Baseball clubs raring to go in season two

GEELONG Baseball Association’s (GBA) newly expanded Women’s Competition will throw its opening pitches this Sunday, April 30 with club representatives dubbing the league “Geelong’s best kept secret”.

As reported last week by the Times News Group, the GBA’s expanded women’s competition will feature an unprecedented six clubs located in Greater Geelong, Werribee, and Alfredton.

Competition newcomers Belmont Saints and Guild Lions will be the league’s fifth and sixth clubs to join the fold.

East Belmont player and life member Kelly-Ann Day was a part of the Bellarine Bears White side that took home the inaugural premiership in a walk-off, but she will suit up as a Saint in 2023.

Day said she was frequently told as a junior that she shouldn’t play baseball.

“I was always pretty much the only girl playing baseball in boys’ sides as a junior and I was always told girls don’t play baseball and that I shouldn’t be there.

“I’m here to prove them wrong and show them girls can play baseball just as well as everyone else.

“My dad always loved baseball, it’s a family sport for us, and now East Belmont has enough to field a full women’s side and that is extremely exciting to me and women across the region.”

This season will feature two Bellarine Bears teams (White and Blue), Werribee Giants, Alfredton Eagles, Lara Wildcats, as well as the Saints and Lions.

All Round 1 contests will take place at 1pm, with Bellarine White to host Guild in Wallington, East Belmont to square off with Bellarine Blue, and Lara to take on Alfredton. Werribee will have a bye in the opening round.

The format for 2023 will be 15 rounds in the regular season, with the top four sides to compete for the Perpetual Leanne Gibbons Shield in August.

A Geelong Baycat in the summer season and Guild Lion in the winter, Brooke Robertson fell in love with the game of baseball after walking past a local game with her dog.

She then had so much fun in her first season as a Baycat, she was keen to continue playing in the winter league.

“The club of Guild is really embracing the women’s competition,” she said.

“We’re starting to see a lot more growth and it’s terrific to see we have the facilities to make all this possible, so it’s not only a great step forward for the competition and the league, but also the club itself.

“I truly think it’s Geelong best kept secret.”

Anyone keen to express interest in playing in the GBA Women’s Competition can email executive officer Tony McPherson at [email protected]