Queensland and New South Wales play out two thrilling Grand Finals to take one each at 2023 Under 16 National Championships, held in Waverley, Victoria.

U16 Girl's Grand Final - QLD v NSW

QLD 3 def NSW 2
QLD: 3R 5H 3E
NSW: 2R 6H 1E

Queensland secure the Esther Deason Shield in an eight-inning nail-biter to wrap up the Under 16 National Championships at Waverley, Victoria.

It was a pitcher’s duel through the first five innings, as the pitchers traded strike outs and both teams struggled to get on-base.

The scoring deadlock finally broke in the sixth as Molly Gill hit a single to score Kate Luyten, with Josie Howlett sitting poised to score from third base.

That gave QLD the task to find two runs with only two innings to go, but they replied with the last effort in the bottom of the sixth on a Raine Eastcott single that brought Emma Williams and Sophie Rantanen home.

All-square at 2-2 it remained locked into the eighth inning, where NSW were unable to take advantage of the runner starting on second and were retired with two more strike outs and a flyball caught by Isabella Watson.

QLD just had to score to win, and with two outs, Rantanen stepped up to hit a single and score Darcy Gurrieri-Hyland from second base.

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

• Best Pitcher: Bridie Nicol (Queensland)
  • 51 and 2/3 Innings Pitched
  • 4 Wins
  • 26 Strike Outs
  • 2.100 ERA
• Best Batter: Maddi Durnell (New South Wales)
  • 14 At Bats
  • 10 Hits
  • 0.714 Batting Average
  • 10 RBIs
  • 0.821 On Base Percentage
  • 10 BBs
• Most Valuable Player: Maddi Durnell (New South Wales)
• Player of the Grand Final: Bridie Nicol (Queensland)

U16 Boy's Grand Final - QLD v NSW

NSW 17 def QLD 10
NSW: 17R 14H 6E
QLD: 10R 9H 4E

New South Wales have taken the long road to the Grand Final and will take home the Arthur Allsopp Shield after defeating Queensland 17-10.

NSW hit the ground running thanks to Benjamin Hodsdon's single to score Austin Gooden and Noah Powell's home run over centre to score three, and they held the 4-0 lead heading into the second.

QLD found their reply in the bottom of the second, after holding NSW to just the one hit in the top of the inning. Ryan Solomon's single scored one, and Thomas Howard brough Solomon and Logan Green home with another single.

The two teams then traded blows in the third, bring four home each and leaving NSW with the one-run advantage.

Alex Duncalfe then helped set up the comeback for QLD as the defence held NSW to a no-hit inning, before Duncalfe popped up with the bat to get on base and wait for Chad Charlesworth to hit a single and bring him home to tie the game.

At this point it was anyone's game, but NSW were determined to make anyone's game theirs. With one out, they loaded the bases, and started to bring home the runs.

Five in the fifth, and another four in the sixth, while QLD could only manage two in response.

At the end of the sixth, NSW had finally broken away, and QLD were unable to find an 11th run to avoid the runs-ahead-rule.

Gooden and Powell scored a combined 10RBIs from 6ABs and a home run each.

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

• Best Pitcher: Austin Gooden (New South Wales)
  • 44 Innings Pitched
  • 2 wins
  • 10 strike outs
  • 0.955 ERA
• Best Batter: Nathan Hart (Queensland)
  • 16 At Bats
  • 10 Hits
  • 0.600 Batting Average
  • 10 RBIs
• Most Valuable Player: Alex Duncalfe (Queensland)
  • 25 At Bats
  • 15 Hits
  • 0.600 Batting Average
  • 13 RBIs
  • 0.933 Fielding Average
• Player of the Grand Final: Austin Gooden (New South Wales)

A massive thanks to the team and volunteers at Softball Victoria and the Waverley Softball Association for their outstanding work and hospitality over the past five days. 

We'd also like to thank our partners at Easton and SportsLink Travel for their on-going support and to the Victorian State Government for assisting Softball Victoria in hosting such a fantastic event.

The National Championships roadshow now heads to Hawker, ACT, for the Open Men's National Championships - John Reid Shield - that gets underway on the 25th of January!