A-League comes to Wollongong
Sydney FC is to play Wellington Phoenix on Saturday August 2 at 7pm at WIN Stadium in the Hyundai Pre-season knockout. An Illawarra Premier League game is scheduled to precede the A-League game at 4pm.
Tickets are on sale for the game, which could be Sydney FC’s last hit-out before it kicks off its season at home against the Melbourne Victory on August 16.
Entry is $15 for adults and $5 for kids under 16. Tickets can be purchased from the venue, or by visiting www.ticketek.com.au, and group discounts are also available for the Wollongong game. For more information, please visit www.sydneyfc.com or call the office on 02 9387 4233.
Illawarra baseball umpire to officiate at World Championships
Illawarra Baseball umpire Trent Thomas has been selected by the International Baseball Federation to officiate at the 2008 World AAA / Under 19 Championships being held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from July 25 to August 3.
Thomas will be the only Australian umpire on a panel that will officiate in the tournament being contested by twelve nations – Australia, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Korea, United States of America and host nation Canada.
Earlier this year Thomas officiated at a two games series played in Japan between that nation and Australia. He also coordinated the umpiring at this year’s Australian Women’s Baseball Championships and at the 2007 Australian Provincial Championships, both staged in Wollongong.
In September last Thomas was appointment as the Director of Baseball Umpires at the 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa.
Thomas, who has been an official in the Illawarra Baseball Umpires Association since 1994, was a leading umpire in the Australian Baseball League between 1995 and 1999. He gained high recognition after being invited to attend the Jim Evans Academy for Professional Umpires
in Florida, U.S.A., in 1997.
Thomas has officiated as several International events including a two games series played between Australia and Japan held at Homebush Olympic Baseball stadium in 1999.
Front runners have easy wins in Baseball
Competition frontrunners Berkeley Eagles and Wests Cardinals both had comfortable wins in round 14 Illawarra Baseball fixtures.
Eagles defeated Bulli Pirates 12-2 in their seven innings home game while Cardinals scored an 11-3 win over Kiama Braves in their away game. The Eagles win was set up by pitchers Joe Anson (4 innings, one hit, one earned run) and Chris Morgan (3 innings, 4 hits, no earned runs) while rightfielder Kaine Abbott continued his impressive season with the bat registering 5 from 5 with 3 RBI’s. Mick Shipp, Aaron Tritton and Josh Matauesi chipped in with two hits each.
After two unearned runs were scored by Eagles in the second a healthy 5-0 lead was established in the third. Pirates got on the scoreboard in the fourth where Corey Hayman’s leadoff double was converted. Each team scored in their next inning before Eagles added two in the sixth and established a ten run margin with four scored in the seventh. Eagles outhit Pirates 14-5, Luke Rich being the only Pirates hitter to register multiple hits (2 / 3).
Cardinals’ pitchers Blake Handley and Jamie Simon proved too strong for the Braves hitters, Simon producing two hitless shutout innings in relief. Lee Vlasoff (3 / 4) and Simon (3 / 3) topping the batting.
Although Braves scored the only run in the first inning they found themselves playing catch up after Cardinals ran in five runs in the second. From here Cardinals scored in each of the remaining innings while Braves managed a run in each of the second and fifth innings. Cardinals outhit Braves 11-7, Josh Parker (2 / 4) being Braves standout.
Eagles take outright lead on the table with a 78% win / loss record with Cardinals sitting on 77%. Pirates hold on to third place on 41% with Chiefs fourth on 40%. Braves are on 18%.
Second Grade: Pirates 15 Eagles 3; Mariners 4 Chiefs 3; Cardinals 8 Braves 5
Third Grade: Warriors 3 Eagles 2; Cardinals 12 Braves 6; Mariners 17 Chiefs 15
Minor League: Panthers (4) 13 Braves 8; Panthers (5) 15 Warriors 10; Cardinals 9 Pirates 0
In this weekend’s round 15 Major League fixtures Wests Cardinals play Dapto Chiefs at Cringila Park and Berkeley Eagles play Kiama Braves at Eagles Field, Fred Finch Park, Berkeley. Bulli Pirates have a bye in firsts but play Shoalhaven Mariners in lower grade games at No. 2 Field, Fred finch Park, Berkeley. First grade games commence at 2.15pm.
Sea Eagles swoop on Hawks
In a close encounter at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre last Saturday, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles outlasted the Illawarra Hawks 85-81 in their Waratah Australian Basketball League match. The loss was somewhat of a surprise as the Manly side (10th) was below the Hawks (8th) on the ladder.
The Sea Eagles proved that their win was no fluke as on the next day they knocked over 5th placed Central Coast 83 -76 on the double header weekend. The Hawks had a bye for the second round of the double header games.
Wolves 18s almost match leaders
In the only local Premier Youth League game played last weekend the Wollongong Wolves 18s took on the ladder leading Blacktown City. In a close game Blacktown ultimately prevailed 3 – 2 over the 7th placed Wolves.
For stories on previous games and links to overall competition tables go to: http://wollongong.sportslive.com.au/index.pl?page=2812
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