:
– Ari Kelly — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
– Mitchell Renwick — 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
– Oliver Duck — 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

NT BUFFALOES
Hits: B. Derr (2), S. Follayter, C. Brown, Kelvin Sleigh, Korey Sleigh, F. Kleiner, Z. Zahnen
RBI: Follower, Kelvin Sleigh, Korey Sleigh, Zahnen

Pitching:
– William George: 4.0 IP, 7H , 3ER, 1 BB, 3SO
– Korey Sleigh: 2.0IP, H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

CRONULLA BLACK 10 def RYDE RED 0  | Pool A thrown into complete chaos as Cronulla Black win in run rule fashion

The next two days are going to be fun.

With Cronulla’s run-rule victory on Thursday, it ensures that every team in Pool A already has a loss to their name through two days. All teams are in a position to advance out of the group with two days to play.

Jack Smith and Xavier Dunn combined for a complete game shutout. They both struck out five.

Lucas Grant was perfect at the plate, leading all batters with a 3-for-3 effort including a triple in a five run fifth inning.

Cronulla slowly built their lead until they exploded in the fifth.

Hudson Castillo put Cronulla on the board in the first. Grant had an RBI single and later stole home in the third.

In the fifth, Ethan Wall, Alexi Fils-Aime, William Bunker and Hudson Castillo all had RBI.

Cronulla improve to 1-1 while Ryde drop to 2-1. The schedule for tomorrow and the current standings are at the bottom of this story.

CRONULLA BLACK

Hits: L. Grant 3, L. Percey, A. Fils-Aime, H. Castillo, W. Bunker
RBI: L. Grant, E. Wall, A. Fils-Aime, H. Castillo, W. Bunker, O. Fowler, L. Percey

Pitching:
– Jack Smith — 3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
– Xavier Dunn — 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

RYDE RED

Hits: D. Warnick, H. Kaneko, J. Lee, F. Loats, J. Pearse, C. Dillon

Pitching:
– Aaron Dare — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
– Hikaru Kaneko — 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
– Nicholas Robson — 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
– Frederick Loats — 1.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

CURRENT STANDINGS

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Top Two teams advance to the semi-finals.

Pool A

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

Pool B

Adelaide Marlins 3-0
Eastern Phantoms 2-0
Ryde Black 2-1
Brisbane Metro 1-2
Melbourne Athletics 0-2
NT Buffaloes 0-3

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.

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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*

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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