Soccer and Baseball

Junior Wolves punch above weight against APIA

Last weekend Wollongong fans expected to have a tough road trip against APIA in the Premier Youth league with all APIA Leichhardt Tiger teams above the Wolves in the competition tables. However to their pleasant surprise the Wolves picked up a win and two draws in the five game encounter.

The Wolves under 18s are now in 6th spot, 1 point outside the play-off top 5 after their 3 – 2 win over the fourth placed Tigers. Both the 16s and 13s had 1 all draws. The 16s are also now in 6th spot just one point outside the five while the 13s are tenth.

Even though they lost to the second placed Tigers the Wolves 15s are running third.

Full results for Round 14 between Wollongong Wolves and APIA Leichhardt Tigers were:

Under 18: Wolves won 3 – 2
Under 16: Wolves drew 1 all
Under 15: Wolves lost 1 nil
Under 14: Wolves lost 2 nil
Under 13: Wolves drew 1 all

Illawarra players in Australian Provincial Baseball win

The Country New South Wales team containing nine Illawarra Baseball League players and several team staff from the region retained the Commonwealth Cup for the Australian Provincial Championship in Darwin on Saturday night, May 31, defeating Victoria Provincial 9-6.

The nine innings final produced a tight game with a 4-4 score resulting at the completion of five innings. CNSW took the lead scoring one run in the seventh but did not gain the ascendancy until the ninth where four runs were scored. They then held on to the lead, Victoria finishing with two runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Illawarra pitchers Chris Morgan and Brendan Lower combined for the win, Lower allowing only one hit and no earned runs in 4.2 innings. Kaine Abbott and Mitch Thompson featured in the hitting by registering three hits each, Thompson batting in three runs.

Brendan Lower was named as the pitcher of the tournament for the second consecutive year. Abbott was another Illawarra player named in the All Star team for a relentless batting performance over the tournament.

The Ern Webb Cup which has been played for since 1956 by the two original combatants – Country New South Wales and Victoria Provincial, and now within the tournament, was taken out for the 35th. time by the Victorians in a closely fought 2-1 result.

At the completion of the tournament selectors named six Illawarra players in a train-on squad that will participate in an overseas International tournament sanctioned by Baseball Australia in mid 2009.

Players named were – Kaine Abbott, Nathan Allen-Jones, Blake Handley, Brendan Lower, Chris Morgan, Chase Richardson.

Long serving Allan Parrott was named as head coach and will be assisted by Dom D’Antonio with Stephanie Thompson as the Executive Officer and Scorer.

Illawarra baseballers in Country squads

Following the recent NSW Country Tournament, country baseball selectors named eight under 18 players, nine under 16 players and seven under 14 players from Illawarra for the Country train on squads. The squads will train for several months prior to being cut to the Country representative teams that will play in 2009 Australian Age Championships.

Players selected –
Under 18 :  Ben Griffin, Blake Simon, Scott Sartori, Matt McCann, Jason Mitchell, Brenton Slade, Jacob Stylis and Aaron Tritton.

Under 16 :  Jeremy Bec, Chris Bernich, Liam Blackbourn, Zac Douglas, Kieran Hayes, Dean Kontopolous, Luke Lore, Stephen Smith, Lucas Young.

Under 14 :  Adam Bernich, Blake Boehm, Matthew Bridges, William Daley, Joshua Dunstan, Mason Evans, Callen Robertson.

The high Illawarra representation followed the success of the Illawarra Baseball representative youth teams at the 2008 Country New South Wales Youth Championships held in Tamworth recently.

In the tournament finals the under 16 team won their fifth consecutive title defeating Central Coast 6-4 in the final. The team went through the Championships undefeated with wins over Central Coast, Northern NSW and Newcastle in the round robin series.

In the under 14 division Illawarra also won recapturing the title it had taken out in 2004, 2005 and 2006. The team comfortably defeated defending champions Central Coast 14-5 in the final after losing just one game in the round robin series.

The win in the under 14 division was a particularly pleasing one given the team coaching staff contained two of last year’s under 18 representatives in Doug Ineson and Mick Shipp as assistants to head coach Michael Taylor.

The under 18 team missed out on defending the title won on five occasions in this decade and on six occasions in the 1990’s. They went down 8-5 in the semi final to a Newcastle team that was spearheaded by pitcher Boss Moanaroa, a 16 year old who signed a six years’ contract with the Boston Red Sox in the previous week.

The Central Coast team went on to defeat Newcastle in the under 18’s final with a 12-1 score. Illawarra finished third by defeating Northern NSW in the playoff for third position.

Kiama scalp Eagles in Round 8 Baseball

Kiama Braves caused a boilover in round 8 fixtures of the 2008 Illawarra Baseball League premiership scalping second placed Berkeley Eagles 6-2 at Gainsborough Reserve, Kiama Downs on Saturday. The win was Braves first for the season and only their fourth win in three seasons.

Much of the credit for the win lies with the performance of pitcher Adrian Clarke whose off-speed style limited the Eagles hitters to seven hits and two earned runs in his complete nine innings.  Clarke was assisted by the batting of Josh Parker who managed 3 safe hits and 3 RBI’s. Shaun Crowther batted 2 / 4.

In the other game Wests  Cardinals recorded their seventh win with an 8-1 score over Dapto Chiefs at Hector Harvey Reserve, Dapto. Cards outhit Chiefs 15-5, head coach Jason Fenwick donning his playing uniform with great effect batting in three runs. Ben Warner and Paul Trembearth registered three hits each in support.

All of the top teams were missing key players who were away on representative commitments at either the Australian Provincial Championships in Darwin or with the Australian Academy annual camp at Palm Meadows, Queensland.

Braves and Eagles had a classic encounter going with Braves tying the game at 2-2 on Evan Hayes RBI hit in the fifth innings. Braves captured a big lead scoring four runs in the sixth on RBI hits by Brett Single, Shaun Crowther and two runs on Josh Parker’s hit.

Braves outhit Eagles 9-7, the only error of the game being committed by Eagles. Chad Blanch was Eagles only multiple hitter with 2 / 4. Eagles starting pitcher Josh Doyle came out of the game after pitching 5.1 innings and allowing 9 hits and six earned runs.

Cardinals established an early lead running in two in the first and three in the second innings. The runs in the second were all unearned being produced with a two out situation and on hits by Jeff Trembearth, Paul Trembearth (RBI) and Jason Fenwick (2 RBI’s). Jamie Simon dominated on the mound for Cardinals gaining the win over Chiefs starter Tim Inglis.

In next week’s round nine Major League fixtures Berkeley Eagles play Dapto Chiefs at Eagles Field, Fred Finch Park, Berkeley and Bulli Pirates play Kiama Braves at Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow.  Cardinals have their first bye of the season in first grade but play Shoalhaven Mariners in lower grade games at No. 2 field, Fred Finch Park, Berkeley. First grade games commence at 2.15pm.

Sydney FC’s Wollongong media connection as team comes to town

Former sports editor for WIN Television Terry Aylett has been employed by Sydney FC as its new Media Manager. He spent 3 years with WIN as sports editor and reporter. He replaces David Mason who is now Sydney FC’s General Manager, Football.

Sydney FC is scheduled to play a Pre-Season Cup match against Wellington Phoenix in Wollongong. The match will take place at WIN Stadium on Saturday August 2 beginning at 7pm.

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