Premier Firsts
The Pakenham Pumas Premier 2 Firsts fought their way through a seesaw battle against Bonbeach on Saturday, coming out on top 13–9 after a tense, back-and-forth contest that had the crowd on edge right until the final innings. Both teams brought the bats, with Pakenham collecting 12 hits and Bonbeach answering with six of their own in the offensive showdown. The game was tied at nine in the top of the sixth when Jesse Hunter showed patience at the plate, drawing a crucial walk to force in the go-ahead run and put the Pumas in front for good. Pakenham struck first in the opening frame thanks to a sharp single from Mitchell Porter. Bonbeach responded quickly, taking the lead in the bottom of the inning on a walk and an error that brought in two runs. The home side extended their advantage in the second, but the Pumas clawed their way back in the third with a string of disciplined at-bats — a walk from Porter, a key RBI single from Cooper Porter, and aggressive baserunning that turned a fielder’s choice into two more runs. Bonbeach briefly regained control in the middle innings, plating three runs in the fourth, but the Pumas refused to fade. A hit-by-pitch, a walk to Hunter, and a defensive miscue from Bonbeach saw Pakenham level the scores once more before breaking it open in the sixth. Jesse Hunter earned the win in relief, giving up just two hits and one run over three and a third innings while striking out three. Starter Yun Sinkeun kept the Pumas in it early, striking out four across three and two-thirds innings of work. At the plate, the Pumas showed impressive depth. Will, Mitchell Porter, Rhys McKenzie, and Cooper Porter all notched two hits apiece, while Hunter and Cooper Porter drove in a pair of runs each. Patience proved key, with the side tallying nine walks for the day — a testament to their focus and discipline under pressure. It was a true team effort from the Pakenham Premier 2 Firsts, who continue to build momentum as the season unfolds, showing both grit and composure in one of their most hard-fought wins yet.
Premier Reserves v Bonbeach: Loss 7-2
Women’s Derby Pink v White
It was an all Pakenham showdown at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday as the Pumas Women’s Pink edged out the Pumas Women’s White in a dramatic, high-scoring 13–11 contest that had everything — lead changes, clutch hits, and a whole lot of heart from both sides. Pakenham White struck early in the top of the first, capitalising on a walk to Morgan and a couple of defensive miscues to take a quick 3–0 lead. But Pink were quick to respond, loading the bases and firing back with six runs of their own thanks to patient at-bats from Mars Byrne and Julia, key RBIs from Danni Wilson and Codie Sell, and a sharp single from Holly Lunn to centre. The seesaw continued in the second inning as White exploded for five runs on three hits to retake the lead 8–7, highlighted by an Olivia Garcia double on a 3-0 count that drove in a crucial run. Not to be outdone, Pink answered once more — Sell grounding out but still driving in two to reclaim a narrow 9–8 advantage. White pushed ahead again in the third behind singles from Renae Gillett and Jo Blackler, making it 11–9, but Pink refused to back down. In the bottom half, Byrne and Wilson both drew bases-loaded walks before Sell laced a single to put Pink back on top 13–11 — a lead they’d hold through the final outs. Jessica Moulding pitched the distance for Women’s Pink, striking out three over three innings. Despite giving up eight hits, her composure and control in key moments helped seal the win. Morgan started on the hill for Women’s White, showing plenty of grit through a tough outing. At the plate, Gillett and Garcia led the White attack with two hits apiece, while Liberty, Karlee Brady, and Kamila Van Weegel all chipped in with RBIs. The White side showed off their speed too, swiping 11 bases for the game. For Pink, Sell, Wilson, and Lunn each collected a hit and an RBI, while the team’s plate discipline was outstanding — drawing an incredible 15 walks, with Moulding and Byrne earning three apiece. The Pink squad also tallied 10 stolen bases, showing their trademark aggression on the basepaths. When the dust settled, it was Women’s Pink who walked away with bragging rights in what was a fantastic display of competitive spirit, teamwork, and pure Pumas pride. Both sides left it all on the diamond — proof once again that the future of women’s baseball in Pakenham is burning bright.
Women’s Black
The Pakenham Pumas Women’s Black side continued their strong start to the season with a commanding 15–4 victory over Upwey Ferntree Gully Black (UFTG) on Saturday. Backed by a confident performance both at the plate and on the bases, the Pumas proved too powerful in front of their home crowd. UFTG struck first in the opening inning with an early run, but the Pumas quickly answered back. Emily Devine and Carni Dowsett delivered timely singles in the bottom of the first to give Pakenham a 2–1 lead — one they never looked back from. The second inning saw more of the same, as Renae Gillett and Olivia Garcia both connected for singles and Katherine Walton worked a walk to stretch the margin. Then came a huge third inning, where the Pumas exploded for six runs on four hits. Beatrice Carreras-I started the rally with an RBI single, followed by Devine’s booming double that drove in two more. Walton added another RBI, and aggressive baserunning forced errors that piled on extra runs for the home side. Emily Williams handled pitching duties to start, giving the Pumas four solid innings on the mound — allowing just two hits and two runs while striking out four. Olivia Garcia came in for relief, keeping UFTG quiet to close out the game. At the plate, the Pumas tallied 10 hits in total. Devine led the way with three RBIs, going 2-for-4 in a standout performance. Gillett, Devine, and Dowsett all collected multiple hits, while the team’s trademark speed was on full display — stealing an impressive 12 bases for the game. Sofia, Holly Lunn, and Dowsett each swiped two or more, keeping the pressure on UFTG’s defense all afternoon. It was a complete team effort for Pakenham Women’s Black, combining powerful hitting, sharp fielding, and fearless running to claim a well-deserved win. With momentum building, the Pumas are quickly shaping up as one of the teams to watch this season.
Little League Minors (Rookie ball)
Our fielding was surprisingly well coordinated — especially considering this was the first game for many (if not all!) of the players. The teamwork and communication out there was fantastic! Hitting was impressive right across the board. It felt like everyone had at least one big hit, and best of all — we didn’t need to bring the tee out at all! The energy and team spirit were incredible. The kids kept their heads up, supported each other, and played hard all the way through. As their coach, it was so rewarding to see them already putting their training into practice on game day. We also had a couple of funny moments as everyone gets the hang of the rules — like when Jakob was so determined to keep running after his hit that he actually overtook the lead runner on his way home! Lots of learning, lots of smiles, and a whole lot of fun. So proud of this team already — what a great start to the season!
SL80 – U15
PUMAS DOMINATE! SL80 take down Blackburn 18–4! What a game! The Pakenham Pumas SL80 came out swinging on Sunday, smashing Blackburn SL80 White SE 18–4 at home! Ollie was on absolute fire — going 4-for-4 with a home run, double, and two singles! He kicked things off early, driving in the first run and setting the tone for a huge day at the plate. The Pumas exploded out of the gates — scoring in every inning and piling on the pressure with aggressive base running and clutch hits.
1st inning: Ollie’s RBI single, a wild pitch, and a Julia walk put us on top early.
2nd inning: Liam and Aiden each brought in runs after getting on base.
3rd inning: RBI steals of home from Eli and Julia (!!) kept the momentum rolling.
4th inning: Ollie launched a two-run bomb, Angus knocked in another, and a passed ball added one more.
5th inning: Liam drove in two and Timmy crushed a three-run homer to seal it!
On the mound, Ollie started strong — striking out seven over three innings while allowing just one hit — before Timmy came in and absolutely dealt: three shutout innings, nine Ks, no hits, no walks! The offense was locked in all game with nine hits and 11 walks. Liam, Hunter, and Aiden each drew two walks, while Timmy racked up two hits. And get this — the team went wild on the bases, stealing an unbelievable 29 bases! Liam, Timmy, Ollie, Hunter, Julia, and Angus all had multiple swipes.
-Jessica Moulding
