Queensland win a fifth straight Laing Harrow Shield, defeating the ACT in the 2023 Under 23 Men's National Championships Grand Final, held at Hume City Softball Association in Craigieburn, Victoria.

QLD 8 def ACT 1
QLD: 8R 7H 0E
ACT: 1R 4H 1E

The ACT came into the Grand Final filled with confidence and with the momentum of two wins on the day behind them, but the well-rested Queensland defence made sure to start with a strong footing.

Layton Reid needed just 13 pitches to retire the opening hitters for the ACT, throwing just three balls.

Aloysius Ong started for the ACT and had a similar positive start, walking just one to close the inning with just four hitters face.

Brody Ridley came out to start the second for the ACT and find the first hit of the game, but the ACT were unable to convert it to a run.

Sheldon Waller got off to a strong start for QLD with the bat with a second-ball single, helping advance Ayden Champneys who would eventually find his way home for the opening run.

Waller then crossed the plate to add a second thanks to Corie List’s sacrifice fly, and Joshua Routledge made it three.

Matthew Harrow stepped up in the top of the third to open the scoring for the ACT, with a single to centre-right that scored Brennan Kovacs. Ridley then helped put Harrow into a scoring position with a single of his own, but Reid delivered three straight strikes to end the threat.

QLD found themselves with two on-base in the bottom of the third, that was until Sheldon Waller’s home run cleared the bases to give QLD a commanding lead.

The ACT came out swinging in the fourth, but the QLD field was ready for it, taking two catches and a ground out for another short turn at bat for the ACT.

Ashlee Goffer then extended the lead once more for QLD with a second-ball homer in the fourth, and Sheldon Waller found his second home run in the fifth to end the game on the runs-ahead-rule.

Layton Reid pitched all five innings for QLD, taking seven strike outs, allowing just one run and four hits for an ERA of 1.40.

View the Play by Play, Box Scores and Stats here.

Watch the replay of the Grand Final here.

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

• Best Pitcher: Lincoln Walk (Queensland)
  • 26 and 2/3 Innings Pitched
  • 126 Batters Faced
  • 3 Wins
  • 47 Strike Outs
• Best Batter: Ashlee Goffer (Queensland)
  • 27 Plate Appearances
  • 11 Walks
  • 4 RBIs
  • 7 Hits
  • .467 Batting Average
  • .852 OBP
• Most Valuable Player: Sheldon Waller (Queensland)
  • 25 Plate Appearances
  • 7 hits
  • 7 RBIs
  • 2 home runs
  • .350 Batting Average
• Player of the Grand Final: Sheldon Waller (Queensland)
  • 3 Plate Appearances
  • 3 Hits
  • 2 Home Runs
  • 4 RBIs

Thank you to the team and volunteers at Softball Victoria and the Hume City Softball Association for their incredible hospitality and dedication to deliver a fantastic National Championship over the past five days. 

The new The Craigieburn Softball Centre that the Victorian State Government and Hume City Council have partnered to deliver is fantastic and was a great contributor to the quality of the tournament.

We'd also like to thank our partners at Easton and SportsLink Travel for their on-going support.

That brings a close to the #SummerofSoftball, but we will return later in the year to bring you the Over 35s National Championships!