They only won one game but the experience gained from hosting the NSW men’s softball championships over the weekend will prove invaluable for Newcastle.
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Newcastle finished the two-day state championships, held at Stevenson Park, Mayfield, in sixth position of seven teams.
They downed Central Coast 20-2 but lost their matches to Penrith (15-10), Macarthur (7-0), Southern Districts (8-6, Campbelltown (7-5) and Georges River (8-6).
Leading the charge was senior player and catcher Ryan Tranter, who was thrilled to have a state championships on home territory.
“For us, this was a good opportunity having the state competition at home,” Tranter said.
The men’s state titles are generally played in Sydney and have not been to a regional facility in over two decades.
“This is the first time I’ve ever played them here and this is my 20th season in opens,” Tranter said.
“It is definitely good to get it up here and this year they’ve moved things around a little so the state titles run straight into the men’s national competition.”
Tranter has been in the state open team for the past decade and was part of their breakthrough win on the national stage last year.
The 33-year-old was named player of the final as NSW clinched their first Australian title in 22 years.
“The state titles is a good workout for all of the men in the NSW team and it’s a good opportunity for our [Newcastle’s] guys to see what that level of competition is like.
“We have a few rookies in the team and we’ve done well with the bat but a few errors have cost us.
“It is a real step up in competition and we are short in probably one or two key positions. But the experience has been great for our guys.”
The Australian men’s softball championships will be contested in Canberra in January.
“The core of our state team have been building for a few years now and we finally won it last year,” Tranter said.
“We are going back to hopefully defend the title.”
Tranter, a member of the Australian men’s softball squad, played against several of his NSW teammates throughout the weekend in Newcastle.
The defending state champions Macarthur were loaded with state and national representatives.
They went through undefeated until succumbing to Georges River 8-6 in the decider on Sunday.
Newcastle also featured NSW under-23 representative Leigh Halpin.