21 July 2023
- Team Australia Women's Baseball
Meet the Emeralds - Australia's team at the Women's Baseball World Cup
We’re not far away from seeing how Australia’s national women’s team stacks up vs the rest of the world.
Nicknamed “the Emeralds”, the best female baseball players from the land Down Under will jet off to Thunder Bay, Canada for the Group Stage of the Women’s Baseball World Cup.
The World Cup format has been totally revamped by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and will take place over two years. We are about to enter the “Group Stage” of the event.
Teams have been split into Pool A and Pool B. Australia is in Pool A with Canada, United States, South Korea, Hong Kong and Mexico. These games will take place August 8 – 13 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Pool B takes place in Japan in September with the likes of the Japanese, Chinese Taipei, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and France.
If a team finishes in the Top 2 of their Pool, they automatically advance to the final round of the World Cup to be held in 2024. There are also two wild card spots available for teams that finish outside the Top 2, so finishing third still keeps you in with a chance.
All games will be broadcast via WBSC channels, likely via their Game Time App, and we will post out links out on game day so Australian fans don’t miss a second of action! Fans should be able to purchase a tournament pass through WBSC. Stay tuned.
The Emeralds haven’t competed in a major international tournament since a seventh-place finish at the 2018 World Cup. In the last five years, there has been a big roster turnover, with 14 of the 20 rostered players set to make their international debuts.
Emeralds head coach Jason Pospishil says although the team is young, he thinks the data and baseball analytics shows that Australia should be able to swing it with the best in the world on paper.
“We need that belief that we are a good baseball team, because we are,” he says. “I’m looking forward to seeing how this team will form their own identity. This is a new chapter of Australian women’s baseball and there are all the makings of this being a very good one.”
The travelling squad will meet in Sydney on August 1 for a five-day training camp before flying to Canada for the tournament.
It’s a team worth supporting. None of the women are full-time baseball players – they all work, have families, and play the sport out of pure passion.
“These women compete in user-pay high-performance programs across the state, they’ve all sacrificed a lot to play at this level and get themselves ready for an international tournament,” says Posphisil. “You can tell how much it means to them to have the chance to play in this tournament – the emotion is so real. They work so hard for this and to be here.”
Without further ado, let’s meet the 2023 Emeralds Squad…
2023 Emeralds Squad – Group Stage – Women’s Baseball World Cup
Gen Beacom (VIC – Sandringham) – Pitcher / 1B: It’s the 18-year-old’s international debut. Beacom was recently filmed throwing 85 miles per hour. To put that in perspective, the average velocity of pitchers on the top international women’s teams is a little over 70. She also possesses a powerful bat with exit velocities flying off the charts. Beacom famously pitched a professional game for the Melbourne Aces in the 2022 pandemic impacted ABL season. It’s Beacom’s first taste of World Cup action and no matter the outcome, it’s sure to be a great learning experience in her development as a player and person.
Allie Bebbere (VIC – Doncaster) – Pitcher: You could make a case that Bebbere has been the top pitcher across the last two women’s national championships – she’s mighty consistent. She allowed just one run in eight innings of work at the recent Nationals, while allowing less than one walk or hit per inning pitched. It was an effort strong enough for her to win the “Golden Arm” award. Bebbere is a strike thrower with a sinker/slider combination and can touch 70mph on the gun.
Kelsey Brennan (WA – Wanneroo) – OF / Pitcher: She can play all positions in the outfield and throw off the mound. Brennan is a plus thrower, a solid defender, and can be used in multiple positions. She was part of the Western Australian squad that won the 2023 National Title. Look out for Brennan on the bases – she swiped six bags at Nationals to share in the team lead.
Lili Cavanagh (VIC – Springvale) – OF / Pitcher: After an esteemed junior career, including winning a Golden Glove and Golden Bat at the Australian Youth Championships, Cavanagh has cracked the senior squad. She can run. She can throw. She can play all across the outfield. Cavanagh hit .524 for Victoria at Nationals and led the team in runs with 10.
Leah Cornish (WA – Melville) – Utility: Keep your eye on this 16-year-old who has burst on to the Australian baseball scene. She is the real deal. Cornish won the Golden Bat at Nationals, something that paired well with the championship that her team also took home. She also won the WA State League Most Valuable Player Award. Coaches like to talk about how complete a player she is, especially for a teenager. She can throw 72mph as a pitcher and can play nearly anywhere on the diamond. She was WA’s catcher at Nationals. Versatility is the name of the game for Cornish. She is a name to remember.
Morgan Doty (VIC – Newport) – OF / P: They say that earth is 30% land and the rest is covered by Morgan Doty. She will likely be Australia’s starting centrefielder and could be used in a high leverage situation on the mound. She can throw mid-70s, after all. Doty already has World Cup experience, is a multiple-time national champion, has played in the Australian Women’s Showcase and is a genuine star of the game. Head coach Jason Pospishil says Doty is likely in the Top 10 female players on the planet.
Maddie Erwin (ACT – Weston Creek/Blacktown) – Pitcher: Erwin is a strike throwing machine who has really improved her craft over the past couple seasons. Playing in two Australian Women’s Baseball Showcases would have helped with that. It’s her first time as an Emerald, earning her way there after a great Nationals with New South Wales.
Caitlin Eynon (WA – Melville) – SS/P: Eynon has some excellent skills that should translate to the international game. Eynon can play solid short stop, can pitch with a fastball touching 74mph off the gun when she pitches. She’s a great all-around athlete and a good option as a late reliever. Eynon batted .481 at Nationals including a three-hit, three-run performance when it mattered the most – the Gold Medal game.
Ticara Geldenhuis (NSW – Blacktown) – OF: A genuine, all-around athlete. Geldenhuis can hit, play defense and can she ever run. The Geldenhuis name has been coming more to the forefront after two excellent Showcases and a National Championship where she drove in eight runs and stole six bases in her six games played. Ticara has won five national titles across the senior and junior levels combined.
Meaghan Haggart (WA – Wanneroo) – P: She has some experience in the senior national squad prior as a catcher. Recently she’s honed in on the pitching side of things. It’s the off-speed stuff opposition batters need to be wary of. Haggart has a high spin rate on the breaking ball with analytics showing it’s in the Top 10% in the world. There are lots of tools to like and work with here.
Maddison Heath (NSW – Blacktown) – C: A fantastic story of hard-work and perseverance. Australia will usher in a new era behind the plate, after longtime catcher Tahnee Lovering has stepped away. Heath is one of two options and has been on the radar for a few years. Heath needed a major hip surgery in 2022 but has rehabbed well-enough to push her way into national selection. She can bring the thunder with the bat and is top notch at receiving and blocking.
Abbey Kelly (VIC – Essendon) – 3B / P: Kelly was the starting pitcher for the Emeralds upset victory over the USA at the 2016 World Cup – a win that sent them to the super round. She won the Golden Arm at the 2022 Nationals. She is elite in the field, handy with the bat, and a proven dynamo in clutch moments. A big time presence for a young Australian squad.
Shae Lillywhite (VIC – Springvale) – DH: Australia’s most capped international player and a living legend of the game. Lillywhite has played in all eight previous World Cups and has an illustrious career. This is tournament number nine for Shae. She was a 2006 World Cup All-Star, and in 2013 she became the first Australian to sign in the Japan Women’s Baseball League. For a team that has so many debutants, it’s nice to have the most experienced international player in Aussie baseball history in the squad.
Abbey McLellan (VIC – Footscray) – 1B /DH: A return member from the 2018 team, McLellan brings a booming bat to the squad. She recently required a personal best in exit velocity so despite all her experience, McLellan is still getting better. She hit .571 at the recent National Championships and is consistently among the leading batters in any tournament she plays in.
Carly Moore (SA – Woodville) – C: Moore is about to become the first South Australian woman to play in a World Cup game. Moore had a phenomenal 2023 season. She won Best & Fairest honours in the SA Women’s League, guided Woodville to a maiden title and captained the SA State Team to a Bronze Medal. She is known for her leadership, vision at the plate, and knack for calling a game.
Claire O’Sullivan (NSW – Greenaway) – P/INF/OF: Likely a starting pitcher for one Australia’s games, while playing multiple positions in the field. She’s played a lot of her time at first base but could see action in right field, where she’s been working out like she’s been there her whole life. O’Sullivan is another veteran leader on the squad with experience at all levels. She’s been part of Senior Squads since 2011 and is a two-time National Championship winner.
Maddy Patrick (VIC – Springvale) – “Almost Everything”: She is a genuine, genuine utility player. It would be easier to list out the positions she likely won’t play – catcher and first base. Patrick can slot in so many different positions and gives the Emeralds line-up flexibility by being able to fill a few roles. She’ll tell you herself…Patrick only knows how to play the game one way – hard.
Ashley Patton (ACT – Blacktown) – Pitcher: A 16-year-old who earned her way onto the squad. She hits 73mph on the gun – above average velo for the top teams at the World Cup. Patton has a very live arm who keeps refining her command. A solid breaking ball to compliment the velocity. She won the MVP of the ACT’s Grand Final in 2022.
Jordan Richardson (NSW – Greenaway) – INF / P: Show us your power! Richardson slugged a homer at Nationals and that power will suit a Thunder Bay ballpark where the ball carriers. She has experience at lots of positions across the diamond. On the bump, she has a strong command and throws all her pitches for strikes.
Maddison Tabrett (NSW – Blacktown) – INF / P: Tabrett made her Emeralds debut as a 15-year-old at the 2012 World Cup. She’s also a World Cup bronze medalist. Tabrett returns for her fourth World Cup and brings a lot of experience. She is a side-arm pitcher with a point-of difference in the Australian staff. She can play multiple positons in the infield.
Staff
Jason Pospishil – Manager (NSW): “Pops” brings a wealth of experience as coach. He spent several seasons as the manager of the Sydney Blue Sox, coached the U18 National team, has time as the NSW High Performance Manager and even coached in the Minnesota Twins organisation. He played professionally in the Twins’ minor leagues, represented NSW in the Claxton Shield, and played for Australia at the junior level
Chris Oxspring – Pitching Coach (NSW): There aren’t many more accomplished players than Chris Oxspring. He played in the Major Leagues, KBO, and Japanese Big Leagues in a professional playing career that’s lasted more than 23 years. He’s still got it. He pitched with great numbers for the Sydney Blue Sox this past season at age 46.
Samantha Hamilton – Assistant Coach (VIC): Hamilton is part of the most decorated era of women’s baseball in Australia. She was famously part of the 2010 World Cup squad that won a silver medal in Venezuela. She is a 10-time national champion with Victoria. Hamilton is the coach of the Victorian state team.
Lisa Norrie – Assistant Coach (QLD): Norrie made international headlines when she became the first female coach in Australian Baseball League history (Brisbane Bandits). Her coaching career has since launched, becoming a coach in the American instructional leagues, affiliated with MLB clubs.
Ursula Howard – EO (VIC): The real boss of the Emeralds, Ursula is in charge of everything that happens on the road as we bring the Emeralds across the globe for this tournament. Ursula has recent experience as the EO for the Victorian state team that competes at National Championships. She also has great experience as a player – a three-time national champion, a championship as a youth coach, and was part of the support staff at the 2018 WC.
Tammy Ong – Physio (NSW): Tammy has been working as a full-time women’s health physiotherapist in a private practice for nearly five years. She treats anything musculoskeletal, neurological and women’s health related. She’s also a Pilates instructor and uses this in her practice. Tammy has experience with Western Magic AFC and has been working with the Sydney Blue Sox since the 2018-19 season.
