THE Bendigo Baseball Association marked its return to representative baseball over the weekend, hosting the under-14 State Winter Championship.<\/p>\n
Eleven teams fought it out across two divisions and Bendigo\u2019s two premier baseball pitches in Strathfieldsaye and Eaglehawk.<\/p>\n
West Development Academy clinched the division A title while Geelong topped division B, in which Bendigo finished fourth.<\/p>\n
BBA president Anthony Amsing said the last time Bendigo played representative baseball was four years ago in an under-12s tournament and it was good to get some exposure of an elite level of play.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great for kids to experience what representative baseball is like,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ll always be better for it the following years.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as the results and performances go, it\u2019s been fantastic. They\u2019ve played some really tight games against some really strong competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe teams we came up against were pretty strong teams that have been around for years, and the kids have been playing since they were five or six. Some of our kids it might be their second or third year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Amsing said hosting the tournament is important for Bendigo\u2019s junior pathway, which currently ends at under-16s.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big step for kids to move into seniors after under-16s,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis tournament helps with the development of their skills and to get them ready for when they do move out of the junior comp.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bendigo will send an under-12 team to Werribee in two weeks\u2019 time for their state championships, with an under-16s tournament in Morwell in three weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Bendigo Baseball Association marked its return to representative baseball over the weekend, hosting the under-14 State Winter Championship. Eleven teams fought it out across two divisions and Bendigo\u2019s two premier baseball pitches in Strathfieldsaye and Eaglehawk. West Development Academy clinched the division A title while Geelong topped division B, in which Bendigo finished fourth. […]<\/p>\n