Illawarra sweeps NSW Country Baseball Championship
Illawarra Baseball League representative teams took out all three divisions at the 2009 Country New South Wales Baseball Championships contested at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley over the recent Labour Day weekend, October 3 – 5.
Played in persistent showery conditions, organisers and ground staff were tested from the outset after storms made one of the six fields unplayable. Further rain caused a loss of play on Sunday morning and additional rescheduling due to a second field being unplayable.
At the completion of two days sufficient games had been played to determine playoff positions, Illawarra finishing at the top of all three divisions followed by Newcastle in each case.
In the Men's A division Illawarra took their third consecutive title when they were declared winners over Newcastle. The scheduled nine innings game was called off by the umpires when playing conditions became dangerous. Rain started falling in the second inning where the hosts held a 1-0 lead courtesy of Trent D'Antonio's solo home run in the first innings.
The game continued in the rain and Newcastle tied the score when a sacrifice fly by Moko Moanaroa scored his brother Boss in the top of the fourth. With Illawarra batting in the bottom of the inning the umpires conferred with head coaches and decided to stop play and give the ground staff an opportunity to improve the condition around the bases but further rain caused a further conference resulting in the game being called off.
Tournament organisers from CNSW decided to declare Illawarra the winners based on their unbeaten record including a win over Newcastle in the round robin series. Other round robin wins included a tight 4-3 win over Central Coast, Tim Atherton giving Illawarra an advantage with his solo homer. The 6-0 win over Newcastle included a two run homer by Kaine Abbott.
In the Women's division the Illawarra team staged a big comeback in the seventh (final) innings where three runs scored gave the hosts a 5-4 win over Newcastle. The win gave Illawarra a third title after winning the inaugural event in 2004 and backing up the next year. Titleholders Central Coast failed to make the final following a disqualification for breach of tournament rules in their penultimate game.
Illawarra was outhit by Newcastle 11-8, Gabby Stapleton batting 2 from 3 for the victors and Eryn Shipp and Michelle Butler batting in two runs apiece including crucial runs in the final inning. Shipp (3.1 innings, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 6 strikeouts) and Romi Fellows (3.2 innings, 9 hits, 4 earned runs) carried the pitching for Illawarra. Brittany Hepburn stood out for Newcastle pitching 2 innings for 2 earned runs and batting 3 / 4 with 2 RBI's.
The Men's B division saw Illawarra turn the tables on defending titleholders Newcastle with a resounding 17-2 win by the 10 run rule applied in the fifth innings and complete the tournament undefeated.. Will Russell performed well for the victors pitching all 5 innings for 4 hits and 2 earned runs. Illawarra outhit Newcastle 13-4, Matt Sainsbury had a perfect 4 / 4 with the bat and amassed 5 RBI's and was supported by Adam Denison's 3 / 4 and 4 RBI's.
The N S W Country selectors will be naming representative train on squads from the tournament later in the week. These teams will represent CNSW at 2010 Australian Championships. (Frank Booth)
Illawarra Stingrays women’s soccer trials in October
The Illawarra Stingrays committee is inviting all players to open trials for the 2010 Women’s Premier League season. Trials are open to all players in the following age groups.
Under 12’s - Girls born in 1998, 1999 and 2000; Under 14’s Girls - born in 1996 and 1997; Under 16’s Girls - born in 1994 and 1995; Senior Women 1993 onwards
Trial dates:
Sunday 18th October 2009 at JJ Kelly Park Coniston
Under 12’s & 14’s at 8:30 am for registration for 9:00am trial
Under 16’s & Seniors Women 10:30 registration for 11:00am Trial
Tuesday 20th October 2009 at JJ Kelly Park Coniston
Under 12’s & 14’s at 5:30pm registration for 6:00pm Trial
Under 16’s & Seniors Women 7:00pm registration for 7:30pm Trial
Sunday 25th October 2009 at JJ Kelly Park Coniston
Under 12’s & 14’s at 8:30 am for registration for 9:00am trial
Under 16’s & Seniors Women 10:30 registrations for 11:00am Trial
All players should bring shin pads, appropriate foot wear sufficient fluids and medications that they may require.
Wollongong’s Russell in Rollers team for Asia Oceania Championship
Basketball Australia has selected the twelve athletes that will make up the Australian men’s wheelchair basketball team for the 2009 IWBF Asia Oceania Championship.
Six teams from across the Asia Oceania Zone will contest the tournament in Dandenong, Victoria from October 13-17 with Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Kuwait, China and Australia the competing nations.
The top three teams from the event will qualify for the 2010 IWBF World Championship to be held in Birmingham, England in July next year.
Five Beijing Paralympic Games gold medallists – Justin Eveson, Shaun Norris, Michael Hartnett, Grant Mizens and Captain Brad Ness – bolster a Rollers team that also contains four members of Australia’s U23 team.
Reigning Paralympic champion Australia will enter the tournament as hot favourite but Rollers head coach Ben Ettridge said he expects solid competition.
“Japan and Korea always bring the best out of us; we’re expecting tough games and we’re out to win them,” Ettridge said.
“We have a good mix of youth and experience and it’s a great opportunity for some of our inexperienced players to show me what they can do and whether they can put pressure on those above them.
“We’re also glad to be getting a look at the developing nations like Kuwait and Malaysia to see how much they have improved.”
Fresh off receiving the International Paralympic Committee’s Paralympic Media Award for its television broadcast of the Beijing Paralympics, ABC TV will be the event’s broadcast partner with content aired on ABC2 at 6:00pm AEDT from October 13-17.
Australia’s women’s wheelchair basketball team, which along with Japan and China will represent the Asia Oceania Zone at the 2010 IWBF World Championship for women, will contest a four game series against Japan as part of the event.
The Australian men’s wheelchair basketball team for the 2009 Asia Oceania Championship:
(playing number / name / classification / date of birth / current club)
4 / Justin EVESON / 4.5 / 10.6.80 / Perth Wheelcats – Galatasaray, Turkey
5 / Bill LATHAM / 4.0 / 29.10.89 / Wenty League Wheelkings – CD Once Andalusia, Spain
6 / Shawn RUSSELL / 4.0 / 15.6.897 / Wollongong Roller Hawks
7 / Shaun NORRIS / 3.0 / 2.4.85 / Perth Wheelcats – Fundosa Once, Spain
8 / Michael HARTNETT / 1.0 / 3.6.82 / Perth Wheelcats – Lottomattica Elecom, Rome, Italy
9 / Scott CROWLEY / 3.0 / 22.5.80 / Adelaide Thunder
10 / Adam DEANS / 4.0 / 16.6.88 / Perth Wheelcats
11 / Jannik BLAIR / 1.0 / 3.2.92 / Victoria Dandenong Rangers
12 / Grant MIZENS / 2.0 / 19.4.77 / Sydney Razorbacks
13 / Erik HORRIE / 2.5 / 17.10.79 / Brisbane Spinning Bullets
14 / Jeremy DOYLE / 1.0 / 2.11.83 / Wenty League Wheelkings
15 / Brad NESS / 4.5 / 24.11.74 / Perth Wheelcats – Lottomattica Elecom, Rome, Italy
Men’s Schedule at a glance:
Tue Oct 13 Australia v Kuwait 6:00pm AEDT
Wed Oct 14 Australia v Malaysia 10:00am AEDT
Wed Oct 14 Australia v Japan 6:00pm AEDT
Thu Oct 15 Australia v Korea 12:00pm AEDT
Fri Oct 16 Australia v China 12:00pm AEDT
Sat Oct 17 Men’s Finals 5 v 6 at 2pm; 3 v 4 at 4pm; 1 v 2 at 6pm
Women’s Schedule at a glance:
Wed Oct 14 Australia v Japan 12:00pm AEDT
Thu Oct 15 Australia v Japan 10:00am AEDT
Fri Oct 16 Australia v Japan 4:00pm AEDT
Sat Oct 17 Australia v Japan 10:00am AEDT
Illawarra has 9 teams in semis of champions’ soccer
Illawarra junior football has nine teams who have qualified for the semi finals of the Football NSW’s Champion of Champions competition. In this competition the Champions of particular age groups from every Association (Metropolitan & Country) in NSW are pitted against each other in a knockout style to decide the ultimate Champion of Champions in each age group.
The results in round 3 for the Illawarra teams which were still alive out of the original 15 teams are:
Under 10: Figtree nil (4 penalties) defeated Kincumber Roos nil (1 penalty)
Under 11: Balgownie 6 defeated Terrigal United 1
Under 12: Unanderra 1 defeated St. Mary’s Eagle Vale nil
Under 13: Oak Flats 1 defeated Narellan Rangers nil
Under 14: Balgownie 1 (4 penalties) defeated Gosford City 1 (3 penalties)
Under 15: Balgownie 3 defeated Woy Woy nil
Under 17: Wollongong Olympic 1 (4 penalties) defeated Gosford City 1 (2 penalties)
Under 14 women: Figtree 1 lost to Kincumber Roos 2
Under 18 women: Unanderra 4 defeated Gosford City 2
Open women: University of Wollongong 3 defeated Eschol Park Wolves 1
After the round, nine Illawarra teams have qualified for the semi-finals which are to be played on Sunday October 18. The draw for the nine remaining teams follows:
Under 10: Carrs Park v Figtree 12 noon at Ray Marshall 1
Under 11: Baulkham Hills v Balgownie 9.30am at Crest ground
Under 12: Fairfield Colts v Unanderra 10.45am at Crest
Under 13: Fairfield Bulls v Oak Flats 2.30pm Ray Marshall 1
Under 14: Lidcombe Waratah v Balgownie 1.15pm at Crest
Under 15: Winston Hills v Balgownie 2.30pm at Crest
Under 17: Lidcombe Waratah v Wollongong Olympic 11.30am at Crest
Under 18 women: Beaumont Hills v Unanderra 1.30pm at Crest
All age women: North Griffith v University of Wollongong 11.30am at Ray Marshall 3
For all new junior cricket coaches and managers …
Cricket Australia would like to have every junior club cricket coach/manager achieve the minimum Introduction to Cricket accreditation level.
It was agreed at the coaches’ conference to use the Illawarra Association as a pilot program to hopefully have every junior club cricket coach/manager in the Illawarra achieve the minimum Introduction to Cricket accreditation level.
World Masters Games in Sydney in October
The World Masters Games is to take place in various venues around Sydney from October 10 to 18. For updates on news, draws and results go to: www.2009worldmasters.com.
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