28 March 2024
2024 Australian Women's Championship Preview and Team Guides: New Generation ready to shine in national spotlight
by Eric Balnar
While the rest of Australia will be enjoying an Easter long weekend, the country’s best players are putting final touches on preparation for the Australian Women’s Championships.
And let me assure you – from talking to coaches, players and states from all around the country – there’s a genuine buzz around this tournament.
There’s a bit of a changing of the guard at play. A few members of the 2023 Emeralds World Cup squad were unable to participate, and another group of veteran players decided to step away from game.
It’s time for the “next generation” to shine. Welcome to the 2024 Australian Women’s Championships, live from Melbourne, from April 2-8.
Six teams. Seven Days. One Champion. Mountains of excitement. Hours of great baseball.
Welcome to our 2024 Women’s Preview. Scroll down for team-by-team guides.
“The thing I love most about nationals is a whole week where we get to be ballers,” says Victorian and Team Australia pitcher Allie Bebbere. “Our whole ‘job’/day is to wake up and play baseball, that’s it! No other responsibilities, nothing else, just baseball.”
South Australia stalwart Jess Maslin says it’s a great week to showcase women’s baseball with state pride on the line.
“All of Australia’s best women’s players are in the one place battling it out,” she says.
Buckle up. Passion will be on full display.
PREVIEW: Youth Women’s Championships
Australian Women’s Baseball has seen a big uptake in participation over the past few seasons. Now, the youth who joined the sport when it was gaining more legs are moving through to the senior levels.
For Emeralds Head Coach Jason Pospishil, it’s a chance to see who shines through in advance of the next World Cup window.
“The main excitement for me is going to be identifying who our next generation of future Emeralds will be,” he says. “There is a number of new players who have an opportunity to play and in the showcase in May. We have some work to do and that work will start now by identifying the next core we want to build around for 2026.”
Players will also use this tournament to be scouted for the 2024 Australian Women’s Showcase in Lismore next May. This event will feature the best Australian talent and nine international players from World Cup squads around the world across three teams.
On April 5, teams will also link up to say ‘NO MORE’ to Domestic and Family Violence.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
Days 1-4, Round Robin Tournament. Each of the six teams plays each other once for a total of five games. The top four teams advance to the medal rounds.
Day 5-6: Double elimination begins. #1 plays #4 and #2 plays #3. The winners advance to a “winners game” and the losers move to an “elimination game.”
The winners game, on Day 6, sees the victor advance to the Championship Game. The loser of that game? They play the winner of the elimination game.
On Day 7, the loser of the winner’s game will play the winner of the elimination game. The victor moves straight to the Grand Final where they play for gold.
“There’s a distinct advantage to winning your game on Day 5 and Day 6,” says Baseball Australia events manager and one of the tournament organisers Michael Ibbotson. “You win both and you play for Gold and don’t have to play a double-header on Championship Day.”
BROADCAST, SCHEDULE AND HOW TO FOLLOW
The schedule can be found here: 2024 AWC and AYWC Schedules – Combined.
Select group stage games will be broadcast on Baseball+. All second round and medal round games will be broadcast on the free platform, with commentary from ABL play-by-play voices Eric Balnar and Ed Wyatt and Emeralds players Amy McCann, Gen Beacom and Amy Cannington.
The broadcast schedule can be found in the schedule above.
All other games will be streamed and livescored on GameChanger. You can follow at the following links, or by searching AWC 2024 in GameChanger (not Game Changer Classic).
AWC: https://web.gc.com/organizations/o7FR6b0kuXWB
AYWC: https://web.gc.com/organizations/TErCdUHHIQrl
Make sure you follow Baseball.com.au on Instagram and Facebook. We have Trent Schwarz Photography onsite to capture high quality photos and videos (hello, Insta reels!). We will also produce daily game recaps and highlight player stories as the tournament progresses.
BROADCAST, SCHEDULE AND HOW TO FOLLOW
Order official merchandise from the 2024 Australian Women’s and Youth Women’s Championships from the links below.
Cut off date is April 11.
Women’s Championships: https://belgraviaapparelshop.com/collections/baseball-australia-women-championships
Youth Women’s Championships: https://belgraviaapparelshop.com/collections/baseball-australia-youth-womens-championships
TEAM PREVIEWS / GUIDES
ROSTER – | Open Women’s Team | Youth Team |
Western Australia
Head coach: Kurt Russell
The defending champions will have some new faces on their roster but are still buoyed by some savvy veteran players.
For the most part, Western Australia has gone young. Only three players on their roster were born before the year 2000 (Kariss Aquino, Grace Spano and Terralee Hopkins).
It may be the youngest squad in the tournament. They’re also trying to defend a Gold Medal.
Among the youth movement are two star Emeralds players in pitcher Meghan Haggart and two-way dynamo Caitlin Eynon. Their World Cup experience will be replied upon.
“We have a young team this year, says Haggart, a handy pitcher. “All the girls have had to put in a lot of work to condition their bodies and get themselves ready to play at the state level. We are looking forward to seeing some of the young girls grow and shine this year.”
Some of the young girls Haggart refers to are Emilee Hone, Ava Tyson, Chloe Atkinson and Briah Burke. The four are some of the youngest in the competition – all of them just 16-years-old.
Hone is one of the young players who was on the WA Gold Medal squad in 2023.
“Women’s baseball in our state is getting pretty strong,” she says. “Us juniors are really getting the feel on what it is like playing senior baseball and we are developing ourselves to make us better.”
Outfielder Grace Spano plays the game with an edge and should provide an x-factor and leadership, too.
Player to Watch: Caitlyn Eynon – P / SS – Had impressive numbers at the 2023 World Cup in both the field and at the plate. She has two Women’s Showcases to her name and already is a national champion.
“Caitlin has been really working this year,” says Hone of Eynon. “Significant amount of her preparation has been leading to the tournament and she is ready.”
Victoria
Roster – | Open Women’s Team | Youth Team |
Head coach: Samantha Hamilton
Make no mistake about it: the Victorians always send a line-up out with some of the best players in the country.
The Victorian State Women’s League is one of the strongest in Australia. With a stack of national titles to their name, expectations of gold are always dancing through the players’ heads.
This year is another changing of the guard. Like most teams in the tournament, Victoria has gone young.
The squad will be led by Victorian state team veterans like pitcher Allie Bebbere, two-way star Abbey Kelly, Belinda Cannington and Jessica Johnson.
There are three Emeralds from the 2023 World Cup on this squad – Bebbere, Kelly and Lili Cavanagh.
They’re also complimented by two Japanese guns in dual-threat Saeko Suzuki and Kira Kuwamoto.
The rest of the squad are up-and-coming players with high ceilings who will no doubt leave an impression. Australian Baseball fans are about to learn their names.
One of those players is 20-year-old catcher Jamie Bastian, who is already set to appear in her fourth nationals and is a player other states have flagged as one to watch.
“This year our state team has changed a lot, we have a younger team than previous years,” says Bastian. “Every single new player has proven their spot and shown us why they deserve to be there, making veterans or returning players work harder to keep their spot. Our team has such a great comradery that will only strengthen over the tournament.”
Other young guns to watch include outfielder Jasmine Bentley.
“She’s a pocket rocket in the outfield and on the bases,” says veteran pitcher and former Golden Arm winner and 2023 World Cup arm Allie Bebbere. “Small but mighty, with an infectious attitude that is twice her size!”
Returning this season is multiple World Cup representative Abbey Kelly, who won the Golden Arm in 2023.
Player to Watch: Saeko Suzuki – Beyond her infectious personality and incredible skill, Suzuki brings experience. She helped lead South Australia to a medal in 2018 before moving to Victoria for this past season. She is a left-handed bat who can play multiple positions and drive the ball hard.
South Australia
Roster – | Open Women’s Team | Youth Team |
Head Coach: Austin Gallagher
Last year’s bronze medalists are also undergoing some change, with players like Emeralds catcher Carly Moore and top-end pitcher Darna Boers-Veen unable to play this year.
Still, South Australia has a solid core of veterans to compliment some first time players.
Among those is hard hitting Jess Maslin. A veteran of the state team, Maslin has appeared in two Women’s Showcases, had a +.600 batting average in Division 1 play in South Australia, and became the first woman ever to hit a homer over the fences in the SA Women’s League.
Maslin has been part of the return of South Australian women’s state league since Day 1 back in 2016 and says she’s seen a lot of changes.
“We have built SA’s women’s league up in less than 10 years and been able to bring it to states that may have doubted us,” says Maslin.
Outfielder Bianca Ramsey is coming off her best local season, where she was named the Women’s High Performance Athlete of the Year, was a Division 1 All-Star, the Golden Glove winner, and on the team of the year.
She says South Australia are still looking to turn heads.
“We have shocked a lot of people in the last few years. SA has not often been up there with the other states and last nationals I think we became more of a threat than people were expecting which has help us earn more respect from the other states,” says Ramsey. “This year we don’t have the same squad, but we have been training hard and I’m keen to see how we do this year round.”
On the mound, veteran Bianca Smith may have to eat some big innings – but it’s a role she’s familiar with as a leader on the team and in the state community.
16-year-old Amara Quinn plays on her second state team, and will be joined by fellow teenagers Georgia Davis and Lucy Davis who are coming off a Sturt local premiership. Georgia won the league’s best & fairest medal, while Lucy won pitcher of the year.
Lookout for the speed of Gemma Letton, a Giants’ Women’s Showcase player in 2022, on the basepaths.
Player to Watch: Georgia Davis. At 17 years old, Davis just took home her second best & fairest honours in the Division 1 South Australian State Leagues. She is still young and learning, but she will likely be looked to as South Australia’s ‘Ace’ when the tournament roles around. She starred in the local league grand final for Sturt.
New South Wales
Roster – | Open Women’s Team | Youth Team |
After winning gold in 2022, New South Wales took a step back in 2023 finishing fifth.
That didn’t sit well for many of the players.
NSW is a strong team and has high expectations to play well both as players and externally,” says shortstop Lisa Nakashio, who won gold in 2022. “After placing 5th last year and 1st the previous year, the jump was disappointing. So this year as always we aim for the gold, and strive to have the best outcome as a team.”
They have the legs to do it.
2023 World Cup squad pitchers Bri Hosie, Maddi Erwin, Claire O’Sullivan could pitch some key innings for New South Wales. Their joined by explosive positional World Cup players in catcher Maddison Heath and outfielder Ticara Geldenhuis (who hit a homer in the World Cup).
There are eight teenagers on this NSW side, but many of them have already tasted gold. They players yet to turn 20 are Isobel Lambert, Erin Partridge, Cayla Johnston, Alina Hawron Lisa Nakashio, MacKenzie Jackson, Mattea Carn and Hosie.
Heath and Geldenhuis are national champions, Showcase players and World Cup reps, and are only 22 years old.
“We have some youngsters in our team,” says Heath. “But they have a lot of talent and will continue making our team better and better. We have many two-way players and some up and coming pitchers. A number of Aussie [national players are in the team this year to help lead and encourage others.”
Isobel Lambert is certainly one youngster to keep an eye on. She became the first woman to play in the Senior League World Series when she represented Australia with the Ryde Hawks in 2023.
Will the youth movement and two-way players get the job done again for New South Wales?
Player to watch: Ticara Geldenhuis. The outfielder has turned into an international star after belting the baseball at the World Cup. She’s a two-time Showcase player, a national champion, and hit a homer in the World Cup.
“She will put everything in the line for her team and is getting better as she goes,” says Erwin of Ticara.
Queensland Maroon
Head Coach: Lisa Norrie
Queensland are divided into two teams. The “White Team” is the development squad. The Maroon Team will be shooting for gold.
“We have a lot of good young players who have come through the Queensland development programs,” says head coach Lisa Norrie, who also coaches in the Oakland A’s organisation. “If they can be confident and play like they can, I think we’ll be in contention.”
Eleven of Queensland’s 16 players are born in the year 2000 or after. Four of those – Ashley Van Stayden, Hannah Wilson, Molly Paddison and Paula Doherty – were on the U16 Queensland team who won the Youth Championships last year.
There’s also 19-year-old Kya Foxwell – a Women’s Showcase player who can hit the ball hard. 20-year-old Hannah Marshall will look to defend her Golden Glove from the 2023 tournament.
Pitcher Lyndsey Campbell is on the other side – she’s a veteran. This will be her 10th Open Women’s Championships for Queensland.
She has seen a lot of changes in Queensland baseball, including the return of the Women’s State League a few years ago, an U16 Girls National Championship, and a Barclay Cup result.
That means one thing – look out!
“Queensland is starting to catch up with the rest of the country in regard to female development,” she says. That is evident. These young girls are now starting to filter into the Open Program and are making waves. Just because our team is young, doesn’t mean they won’t get the job done! We are seeing more and more often that when given the chance, they thrive!”
Player to Watch: Shiori Hoshino – A two-way star who moved to Australia. Despite now living in Victoria, she still desires to play for Queensland. She is a high-end pitcher and one of the best fielders at shortstop in the country. And she can hit.
“She is an absolute weapon of a player but an even better teammate,” says Kya Foxwell. “As humble as they come and willing to lay it on the line for her team.”
Queensland White
Coach: Neal Ragau
Don’t be fooled by the ‘Development’ tag to this Queensland team. There are some high-end players.
This development team has been running three years. The purpose of the team is to give opportunity to fringe or young players, and make sure they get regular gametime and experience at this level.
“There’s a big jump from juniors to open women’s and even state league,” says head coach Neal Ragau. “We are there to learn, we are there to see what level we are at, and we can bring that all back to the Division 1 competition and make that competition better every year.”
That said, there are some players with serious potential. Shayne-Elise Baker, Emma Tate, Grace White, and Taliyah Paolo move from the Gold Medal Youth squad to the Open Women’s.
Townsville’s Cathy White could make an impact as a starting pitcher, noted as a “real strike thrower” by teammates.
Catcher Britney Finlayson has some of the best exit velo in all of Queensland Women’s Baseball.
This should be a fun team to watch develop.
“We’re a young team with lots of potential,” says Paolo. “And the coaches want to help develop and become better players.”
The White team has been training once a week with the Maroon team, gaining lots of experience from playing the “top” team. Now, they get to see how they stack up against the rest of the country.
Player to Watch: Paris Bastow – This outfielder can fly. A pure athlete making a name for herself in Queensland.
“You need to watch her,” said one opposition player from NSW. “She is quick on her feet and an all-round good player in the field and with the bat. One of the best team-mates to have had the pleasure to play alongside with.”
