New South Wales are the winners of both the 2023 Under 18 and Under 19 National Championships, held in Mirrabooka, Western Australia.

U18 Women's Grand Final - NSW v WA

Both teams took their time in figure the other out, but it was New South Wales who struck first thanks to a Lauren Taylor double that scored Sophie Burnett in the bottom of the second.

WA managed to get on base in the third with a sacrifice bunt and a single, but the NSW defence allowed very little and kept the hosts scoreless.

And so it continued, 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth. Angelique Iredale took a single to score Burnett before coming home thanks to a Tina Horton double. WA made a pitching change to try to break up NSW's rhythm with the bat, but Hannah Barlow didn't care for the change and hit a single to score Horton.

The inning eventually came to a close just as NSW made it back through their lineup, and the score was now 6-0.

The hosts had a few opportunities, with singles in the sixth to Kasey shaw and Lauren Brown, but the NSW defence stepped up yet again.

In the final inning, WA needed to tie the game to force NSW to bat again, but were unable to make any headway on the deficit.

New South Wales took the win 6-0, making it 12-straight with only 15 runs allowed for the entire tournament.

In the post-game awards ceremony, the following awards were presented, congratulations to all recipients:

• Best Pitcher: Jayda Lorigan (New South Wales)
  • 24 Innings pitched
  • ERA 2.92
  • 5 Wins
  • 0 Losses
  • 37 Strike outs
• Best Batter: Tahuna Rhind-Luke (Victoria)
  • 20 At bats
  • 11 Hits
  • Ave: .550
  • RBA: 7
• Most Valuable Player: Hannah Barlow (New South Wales)
• Player of the Grand Final: Jayda Lorigan (New South Wales)
  • 7 Innings pitched
  • 9 Strike outs
  • 4 Hits
  • 1 Walk
  • 0 Earned runs
  • 0 Runs

U19 Men's Grand Final - NSW v VIC

Ollie Stewart and Timothy Gleeson’s combined 5RBIs and Joel Byrne’s nine strikeouts helped secure a 12th Nox Bailey Shield for NSW, ending the run of Queensland who have won the Championship every year since 2017.

Lachlan Hort got the scoring started in the first for NSW with a single to score Cameron Taylor, and NSW continued to score, bringing two more home.

Victoria replied through Brodie Taylor's single, scoring Jack Hotere-Moana and Nathan Duvall, but from then onwards it was all NSW.

Two in the third, three in the fourth, while keeping Victoria's innings with three up and three down in back-to-back innings, NSW were set sitting on a comfortable 8-2 lead heading into the fifth.

Joel Byrne played it safe, not giving VIC anything too hitable and walking the likes of David Dunstan and Brodie Taylor, before intentially walking Jye Robinson to load the bases.

A forced out at home home was followed by a five-pitch strike out to keep VIC to just two.

Timothy Gleeson stepped up in the bottom of the fifth with Cameron Taylor on base and one out, to hit a home run over the centre and bring the game to a close in the fifth.

In the post-game awards ceremony, the following awards were presented, congratulations to all recipients:

• Best Pitcher: Luke Russell (Victoria)
  • 23 Innings Pitched
  • ERA 2.130
  • 2 W - 2 L
  • 26 Strike outs
• Best Batter: Jye Robinson (Victoria)
  • 19 At Bats
  • 11 Hits
  • Average .579
  • RBI - 8
  • HR - 8
  • OBP - .769
  • BB - 7
• Most Valuable Player: Jye Robinson (Victoria)
• Player of the Grand Final: Joel Byrne (New South Wales)
  • 5 Innings pitched
  • 21 Batters faced
  • 9 Strike outs
  • 1 Hit
  • 5 Walks
  • 2 Runs
  • 2 Earned runs
  • ERA 2.80

A big thanks to the team and volunteers at Softball WA for their outstanding work and hospitality over the past week, and to our partners at Easton and SportsLink Travel for their on-going support.

The National Championships roadshow now heads to Waverley, VIC, for the Under 16 Boy's and Girl's National Championships, that get underway tomorrow!