By Parker McKenzie
For a second consecutive season, Upwey Ferntree Gully Baseball Club has won the Division 1 firsts, bringing home the Victorian Club Championships in the process.
In a three-game series against Glen Waverley Baseball Club, the tigers had to go the distance, winning game one and game three to bring home the club’s fifth championship.
First-team coach Donovan Hendricks said the premiership win and Club Championships were a phenomenal achievement for the playing group across the entire club.
“Our club has now won five premierships and the first set was a threepeat and now we’ve gone back to back,” he said.
“The Club Championship takes into account the whole club, how good you are from your firsts, seconds, thirds and fourths.”
He said Glen Waverley Baseball Club deserved a lot of credit after a tough three-game series in the semi-finals.
“You try and take the semifinals in two games to give yourself the best chance of one rest and recovery and then preparedness for the grand final series,” Hendricks said.
“We were fortunate enough to do that in two games, which means we had Sunday off to get ourselves ready for the Tuesday game.”
Upwey Ferntree Gully won game one 3-1 on Tuesday 14 March, before Walverly clawed back to game two on Saturday 18 March.
The decider, played on Sunday 19 March, saw the tigers beat Waverley 6-3 to clinch the premiership trophy.
Club president Dwain Richardson said the goal was to follow up last season’s premiership with a Club Championship win.
“Obviously we always want to go back to back which we managed to do as well, but our goal was to become Club Champions which means that we’ve got depth in the club,” he said.
“We’ve got a great community of people that just love each other, love coming down and playing for each other; if you can get that right, you’ll get success on the field.”
He said the junior program is continuing to expand at the club, which is highlighted by the success of junior players in the premiership team.
“Jack Ratcliffe and Ryder Wilson, they were both 16 to 17 years old,” Richardson said.
“They boys played absolute blinders, and Jarred Turner, our pitcher, was a standout in game three.”
Hendricks said Ratcliffe played in last year’s grand final, while Ryder played in his first senior grand final series this season.
“Ryder was a bit younger, he came up this year and is one of our starters,” he said.
“He was on base four times during Sunday’s game, batting as well and played a really good left field, making a great catch.”
He said his message to his players ahead of next season was for the moment to enjoy being a part of something special, and to try and continue building on what they’ve already achieved.
“Over this long journey from where our clubs come from in the last ten years — from a Division Two club which got relegated to now back-to-back champions — there’s a lot of hard work which goes in which even some of our players don’t quite realize,” Hendricks said.
“The boys deserve all the plaudits and their trophies, but I also want to make sure families, friends and loved ones are included in the thank you because we want this to be as of a community club as possible.”
Upwey Ferntree Gully play at Kings Park, Ferntree Gully.
