BASEBALL

LVBA

By RENAE GILLETT

 

AN action-packed weekend of baseball delivered dominant wins, dramatic finishes and some outstanding individual performances across women’s, junior and senior competitions in the Latrobe Valley Baseball Association.

Sale Rangers proved too strong for Traralgon Redsox, winning 8 to 4 in senior men’s.

Will Hector was a standout, going a perfect 3-for-3 and driving in three runs, while Hunter Jones added an inside-the-park home run. Elijah Maris was outstanding on the mound, pitching eight innings and allowing just one earned run.

Traralgon had solid contributions from Jay Ziersch with two hits, while their defence remained strong, completing two double plays without error.

Churchill Braves recorded a solid 10–3 victory over Moe-Newborough Dodgers.

Jack Thomas led from the front with three hits and delivered a strong pitching performance, allowing no earned runs across nearly seven innings.

Churchill’s offence was well spread, with Mat Prior and Dan Cannizzaro each driving in two runs, while Rhys McKenzie added two hits in a consistent batting display.

TRARALGON Redsox powered to a 16–7 win over Sale Rangers in B Grade, driven by a massive nine-run fourth inning.

John Kus led the charge with a perfect 3-for-3 performance, while multiple players, including Morgan McConville and Malachi Dillon, contributed two RBIs each.

Despite the loss, Sale Rangers showed fight, collecting 10 stolen bases, with Rohan Hector and Kevin Arbuthnot both collecting two hits and two RBIs.

Morwell Cougars claimed one of the most thrilling results of the weekend, edging Moe-Newborough Dodgers 7–6 in a walk-off finish. After trailing, Morwell fought back to tie the game before securing victory in the bottom of the fifth.

Chris Heppleston and Floyd Haines were key contributors, while Ash Poxon led Moe-Newborough with three hits in a strong performance.

CHURCHILL Braves Gold defeated Churchill Braves Green 7–4 in the C Grade derby after overturning an early deficit with a four-run first inning.

James Armstrong drove in two runs, while Gregg Duncan led the hit count and contributed strongly on the bases.

Green remained competitive, with Jacob Gruis and Brad Jones each collecting two hits and the team stealing 10 bases.

Moe-Newborough Dodgers delivered the most dominant performance of the round with a 27–2 victory over Morwell Cougars. The Dodgers combined 13 hits with 15 walks in a relentless offensive display.

Sebastian Light, Nick Luke and Talfryn Glass each drove in four runs, while several players recorded multiple hits. Matt Luke was equally impressive on the mound, striking out nine across five innings.

TRARALGON Redsox produced one of the most explosive starts of the round, scoring seven runs in the opening inning on its way to a convincing 10–3 win over Morwell Cougars in the women’s competition.

Early doubles from Ryley Reid and Morgan McConville set the tone, while consistent hitting through the order saw Jessica Traczyk, Rina Cicchitti, Sharon Finlay and Lani Greaves all contribute RBIs.

Greaves and McConville led the offence with two RBIs each, while the Redsox were sharp defensively, going error-free. Morwell’s Sarah Toms battled hard with two hits and multiple stolen bases as the Cougars swiped six bases as a team.

Moe-Newborough Dodgers were equally dominant in a 16–6 win over Churchill Braves.

The Dodgers’ patience at the plate proved decisive, drawing 15 walks, while aggressive base running saw them tally 10 stolen bases.

Jessica Traczyk starred with three hits, while six players, including Tamzin Higgins, Bronwyn Curry and Kadesha Ward, drove in two runs apiece.

Churchill showed glimpses through contributions from Emily Shaw and Jade Henry-Gruis, while Lily Cannizzaro added three stolen bases in a busy outing.

IN the juniors, Churchill Braves dominated Moe-Newborough Dodgers 14–1 with a well-rounded display in the under 16s. Early scoring set the tone, while a disciplined approach yielded 11 walks.

Blake Duncan starred both on the mound and at the plate, pitching two scoreless innings and collecting two hits.

Jake Holwerda and Duncan each drove in two runs, while the Braves’ aggressive base running produced an impressive 18 stolen bases.

Traralgon Redsox secured a comprehensive 12–5 victory over Sale Rangers in the under 13s, highlighted by a three-run home run from Diesel Grass in the opening inning.

The Redsox backed it up with a five-run second inning, with Chase Sharp’s two-run double a key moment.

Grass, Mitch Duncan and Sharp each collected two hits, while the Redsox ran aggressively with eight stolen bases and again fielded cleanly without error. Sale Rangers responded with a five-run third inning, led by Elliot Graham and Bentley Davis, but couldn’t close the gap.

Moe-Newborough Dodgers defeated Morwell Cougars 10–1 in another one-sided contest. Ruben Ashworth led the way with two hits and three RBIs, while the Dodgers showed remarkable speed on the base paths, compiling 15 stolen bases.

Morwell’s Bryce White impressed with two hits and five stolen bases in a strong individual performance.