14 January 2024
Australian Youth Championships
Drama on Day 5: Recapping a truly special Medal Round at U16 + U18 Championships
This will go down as one of the more memorable days in Australian junior baseball history.
The first day of the Medal Rounds were epic. Every one of the 10 games were close, in a day that lasted nearly 13 because of rain delays.
They were all meaningful. Playoff baseball, baby.
We saw a no-hitter, multiple complete game shutouts, many comebacks, a 15-year-old hit a home run, some epic defensive plays, extra innings thrillers, and teams who booked a spot in Tuesday’s Gold Medal game.
DAY 6 UPDATES AND WEATHER: Click here.
GOLD MEDAL INFO: New Schedule for Final Day of Australian Youth Championships Announced
Best of all? It was played hard. It was played well. It was ripping with emotion.
Read on to follow the day as it unfolded. I encourage you to visit our Instagram page (baseball.com.au) to see some unbelievable photos, moments and stories of the day.
If you are here for the quick scores, standings, schedule and scenarios, scroll to the bottom.
WHAT IS THE MEDAL ROUND?
After four days where each of the teams played each other once, the Top 4 qualified for the ‘Medal Round.’
Records re-set and each team will play each other once from January 14-15.
From there, the Top 2 teams qualify for the Gold Medal Game on Tuesday.
Under 16 Medal Round Teams: NSW, QLD, VIC, WA
Under 18 Medal Round Teams: NSW, VIC, SA, WA
The other three play in a consolation round.
PDF TOURNAMENT Schedule: Click Here.
RESULTS, AS THEY UNFOLDED – January 14
UNDER 16 MEDAL ROUND – Victoria 4 def Western Australia 3 (8 innings)

It was a Mitch Langworthy special as Victoria sensationally stormed back from three runs down to defeat Western Australia in extras.
Western Australia seemed in control after scoring three early runs. Leanard Golding hit a solo shot for WA and Victoria were left stunned.
In the bottom of the fourth the game started to turn. Langworthy collected the first of three hits on the day, when he cranked a double to the wall to score the first run for Victoria.
In the bottom of the sixth Langworthy blasted a triple to the wall to cut the lead to 3-2. He scored on a sacrifice fly from Sam Walk on the next at bat. Tie ballgame.
Off to extras we go…
Liam Puncher induced a 1-2-3 inning of Western Australia in the top of the eighth.
Langworthy struck again – with a bunt single in extras to bring the winning run to third who was later scored on a bases-loaded walk.
Prisov, Golding and Samukawa had the RBIs for Western Australia.
Records: Victoria (1-0), Western Australia (0-1)
UNDER 16 MEDAL ROUND – New South Wales 7 def Queensland 4
Don’t let the score deceive you. This game was wild, tense and close.
New South Wales took an early lead in the bottom of the third thanks to doubles from Liam Worne and Frank Clarke.
“Comeback Queensland”, who have four come-from-behind victories this tournament, scored three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead thanks to great team hitting.
It was a short-lived lead. With two runners on, Fletcher Willard crunched a 2-RBI triple to send New South Wales in front once again. They piled on three more runs.
Queensland scored in the top of the last and even had the tying run at the plate. Queensland outhit New South Wales 6-5.
RECORDS: New South Wales (1-0), Queensland (0-1)
UNDER 16 CONSOLATION ROUND – New South Wales Country 3 TIE South Australia 3

In the first game of the consolation round, NSWC and SA played to a 3-3 tie.
Jake Moras’ RBI single in the third inning put South Australia in a promising 3-0 positing.
The Country boys stormed back. Draven Fatu led the charge by going 3-for-3, stealing three bases and scoring two runs.
A Ben Frost RBI tied the game late for NSWC.
Hamish Phelps and Bailey Richards tossed five innings of scoreless relief work for NSWC.
RECORDS – South Australia 0-0-1, New South Wales Country 0-0-1
UNDER 18 MEDAL ROUND – South Australia 3 def West Australia 1

Flynn McKee comes up clutch with huge three hit performance for South Australia as they hold West Australia to just one hit.
Back-to-back walks at the top of the second by George Calverly and Jai Hewitt allowed West Australia to strike first with a Riley Hall sacrifice fly.
South Australia was able to tie the game at the bottom of the fourth off an RBI single from Aiden Lucas to capitalise on a leadoff double by Flynn McKee.
South Australia then took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth helped by a clutch two-out single by McKee.
McKee is now the tournament’s hit leader with eleven.
Thomas Steven pitched 3.0 no-hit innings in relief, allowing just a walk while striking out three.
RECORDS – South Australia (1-0), West Australia (0-1)
UNDER 18 MEDAL ROUND – Victoria 5 def New South Wales 2
A combined no-hitter for Victoria as they take the game from a late-game surge.
New South Wales were the first to get on the board with an RBI groundout from Lucas Stancic in the bottom of the first.
A fielding error by NSW with two outs in the top of the fourth allowed Victoria to capitalise on back-to-back, two-out walks to tie the game.
RBI singles by Will Kent in the top of the sixth and Matthew Johnston in the top of the seventh highlighted a two-inning, four-run surge by Victoria.
Will Kent also made the play of the game in the bottom of the seventh with an impeccable catch and throw to first off a hard-hit ball to keep the no-hitter alive.
Tane Graham pitched 3.0 innings in relief for Victoria, striking out four. Jack Ratcliffe completed the no-hitter with a 1.0-inning, two strikeout performance.
RECORDS – Victoria (1-0), New South Wales (0-1)
UNDER 18 CONSOLATION ROUND – New South Wales Country 4 def Queensland 1
A pitcher’s duel between Zac Leggett (QLD) and Max Hagger (NSWC) and Riley Puckett (NSWC) in the first three innings, with no hits and just three walks between both teams.
But it was NSWC to break through in the top of the fourth. An RBI triple by Oliver Flokstra followed by a sacrifice fly by Jonah Beath put NSWC up 2-0.
NSWC tallied another two runs in the following inning to make it a 4-0 ballgame.
While a Max Durrington double was able to put Queensland on the board in the bottom of the seventh, NSWC was able to end the game at the next at-bat.
RECORDS – New South Wales Country (1-0), Queensland (0-1)
UNDER 16 MEDAL ROUND – Victoria 3 def Queensland 2
Money Mitch Langworthy does it again – with the bat AND on the mound. Victoria had to comeback from multiple runs down to win again!
Queensland scored first off a sacrifice bunt and RBI groundout in the bottom of the third to lead 2-0.
Then Victoria made their move with five singles in the fifth.
The biggest of all was with bases loaded. Down 2-0, Mitch Langworthy knocked a 2-RBI single into the outfield to tie the game. Jordan Ellis followed and drove in the eventual winning run.
Ellis and Jake Bertucci finished the game going 3-for-4 from the plate.
Cooper Busch pitched 6.2 innings for Victoria, striking three while allowing no earned runs.
In the bottom of the seventh, with two runners in scoring position for Queensland and two outs, Mitchell Langworthy induced a flyout to centre field to close the game.
Crotty, Duncalf, and Pearce each recorded a base hit for Queensland.
RECORD – Victoria (2-0), Queensland (0-2)
U16 Medal Round – New South Wales 5 def West Australia 0
Two rain delays was not going to stop Cohen Ryan from pitching a complete game shutout for New South Wales, where he allowed six hits, no walks, and striking out five.
New South Wales got on the board first at the bottom of the third with a two-RBI double from Cash Robinson. Robinson would then single in the bottom of the sixth to bat home another run.
Cavill, Clarke, and Jones also contributed with two hits each.
Blake Thompson led West Australia with two hits in three at bats.
New South Wales will face Victoria for gold on Tuesday.
Ryan’s seven-inning complete-game shutout was impressive. He survived two rain delays.
RECORD – New South Wales (2-0), West Australia (0-2)
U18 Medal Round – Victoria 1 def South Australia 0
Victoria walk it off in extra innings to punch a ticket into the gold medal game.
It was a day for the pitchers.
Ryder Wilson pitched an 8.0-inning shutout for Victoria, striking out four while only allowing four hits and a walk. Amazing.
Alistair Tanner started for South Australia, allowing just two hits and two walks as he struck out three. He also hit a top speed of 94mph.
Will Couzner pitched 3.1 relief innings, allowing only two hits and two walks as he struck out four.
Jayden Kim led Victoria on the offensive end, going 2-for-4 with a double.
Matthew Johnston’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eight scored the game-winning run. He finished the game 1-for-2 with a walk.
Altamura, Lucas, Thomas, and Hodges all recorded a hit for South Australia.
RECORD – Victoria (2-0), South Australia (1-1)
RAIN DELAY – 4:00PM – 7:00PM
U18 Medal Round – Western Australia 5 def New South Wales 4
Another epic. After a near three-hour rain delay, teams finally played ball and did not disappoint.
New South Wales jumped out to an early three run lead after taking advantage of a string of walks in the third inning.
Western Australia immediately responded. They put of a 4-run fourth thanks to clutch hitting from the bottom of the line-up of Xavier Fatia, Riley Ozanne, Ben Crook and Darcy Clements. Jacob Davila knocked in a go ahead run.
The 4-3 lead was faint. New South Wales tied it in the bottom of the fourth.
A Jai Hewitt sacrifice fly put Western Australia up 5-4 in the fifth.
Nervy pitching from Boston Foot and a couple stand out defensive plays closed out a nervy day that was just ripping with raw emotion.
We go to bed tonight with no team clinched, or eliminated, from Tuesday’s Gold Medal Game. Read on…
Records: Western Australia (1-1), New South Wales (1-1).
MEDAL ROUND STANDINGS (5:15PM)
Under 16
1. New South Wales – 2-0
2. Victoria – 2-0
3. Queensland – 0-2
4. Western Australia – 0-2
Scenarios: NSW and VIC will play for Gold on Tuesday. QLD and WA will play for Bronze.
Sunday scores:
– VIC 4 def WA 3
– NSW 7 def QLD 4
– NSWC 3 tie SA 3
– VIC 3 def QLD 2
– NSW 5 def WA 1
Monday Schedule:
– 10:00AM – WA (0-2) vs QLD (0-2) – Diamond 1, watch on Baseball+
– 10:00AM – ACT (0-0) vs NSWC (0-0-1) – Diamond 2, GameChanger (Consolation)
– 12:45PM – VIC (2-0) vs NSW (2-0) – Diamond 1, watch on Baseball+
– 12:45PM – ACT (0-0) vs SA (0-0-1) – Diamond 2, GameChanger (Consolation)
Tuesday Schedule:
10:00AM – Under 16 Bronze Medal Game – WA vs QLD – Watch on Baseball+
4:00PM – Under 16 Gold Medal – NSW vs VIC – Watch on Baseball+
Under 18
1. Victoria 2-0
2. South Australia 1-1
3. Western Australia 1-1
4. New South Wales 0-2
No teams have yet to clinch a spot in the Gold Medal Game.
There are multiple scenarios where a three-way tie could occur at 2-1 or 1-2.
Sunday scores:
– VIC 5 def NSW 2
– SA 3 def WA 1
– NSWC 4 def QLD 1
– VIC 1 def SA 0 (8 innings)
– WA 5 def NSW 4
Monday schedule:
– 3:30PM – WA (1-1) vs VIC (2-0) – Diamond 1 – Watch on Baseball+
– 3:30PM – ACT (0-0) vs NSWC (1-0) – Diamond 2 – GameChanger (Consolation)
– 6:15PM – SA (1-1) vs NSW (0-2) – Diamond 1 – Watch on Baseball+
– 6:15PM – ACT (0-0) vs QLD (0-1)- Diamond 2 – GameChanger (Consolation)
Sunday Schedule:
– Bronze Medal Game: 1:00PM
– Gold Medal Game: 7:00PM
STORIES AND NEWS
Day 4 – Under 18 National Championships – Scores, Medal Round Updates, Key Performers, Schedule
Day 4 – Under 16 National Championships Recaps, Standings, Performers, Schedule and Scenarios



















