2021 started with a line-drive, but was thrown out stretching for a triple.

Head Coach Mitchell Liddle and his coaching staff had assembled our strongest top-to-bottom roster since 2013.

Sydney Uni were strong contenders in all four grades before COVID-19 lockdown forced the cancellation of the winter season just past its halfway mark.

But at least we got to play some baseball.

With 50% of the season officially completed, SWBL awarded premierships to the clubs on top of the respective grade ladders when the season ended.

3rd Grade were crowned with a fifth-straight championship – making it seven in the past ten years.

On the downside, a young and talented 1st Grade side were deprived of a prospective deep playoff run and 2nd Grade were denied the chance to make it back-to-back-to-back championships with their trademark late season heroics.

Cruelly, 4th Grade were undefeated when the season was cancelled, but PCBL opted to not award any titles.

The darkest outcome saw the Uni Cup relinquished to UNSW for the first time in over a decade -- 2-1 on aggregate, without the return leg played.

Intervarsity was again a casualty of the pandemic, but the students are hoping to get in three years’ worth at Nationals in Perth in 2022.

The Cynics still managed to take many positives from 2021, demonstrating the true strength of our club.

Due to the generosity of their benefactors and the donations of our members, the David Hynes and Ron & Jennie Finlay scholarships became fully perpetual. Alongside the Ron Rushbrooke, Baseball now has three named scholarships.

Jasper Odgers was garbed in Gold for his double-digit years of service on the Executive Committee, his innovative improvements to modernise the club, and importantly fostering the long partnership with our sponsor Young Henrys. Well-deserved Yaz.

Ladies Day saw over $1,200 raised for our charity of choice, Dress for Success.

Past vs Present saw tremendous representation from our alumni and past players, and will remain firmly established as an annual fixture. A new affiliate Masters franchise ‘The Philosophers’ was also born in 2021, comprising Cynics from the 80s, 90s and 00s.

Sydney Uni Baseball will become an incorporated club in 2022 to complete a journey that started two years ago when the SUSF changed its constitution. Thanks to James Gray, our first-ever Public Officer, for his invaluable (and pro bono) legal counsel through the process.

The White Cockatoo Hotel in Petersham remained great supporters as our major sponsor, with my gratitude to Scott and his team for always looking after us.

Thanks to the Executive Committee for their continued service to the club: Secretary Matt Kelleher, Treasurer Josh Peruch, Ben Warnock, Jasper Odgers, Sam Collins, Lachlan Arford, Scott Moran, Calvin Wagner, Ben Cobb, Mark Stanley and Club Patron Hartley Anderson.

2021 Honours

Ron Rushbrooke Scholarship: Alex Cobb

David Hynes Scholarship: Matt Kelleher

1st Grade

Rookie 2nd baseman Chris Fraietta (.364) was Top 10 in league for batting AVG.
The defence, led by Quinn Johnson and Lachlan Arford, had a team fielding AVG of .982, the best in the league

2nd Grade

Rookie shortstop Blake Gooding was in the top 10 in the league in multiple offensive categories with a slashline of .429/.500/.524.
Three pitchers were in the top 10 for ERA: Wade Shipard (0.00), Jarryd Stanley (2.16), Zak Horton (3.97).

3rd Grade

Five Cynics were in the top 10 for hitting, Matt Kelleher (.417), Jon Nicoll (.417), Calvin Wagner (.400), Gavin Morgan (.400) and Rob Giallombardo (.357) – with Wagner slugging at .733
Three pitchers in the top 10 for ERA: Scott Moran (0.96), Ben Cobb (1.74) and Caleb Garven (3.60).

4th Grade

Xavier Horsley (.625) and Adam Green (.444) were the standouts for batting AVG
Tom Phelps was a horse on the mound, recording 26IP for a 3.76 ERA.

Wade Shipard

President

2021 President's Report