The 2024 Under 18 Boys' State Championship was completed on Friday 17, Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May at Blacktown International Sportspark, showcasing the best Junior softballers across the state! With seven (7) teams participating in a full round robin with double elimination finals, it was an action-packed weekend.

The 2024 Under 18 Boys' State Championship featured the following teams:

Canberra Pride

Cumberland Nepean

Georges River

Macarthur

Orange / Wagga Wagga

Penrith City

Southern Districts

Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award Winners

Canberra Pride - Tom Galgey

Cumberland Nepean - Austin Gooden

Georges River - Ezekiel Turnbull

Macarthur - Parker Cameron

Orange / Wagga Wagga - Ashton Close and Ashton Todd

Penrith City - Xavier Lachat

Southern Districts - Rhys Barrington

Best Batter and Best Pitcher Award Winners

Batting Award:

Austin Gooden

Cumberland Nepean

0.722 batting average; 1.667 slugging average; 0.850 on base average; 4 home runs; 19 RBIs

Pitching Award:

Parker Cameron

Softball Macarthur

16 innings pitched; 75 batters faced; 15 hits; 30 strikeouts; 3.12 ERA

Level 3 National Umpire Accreditation

Congratulations to Owen Fearns (ACT) who successfully achieved his Level 3 National Umpiring Accreditation during the 2024 Under 18 Boys' State Championship event.

We wish the remaining NSW Level 3 candidates the best of luck as they look to complete their assessments at the upcoming 2024 Under 18 Girls' State Championship at Blacktown International Sportspark, on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May.

Boys' Grand Final

The 2024 Under 18 Boys' State Championship Grand Final was a highly-anticipated event, after a weekend where any one of the teams could have taken out the title. But ultimately the final tussle came between Cumberland Nepean and Softball Macarthur at 5:00pm on Sunday evening.

Would Softball Macarthur make it an historical four-peat for the event? Or would Cumberland Nepean break the streak, and take out their first ever Championship in this age group with their first ever Grand Final appearance?

Softball Macarthur put up a fantastic fight after a five-games-in-a-row battle through Sunday, but from the start Cumberland's bats were on fire, piling on five runs in the top of the first inning, and another five in the top of the second. After four completed innings, Cumberland had solidified their presence in the Final against the reigning champions, taking out their first Under 18 Boys' State Championship title nineteen (19) runs to one (1).

Grand Final Umpires and Statisticians

Plate - Jessica Morley

1st Base - Claire Austring

2nd Base - Shane McIntosh

3rd Base - Joel Grimes

Statistician - Peta-Marie Wakefield

Grand Final Livestream: 2024 Under 18 Boys' State Championship - Cumberland Nepean vs. Macarthur (Grand Final)

Final result: Cumberland Nepean 19 - Softball Macarthur 1

Final Placings

Champions - Cumberland Nepean

Runners Up - Softball Macarthur

3rd Place - Penrith City

4th Place - Georges River

5th Place - Southern Districts

6th Place - Orange / Wagga Wagga

7th Place - Canberra Pride

Softball NSW would like to thank all of the volunteers, athletes, team management and attendees who made the 2024 Under 18 Boys' State Championship such an amazing success!

For any further information relating to the event, please contact Softball NSW Events & Facilities Coordinator, Aimee Sutton, at events@softballnsw.org.au.