15 September 2024
Australia announces roster for 2024 Baseball5 World Cup in Hong Kong
Australia has named its eight-player team for the Baseball5 World Cup in Hong Kong from October 7-12.
News
14 September 2024
Maguire's big day leads Australia to big win over South Africa to close out U23 World Cup
Solomon Maguire let his play do the talking in Australia’s 9-2 win over South Africa on the final day of the World Cup.
Australia’s centerfielder went 2-for-4 with a home run, four runs batted in and a diving catch.
He had enough game changing moments today to create his own highlight reel, but Maguire says the team wanted to leave the tournament with a statement.
“After we had a few tough loses in the last few days it was easy for any of us to check out and think of home time,” he says. “I was impressed by the team today and shows the fight our country has no matter the situation. That’s what gives us continuous chances at all tournaments over and over again.”
Maguire may have played the leading role but there were contributions from everywhere. All nine players in the starting nine reached base. Four pitchers combined to allow five hits.
It wasn’t easy – at least early. South Africa took an early 1-0 lead.
Maguire installed an Australian advantage with a two-out, 2-RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the second to give Australia their first lead.
Australia muscled in a six run third inning to soar ahead 9-2. Maguire punctuated the damaging frame with a two-run homer.
He left his final signature on the game – and the tournament – by making an incredible diving catch in the outfield to end the game.
Maguire was quick to credit his teammates.
“Tournament play is about trusting what we have. Our whole team is good enough to get the job done in any of the situations that were presented in front of us,” he says. “I was lucky enough that my trust led to me helping out of team when we needed it.”
Once Australia had the lead they made sure not to relinquish it. Some tidy defense and excellent work from the pitching staff closed the door.
Left-handed pitcher Conor Myles was particularly impressive. In his third appearance of the tournament, Myles tossed 3.0 innings with five strike outs and no runs.
He finishes the tournament as Australia’s pitching leader: 7.0 innings with no runs allowed.
Chris Burke and Cayden Nicoletto joined Maguire with two hits.
Australia used four pitchers in the win – Zak Elvy, Dylan Clarke, Conor Myles and Lachlan Brook.
The big win marks the end of Australia’s World Cup campaign – with a 4-4 record vs eight different countries. They will finish ninth in the World Cup, and pick up a projected 207 World Ranking Points.
You can read about the game flow below.
BOX SCORE: Stats, scores & play-by-play
U23 WORLD CUP HUB: All your Team Australia news
WBSC PAGE: Official WBSC U23 World Cup Page
PLACEMENT ROUND STANDINGS
7. Netherlands 4-1
8. Chinese Taipei 4-1
9. Australia 3-2
10. Colombia 2-3
11. South Africa 1-4
12. Great Britain 1-4
Game Recap – As It Happened
After teams traded scoreless innings, South Africa struck first in the second.
They barely had to put a ball in play. Zak Elvy walked two batters before Dylan Clarke entered in relief. A pair more of walks, and South Africa scored a run thanks to four base on balls.
Australia responded with a two-out rally in the bottom of the second.
A single to Cayden Nicoletto, walk to Jake Burns and a Ben Fierenzi hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Solomon Maguire knocked in a pair of runs with a checked swing that deflected the ball up the middle for a 2-RBI single.
Fierenzi scored on a double steal attempt to push the score to 3-1.
South Africa pegged one back in the top of the third.
But Australia did the bulk of their day’s damage in the bottom of the third.
Australia played six runs, punctuated by a two-run Solomon Maguire, to steam ahead.
Cayden Nicoletto started the scoring by driving in a run with an RBI double that was cranked off the top of the wall. JAKE BURNS followed with an RBI single.
Australia scored on a wild pitch and passed ball to push the score to 7-2. That’s when Maguire blew it open with his two-run homer – his second long ball in as many days and fourth RBI of the afternoon.
From there, it was one for the pitchers.
Conor Myles was particularly impressive, going 3.0 innings with five strike outs and no runs. Lachlan Brook pitched a clean final inning, helped by an amazing Solomon Maguire diving catch.
FINAL SCORE: Australia 9 def South Africa 2
14 September 2024
How baseball at home helped Michael Collins become one of the only Australians to coach in the Major Leagues
story by Eric Balnar, interview by Michael Ibbotson
Michael Collins has ventured to a place where few Australians have journeyed before.
No, he’s not one of the 38 Aussies who have played a Major League game, although he did have a stellar playing career. But he is one of the only Australians to hold down a full-time coaching role with a Big League club.
He even has a World Series ring to show for it.
Canberra native Michael Collins is the catching coach with the Houston Astros, a position he’s held since 2019.
What exactly does a catching coach do? Most simply put, on a daily basis he is trying to help the Astros’ catchers be as prepared as possible.
Collins works with the likes of champion catchers Martin Maldonado and Yanier Dias – receivers who have helped guide the Houston Astros to six straight division titles, three World Series appearances, and two championships.
“Whether that is physical work when it comes to [the position], catching, receiving, blocking throwing, and being as ready as possible mentally with our advanced scouting reports, any little things within there they should be aware of that may come up in the game,” says the 40-year-old Aussie.
Listen to the interview on our Podcast here
Collins has found success, winning a World Series ring from the 2022 season, and has gone deep into the playoffs each year.
His route to the Major Leagues is different than many other coaches, and his history in Australia is intrinsically tied.
“It’s a slightly different path…yeah,” he says with a smile.
From player to coach
Collins was an elite Australian Baseball Player. He spent ten seasons in the minor leagues with Angels, Dodgers and Padres and boasted a career .275 average.
He reached as high as Triple-A, the level below the Major Leagues.
That success carried over to Australia when the ABL returned in 2010-11. He hit .360 in the inaugural season, one of the best all-time marks by an Australian.
In 2012, at the age of 28, Collins retired and transitioned into coaching.
He managed the Cavalry from 2012-2018 and took the team to new heights. He guided the Cavs to their only Claxton Shield in 2013. He led Canberra to an Asia Series win later that year, the only time an Australian squad has one that prestigious title.
“One of the greatest things about managing in Canberra was kind of the experience of being able to learn from successes and failures,” he says. “I was free to manage games from however I thought and was free to learn from the positive or negatives from the game and I didn’t really have too many restrictions.”
All the while, Collins worked in the San Diego Padres organisation as a manager between 2012 and 2017, leading the Rookie Ball clubs, the Fort Wayne TinCaps and the Lake Elsinore Storm.
Just like a player, he was left to climb the ranks of minor league baseball all over again.
He says his time in Canberra really helped him develop as a coach.
“In the minor league it’s more about the development of each individual player and trying to get to the next level. In Canberra it was more about winning, obviously we want to help every player develop but on a nightly basis we are trying to win and I had a chance to personally develop from those experience,” he says.
Collins adds the experience in Australia helped him learn different ways to look at the game. The Australian Baseball League is an eclectic competition, filled with players from professional leagues across the globe, former major leaguers, and top Australian talent.
Not only do you have to manage different cultures, you have the chance to learn from them.
“That’s another great part of the Australian League – you have players from all over. You get to pick different player’s and people’s brain, different experiences people have had. Any time you can get different perspective on things hopefully you can learn from different people.”
Major League Call-Up
The big break happened in 2018.
Late in the ABL season, another year at the helm of the Cavs, Collins received a call from the Houston Astros asking if he would be their bullpen catcher for the 2018 MLB season. He would be in charge of catching the pitchers as they warm up for MLB games, and learn the ropes of how the MLB franchise did their job.
The then 33-year-old accepted a two-year contract. He lasted just one year in the job. He was promoted to a full-time role as a catching coach in 2019.
Collins says one of the biggest things about coaching is being aware of, and processing, information.
“There’s a lot of information out there so the ability to take that information, process through it, and break it down to things that are most important depending on the level and what you’re trying to prepare for,” he says. “Try to gather as much information and opinions as possible, put it all together, and put out what you think is the best combination of all that.”
Connection to Australia
Collins still keeps in touch with the Australian Baseball community. He is part of the senior men’s coaching staff and played a key role on the World Baseball Classic team in 2023.
He’s been part of the coaching staff for three iterations of the World Baseball Classic, and represented Australia as a player in two others.
There are plenty of other Australian coaches in the minor leagues or college baseball trying to reach the level Collins is at now.
He says he is always happy to lend a hand.
“I’ve had a few Australian coaches reach out and we’ve talked and shared experiences, some positives and negatives, about coaching and the life that may lead to,” he says. “I’m more than happy to share any advise or stories especially because minor league baseball is so competive and moves so quick. There’s a lot of things to be aware of.”
Collins hopes to embark on another deep playoff run with the Astros, who are well in front in first place of the American League West.
13 September 2024
Local Baseball Women's Baseball
Townsville Baseball – where you come for the sport and stay for the people
story by Connie Rowe, photos by Jo Weiss and Nicola Caldwell.
On the doorstep to the Great Barrier Reef, nestled in tropical north Queensland, there is a small community baseball field. On face value, it appears just like any other – a place to run the dogs, play with the kids or simply go for a stroll.
But Jabiru Park in Townsville is far from ordinary. In fact, it is the simplicity and rawness of what this park represents and the people it unites that makes it so extraordinary.
As most of the country prepares for the upcoming baseball season, the Townsville season is coming to a close.
As the anticipation of the upcoming Grand Final looms for what is sure to be an epic match up full of thrills, spills and firsts for the league, everywhere I look I am reminded of what drew me to this community and more importantly, why I have stayed.
Home to the Baseball Association of Townsville, or affectionately known as ‘BAT’ to the locals, Jabiru Park unites our community.
As the sole baseball fields in town, it doesn’t matter who you play for or what skill level you are at – Jabiru is home to us all.
We may come from all walks of life – military, mining, marine biology, motherhood and more – but when we step onto the diamond, we are all ball players.
From four to 84, juniors, rookies and seasoned players alike, the beauty in the ballpark is that everyone is willing to give it a go and try their best. And that is all anyone can ask or give.
For many like myself, Townsville is not our first home – nor may it be our last.
Moving to a new town can often be daunting, without a support network or an outlet to connect with. That was until, each of us discovered the Baseball Association Townsville. With open arms, the community welcomes each of us into the fold and into the family.
For author Connie Rowe, originally from South Australia, a home has been found in Townsville Baseball
Check the calendars, because Sundays are a write off. From 7:00am the smell of fresh paint drifts across the breeze as lines are marked and cutouts raked to welcome the first pitch.
On the field, we leave nothing to chance and push each other to the very end. In Townsville, we play until the last pitch, where teams can come back from the brink of mercy and turn scores around by 20 runs, where walk off home runs can seal minor premierships, and where women playing baseball are simply baseballers.
As time and game is called, the humble clubhouse is where you’ll find us; not just the team that came out top for the day, but all teams merged as one. Under the shade of the nearby ghost gums, we see in the dusk – full of laughter, banter and a few light hearted jests.
The prize for the winners of the Grand Final ahead – the intercity cups, this year with a home ground advantage.
They’ll be a battle for the winners with our neighbours around the corner in Cairns.
Week in, week out, we may be competitors but at our heart we are stronger together and it doesn’t take much to bring us together. Nothing speaks truer than when it comes to an intercity challenge.
With our nearest neighbours Cairns, a five-hour road trip just around the corner, we relish the chance to wear our city’s name on our chests with pride. We train hard, we play hard, but most of all we do what we do for each other – on and off the field.
As the sun sets over the ranges, over another season, over the final training session before the big day, I look around me to the smiles on the faces of my closest friends. Long, hard days at work seem a distant memory washed away by the simplicity that is a game of catch.
Four clubs, one association, one family.
13 September 2024
U16 National Squad Schedule, Roster, Information | Details on Australia's U16 trip to the USA revealed
44 of Australia’s most talented junior baseball players are in to Atlanta, Georgia with the National Under-16 Junior Squad from September 7-16.
They’ll have an experience of a lifetime and a huge opportunity to learn & grow.
Their experience includes a five-game series vs the United States 15U national team, training sessions and games at U.S junior colleges & universities plus a tournament at the prestigious Under 16 Perfect Game Fall World Series vs some of the best junior baseballers in America.
Rosters were split into two evenly balanced teams. You can find the breakdown below.
The 44 players were initially selected off their performances at Australian Youth Championships and through their work with their respective states Performance Pathway Programs.
In the five-game series, Team Green & Team White will each play two games vs the USA 15U national squad, alternating days of play. The roster for Day 5 will be be a combination of the two rosters.
You’ll be able to follow live stats on Gamechanger (search Australia White 16U or Australia Green 16U). Or, you can follow USA 15U for all the games.
The games will also be live streamed to the www.youtube.com/@USABaseball.
The rosters are below. The Perfect Game Event Hub, with broadcast links, scoring information and schedule (coming soon) can also be found below.
EVENT HUB: 2024 16U PG Fall World Series
Congrats to all named!
Make sure you follow @TeamAustraliaBaseball and @Baseball.com.au on relevant social medias for updates.
SCHEDULE / RESULTS
September 7
– Training at Georgia Highlands University
– MLB Game with Team USA 15U: Blue Jays @ Braves
September 8:
– USA 14 def Team Australia White 0 – BOX SCORE | VIDEO
– Workouts for Team Green
September 9:
– USA 13 def Team Australia Green 0 – BOX SCORE | VIDEO
– Workouts
September 10:
– Team Australia White U16 vs USA 15U – BOX SCORE | VIDEO
– Workouts
September 11:
– Team Australia Green U16 vs USA 15U @ Georgia Gwinnett – BOX SCORE | VIDEO
– Workouts
September 12:
– Team Australia Combined U16 vs USA 15U @ East Cobb Complex – BOX SCORE | LIVE STREAM
– Workouts
September 13-16
– 2024 16U PG Fall World Series
September 14, 6:00AM AEST – Australia Green 11 def Slammers Bitzer 1
September 14, 6:00AM AEST – Soldier Spects 4 def Australia White 1
September 14, 10:00PM AEST – Canes International 8 def Australia White 2
September 15, 12:20AM AEST – Australia White 10 def East Cobb 0
September 15, 2:40AM AEST – East Cobb 14 def Australia Green 2
September 15, 5:00AM AEST – Australia Green 3 tie EBC Griggs 3
September 16 – Australia White 3 def Knights Baseball 1
September 16 – Dirtbags National 8 def Australia Green 2
FINAL RECORDS:
– Australia Green 1-2-1
– Australia White 2-2
Tag Cloud:
U16 Team Australia 13 September 2024
Bullpen strong but Australia falls to Chinese Taipei in second U23 World Cup Placement Round game
Some pretty defensive plays, excellent bullpen work, and a pair of homers wasn’t enough for Australia as Chinese Taipei took Friday’s Placement Round game.
The win drops Australia’s record to 2-2 in the Placement Round with one game to play vs South Africa. Chinese Taipei improves to 3-1.
Australia’s opponent did all their scoring in the second inning. They rattled off four runs and Australia was on the back foot early.
Zak Skinner’s third inning solo shot and Solomon Maguire’s two-run bomb in the fifth accounted for Australia’s scoring. But that’s all she wrote for Australia, who out hit the Taiwanese by 6-5.
There were numerous nice defensive plays in the field, including Maguire throwing a runner out at home and some smooth infield work by BJay Cooke & Jo Stevens.
Australia’s bullpen of Stuart Tharle, Will Sherriff, Josh Beezley, and Lachlan Brook combined to toss 5.1 relief innings, allowing three hits, no walks and and seven strikeouts.
Chinese Taipei starting pitcher Jia-Hue Zeng turned in an almighty effort. He allowed just two hits in 4.0 innings and the lone run.
It’s the second one run loss in as many days for Australia, who fell 3-2 to Netherlands yesterday.
Australia will look to finish strong with a game vs South Africa tomorrow at 12:00PM AEST>
BOX SCORE: Stats, scores & play-by-play
U23 WORLD CUP HUB: All your Team Australia news
WBSC PAGE: Official WBSC U23 World Cup Page
Other Placement Round Scores
Day 7: Colombia 12 def South Africa 3….Great Britain 2 def Netherlands 1
PLACEMENT ROUND STANDINGS
7. Netherlands 3-1
8. Chinese Taipei 3-1
9. Australia 2-2
10. Colombia 2-2
11. South Africa 1-3
12. Great Britain 1-3
Game Recap – As It Happened
Taiwan scored first.
They put up a crooked number in the second, scoring four runs. A pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch put runners on all the bases with no outs.
Australian starter Ali Tanner was able to strike out a couple batters, but Chinese Taipei scored thanks to singles from Heng-Yu Ho and Chun-Wei Liu.
Four runs crossed the plate in total. It spelled the end of the day for Tanner, with Stuart Tharle taking the reins.
Zak Skinner crunched a solo shot to start the second to try to ignite the Aussie offence, but it remained their only hit until….
Australia’s defense tried to hold them in it.
Solomon Maguire threw out a runner at home from centre to help Australia complete a double-play and escape the third without allowing a run.
In the fourth, Will Sherriff entered the game with two runners on and one-out. He worked a strike-out and a ground ball to escape with no damage.
He also pitched a clean fifth. Sherriff’s final line read: 1.2 innings, 0 hits, 1 walk and no runs.
Chinese Taipei starter Jia-Hue Zeng finished his afternoon pitching 4.0 innings allowing two hits, two walks and just the lone run.
Kuan-Ying Chen took the ball from there.
Australia wasted little time to strike back closer. Solomon Maguire crunched a two-run shot of Chen over the right-field wall to move the scoreline to 4-3.
Josh Beezley then entered the game as the fourth Australian reliever of the game. He manoeuvred through 1.1 innings, registering three strikeouts, one walk and no runs.
Lachlan Brook took the baton from there – recording two outs including a big strikeout in the seventh with a runner in scoring position.
Australia went down in order in the seventh.
Australia outhit Chinese Taipei 6-5.
FINAL SCORE: Chinese Taipei 4 – Australia 3
12 September 2024
Kieren Hall rock solid but Australia falls 3-2 to Netherlands in U23 World Cup Placement Round
A game of missed opportunities for Australia.
Netherlands didn’t have many scoring opportunities in their 3-2 Placement Round game win over Australia at the Under 23 World Cup, but when they had them they took advantage.
The Dutch brought a string of six players to the plate, scoring all three runs in the fifth inning, just moments after breaking up a valiant no-hit attempt from Aussie starter Kieren Hall
The win improves Netherlands’ Placement Round record to 3-0, while Australia falls to 2-0.
Hall (Below) was excellent for the Aussies. In fact, he faced the minimum through four, only succumbing a walk which was promptly erased by a double play. He struck out five.
His no hitter laster until there were two outs in the last.
But the Dutch broke the no-hitter with a double. They followed with a walk, and that was the end of Hall’s day.
Then, off reliever Stuart Tharle, they singled in a pair of runs. Tharle struck out the following batter Raydley Legito.
Australia thought they were out of the inning just giving up the pair. They were in the dugout.
But the ball slipped away from the catcher, ruled a passed ball and a strikeout, and Legito stood on first. The Aussies were called back out from the dugout and Netherlands scored two more runs.
It was their only real scoring opportunity of the game and the Dutch made the most of it.
Australia had their chances.
Bases loaded, no outs in the fourth? One run – and off a passed ball.
Australia trailed 3-2 in the seventh & final inning with two runners on and no outs, but failed to score the tying run.
Each team had four hits in the game, led by BJay Cooke who went 2-for-3.
Both starting pitchers turned in solid performances.
Dutch starter Dylan Farley allowed just two base runners in his first three innings of work, before Australia scored their first run in the fourth.
For Kieren Hall, his stat line reads: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 ER.
There were some nice defensive moments, too.
Australia is currently playing in the Placement Round after missing out on the Super Round following Pool Play despite a 3-2 record. Crucial world ranking points are up for grabs.
Records against teams you’ve already played carry over. For Australia, this means wins over Great Britain and Colombia started their Placement Round campaign with a 2-0 record.
Australia plays Chinese Taipei (2-1) on Friday at 4:30PM AEST. Australia will need to win if they want to finish top eight.
BOX SCORE: Stats, scores & play-by-play
U23 WORLD CUP HUB: All your Team Australia news
WBSC PAGE: Official WBSC U23 World Cup Page
Other Placement Round Scores
Day 6: South Africa 8 def Great Britain 6….Chinese Taipei 5 def Colombia 1
PLACEMENT ROUND STANDINGS
7. Netherlands 3-0
8. Australia 2-1
9. Chinese Taipei 2-1
10. Colombia 1-2
11. South Africa 1-2
12. Great Britain 0-3
RECAP – AS IT HAPPENED
A pitcher’s duel from the moment the umpire said ‘Play Ball!’.
Dylan Farley turned in a fantastic pitching performance for the Dutch in the early stages. He allowed just two base runners – a hit-by-pitch and a hit – in the first three innings.
Australian starter Kieren Hall (below) was even better. He allowed just one base-runner, a walk, through the first four innings with five strikeouts. The 23-year-old right-hander sat down 14 of 15 batters, and faced the minimum through four thanks to a double-play.
Australia scored their first runs in the fourth inning. A hit-by-pitch, error and a walk loaded the bases with no outs.
While Australian bats struggled to capitalise, a passed ball between pitcher Pim Vijvinkel and catcher Sem Kuijper put Australia on the board. A second run was tagged out at home.
1-0 Australia through four.
Netherlands struck gold in the fifth. With two outs, they promptly saw a succession of six straight batters reach and three runs touch home.
Netherlands broke up Kieren Hall’s no-hitter attempt with two outs in the fourth inning. Rushenten Tomsjansen doubled down the line. He walked the next batter.
Stuart Tharle came into relieve for the Australian starter, but Gedionne Marlin singled in a pair of runs to give Netherlands a 2-1 lead.
Then, a bizarre moment. Tharle struck out Raydley Legito but the ball slipped away. Morgan and the Australian defensive walked to the dugout for what they thought was the third out of the inning. Meanwhile, Legito wandered his way down to first base and stood pat.
A stand-off: Australia thought the inning was over, Netherlands did not.
The umpires ruled in favour of the Dutch. Australia sent their squad back out in the field and Cooper Morgan to the mound. A pair of walks, another run, 3-1.
Australia had only one hit entering the seventh.
That changed immediately.
BJay Cooke led off with a double, Alex Skepton had a pinch hit single and Ben Fierenzi drove in a run with a single to cut the lead to 3-2.
But that was all they could muster. The next three batters went down in order.
FINAL: Netherlands 3, Australia 2.
Tag Cloud:
2024 U23 World Cup 10 September 2024
China eliminates Australia from Super Round with 4-1 upset win at Under 23 World Cup
Australia has been eliminated from the Super Round at the Under 23 World Cup after a 4-1 loss to China.
The defeat drops Australia’s record to 3-2, unable to win any tiebreakers to break them into the top three of Pool A.
China’s victory was powered by a remarkable starting pitching performance and a three-run fifth inning where the ball never left the infield.
Full credit to Chinese starter Zhao Wei who went 6.0 innings allowing four hits and one run.
The fifth inning started with the scores tied at one.
China scored all fifth inning runs without a ball leaving the infield.
A dropped third strike, two walks, a passed ball, an infield bunt and a ground ball all amounted to three runs and a 4-1 lead late.
Before that, it looked like a pitcher’s duel.
Ky Jackson allowed just one hit and walked only two batters in his 4.2 innings of work, but China were certainly opportunistic.
Zak Skinner had the lone RBI for Australia.
Australia will await their consolation round schedule from September 12-14. They will begin the round with a 2-0 record with wins over Great Britain and Colombia.
BOX SCORE: Stats and Play-by-Play – Australia vs China
AUSTRALIA’s U23 WORLD CUP HUB: Follow Team Australia
RECAP
China sent Wei Zhao to the mound following his impressive performance vs Japan where he allowed just three hits.
He retired the first four batters he faced. The run was broken up by a triple to Jo Stevens, his sixth hit of the tournament, and an RBI-single to Zak Skinner put Australia up 1-0.
China responded with a Yi Zhou solo shot on the first hit of the second inning against starter Ky Jackson.
Both pitchers were otherwise brilliant in the early stages.
Through four innings, Ky Jackson retired twelve of the first 13 batters, with four strikeouts and no walks.
Wei Zhao retired 15 of 18 through five innings with five punch outs.
They matched each other blow-for-blow.
Until the fifth inning for China. They scored three runs without hitting a ball out of the infield.
A dropped third strike and pair of walks put two runners on with one out.
A ground ball to third base scored a run to give China a 2-1 lead with two away in the fifth.
It spelled the end of the afternoon for Jackson, who finished with a final line of 4.2 innings, one hit, two walks, five strikeouts and three earned runs.
Will Sherriff came in to relieve, but his first pitch slipped away from Zak Skinner, scoring another Chinese run from third. The next run came off an infield bunt single.
4-1.
Sherriff pitched a clean seventh inning.
Australia was unable to muster any more with the bat.
Tag Cloud:
2024 U23 World Cup 09 September 2024
Australia wins gritty 13-12 thriller over Great Britain to improve to 3-1 at U23 World Cup
In a game with a combined 22 hits and 25 runs, a last inning defensive sequence proved to be the biggest moment in Australia’s 13-12 victory over Great Britain at the Under 23 World Cup.
Australia led 5-0, 10-4 and 13-8 at different moments of the game.
But every time Australia looked like they were about to pull away, Great Britain kept fighting back.
Tag Cloud:
2024 U23 World Cup 09 September 2024
Under 23 World Cup Hub | Schedule, Results, Stories, Roster, Information
Welcome to your information hub for Australia’s journey at the 2024 Under 23 World Cup.
Tournament Dates: September 6-15 in Shaoxing, China
Here you will find roster information, behind-the-scenes stories, schedule, streaming links, scores and recaps.
WBSC Official World Cup Page: Click here.
Australia is in Pool A with Colombia, Puerto Rico, China, Japan and Great Britain. The top three teams advance to the super-round. Standings.
Australia finished fourth in Pool A with a 3-2 record and played in the Placement Round for valuable World Ranking Points.
Overall, Australia finishes ninth.
Schedule, Scores & Streaming
Watch all games on the WBSC streaming service Gametime.Sport.
View Australia’s final stats here.
PLACEMENT ROUND SCHEDULE / SCORES
Records against teams from your original group carry over to the Placement Round. In this case, wins vs Colombia and Great Britain cross over. Standings below.
Netherlands 3 def Australia 2 | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
Chinese Taipei 4 def Australia 3 | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
Australia 9 def South Africa 2 | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
FIRST ROUND – GROUP STAGES
– Game 1: Australia 4 def Colombia 2 | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
– Game 2: Australia 5 def Puerto Rico 4 (extra innings) | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
– Game 3: Japan 4 def Australia 1 | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
– Game 4: Australia 13 def Great Britain 12 | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
– Game 5: China 4 def Australia 1 | RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS | BOX SCORE |
Subscribe for a tournament pass for the Under 23 World Cup on Gamete.Sport
Current Standings
via WBSC website, top three teams from each pool advance to Super Round Sept 12-15
PLACEMENT ROUND STANDINGS
Netherlands 3-1
Chinese Taipei 3-1
Australia 2-2
Colombia 2-2
South Africa 1-2
Great Britain 0-3
Final Standings of Pool Play
POOL A FINAL STANDINGS
1. Puerto Rico 4-1
2. Japan 4-1
3. China 3-2
—
4. Australia 3-2
5. Colombia 1-4
6. Great Britain 0-5
POOL B FINAL STANDINGS
1. Nicaragua 5-0
2. Venezuela 4-1
3. South Korea 3-2
—
4. Netherlands 2-3
5. Chinese Taipei 1-4
6. South Africa 0-5
Stories
RECAP September 10 – Australia eliminated from U23 medal contention with loss to China
RECAP September 9 – Defense makes play when it mattered the most in Australia’s 13-12 win over Great Britain
RECAP September 8 – Four fifth inning runs paces Japan to 4-1 win over Australia
RECAP September 7 – Australia wins extra innings classic over Puerto Rico
RECAP September 6 – Australia battles their way back to a 4-2 victory over Colombia
About Colombia: Click here to learn about the Colombian team
September 4 – Zak Elvy added to Australia’s World Cup Roster ahead of Friday start
September 1 – Who are Australia’s twelve professional players at the Under 23 World Cup & what lessons can they bring to the team?
August 30 – Conor Myles & Lachlan Brook added to Team Australia’s roster
August 27 – Meet & Hear from Australia’s college players ready to announce themselves at the U23 World Cup
August 22 – Player Bios: Australia names U23 Roster
Roster
Australia named their 24-man roster in August. You can view the initial story here, with information about each player. Scroll down for the full list.
College Players: We talked to each of our college athletes on the team to find out how they’ve grown as a person and player.
Professional Players: We talked to the 12 players under pro contracts here
Manager: Shayne Watson
Pitching Coach: Graeme Lloyd
Assistant Coaches: Damian Shanahan & Nathan Van Der Linden
EO: Rob Moden
Tag Cloud:
2024 U23 World Cup 08 September 2024
Four Japanese fifth-inning runs hands Australia first loss of Under 23 World Cup
World number one Japan scored all of their runs in the fifth inning to pull ahead of Australia in there 4-1 win at the Under 23 World Cup on Sunday.
Australia falls to 2-1 in Pool A at the World Cup and are now in a four-way tie for first place with Japan, China and Puerto Rico.
The top three teams advance to the Super Round. Australia has two games remaining – vs Great Britain and China – and may need to win both of them to advance.
This one could have been different. Australia had plenty of early chances.
Australia had bases loaded with one out in the second. They loaded the bases again in the third – this time with no outs.
Australia managed to score just one run off a Jo Stevens single.
It allowed Japan to stay in touch and rock four runs in a damaging fifth inning where nine players came to the plate. Takuya Yamada cranked a double off the wall to score to runs and Kota Takata provided the insurance with his two out, two-RBI single.
The full game recap, as it happened, is below.
AUSTRALIA U23 HUB: All the stories, standings and tournament details
Kieren Hall turned in an excellent performance on the mound for Australia. The opening pitcher threw 2.2 shutout innings, allowing just two hits & no walks. His fastball regularly touched 93mph.
Conor Myles pitched another two scoreless innings.
Both teams recorded seven hits. Japan was just a little bit more opportunistic.
Jo Stevens led the Australian offence with three hits and the lone RBI.
Australia’s next game is Monday 9 September at 5:00PM AEST vs Great Britain.
BOX SCORE: View the stats
Other Day 3 Results
– Pool A: China 4 def Colombia 3…Puerto Rico 8 def Great Britain 3
– Pool B: Venezuela 10 def South Africa 0…Korea 4 def Netherlands 0
Pool B Standings
T1. Australia 2-1
T1. China 2-1
T1. Japan 2-1
T1. Puerto Rico 2-1
5. Colombia 1-2
6. Great Britain 0-3
Head to WBSC website for official ladder – top three advance to Super Round
RECAP – HOW IT UNFOLDED
24-year-old Western Australian Kieren Hall delivered a wonderful opening inning for Australia. His fastball sat around 93-miles-per hour, while dealing up a pair of strikeouts.
Industrial League pitcher Ryota Gotoh returned serve with a 1-2-3 inning of his own.
Hall was brilliant for Australia. He finished with six strike strikeouts in his 2.2 innings, conceding two hits and no walks.
Ben Fierenzi lent a helping hand with some sensation defense at second base.
Meanwhile, Australian bats started to pressure.
The Aussies recorded three straight one out singles to load the bases in the second, but Gota struck out Jake Burns and forced Fierenzi into a shallow pop out to escape the jam. All were left stranded.
They loaded the bases again in the third, this time with no outs.
Jo Stevens cashed one run in with an RBI single to centre field, but that is all the Australians managed. Cayden Nicoletto grounded into an inning ending double play and Australia led just by one.
At this point, Australia was 2-for-6 with RISP and left five on-base and scored just one with two bases loaded opportunities.
To his credit, Gotoh weaved his way out of trouble in his start for Japan. He allowed just one run off five hits and two walks in 31.1 innings.
Lachlan Brook, who was a late addition to the World Cup Roster, began his World Cup debut in strong fashion. Brook registered an important first out in the third inning with two runners on and two-outs. He followed it up with a near perfect fourth inning.
The Japanese bats finally came alive in the fifth inning. They sent all nine batters to the plate in a damaging four run inning.
The first two runs came with no outs and two on. Takuya Yamada cranked a double off the wall – one run scored off the hit, the other off an error on the relay. 2-1 Japan.
The booming double signalled the end of the night for Lachlan Brook. He was replaced by Sydney teammate Dylan Clarke.
The right-hander took a couple early outs from Japan but persistent batting eventually loaded the bases. With two-outs, Kota Takata drove a ball up the middle, plating two.
4-1.
From there, the Japanese bullpen kept the game on lockdown. Oga Nishimura threw 1.2 innings with one hit and two strikeouts. Aren Sato tossed a clean sixth inning with a double play. Yuto Hahashida was credited with the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
After Australia’s two glorious bases loaded chances, they managed just two base runners.
Australian lefty Conor Myles was impressive in his two innings. He didn’t allow a hit or run, and struck out three in his Team Australia debut.
Final: 4-1 Japan.
