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Australia came within one out of extra innings but fell 3-2 to Cuba in a tight contest in Cancún, with the winning run scoring in the bottom of the seventh.

Australia struck first with a run in the opening inning and took the lead again in the fifth to go up 2-1. Cuba levelled the score in the sixth before scoring the winning run with two outs in the seventh.

The pitching was excellent once again. Jet Tyler Creamer started and threw three innings, allowing two hits and no earned runs with three strikeouts. Harrison Thomas-McLean followed with 3.2 innings, giving up just two hits and striking out four. George Steer came on late in the seventh. Only one of Cuba’s three runs was earned.

Beau Stockdale led the offence with two hits, including a double. Archer Petersen drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Cruize Chase-Tukapua added an RBI single, while Zavier Leigh and Bodhi Evans scored the runs. Evans and Rylan Ottoway also had a hit each, and the team drew five walks.

Head Coach Andy Kyle said it was a game his side could have won.

“The group did a lot of things well today but just couldn’t quite execute in some situations. The pitching staff did a great job to put us in a position to win that game. We didn’t put enough scoreboard pressure on Cuba. We had chances to tick over the score and get runs but couldn’t capitalise. That was a game we are capable of winning so we are all feeling it. It is important we come out tomorrow and play free and confident and finish the last two days strong.”

The first phase of the 2026 U15 World Cup is complete for Team Australia in Mexico.

While Team Australia will not play for a medal in the Super Round, the three upcoming Placement Round games still represent a huge opportunity in a lot of facets of the game – and life.

One area is player development. This group of young men has a chance to continue to bond, refine their skills, implement Team Australia foundations and represent their country.

The other is in terms of World Ranking Points, which helps determine the national program’s place in the global game. WBSC World Rankings take into account events at all levels: Qualifiers, Exhibitions, U12, U15, U18, U23, Premier12 and WBC. Where Australia finishes here has an impact on the national team program as a whole.

Australia’s previous showing in this tournament, back in 2018, resulted in a ninth-place finish. Australia has not finished higher than ninth at a U15 World Cup since the tournament was brought under the WBSC banner in 2012. Coincidentally, that’s where Australia is ranked now.

WATCH THE TOURNAMENT LIVE: On Gametime.sport around the world and DAZN in Australia.

Australia moves to the six-team Placement Round with two other nations from Pool B (Venezuela and Czechia) and three from Pool A (Cuba, Germany and South Africa).

Team Australia will play the three teams from Pool A from October 1-3. Results against Venezuela and Czechia carry over. Therefore, the standings look like this:

7. Venezuela 2-0 (World #5)
8. Cuba 2-0 (World #12)
9. Australia 1-1 (World #9)
10. Germany 1-1 (World #17)
11. Czechia 0-2 (World #15)
12. South Africa 0-2 (World #23)

The upcoming schedule can be seen in the graphic below:

It’s effectively a battle of who can finish the highest and who can bring home the most ranking points for their country.

Competition has been stiff. Eight different pitchers from Pool B opponents were clocked at 90+ miles per hour. There are future Major Leaguers here. In the past, household baseball names like Yordan Alvarez, Brice Turang and Luis Arráez have played in this event.

Australian manager Andy Kyle says it’s been an educational week for the players.

“There have been a lot of learning moments for the playing group during the first week,” says Kyle. “Exposure to the speed of the game and what it demands at this level has been the biggest challenge so far.”

We reviewed each game below as a refresher, with some quotes, highlights and key numbers.

Despite some challenging results, Kyle says the group should feel good about their chances in the Placement Round games.

“We have shown we have the ability. Self belief and performance consistency for 7 innings and 21 outs will be a focus as we prepare for the final few games,” he says.

Here’s a summary of what’s been going on, some key players and what to look for:

POOL B GAMES – A SUMMARY

Watch online: You can watch all games in the Placement Round on Gametime.sport online, or if you have a subscription to DAZN in Australia, the games are available there. Australia’s remaining schedule is further down in the article.

GAME 1: Loss 11-1 to Venezuela

A tricky start for the Aussies, who threatened with multiple base runners early but couldn’t convert. Venezuela exploded for seven runs in the final three innings.

The big story in this game? Errors. It prompted Kyle to state that the team needed to limit free bases.

Bodhi Evans was a standout. He went 2-for-2 with a double.

GAME 2: Win 9-2 over Czechia

Australia looked much more settled here. This game was played in sweltering conditions — weather reports said it ‘felt like’ 42 during the game despite being 34 on the dial.

Australia did a good job of pressuring Czech defenders by putting balls in play and running wild on the base paths. It forced Czechia to make mistakes.

The Aussies scored four in the first and four in the last in their 9-2 win. Victoria’s Jacob Tayler was the catalyst. He had three hits and stole four bases.

George Steer turned in a tremendous effort in relief. Czechia tried to push its way back into the game, but the Geelong pitcher tossed 2.2 shutout innings in middle relief to shut down any Czech opportunity. He built off a solid outing from starter Noah McCabe who yielded no earned runs in his effort (pictured below).

Pitching coach Kai Meuronen praised Steer’s efforts after the game, saying he loved how he “just threw strikes” and really helped settle the team.

Meuronen said he thought Australia did a “good job of adjusting to the speed of the game [vs Czechia]. I think we were caught a little off guard.”

Credit to the Australian pitching combo of Noah McCabe (below), Steer and Harrison Thomas-McLean. They combined to allow just one hit in the win.

GAME 3: Loss 23-0 to USA

One to put in the rearview mirror. The USA piled on 14 runs in an error-prone third inning.

“You can’t give away free bases and extra opportunities at this level,” said Kyle after the game.

There are some genuine stars on this USA squad. At this point in the tournament, they had scored runs in every offensive inning so far and outscored opponents 42-2. In ten years, it’s almost certain we will look back and say some MLB All-Star(s) played in this game. You only have to look at recent history.

Notable American alumni from this tournament include Freddie Freeman (2005), Francisco Lindor (2009), Royce Lewis (2014), Hunter Greene (2014), Anthony Volpe (2016) and Brice Turang (2014). There will be more as players establish themselves as Major Leaguers.

Still, the game — particularly the big inning — was described as “unacceptable” from Australia’s perspective.

“We had some very honest conversations,” said Kyle. “Not negative, but just honest, about the individuals, learning and taking the next step. It is a learning experience.”

GAME 4: Loss 17-5 to Nicaragua

Things started rocky. Australia looked a bit stiff early, giving up five runs to a Nicaraguan side riding an emotional high after a 10-5 win over Venezuela. Nicaragua, needing to win to advance to the Super Round, ultimately took care of business.

Australia showed great signs of life, however. Down 8-1 in the fifth, Australia strung together a late rally thanks to two-RBI singles from Cruize Chase-Takapua and Beau Stockdale.

They also showed glimpses of the playmaking ability they possess. Catcher Bodhi Evans threw out a runner at second. Left-fielder Rylan Ottaway threw out a runner from left field, check that one out below.

Ultimately, Australia threw out three base runners and turned a key double play, but free bases are still way too big of an issue. Eight walks, two hit-by-pitches and four errors is a combined 1,260 feet of bases — aka 14 free bases — that simply harm a team too much.

GAME 5: Loss 8-0 to Chinese Taipei

Australia hung tight for the first four innings, trailing the World No. 2 by just one run after four.

Chase Crew tossed 3.0 innings, allowing one run off four hits in one of the team’s better starts of the tournament. Seb Watts tagged out a runner at home off a nice play during a rundown from first and second, while Beau Stockdale finished off a nice play by Harrison Thomas-McLean to tag out a runner trying to advance from third.

Beau Stockdale took the team lead in hits with his sixth (pictured below).

A mission was to limit free bases, and the pitching combo of Crew, Noah McCabe, Cale Morris and Hugh Kelly walked just one combined.

“ I thought our processes were better today and played with more conviction and belief,” said Andy Kyle after the game.

Ultimately, Chinese Taipei pulled away to advance to the Super Round.

STAT LEADERS

Full stat sheet here.

Noteworthy: Jacob Tayler co-leads the tournament in stolen bases with five.

– Team Batting Average: .195 (10th)
– Runs: 15 (10th)
– Stolen Bases: 8 (5th)
– Innings Pitched: 29.0
– Team ERA: 11.83 (11th)
– Walks: 24 (9th)
– Strikeouts: 20 (8th)
– Fielding Percentage: .894 (9th)
– Double Plays: 2
– Caught Stealing: 2

FURTHER NOTE: NOTABLE ALUMNI

For years, the U15 Baseball World Cup has offered an early look at the game’s future stars, with some of today’s biggest names first representing their countries on this stage.

The names that have passed through this age group tell the story: Freddie Freeman, Francisco Lindor, Yordan Alvarez, Luis Robert Jr., Luis Arráez and Gleyber Torres are among the players who represented their countries at this level before becoming Major League stars.

Photos courtesy of WBSC

Australia’s pitching staff put in its best effort of the tournament so far, but the bats couldn’t find a breakthrough in an 8-0 loss to Chinese Taipei in Cancún.

Chase Crew set the tone with three strong innings to start the game. He gave up just one run on four hits, walked no one and kept Australia in the contest through the early stages. Noah McCabe, Cale Morris and Hugh Kelly followed him to the mound, and the four pitchers combined to allow just one walk across seven innings. It was a big improvement in throwing strikes after earlier games in the tournament.

The game was still close at 1-0 through four innings before Chinese Taipei added three runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and three in the seventh.

Runs were hard to come by for Australia against a deep pitching group. Beau Stockdale hit a double and Bodhi Evans added a single for the team’s two hits. Jacob Tayler drew a walk and stole a base, and Sebastian Watts also worked a walk.

Head Coach Andy Kyle was encouraged by the way his team competed.

“Our pitching today was a highlight, they attacked the zone and competed all game. I thought our processes were better today and played with more conviction and belief.”

Photos from WBSC

Australia fought back into the game but couldn’t hold on, going down 17-5 to Nicaragua in Cancún.

Nicaragua started fast with five runs in the first inning. Australia answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but by the end of the fourth the team trailed 8-1.

Jet Tyler Creamer steadied things on the mound after coming on in relief in the first. He pitched 3.1 innings, allowed only one earned run and struck out two. Harrison Thomas-McLean followed with 1.2 innings, and the defence helped out by turning two double plays.

The bats came to life in the fifth. Australia put four runs on the board to cut the gap to 8-5 and put real pressure on Nicaragua. Beau Stockdale and Zavier Leigh each hit a double and drove in a run, Cruize Chase-Tukapua drove in two runs and drew two walks, and Bodhi Evans added an RBI. Jacob Tayler also played well at the top of the order, reaching base three times with two hits and a walk.

Nicaragua pulled away late, scoring five runs in the sixth and four in the seventh. Four errors and 13 walks from Australian pitchers gave the opposition too many extra chances, a lesson the team will want to take into the rest of the tournament.

Australia (1-3) will look to finish the group stage strongly when it faces Chinese Taipei next.

Australia picked up its first win of the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in Mexico, beating Czechia 9-2 on the back of a combined one-hitter from three pitchers.

The bats got going straight away, with four runs in the first inning to give the team an early lead. Australia then added one run in the sixth before breaking the game open with four more in the seventh.

Jacob Tayler led the offence, going 3 for 4 with an RBI and four stolen bases. Beau Stockdale had two hits, a walk and a stolen base, while Archer Petersen and Rylan Ottoway each hit a double and drove in a run. Bodhi Evans, Edison Bush and Zavier Leigh also drove in a run each, and Bush stole two bases. Australia finished with 10 hits and drew six walks.

On the mound, Noah McCabe gave up just one hit in 2.2 innings with three strikeouts. George Steer earned the win with 2.2 hitless innings and three strikeouts, and Harrison Thomas-McLean finished the game with 1.2 hitless innings and two strikeouts. The three pitchers combined for eight strikeouts and did not allow an earned run.

Coach Andy Kyle was pleased with the performance.

“Great team effort today with contributions across the board. Getting early run support helped settle the nerves and the pitchers set the tone from there. Noah had a quality start and George came in and continued to be aggressive, attacking the zone with important shutdown innings before handing the ball to Harrison to finish it. The players will rest up tonight before an exciting challenge tomorrow.”

Australia (1-1) plays the USA tomorrow.

Australia’s campaign at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup got off to a tough start in Mexico, going down 11-1 to Venezuela in a game called after five innings under the mercy rule.

Venezuela got going early with three runs in the first and one more in the second, which put the Australians on the back foot. Australia hit back in the third. Archer Petersen, who was hit by a pitch and also drew a walk on the day, came home on a sacrifice fly from Rylan Ottoway to put the team on the board.

Catcher Bodhi Evans was the standout at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a double. Beau Stockdale and Cruize Chase-Tukapua added a hit each.

Venezuela’s pitchers were hard to crack. They struck out nine Australian batters and allowed only four hits across the game.

Jet Creamer started on the mound and took the loss, with Felix Oliver, Jack Bowden and Chase Crew coming on in relief. Bowden kept Venezuela scoreless in his outing, and Crew struck out two. Three fielding errors didn’t help, and Venezuela pulled away with four runs in the third and three in the fifth.

Coach Andy Kyle commented on the teams performance.

“Tough game against a very good Venezuelan team. We showed glimpses of what we are capable of, unfortunately, today we gave away too many fee bases and were caught playing catch up from the start. The players will take a lot out of the experience today and we are confident that they are able to reset and bounce back tomorrow against Czech.”

Australia will look to bounce back against the Czech Republic tomorrow.

Photo provided by WBSC