17 April 2025
Live from the best seat in the house - a scorer's view of the AWC | Feature by Connie Rowe
Feature story from the Australian Women’s Championships by Connie Rowe
You could argue that having a front row seat to the Australian Women’s Championships gives you the best seat in the house.
For Kaylene Pengelly, there’s one better – the scorer’s box.
Kaylene heads up this year’s team of scorer extraordinaries – a team that sees and knows quite literally everything going on in this year’s action.
Much has been made of the all-female umpire crew at this event, but the scorers also are a proud team exclusively made up of women.
To put it in perspective for those following along at home, the play-by-plays, the live score updates and the full stats breakdowns are all brought to you by Kaylene and her team.
So what is it about scoring that is so addictive?
Well aside from the view, Kaylene says that you get to be in the game and ride the emotions of every pitch.
“I get an adrenaline rush from it,” said Kaylene, especially when it comes to a good game.
“It makes you concentrate on the game so much more and you’re aware of the plays so much more than if you were just on the sidelines watching.”
And it’s not just the game that you see.
“You watch the batter, the ball, the umpires, the coaches, every aspect of the game that contributes to it running smoothly,”
Ask her after the game what happened though, and chances are she won’t be able to tell you.
“I think because you are so in the moment and your concentration is fully switched on, by the time the game finishes it can be a blur.”
This is where the score books come in, painting a picture of the triumphs and tribulations of the game at hand.
More than just colouring between the lines, Kaylene says that scoring can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be.
FOLLOW THE ACTION FROM THE AWC: www.baseball.com.au/women
Kaylene started out her pathway through scoring after her brother took up the sport, being around the game so much, she quickly grew to understand and love the game.
When she had her own kids, scoring made her a better parent she said giving a better perspective of the game.
But it wasn’t until her friend dragged her to join an accreditation course that her professional scoring career went to another level.
“When you start out as a scorer, most people pick up the book and paper in the local league in kids games. In a way this is good, you see all sorts of things you wouldn’t expect to see but when I hit this level, in a way it’s almost more relaxed and straight forward!”
Scoring has taken Kaylene across the country and yet of all the tournaments she’s been a part of this Australian Women’s Baseball Championships is the highlight of her year.
This year’s tournament she is joined by a couple of up-and-coming scorers that are discovering the magic of scoring for themselves.
“I love encouraging scorers and seeing them progress in confidence and through the ranks,” said Kaylene.
So what’s the scorers birds eye take on this year’s tournament to date? Well for the team in the box seat there is nothing quite like a women’s baseball tournament. From the energy to the plays to the comradery on and off the diamond it’s unlike anything else.
The anticipation, adrenaline and craftsmanship are not just for those out on the diamond. Baseball truly is a game that lets you write your own adventure.
The Scorers at the 2025 Women’s Championships are;
Jennie Moloney
Mel Hargreaves
Bec Mitchell
Fiona Woolgar
Paula Sutherland
Tanneale Marshall
Emma Medwin
Enza Henty
Anna Narasaki
Linda Lawrence (Assistant Scoring Coordinator)
Kaylen Pengelly (Scoring Coordinator)
