****Attention all Saints Members****

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at our Club Casino Night on the 25^th February. Please keep this date free and we’ll have more details to you soon.

 

The Macquarie Saints were out in force to support the Sydney Blue Sox on Saturday 14th with close to a 140 club players, family members and parents making the journey for a must win series game against Adelaide Bite at Blacktown Olympic Park.

Twenty of our Junior Players escorted the Blue Sox onto the main diamond and joined with them in singing the national anthem prior to game start. It was a terrific site to see so many teal shirts both on the main diamond and around the stands that evening.

Thank you to all our club and family members for supporting this event and the Blue Sox Baseball. Our club was well acknowledged on the night and has the honour of being one of the Blue Sox largest supporter club’s this season.

Everyone witnessed a great game that evening with the Blue Sox coming out with all guns blazing, knocking a pair of home runs over the fence and soundly defeating Adelaide Bite 10 -3 ......must have been all the Macquarie Saints cheers. The victory improve sees the Blue Sox improve their overall record to 18-21, joining Adelaide and Melbourne in a three-way tie for second place on the ABL ladder, with finals berths still up for grabs.

A big thank you to Nicole Hansl and many others from the Saints for helping to co-ordinate this evening with Blue Sox management. We look forward to holding further nights like this next year, so come along and join the fun.

 

On Sunday 17th December we held our annual Xmas Club Day at Pioneer Park....the ballpark was all decked out in tinsel and balloons and a Jumping Castle to add to the Christmas cheer. The sausage sizzle was under way and there was a general buzz of activity!

We had over 10 junior teams playing on the diamonds – that’s over 180 children, parents and spectators!!!

During the games we had a very special visit from Santa on the diamonds to hand out lollies to the kids. All the children loved seeing Santa!

We also had some special visitors from the Sydney Blue Sox ABL team.....Brandon Barnes (Outfielder), Joey Hage (infielder), Luke Wilkins (Pitcher), Todd van Steensel (Pitcher) and the Blue Sox Mascot, Syd!

The children were very excited to see the players and Syd and scrambled to get photos and autographs on anything they could find...their baseball caps being a popular choice!

As the BlueSox walked around the diamonds they took time to watch the juniors play and were very generous with their time getting group photos and talking to the kids. Kids now have their own Australian Baseball League heroes to look up to.

We even had some press there to follow the day and an article was written for the Northern District Times, and Sport Stars TV also put some photos and videos online.

Here are some pics from the day.....enjoy!

 

Congratulations to Grayson Thomas from Macquarie’s U11C’s for being selected in RHBL’s Team South Rookie Reps Squad. Grayson will compete in the gala day and we wish him all the best in his Ryde Hornsby Representative duties. 

On the 3rd of December some young Macquarie Saints Aussie TBallers participated in an Aussie TBall promotion out at Blacktown International Sportspark.

Our Macquarie Saints team was made up of players from our U7's and U8's.

The excitement was high when the children arrived at the Ballpark. Seeing the Big Diamond and knowing they would be playing there in front of a crowd was a bit daunting for some but once they got out and started playing they forgot their fears and got into the game against Cronulla Giants. There were no scores kept so we were all winners! Syd Sock the BlueSox mascot even joined in playing Field Umpire!

After the game was finished all the Aussie T-Ballers had the opportunity to become "Baseball Buddies"....this is where they get to stand alongside a BlueSox player out on the field whilst the National Anthem is being played. The buzz from all the kids from the different Baseball clubs waiting near the dugout to run out was electric!!! Our kids got to run out to Left Outfield with US Import #22 Tyler Collins....the feedback from one child's parents was that standing with Tyler Collins was the "best part of the day"!

As their Coach for the day it was so rewarding to see children from our Club, Macquarie Saints being represented.

I was even more proud when my son, Domenic who is in one of our U14 teams throw out the First Pitch....he is still talking about it!! Don't think he will forget that feeling anytime soon.

We then got to enjoy watching the Sydney BlueSox take on the Brisbane Bandits...Sox winning 5-3!

What a great day out at the Ballpark :)

Nicole Hansl
U9's Coach - Macquarie Saints Baseball Club Inc.