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Team Australia is proud to announce a 44-player National U16 Junior Squad who will be traveling to the USA to represent their country in September, 2024.

The U16 Squad will play in a range of games against the best players in the U.S in their age group. They will get to face current NCAA Division 1 commits and future MLB draft picks in what will be a packed couple of weeks in Atlanta, Georgia.

The team was selected off the back of the Australian Youth Championships in Sydney earlier this year.

Baseball Australia’s National Player Development Manager Andrew Riddell says this a great opportunity for this talented group of up-and-coming players.

“We are really excited about the talent that was on display at the Under 16 National Championships in January. These players will now get a full winter in their state-based performance pathways program as they continue to develop and get a chance to see what the best players in the U.S their age look like,” he says.

Riddell adds it’s also an important trip for this age group because it’s the one of the first times they’ll be representing Australia.

“While playing for their country, the players will also start to gain exposure and interest from the many university and junior college recruiting co-ordinators that will have their eyes on them. It also gives our national coaching staff a chance to work with them each day, which will be huge as a lot of them will filter into a U18 World Cup year in 2025.”

Team Australia also named an U18 Squad who will compete in a tournament from September-October in front of college recruiters and professional scouts.

Congratulations to those who were selected. Here is the list:

It came down to the final pitch of the game, but the Hanwha Eagles came back from two runs down to defeat Australia 5-3 in the second game of the International Baseball Showdown in Melbourne.

Australia, trailing 5-3 in the top of the last, had the bases loaded but ultimately left them stranded in another tight loss.

The Eagles, a team which features Korea’s biggest homerun hitter and hardest thrower, were relentless with the bats. They tallied 14 hits in their eight offensive innings.

The Australian pitching staff of Sam Holland, Warwick Saupold, Josh Guyer, Dan McGrath, Coen Wynne and Todd Van Steensel – and defense backing them up – did well to hold the KBO professional outfit to just five runs.

The Aussies made a few notable defensive plays in the game. Watch them in the highlights below.

Sam Holland was excellent in his start for Australia. He worked three scoreless innings, giving up three hits.

He said he trusted his team behind him.

“With a team like this it suits me. I can pitch to contact and let the field behind me so the work,” he says. “I was feeling really relaxed.”

It allowed Melbourne-born Darryl George to have his moment.

With one out and bases loaded in the third, the local star drove in two runs on a base hit in front of the home crowd.

Hanwha Eagles star, and KBO preseason MVP favourite, Roh Si Hwan drove in the first Korean run in the game in the fourth. It came off former Hanhwa teammate and Team Australia vice captain Warwick Saupold.

Kim In Hwan tied the game with a solo shot in the fourth.

The Eagles systematically added two more runs in the sixth inning. They extended their lead to 5-2 when they scored an extra run on a trap play.

Alex Hall’s RBI in the top of the eighth moved Australia within two.

Australia will gather next as a senior national team in November for the Premier12 – a World Championship equivalent.

Thank you to the fans for coming out. It meant a lot to play in front of you.

BOX SCORE: Click here.

In front of a packed home crowd, Team Australia dropped a narrow contest 2-1 to Korean Baseball League’s Hanwha Eagles in Melbourne during their first home game in four years.
All the runs were scored in the first three innings. The KBO’s leading homerun man Si Hwan Roh lived up to his billing as a Korean star, delivering both of Hanwha’s RBIs. He scored the first run in the first, and the second in the third.

The Eagles grabbed both their runs off Australian starter Tim Atherton.

Australia tallied their only run in second inning on a fielders choice RBI from Robbie Perkins.

Australia’s pitchers were impressive. Canberra’s Steve Kent tossed three innings of one hit ball with four strikeouts.

Melbourne’s Jon Kennedy had a shutout inning, too.

Luke Wilkins chucked two scoreless innings to close the game.

Hanwha mustered just five hits.

Australia combined for seven base knocks, led by Rixon Wingrove. They had their chances, but some staunch Korean defense fended off Aussie attacks.

Defensively, Ulrich Bojarski had a highlight reel catch when he dove over the fence (see highlight in folder).

“It was a good hit out. Pitchers kept us in the ballgame and they’ve been doing that for years. We just couldn’t find that big hit to win the game,” said team captain Tim Kennelly after the game.

“We need to stay within ourselves. We had opportunities but didn’t come through.”

Australia and Hanwha conclude their two game series tomorrow afternoon at 1:00PM AEDT.

BOX SCORE: Click here.

Warwick Saupold will face his former team this weekend when he suits up for Team Australia.

Team Australia’s longtime pitcher played for Hanwha in the Korean Baseball Organisation for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
He had many memorable moments, including a complete game he tossed to open the 2020 season where he took a no-hitter into the eighth.

“I loved my time there,” says Saupold. “The fans were amazing. Unreal. The supporter base is second to none. They’re passionate, they travel. They’re full-on. I don’t know how any of them how voices – you can’t hear yourself think.”

Saupold says he has numerous former teammates who he’ll face this weekend.

“They’re the opposition. We’re here to beat them. We’re team Australia and we take pride in that.”

Hear from Wazza below!

The exhibition series starts tonight at 7:00PM. You can watch on Baseball+.

Rixon Wingrove’s grandfather John – who is affectionally called Pop – doesn’t get to see his grandson play in person very often.

John watches all of Rixon’s games around the world with the Philadelphia Phillies, Team Australia and the Adelaide Giants on an internet stream. His wife Raemene sits alongside and scores the game.

They’ll be there this weekend to watch Rixon wear his country’s colours when he plays for Team Australia on home soil vs Korean professional outfit Hanwha Eagles in Melbourne.

Pack your scorecard, Raemene.

Home sweet home.

The Australian Senior Men’s National Team will play a rare game on home soil in front of a capacity crowd at Melbourne Ballpark vs the Hanwha Eagles.

Here’s what you need to know:

The Game Times

GAME 1: Saturday 17 February – Hanwha 2 def Australia 1, RECAP | BOX SCORE

GAME 2: Sunday 18 February – 1:00PM – Melbourne Ballpark

Get your tickets via the Melbourne Aces website.

Watch live, free and around the world on Baseball+.

The Teams

Team Australia is sending a star-studded squad to these games. All 21 players have World Baseball Classic experience.

The Hanwha Eagles, a team in the top-tier of Korean professional baseball, bring a roster which features multiple members of the national team, the league’s homerun king, and the country’s hardest thrower. You can read about them here.

“Everyone in Australia is part of our team” – Why family makes rare home games special for members of Team Australia | Baseball.com.au

Warwick Saupold used to play for the Hanwha Eagles, now he’ll face them as a member of Team Australia | Baseball.com.au

BROADCAST AND HOW TO FOLLOW

You can watch all games on Baseball+. The platform is free and available around the world.

Click the download links below and here for casting to your TV instructions.

LIVE SCORING LINKS: Click here.

We will post in-game highlights, match recaps and mini-matches across our social media platforms following the games.

Please search Team Australia Baseball.