Eastern Phantoms were crowned 2026 Australian Junior League Champions after defeating Cronulla Black 4-2 in the gold medal game, capping off a remarkable tournament run and earning a spot at the upcoming World Series.
The championship concluded on Monday night after heavy rains hit Gold Coast and Northern NSW, prompting a move to Redcliffe, Queensland to play out the final games.
The Phantoms weren’t deterred, bringing their best stuff to the gold medal showdown with a ticket to the World Series on the line.
Lincoln Ellis led the way, throwing 6.2 shutout innings with three hits and nine strikeouts.
Riley Malcolm, Hunter Gordon, and Joshua Watts had big hits to jumpstart the offense early, and the Phantoms held on despite a late Cronulla rally with one out to go in the seventh.
The Phantoms certainly turned things around after giving up five runs in the top of the first inning of their opening game. They finished as national champions without committing a single error across the entire tournament.
Now, this determined group of West Aussies from Morley, Perth, and UWA Magpies will represent Australia at the Junior League World Series from 9–16 August in Taylor, Michigan.
Junior League winners: Jordan Abbott, Jake Hayden, Troy Kingma, Riley Malcolm, Joshua Watts, Lincoln Ellis, Samuel Gardiner, Bailey Stingers, Hunter Gordon, Ryder Canny, Brody Warner, Brody Perkins. Coaches: Adam Ellis (Manager), Jeremy Sexton, Lachie Waite, Bianca Hayden (EO)
Head to baseball.com.au to catch up on all the tournament action.
Photo: DC Sports Photography