After a string of unavoidable postponements and revisions, the 2022 Open Men's State Championship finally unfolded at Blacktown International Sportspark over the weekend, with seven of the best Men's teams from around NSW battling it out to claim the coveted title. 

Central Coast, Cumberland Nepean, Georges River, Macarthur, Newcastle, Penrith City and Southern Districts were the participating teams, who were separated into two pools at the day-and-a-half long tournament. Among the seven teams, Central Coast returned to participate in an Open Men's State Championship for the first time in many years. Macarthur dominated pool A while Southern Districts asserted their dominance in pool B, eventually sealing their spots in the Grand Final. However, the Championship also featured a handful of spirited performances by Georges River and Cumberland Nepean leading up to the Grand Final.

While Macarthur secured their place in the Grand Final halfway through Sunday, Southern Districts confirmed their qualification in their game against Georges River right before the Grand Final. A tightly contested game ensued, with Macarthur eventually going onto edge out their opponents 2-1 to take the honours, and remain undefeated in the tournament. Their win also made it their fourth successive title at the Open Men's State Championship. 

Watch the Grand Final highlights here

Final Placings

Champions- Macarthur

Runners Up- Southern Districts

3rd Place- Georges River

4th Place- Cumberland Nepean

5th Place- Newcastle and Penrith City

7th Place- Central Coast

Individual Awards

Players Player Awards

Central Coast- Jeremy Farr

Cumberland Nepean- Demetrius Doney

Georges River- Nathan Dickinson

Macarthur- Harrison Peters

Newcastle- Makye Telfer

Penrith City- Jay Niven

Southern Districts- Jack Besgrove

Best Batter Award

James Todhunter - Softball Macarthur
0.833 batting average; 0.909 on base; 2.000 slugging | 11 plate appearances, 5 hits, 5 walks, 2 home runs, 7 RBIs

Best Pitcher Award

Harrison Peters - Softball Macarthur
0.000 ERA; 67% strike rate | 14 innings pitched; 46 batters faced; 36 strike outs; 0 walks; 3 hits

Softball NSW would like to thank all volunteers, staff, athletes, team management, and attendees who made the 2022 Open Men's State Championship a great success. For any further information in relation to the event, please contact Softball NSW Events & Facilities Coordinator Aimee Sutton via events@softballnsw.org.au.