12 January 2025
Australian Youth Championships
U18 Nationals Day 4 Jan 12 | Updates, Recaps, Scores, Schedules & Information
An unbelievable day at the Australian Youth Championships.
Drama was at an all time high as South Australia secured their finals spot by winning a game that was played on two different diamonds 51km apart from each other.
The day started with the following scenario: South Australia & Queensland fighting for the last finals spot.
Read about it below.
Here you will find recaps, standings and game time changes.
For the master AYC Hub, head to baseball.com.au/ayc2025. Games are scored on Gamechanger. Search ‘2025 Australian U18 Youth Championship’ in the GameChanger App to follow along. You can also find the link here.
For past U18 Results, visit the U18 Hub here.
DAY 4 – JANUARY 12 – RESULTS / SCHEDULE
Queensland 9 def New South Wales Country 1
WA 9 def Queensland 0*
South Australia 8 def New South Wales 3
ACT 9 def VIC 1
*Win on Forfeit (WOF), scroll down for explanation
Final Group Stage Standings
^clinched spot in Finals
(remaining games)
1. Western Australia 6-0^
2. New South Wales 4-2^
3. Victoria 3-3^
4. South Australia 3-3^
—
5. Queensland 2-4
6. ACT 2-24
7. New South Wales Country 1-5
Tomorrow’s schedule:

The consolation games will be played at Knights Field, home of Castle Hill Knights. Directions to Knights Field can be found here: www.castlehillbaseball.com.au/ground-locations/
The Finals Games will be played at Gilchrist Oval, home of the Macarthur Oval.
RECAPS
QUEENSLAND 9 def NEW SOUTH WALES COUNTRY 1 – Queensland keep finals hopes alive thanks to late run surge
Queensland scored seven runs in the sixth inning to pull away in an otherwise tight contact. They needed to win to keep their finals hopes alive.

Doubles from Alex Duncalfe and Lachlan Reed headlined the big inning.
New South Wales scored first on a fielder’s choice.
But from there, Queensland starter Thomas Calvert (above) was money. He threw 4.0 innings allowing just two hits, one unearned run and a walk to go with his four strikeouts.
Jack Huawai tied the game in the third on a sacrifice fly. Huawei singled in a go-ahead run in the fifth. He went 1-for-2 with 2 RBI.
Key Performers:
– Wes Wilford: 2-for-4
– Lachlan Reed: 2-for-3 with an RBI
– Tom Calvert: 4.0IP with 0ER, 2H, 1BB, 4SO
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 9 def QUEENSLAND 0 (WOF)
Western Australia have Won on Forfeit (WOF).
Referencing tournament technical norm 34.2.3.1:
“In accordance with Pitch Smart Guidelines, players are ineligible to pitch more than one outing per day, including shorts.”
The penalty for this infringement is referenced in rule 43.2:
“When an offending team in breach of the pitching rules has won the game, then that team loses the game on a forfeit.”
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 8 def NEW SOUTH WALES 3: South Australia win dramatic game played over 5.5 hours, in two different fields across Sydney, to clinch finals spot
Wow. South Australia U18 has just advanced to the finals in the most extraordinary of circumstances – claiming a must win game played on two different diamonds located 51km apart from each other.
Entering a scheduled 2:00PM game, South Australia needed to beat New South Wales (4-1) to secure a spot in the top three.
The first pitch was delivered at 2:05PM at Blacktown under sunny skies.
Things started off wonderfully for the South Australians. Mitch Evans threw 3.0 innings, allowing two hits, one walk and crucially – no runs.
It allowed South Australian to explode a five run fifth inning. They scored three runs off bases loaded walks before Deakin Filko & Bailen Thomas fired off RBI singles.
Then? The heavens opened up. The game was put into delay at about 3:20PM and would resume at Chifley Sports Reserve, a field about an hours drive away.

The game reconvened at 6:30PM.
Things got tight. New South Wales scored three runs, powered by a Lachlan Vella homer, in the top of the sixth inning to draw within two.
But South Australia held their nerve, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth to come home with the win.
In the end it was a big team effort for South Australia to clinch a finals spot. Seven different players had an RBI, led by Will Couzner with two.
They used three pitchers (Evans, South, Green and Filko).
Lachlan Vella had three hits and a homer for NSW. Frank Clarke also had two hits.
Because ACT ending up beating Victoria, this game meant everything for South Australia
ACT 9 def VICTORIA 1 – ACT no-hit Victoria to win second game
Australian Capital Territory secured their second win of the tournament in no-hit fashion over five-innings to conclude group stage.
They drew a bunch of walks in the first and second inning to lead 5-0. They pulled away with four late runs before the game was called because of time.
Notably, Nate Quigg (2.2 innings), Bailey Richards (1.1 innings) and William Yeomans (1.0 innings) threw combined no hitter, allowing just one unearned run.
The Final Standings are now set.
HOW FINALS WORK
Monday 13 January will be the first days of finals.
The following teams have qualified in this order:
1. Western Australia
2. New South Wales
3. Victoria
4. South Australia
Here’s how the finals work:
– The winner of 1v4 (Western Australia vs TBD) will play the winner of 2v3 (New South Wales vs Victoria) in the Qualifying Final. The loser will meet in the elimination final.
– The winner of the Qualifying Final advances to the Gold Medal Game. The loser goes to the Preliminary Final.
– The winner of the Elimination Final will advance to the Preliminary Final as well.
– The Gold Medal will be contested between the winner of the Qualifying Final & the Preliminary Final
– Roos, New South Wales Country & Queensland will play in the consolation round
The schedule for the remainder of the finals will be confirmed after Saturday.





































