Baseball at the Australian University Games has been part of the Australian University Games program since the 2004 games. The games are held in the last week of September during mid-Semester break. The reigning champions and most successful team is The University of Sydney who are members of the Sydney Uni Baseball Club.
History
The first university baseball was established by the Sydney Uni Baseball Club when it formed in 1899. By 1904, it was playing in the New South Wales Baseball Association Second Grade.[1] The next earliest reports of university baseball was the University of Melbourne playing in the Victorian league in 1908.[2] Inter-varsity baseball started in Australia in 1923 when Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne played a triangular inter-varsity series.[3]
The 1994 Australian University Games were hosted by the University of Wollongong. The baseball was held at Fred Finch Reserve at Berkeley, Wollongong. A massive 16 teams from around Australia participated. The finals were contested with –
The 2007 Australian University Games was hosted on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Griffith University were the overall winners, while the University of Western Australia won the baseball sports program. The baseball program was split into two divisions.
The 2012 Australian University Games were hosted in Adelaide, South Australia from 23 to 28 September 2012. A total of 10 teams competing with University of Melbourne defeating University of Newcastle 9–2. The previous year's winners Monash University were awarded the bronze.
Gold Coast 2013
The 2013 Australian University Games were hosted on the Gold Coast, Queensland from 29 September to 4 October 2013. A total of 12 teams competed, the most since 2007, with University of Melbourne defeating Monash University 9–5 to win their second consecutive gold. Griffith University won the bronze.
Sydney 2014
The 2014 Australian University Games were held in Sydney, the first time since 2001, from 28 September to 3 October 2014 with 10 teams competing. The University of Sydney won gold with a 15–10 win over Monash University in the championship game, while The University of Melbourne defeated University of Newcastle 13–3 in the bronze medal match.
The 2016 Australian University Games will be held in Perth, Western Australia from 26 to 30 September 2016. A total of 9 teams will compete in the tournament being held at Kingsway Regional Sporting Complex, the home of the Wanneroo Giants Baseball Club.