Right-handed relief pitcher Josh Beezley added to World Cup Roster

26 August 2024 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Right-handed relief pitcher Josh Beezley added to World Cup Roster

Right-handed pitcher Josh Beezley has been added to Team Australia’s roster for the upcoming Under-23 World Cup.

Beezley, from New South Wales, replaces Blake Townsend on the roster.

Townsend was originally slated to return to the Under-23 roster but was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates last week. He is no longer able to go due to minor league baseball commitments.

But the Under 23 squad has a good relief pitcher option in Beezley.

The side-arm pitcher left Australia in 2021 and went to school at a Division II Junior College with National Park.

After two successful seasons, he transferred to NCAA Division I program Little Rock-Arkansas and became a trusted reliever in the program. He’ll return back to Little Rock for 2025.

In 2024, Beezley appeared in 21 games, all out of the bullpen, posting a 4.85 ERA in a hitter-friendly conference in 39.0 innings pitched. He often pitched high-leverage situations for the Trojans.

Beezley says he is excited for the opportunity.

“People watching back home can expect to see a calm and collected sidearmer,” he says. “On the mound I will get fired up when needed but you will most definitely see me in the dugout trying to [pump] up all the boys up to bring the energy needed to carry us through the tournament.”

Australia’s World Cup campaign begins September 6 with a tilt vs Colombia.

For tournament information, roster bios and schedule, click here.

UPDATED ROSTER BELOW

25 August 2024 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

History: Olympics

2004 Olympic Baseball: Australia wins Olympic silver after Cuba wins dramatic Gold Medal match

by Robert Laidlaw | Greece, August 25, 2004 –

This story is part of a series running on baseball.com.au from August 15-25 commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the 2004 Australian Olympic Baseball team. Each day will feature a recap and story as if the tournament is happening now. Scroll to bottom of this story for more links and recaps.

PROUD AUSTRALIA WINS SILVER

ATHENS – AUGUST 25: Silver medal winning team of Australia pose for a picture after receiving their medals during the medal ceremony for baseball on August 25, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Baseball Centre in the Helliniko Olympic Complex in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Although Australia lost the gold medal game 6-2 in the 2004 Olympic baseball tournament in Greece, a silver medal was still a worthy prize for all the hard work.

But the gold medal could have been the Aussies with a bit of luck, as several controversial decisions went against them in the game.

The first was in the bottom of the fourth with Australia trailing 2-0. Australia had two runners on-base and two out when Tom Brice smashed the ball over the centrefielder’s head.

Brice had a three ball, one strike count on him when he unloaded with the big hit, which seemed to hit the home run fence as Cuban centrefielder Carlos Tabares juggled the catch. Replays would suggest otherwise.

WATCH THE REPLAY: 2004 Olympic Gold Medal Game

Tabares held the glove up in the air triumphantly and the umpire signalled an out, which retired the side.

Australian manager Jon Deeble argued the call long and hard, which caused his ejection.

The second major controversy came at the top of the sixth, when Cuba had two runners on and no outs, when catcher Ariel Pestano appeared to have upset the home plate umpire and was thrown out of the game.

After a long delay and arguments from the Cubans, Pestano was allowed to continue his at bat, which visibly upset the Australians, as they then proceeded to concede four runs and fell 6-1 behind.

BOX SCORE AND PLAY-BY-PLAY: Click here for detailed stats and box score

Starting pitchers John Stephens for Australia and Cuban Norge Vera were in control early, with neither side able to score through the first three innings.

At the top of the fourth, Osmani Urrutia ran out an infield single and Frederich Cepeda smashed a long home run – 2-0 Cuba.

Then the bottom of the fourth, where it seemed the Aussies were back in it but for the third out call made against Brice.

David Nilsson had walked and, with two out, Andrew Utting singled. But both were left stranded after that controversial call on Brice’s hit.

In the bottom of the fifth, Paul Gonzalez led of with a home run – what could have been? Australia was back in the game, just one run behind at 2-1.

But then the top of the sixth happened, which in the end was the deciding rally that won Cuba the gold medal.

Urrutia and Cepeda both collected singles, before Pestano’s at bat, which, after he was reinstated, collected a single up the middle to load the bases. Eriel Sanchez then collected a two-run hit, and it saw Stephens relieved on the mound by Ryan Rowland-Smith.

After Danny Miranda put two runners in scoring position with his sacrifice bunt, and with two out, Eduardo Paret hit a two-run double and it was 6-1 Cuba.

There was only one more run scored in the game, when in the bottom of the eighth, Utting and Brice collected two out walks, and Brett Tamburrino had a RBI single, for Australia’s second run.

Cuban reliever Adiel Palma pitched 3.2 innings for the win, conceding four hits and three walks for five strikeouts. Aussie starter Stephens took the loss, giving up 10 hits and no walks in five frames, for three K2s.

“The feeling afterwards was weird,” said Aussie outfielder Tom Brice. “There was the excitement of the day before, beating Japan. Going in, if we lost we still get a silver medal. It’s strange, you go out to win but the result is still better than expected going into the Olympics.”

The silver medal still tastes sweet.

“We didn’t win but came away with something amazing. I don’t think there are any other cases like that, you’re not the champion team but an Olympic silver medal will follow me forever,” he says.

For David Nilsson it was one of the toughest moments as a competitor he had experienced.

On balance, Nilsson had a wonderful MLB career, was the first Aussie to make the All-Star game (1999), and had been the MVP of Australia’s thrilling gold medal win against Cuba in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup, as well as playing in the 2000 Olympics.

But always striving for his best, Nilsson was disappointed in not winning an Olympic gold medal.

“In the locker room after game I did not feel we won silver, I felt we lost an opportunity for gold and was really shattered,” Nilsson said.

“But at the same time, we were silver medallist at the Olympics, so 15 minutes afterwards, I kept it (disappointment) to myself, as I did not want to spoil the moment. I was just frustrated about some of the things that happened,” he adds. “Then when we went out to the medal ceremony, and standing with the team, with silver around my neck, it was a wonderful moment. But, while it was one of the best moments in sport, it was still one of the most frustrating and disappointing.”

ON THE TOM BRICE HIT TURNED CATCH…

That ‘fly’ ball by Brice in the bottom of the fourth inning was a huge turning point in the game, as it could have set up a different outcome.

“My approach with a three balls and one strike count was to sit on a good pitch I could drive, and I was ready,” Brice said. “Sure enough, it was a fast ball down the middle, a bit of a cookie. The ball wasn’t carrying that day and initially I did not feel I hit it as far as I did.”

It carried far and camera angles seem to show a clear hit.

“There was some back spin on the ball, so it travelled further. As I ran down the line, I saw the outfielder run into fence, but did not see the ball, so thought it went over, until I saw the centrefielder with his glove in the air and massive smile on his face.”

“I was none the wiser, and thought he made an amazing play. It went from thinking I had hit a three-run homer, to us being out of the innings. But when I returned to the dugout the chatter was that the ball had popped out and hit the fence before it was caught, so it should have been a hit.”

“(Jon) Deeble was insistent in arguing the point longer than he would normally, and as it turned out, he was 100 percent right.”

“After the fact, it’s one of those things, the ump called me out, it is what it is, move on. Obviously annoying but sport sometimes goes your way, sometimes not.”

“It was the biggest game I played in. That’s sport, that’s life, it cannot be changed, so no point in dwelling on it.”

Here’s what Dave Nilsson had to say…

“As for Tom’s (Brice) hit, we thought we saw it clearly hit the fence from the dugout, but maybe it didn’t? It looked clear from where we were. The stuff that happens, with officiating, things that happen. I bit my lip at the interview after the game.”

“And when one of their main hitters was thrown out for arguing, I was right there. It was shocking (to see him back in the game).”

And Jon Deeble…

Jon Deeble knew in his heart the Tom Brice ball had hit the fence and wasn’t going to just let sleeping dogs lie, and argued hard for his team but to no avail, earning an ejection.

Although it’s never nice to be thrown out of a big game, Deeble stood up for his charges and fought tooth and nail for what he believed in, which is part of the reason Australia did so well in the Olympic campaign.

“My take, I thought it hit the fence,” Deeble said. “As a ran out of the dugout on the third base side, a cameraman told be it clearly hit the fence and wasn’t a catch, so I was confident in arguing our point.”

“But the umpires that day did not speak much English, which was frustrating. I went to the chief umpire and told him that ‘you guys need to get together’ but he refused to do it. It was so disappointing, and a kick in the guts.”

“Playing Cuba, when they get behind they start arguing, so I thought we could have won that gold medal, if that call had gone our way.”

“As for winning a silver medal, it’s something we should celebrate, as it’s still a magnificent achievement.”

Paul Gonzalez on his Gold Medal game homer

Instead of being Australia’s first run of the gold medal game with his homer in the fifth inning, Paul Gonzalez could have been the go-ahead run and the game situation could have been changed in Australia’s favour.

“While my home run kept us in it, who knows what would have happened if Tom Brice’s hit had been ruled fair,” Gonzalez said.

“Cuba plays with emotional momentum, and we had almost knocked them out of their mental state – they use so much emotion.

“If Tom’s hit had been called safe, the game would have seen us ahead, rather than 2-0 behind – it was a complete game changer. We had the arms to keep us in the ballgame if we were ahead.”

Other stories:
– Semi Final Recap: Australia vs Japan
– Game 7 Recap: Australia vs Canada
– Game 6 Recap: Australia vs Netherlands
– Game 5 Recap: Australia vs Greece
– Game 4 Recap: Australia vs Japan
– Game 3 Recap: Australia vs Italy
– Game 2 Recap: Australia vs Chinese Taipei
– Game 1 Recap: Australia vs Cuba
– Preview: Australia looks to learn from success and failures past ahead of 2004 Olympics
– Roster: Meet the 2004 Australian Olympic Baseball team

24 August 2024 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

History: Olympics

2004 Olympic Baseball: Australia assured first baseball medal with historic win over Japan

by Robert Laidlaw | Greece, August 24, 2004 –

AUSTRALIA TRIUMPH IN SEMI TO CLAIM FIRST OLYMPIC MEDAL

Above: Australia celebrates their win over Japan in the baseball semifinal game on August 24, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Baseball Centre in the Helliniko Olympic Complex in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Story By Robert Laidlaw

In some eyes it was a shock. But, Australia covered itself in Olympic glory with a 1-0 semi-final victory over Japan in the 2004 Olympic baseball tournament in Greece.

The circumstances were exceptional and the formula was simple: win the game, play in the Gold Medal game, assure at least silver.

The problem? The Australians had to face arguably the greatest international pitcher we’ve ever seen – Daisuke Matsuzaka.

When his career was all said and done, the man they call “Dice-K” pitched 16 seasons in the Japanese Big Leagues and seven seasons in the MLB, winning a World Series ring with the Boston Red Sox.

He won two World Baseball Classic MVPs (2006 & 2009) and at the time his posting to the USA was the largest in history.

Japan may have had Matsuzaka, but Australia had Oxspring…and Jeff Williams.

The game was tense throughout, with pitching dominating on both ends.

The only run came at the top of the sixth inning, on a two-out RBI single by Brendan Kingman.

Chris Oxspring for Australia and Japan’s Daisuke Matsuzaka were duelling in what was the best pitching battle at the Olympics, with very few scoring opportunities allowed.

It was the second time Oxspring came up huge for his country this tournament, after pitching eight innings of one-hit, shutout ball in a group stage game vs Italy.

BOX SCORE AND PLAY-BY-PLAY: Click here for detailed stats and box score

Batting first, the Aussies went down in order, as Matsuzaka struck out the side. The Japanese were hitting the ball hard early but could not break through.

In the bottom of the first, Tom Brice took a diving catch in foul territory at rightfield for the second out. Yoshinobu Takahashi then collected the first hit of the game before the third out.

Kingman walked with one out at the top of the second, but then Matsuzaka picked up two more strikeouts.

With one out in the bottom of the second Yoshitomo Tani singled up the middle, but a 4-6-3 double play ended the threat.

The best early chance for Japan came in the bottom of the third, when lead-off man Kazuhiro Wada doubled and went to third base on Atsushi Fujimoto’s sacrifice bunt.

REPLAY: Re-watch the entire game here

Oxspring then struck out the next hitter, before Kingman made a diving tag at first base to relieve the tension.

At the top of the fifth Andrew Utting led off with a single, Australia’s first hit of the ballgame. But after Brice laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Utting at second, Matsuzaka struck out the next two batters.

Then the magnificent top of the sixth happened, where the Aussies battled hard and scored the only run of the game.

With one out Brett Roneberg singled to leftfield, with David Nilsson’s at bat crucial in setting up the run.

Nilsson battled hard with Matsuzaka and saw the count go full. He then fouled off three consecutive pitches, interspersed with two pick-offs, before collecting a walk and putting Roneberg on second base.

The next hitter was clean-up batter Glenn Williams, who hit a soft grounder towards second base, which, although putting Nilsson out, advanced Roneberg to third base.

Up stepped the dangerous big-hitting Kingman, who took ball one outside, before hitting a RBI single to rightfield to break the deadlock.

Known more for his towering home runs, Kingman’s single was his most important hit in his long and industrious career to that point.

The big question now was whether Australia could hold the lead to the end of the game.

In the bottom of the sixth, Shinya Miyamoto had a one-out single and reached second base on a balk but was left stranded.

Then in the bottom of the seventh frame the Japanese took advantage of two, two-out errors to have runners at the corners, which saw a pitching change, with Jeff Williams relieving Oxspring. A fly ball to third base ended the threat.

Australia had two hits at the top of the eighth, which saw Japan relieve Matsuzaka on the mound with Hitoki Iwase, who also saw a fly ball to third base finish the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings, Japan could not get a baserunner, although its final batter, Yoshitomo Tani hit the ball hard through Williams on the mound, but Gavin Fingleson backhanded the ball behind second base, his throw hit the dirt but Kingman gloved the ball to get the desperate runner.

Australia is through to the gold medal play-off, with at least a silver medal the reward for winning the semi-final.

Oxspring threw 6.2 innings for the win, conceding five hits and no walks for five strikeouts, while reliever Williams was credited with the save, after 2.1 shutout innings, for three K2s.

For Japan, Matsuzaka gave up five hits and three walks in 7.2 frames for 13 strikeouts in taking the loss.

Above: Australia’s pitcher Jeff Williams is lifted by teammate and first baseman Brendan Kingman after the final out in the 9th inning as Japan’s Yoshitomo Takahashi (R)lies on the ground after sliding into first in their Olympic Games semi-final 24 August 2004 in Athens. Australia won 1-0. AFP PHOTO / Timothy CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

WHAT OXSPRING SAID

“It is the greatest honour to put the uniform on and represent Australia, and an amazing experience,” successful pitcher Oxspring said. “Our scouting report looked at who we were going to face, and we tried to go with the game plan that we thought would bring success.”

“We had some experienced heads – Jeff Williams, Graeme Lloyd, Tony Harris, Phil Dale and Jon Deeble – who had been there before and provided titbits from their experiences.”

“There were some moments in the game that were key to our success. There were times on both sides where it could have swayed. Luckily we were able to capitalise and went up 1-0. Jeff Williams shut the door like always, which was excellent.”

“Obviously there was some apprehension before the game, as you know it was going to be tough, and that Japan is a force – we knew how much experience was on that team, and we were highly aware of the significance of the game.”

“As always there is anxiety and nerves, which is just natural. It’s about whether you can overcome them. Luckly I was able to.”

“To be quite honest I was probably more nervous and apprehensive after I came out. In a game you just focus on what you need to do and not on anything in the background. On the bench you look at all aspects, which is nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time.”

“With the last out I was ecstatic. We jumped around, screamed, celebrated, laughed, just the significance of what it meant for us, and the sport. We accomplished something.”

“Baseball is a unique sport. As a youngster the dream was MLB, not the Olympics, but at the same time, there is nothing better than representing your country at the sport you are devoted to.”

WHAT JON DEEBLE SAID

“It was just the belief our guys had that got us through,” said manager Jon Deeble.

“In 2000 we weren’t a team but we’ve came a long way since then and played like a team. It comes down to leadership, which includes me.”

“The players led, all of them. We called it executing perfectly, from me to the players and the staff. The score was not important, we wanted to execute, to get everything right.”

“Japan threw their best at us but we had the experience to hold out own – (Brendan) Kingman played Double A, Nilsson was a MLB All-Star, Willo (Glenn Williams) was a Big Leaguer, which was pivotal for us.”

Other scores:
– Semi Final: Cuba d Canada 8-5.

Gold medal game: Cuba v Australia.
Bronze medal game: Japan v Canada.

Other stories:
– Game 7 Recap: Australia vs Canada
– Game 6 Recap: Australia vs Netherlands
– Game 5 Recap: Australia vs Greece
– Game 4 Recap: Australia vs Japan
– Game 3 Recap: Australia vs Italy
– Game 2 Recap: Australia vs Chinese Taipei
– Game 1 Recap: Australia vs Cuba
– Preview: Australia looks to learn from success and failures past ahead of 2004 Olympics
– Roster: Meet the 2004 Australian Olympic Baseball team

22 August 2024 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

History: Olympics

2004 Olympic Baseball: Australia ends group play with loss to Canada, off to medal rounds

by Robert Laidlaw | Greece, August 22, 2004 –

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

In an unusual scenario, Australia went into the final round of the 2004 Olympic baseball tournament in Greece against Canada knowing it had qualified for the medal rounds in fourth, no matter the game’s result.

As it turned out Australia lost 11-0, with Canada blowing the margin out with six runs at the top of the ninth inning.

David Nilsson was rested and Adrian Burnside started his only game from the mound in the Olympics for Australia.

The first two innings scoreless but at the top of the third Canada got on board with three runs, and went 5-0 up in the fourth frame on Ryan Radmanovich’s two-run home run.

Through the next four digs it was scoreless, until the Canadians mounted a big six-run rally, which included Jeremy Ware’s three-run dinger at the top of the ninth.

Burnside pitched four innings for the loss, conceding six hits and three walks for three strikeouts. Phil Devey gave up two hits in six frames for the win for Canada.

The result sorted out the semi-finals, with Australia finishing fourth to play ladder-leaders Japan and Canada to meet Cuba, with the winners advancing to the gold medal game.

“You never want to lose a game but we were safe for the medal rounds and we knew we would be strong for the semi-final, which was our main focus,” manager Jon Deeble said.

“If we had won we would have been playing Cuba but because we lost we were faced with Japan, a team we had beaten earlier in the tournament, although they were probably going to go with their best pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka against us.”

BOX SCORE AND PLAY-BY-PLAY: Click here for detailed stats and box score

Australia will have a rest day before facing tournament favourite Japan in the semi-finals on August 24. If Australia win, they are guaranteed a medal.

Here are other scores from Day 7 of the Olympic Baseball tournament and the final standings:
– Chinese Taipei 5 def Netherlands 1
– Cuba 5 def Italy 0
– Japan 6 def Greece

Here are the Australian stat leaders after pool play

HITS

Glenn Williams – 11
Gavin Fingleson – 11
Brett Roneberg – 9
Dave Nilsson – 8
Rodney Van Buizen – 7
Brendan Kingman – 5
Tom Brice – 5
Craig Lewis – 4
Andrew Utting – 3
Paul Gonzalez – 2
Brett Tamburrino – 2
Trent Oeltjen – 1
Ben Wigmore – 1

RBI

Fingleson – 9
Van Buizen – 9
Roneberg – 7
Kingman – 5
Brice – 4
Utting – 4
Gonzalez – 4
Nilsson – 3
Williams – 3
Tamburrino – 1

Roneberg – 3
Kingman – 1
Fingleson
Nilsson – 1
Gonzalez – 1
Van Buizen – 1

Semi Final Match-Ups: Japan #1 vs Australia #4, Cuba #2 vs Canada #3

Other stories:
– Game 6 Recap: Australia vs Netherlands
– Game 5 Recap: Australia vs Greece
– Game 4 Recap: Australia vs Japan
– Game 3 Recap: Australia vs Italy
– Game 2 Recap: Australia vs Chinese Taipei
– Game 1 Recap: Australia vs Cuba
– Preview: Australia looks to learn from success and failures past ahead of 2004 Olympics
– Roster: Meet the 2004 Australian Olympic Baseball team

22 August 2024 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Australian Youth Championships

Baseball Australia announces dates and format changes to Australian Youth Championships

The Australian Youth Championships are set to return to Blacktown, NSW in 2025 with a slightly altered tournament format and set-up.

Seven representative teams – Queensland, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales and New South Wales country – from the Under 16 and Under 18 age group will battle it out for a national championship.

All games will be played at Blacktown International Sportspark in front of over a dozen MLB scouts, with a chance for players to showcase their abilities to a vast baseball network.

You will be able to follow along the tournament through our broadcasts on Baseball+ and on digital platforms.

There are a couple notable changes to the event this year.

There will be two different start and finish dates for the tournament, and the finals format has altered.

Let’s run through both the changes.

CHANGE 1: STAGGERED START

Based on the loaded schedule when running simultaneous Australian Youth Championship tournaments, the decision has been made to continue hosting both events together, however, the start date for each tournament will be two days apart.

The Under 16 tournament will run from January 7-13, and the Under 18 event from January 9-15.

Baseball Australia’s tournament manager Michael Ibbotson says this will allow for more flexibility and contingency planning in case of weather.

“The staggered start still provides the large event experience, whilst making allowances for inclement weather and the prioritising of games shortly after,” says Ibbotson. “The list of contingency schedules and facilities are currently being finalised.”

In previous years, both the Under 16 and Under 18 tournaments started and finished on the same days.

CHANGE 2: REVAMPED FINALS

The tournament will still open with a round robin between the seven teams, but will conclude in a different way.

There will be a double-elimination tournament between the top four team in the finals.

Here’s how the tournament format will work:
– Each team will play a full round robin of six games each, playing each opponent once;

– The top four teams will advance to the finals and be seeded #1 through #4 based on record;

– The finals will feature a double elimination bracket, similar to the Australian Women’s Championships;

– The #1 seed will play the #4 seed, and #2 will play #3;

– The winners of those games will advance to a qualifying final, the losers will play in an elimination game;

– The winner of the Prelim Final advances to the Gold Medal game, the loser will play the winner of the elimination final in the preliminary final.

Finals mock schedule:

Game 1 – #1 vs #4
Game 2 – #2 vs #3
Game 3 (Qualifying Final) – Winner G1 vs Winner G2
Game 4 (Elimination Final) – Loser G1 vs Loser G2
Game 5 (Preliminary Final) – Winner G4 vs Loser G3
Game 6 (Gold Medal) – Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 5

In past years, the Top 4 teams would play a second stage of round robin games prior to seeding into medal games.

“This new format will reward higher seeds and place more importance on games in the second stage of each tournament,” says Baseball Australia tournament manager Michael Ibbotson.

22 August 2024 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

- Aussies Abroad

Team Australia left-handed pitcher Blake Townsend signs with Pittsburgh Pirates

Less than three weeks after being released by the Seattle Mariners, Australian national team pitcher Blake Townsend has a new professional organisation to call home.

Townsend confirmed today he has agreed to a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 23-year-old from rural Victoria spent the last five seasons with the Mariners, reaching as high as Triple-A. He pitched for Australia at the 2023 World Baseball Classic and was recently named to the Under-23 World Cup roster for the upcoming tournament in September.

Townsend was piecing together his best season as a pro in 2024.

In 29.1 innings across 28 appearances in High-A, Townsend had a 2.45 ERA while limiting opponents to a .200 average.

” [I think] understanding what I do best on the mound and setting myself up to be able to do that the most often has been huge for me,” says Townsend of his season. “I definitely spent a while in past years trying to figure out my identity as a pitcher but being confident in which pitch you throw in which count is huge. Knowing what you can throw when you just need a strike or what to throw when you need to put a guy away makes a huge difference.”

However, after the Mariners signed their 2024 draft class, coupled with Townsends expiring contract, he found himself as a Free Agent on August 3.

“After I was released by the Mariners my agent Tony Giordano went work for me so he’s to thank for my new opportunity. I’m very excited to join a new organisation and so far every conversation I’ve had with the pirates players and staff leads me to believe I’m gonna enjoy it here,” says Townsend.

The Australian lefty has reported to the complex in Florida and the plan is to be sent out to affiliate soon.

“I’m just hoping to make the most of every chance I get and wherever I end up I’ll be grateful,” he says.

Townsend is signed with the Adelaide Giants in the Australian Baseball League.

21 August 2024 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

History: Olympics

2004 Olympic Baseball: Australia beats Netherlands 22-2 to clinch spot in medal rounds

by Robert Laidlaw | Greece, August 21, 2004 –

Australia will play for a medal at the 2004 Olympics after a resounding 22-2 victory over the Netherlands. The win guarantees Australia a spot in the top four and the semi-finals with one group stage game to play.

It’s also their fourth win in a row after starting the tournament 0-2.

With a spot in the medal rounds on the line, it didn’t take long for Team Australia to put the game to bed.

20 August 2024 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

- Aussies Abroad

An update on Australians playing professional baseball in North America | August 20 2024

There’s only a month left in the professional baseball season in the USA. Can you believe it?

20 August 2024 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Community

There's a new Women's Baseball League competition coming to Darwin in September

Baseball is growing in the Northern Territory. We’re excited to welcome a new competition to the Australian baseball family in September with the Darwin Women’s Baseball League (DWBL).

It’s a new competition designed to welcome both new and experienced baseball players to the sport.

The DWBL will kick off its inaugural season with a series of training sessions and clinics before moving into an eight week regular season. These events will provide a great opportunity for the community to learn more about the league, meet the players, and get involved.Women aged 14+ are eligible for the competition.

It all begins on 11 September 2024 with a ‘Come n Try & Rules Clinic’.

The full schedule is below. You can get more information from the official DWBL page & story here.

The league comes after a big surge in participation and interest baseball in the Northern Territory. There has been an 85% increase to female players and 205% increase to junior players. Overall, participation is up close to 30%.

The state sent a team made up of players exclusively to the NT to the Little League and Senior League championships.

“This really is the icing on the cake for all of the hard work done by so many to promote Baseball as an enjoyable option for women and girls to play across the country,” says Baseball NT Participation and Pathways Manager Kai Meuronen. “We have some really passionate volunteers working behind the scenes to make the DWBL a product for everyone in the NT, and the women’s baseball community as a whole, to be proud of.”

The DWBL is also affordable. Registration is $31.

Baseball NT General Manager Rob Gower says this competition builds off the excitement of a visit by members of the Australian Women’s National Team (the Emeralds) to Alice Springs earlier this year.

“From that visit and promotion of it, a few women in Darwin got together and approached us about starting the league. Their idea with our help is what got this off the ground,” he says.

“Our vision is to create a vibrant community where women and girls have equal opportunities to participate in and benefit from the joys of baseball, This league is about more than just playing the game; it’s about building confidence, fostering leadership, and creating lasting connections.”

Darwin Women’s Baseball League Schedule

11 September: Come n Try & Rules Clinic
18 September: Come-N-Try, learn to play and training session
25 September: Come-N-Try, learn to play and training session
27 September: Round 1
4 October: Round 2
11 October: Round 3
18 October: Round 4
25 October: Round 5
1 November: Final Round
8 November: Finals – Week 1
15 November: Grand Final

REGISTER FOR THE DWBL HERE

Cost:

Registration Fee: $31
Baseball Pants: $20 (mandatory uniform, optional purchase)
Glove: $70 (optional)

If you have any questions, reach out to the Baseball NT team!

19 August 2024 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

- Team Australia

U23 WORLD CUP ROSTER | Meet the baseball players on Australia's 2024 Under-23 World Cup roster

Please note: from the original roster published on August 19 there have been the following changes. ON: RHP Zak Elvy, RHP Blake Barlow, LHP Conor Myles & LHP Lachlan Brook…OFF: LHP Blake Townsend, LHP Kailen Hamson, RHP Adam Bates, RHP Jack Waters. The new additions profiles have been updated in each respective position.

Team Australia has named its squad ready to compete in the 2024 Under-23 Baseball World Cup in September in China.

From September 6-15, 24 Australians from across the country will battle it out in the 12-team competition.

Australia finished sixth in the last Under-23 World Cup in 2022.

This particular team is rich with depth and international experience.

Of the 24 players on the initial announcement:
– 9 return from the 2022 U23 squad;
– 2 competed in the World Baseball Classic;
– 6 have played in the Asia Professional Baseball Championships;
– 12 played in an U18 World Cup;
– 6 have played NCAA Division 1 baseball;
– 7 have played minor league baseball in the USA;
– 16 have Australian Baseball League (ABL) experience;

Team Australia worked closely with MLB professional clubs, colleges, coaches and athletes with regards to their availability for the September tournament.

Australia’s Under-23 manager Shayne Watson says the depth and talent of the team will be a strength.

“There’s a lot of familiarity between the squad already because so many of them either grew up with each other or played with each other,” he says. “I think we’ll be able to come together as one collective, confident group.”

Australia has nine players returning from a sixth placed finish at the 2022 Under-23 World Cup, and ten from the team who finished fourth at the 2019 U18 World Cup.

“We have a lot of pure athleticism, a lot of talent and a lot of depth,” Watson adds. “We have confidence in all the players.”

Australia is scheduled to arrive September 4 in China ahead of their first tournament game on September 6.

Fans will be able to watch on WBSC’s streaming platform called GameTime Sport.

Australia is in Group A with Colombia, Puerto Rico, Japan, Great Britain and China. They will need to finish in the Top 3 of their group to advance to the Super Round – a place ten of these players ventured to in the 2022 World Cup.

“This team is an important part of the Team Australia journey and our goals internationally,” says Watson. “The goal for everyone is to play well and win.”

Among the return players is 23-year-old Chris Burke. He brings six seasons of ABL, three years in the minor leagues, and an Under-23 World Cup batting champion to the fold.

“As a collective group, the expectations are to come home with Gold,” says Burke. “We’ve been so close in previous years but it’s time to rewrite the narrative that we haven’t won at the Under 23s level. We have the group to do it.”

Burke says the make-up of both the coach and playing group gives him confidence.

“This group feels special. The coach and playing group have considerable experiences at the world, professional and college stages. Each of the players I know has the will to win and we’ll put that on display in China next month,” he says. “It’s very exciting.”

Team Australia will be guided by manager Shayne Watson, pitching coach Josh Tols, and assistants Damian Shanahan and Nathan Van Der Linden.

Watson has experience on the senior national team squad, and is the current head coach of the Brisbane Bandits. Shanahan is a longtime member of Team Australia’s coaching staff and is a coach with the Melbourne Aces.

Josh Tols makes his Team Australia coaching debut after spending nearly a decade as a pitcher with the senior squad. He is the current pitching coach of the Adelaide Giants and in the Minnesota Twins’ minor leagues.

Nathan Van Der Linden also makes his national team coaching debut. He was an assistant coach with the Adelaide Giants in 2023-24 and a long time ABL player.

Coaches: Shayne Watson (Manager), Damian Shanahan (Assistant Coach), Josh Tols (Pitching), Nathan Van Der Linden (Assistant)

Staff: Robert Moden, Kevin Rand

C – Jake Burns (Junior Club: Cronulla (Giants), NSW) – 21-year-old Burns makes his U23 national team debut. He previously represented Australia at the 2023 APBC, the 2019 U18 World Cup, and at the Little League World Series. Burns spend two seasons as a professional player in the St. Louis Cardinals organisation.

C – Zak Skinner (Junior Club: Preston Pirates, VIC) – 22-year-old Skinner is coming off a standout year at Lamar University in NCAA Division I where he hit .339 with a .994 OPS. He transferred to Lamar after lighting up the junior college circuit at Vernon College. Skinner has not played in a World Cup before but has played for Australia in an U18 exhibition series vs Canada.

1B – Blake Cavill (Junior Club: Cronulla, NSW) – 22-year-old Cavill just had a season where he hit .313 with eight homers and 47 RBI in NCAA Div. 1 for Western Kentucky. He has experience at the 2019 U18 World Cup and is coming off a season with Falmouth in one of the best summer college leagues in the USA.

INF – Byron Armstrong (Junior Club: Wanneroo Giants, WA): 23-year-old Armstrong is a versatile infielder who has played parts of three seasons with the Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League. Armstrong played a crucial role in Australia’s fourth place finish at the 2019 Under-18 World Cup.

INF – Jo Stevens (Junior Club: Hornsby, NSW): Stevens is coming off a red-hot season with Purdue University in the NCAA. He hit .307 and was a mainstay in the infield. He just signed a contract with his hometown Sydney Blue Sox where he will make his ABL debut this summer. Stevens played for Australia at the 2019 U18 World Cup.

INF – BJay Cooke (Junior Club: Swan Districts, WA): 21-year-old Cooke is in his third season as a professional with the Oakland Athletics. He’s played mostly in Single-A this season, his first full healthy season in the minor leagues. Cooke has shown versatility playing multiple positions. He has experience with the Perth Heat. He returns for a second U23 World Cup.

INF – Ben Fierenzi (Junior Club: Cheltenham, VIC) – 22-year-old Fierenzi hit .324 with Long Island in NCAA Div. 1 competition this year. He had 10 stolen bases in 42 games. Previously he had a standout career with Arizona Western Junior College. This is Fierenzi’s Team Australia debut.

UTIL – Jaylin Rae (Junior Club: Manly, NSW) – 23-year-old Rae returns for his second U23 World Cup campaign. Rae hit .274 in his final year of NCAA Div. 1 Baseball with Western Kentucky. He has experience with the Sydney Blue Sox and has signed on for the upcoming ABL season. Rae, known for his athleticism, has also played for Australia at the 2019 U18 World Cup.

OF – Chris Burke (Junior Club: Waverley, VIC) – 22-year-old Burke is back for a second U23 World Cup Campaign after he took home the Batting Champion award in the 2022 campaign. He brings a lot of experience. Burke has six seasons of ABL experience with the Melbourne Aces and three years of minor league time with the Phillies and Royals. Burke also played for Australia at the U18 World Cup and the 2023 APBC.

OF – Solomon Maguire (Junior Club: Castle Hill, NSW) – A second U23 World Cup for 21-year-old Maguire, who is in his first season of minor league baseball in a level above Rookie Ball. He’s playing every day for Class-A Bradenton (Pirates) but is making a name for himself by making tremendous defensive plays in centrefield. Maguire, a mainstay in the Sydney Blue Sox line up, has experience playing for Australia at the 2022 Sapporo Series vs Samurai Japan. He has experience with Australia at a U23, U18, U15 and U12 World Cup.

OF – Alex Skepton (Junior Club: Windsor Royals, QLD) – 23-year-old Skepton plays for the Brisbane Bandits was perhaps the story of the ABL season in 2023-24. He hit for a .330 average with 8 homers and 23 RBI, taking home Rookie of the Year honours and was a finalist for league MVP. Skepton played for Australia at the 2023 APBC and the 2019 U18 World Cup.

OF – Cayden Nicoletto (Junior Club: Rockingham, WA) – 22-year-old Nicoletto had a season to remember in the NAIA in the US College system this year. He hit .412 with an outstanding 27 homers in 55 games with Colombia College Cougars in 2024. Nicoletto’s performance earned him a transfer to strong NCAA Div. 1 Baseball school Missouri for 2025.

RHP – Adam Bates (Junior Club: Macarthur, NSW) – 19-year-old Bates pitched for Australia at the last two U18 World Cups and his performance earned him a contract with the Boston Red Sox. He has a sub-4.00 ERA in his first year of Rookie Ball. Bates also has experience with the Sydney Blue Sox in the ABL.

RHP – Dylan Clarke Junior Club: Penrith, NSW)– 22-year-old Clarke has pitched the last two seasons with the Sydney Blue Sox. He has Team Australia experience at the 2023 APBC and the 2022 U23 World Cup.

RHP – Kieren Hall (Junior Club: Morley, WA) – 23-year-old Hall made his ABL debut in 2023 with the Perth Heat. Hall also pitched two years of Division 1 NCAA baseball at Evansville College. Hall has experience at the 2023 APBC and 2019 U18 World Cup.

RHP – Ky Jackson (Junior Club: Ku-Ring-Gai Stealers, NSW) – Jackson has been playing baseball in Japan’s Industrial League for the last couple years, tapping into his Japanese heritage. Jackson plays for the Nippon Express. He was on the last U23 World Cup team and the 2019 U18 World Cup team.

RHP – Maddux Stivey (Junior Club: Swan Districts, WA) – 20-year-old Stivey spent last season in Junior College pitching with San Jacinto. He pitched at the last U23 World Cup in 2022 as one of the younger members of the team. He made his ABL-debut as a 16-year-old with the Perth Heat.

RHP – Ali Tanner (Junior Club: Kensington Cardinals, SA): 18-year-old Tanner is the youngest member of the squad. He starred for Australia at the 2023 U18 World Cup and soon committed to powerhouse NCAA Div 1 school Arizona State. He pitched four scoreless ABL innings for the Adelaide Giants this past season.

RHP – Jack Waters (Junior Club: Coomera Cubs, QLD) – 23-year-old Waters returns for his second appearance at an U23 World Cup. He just finished his first year at Eastern Kentucky University in NCAA Division 1 where he tossed 27.0 innings.

RHP – Stuart Tharle (Junior Club: Kambah Eagles, ACT) – 21-year-old Tharle just finished a standout Junior College season at Three Rivers University where he was relied on for 48.2 innings of work. He’s pitched for the Canberra Cavalry in the ABL before.

RHP – Josh Beezley (NSW) – The 22-year-old was added to the Australian roster on August 26 and brings with him impressive relief pitching numbers from college. In 2024 at Little Rock Arkansas University in NCAA Division I, Beezley appeared in 21 games, all out of the bullpen, posting a 4.85 ERA in a hitter-friendly conference in 39.0 innings pitched. He often pitched high-leverage situations for the Trojans.

LHP – Kailen Hamson (Junior Club: Redlands, QLD) – Hamson had a breakout season this year with the Cumberland Patriots in the NAIA of US college baseball. The lefty produced 79 strikeouts in 56 innings. This tournament will be Hamson’s Team Australia debut.

LHP – Cooper Morgan (Junior Club: Weston Creek, ACT) – In Morgan’s debut season in the NAIA with Cumberland Patriots, he compiled a 4-1 record with a 4.03 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 38.1 innings. He was on the 2019 U18 World Cup Team.

LHP – Will Sherriff (Junior Club: South Perth) – One of the more experienced players on the World Cup squad. Sherriff pitched for Australia at the 2023 World Baseball Classic vs Japan in front of sold out Tokyo Dome crowd. He pitched again for Australia at the 2023 APBC. Sherriff was part of the 2019 U18 National squad, is a former affiliate player with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and a long-time member of the Perth Heat. He is currently training with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan.

LHP – Blake Townsend (Junior Club: Traralgon Red Sox, VIC) – Update: Townsend is no longer able to play for Australia at the World Cup due to requirements with his new professional team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. 23-year-old Townsend, a return member from the 2022 U23 squad, brings World Baseball Classic experience to the fray. He also pitched five seasons in the Seattle Mariners minor leagues. His last season, in 2024, he accumulated a 2.40 ERA. Townsend has three seasons experience with the Melbourne Aces and is signed to the Adelaide Giants.

UPDATE – THURSDAY 29 AUGUST

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond control, Blake Townsend (Pirates), Kailen Hamson and Adam Bates are no longer able to partake in the Under 23 World Cup.

UPDATE – September 3 – Unfortunately Jack Waters has sustained an injury and is no longer available.

Their replacements are:

LHP – Conor Myles (Junior Club: Cheltenham Rustlers, VIC) – Myles played two seasons of Junior College at Odessa in Texas, where he compiled a career .331 average. He transferred to NCAA program University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) where he converted to a pitcher. Myles appeared in 19 games out of the bullpen striking out 17 batters in his first full year as a pitcher.

LHP – Lachlan Brook (Junior Club: Macarthur Orioles) – A product of the NSW baseball system, 21-year-old Brook impressed as a development player with the Sydney Blue Sox in 2024. He pushed his way into the regular bullpen options for the Sox, pitching 4.2 scoreless innings in the last half of the season and has dominated locally in club ball.

RHP – Zak Elvy – The New South Welshman has experience pitching for Cochise Junior College in the United States. He pitched for Australia at the Under-23 World Cup qualifiers last December.

18 August 2024 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

History: Olympics

2004 Olympic Baseball: Australia stuns Japan in Olympic baseball group stage upset

by Robert Laidlaw | Greece, August 18, 2004 –

COMEBACK AUSSIES IN THE HUNT

Australia has sent a clear message to the baseball world: we are medal contenders at the 2004 Olympics.

The Aussies shocked previously undefeated Japan with a 9-4 comeback win to even their record at 2-2 and breathe serious life into their Olympic campaign.

It’s a big bounce back from an 0-2 start to the tournament.

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