Matt Bennett (minors02)

Matthew Bennett

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 160 lb.

• School St. Charles Community College

• Born October 19, 1981 in Sydney, New South Wales Australia

BR register page

Biographical Information

Matt Bennett pitched in Australia, the US and Israel.

He was 1-0 with two saves and a 1.05 ERA for New South Wales in the 1999-2000 International Baseball League of Australia. He led the league in ERA (by .47), tied Aaron Reed for the most appearances (8), tied for second in saves (behind Shane Tonkin) and was second in opponent average (.140, .004 behind Brett Baker). He moved to the rotation the next year but fell to 0-1, 5.73. In the 2003 Claxton Shield, he allowed four runs in five innings for the New South Wales Patriots.

Bennett allowed three hits and one run in three innings (no walks, one whiff) for the Australian national team that won the 2003 Oceania Championship to qualify for the 2004 Olympics (where they claimed the Silver). He was one of two Bennetts on the 2003 staff, which also had Shayne Bennett. He turned in one strong start (5 1/3 IP, 2 UER) when Sydney won the 2004 Claxton Shield.

That summer, he made his only appearance in the US pro leagues. He was 1-3 with two saves and a 5.77 ERA in 34 games for the Brockton Rox, tying Mike Hoyt for 7th in the Northeast League in pitching appearances. In Australia that winter, he was back in the rotation as New South Wales repeated, with a 1-0, 1.93 record. In 2006, he fell to 0-2, 5.73. He was 1-0 with a save and a 3.00 ERA in the 2007 Claxton Shield, tying Matthew Blackmore for the lead with four appearances.

He then signed with the Modi'in Miracle and did very well in the short-lived Israel Baseball League. He threw the league's second no-hitter, allowing one walk and fanning ten to beat the Petach Tikva Pioneers (Esequier Pie had thrown the first one). He finished 6-1 with a 2.34 ERA, .90 WHIP and 64 K in 50 IP. He also hit .226/.294/.258, backing up Adalberto Paulino in center field. He tied Jason Benson for 4th in the IBL in wins, was 3rd in ERA (behind Aaron Pribble and Juan Feliciano), tied for third with five complete games, tied for second with two shutouts (one behind Pie) and was third in whiffs (trailing Maximo Nelson and Feliciano).

Bennett was 2-1 with a 2.82 ERA in the 2008 Claxton Shield, placing 8th in ERA and tied for 4th in wins. He slipped to 0-1 with a save and a 9.00 ERA in 2009 and pitched three shutout innings in 2009-2010, the last season for the Shield before the revival of the Australian Baseball League.