College Update | Record number of Australians at NCAA Division 1 colleges in 2025

11 February 2025 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

College Update | Record number of Australians at NCAA Division 1 colleges in 2025

There are a record number of Australians enrolled in NCAA Division I baseball programs.

The college season is ready to ‘play ball’ this weekend, and Australia will have a bigger presence than ever.

By our count, there are 24 Australians slated to play the top tier of US college baseball.

You can check out the list below and adjust your socials accordingly. This doesn’t include the approximately 70 other Australians playing in Junior College (JUCO), NAIA or NCAA Division II.

If you’re looking for an update on some top performing Aussies at JUCO, here is a story published on Tuesday.

If I missed someone, I am only human and there are a lot of Australians playing overseas. Shoot me a message at eric.balnar@baseball.com.au and I’ll happily add them to the list.

Make sure you follow baseball.com.au on social media for updates as we see them throughout the season.

MORE COLLEGE STORIES: Here are more stories and commitments

AUSTRALIANS IN NCAA DIVISION I

– Billy Baker (QLD) – INF – Georgia Tech, Freshman
– Josh Beezley (NSW) – RHP – Arkansas Little Rock, Senior
– Blake Cavill (NSW) – 1B – Troy, Senior
– Chase Diggins (WA) – INF – Kansas, Senior
– Ben Fierenzi (VIC) – INF – Long Island, Senior
– Luke Hayhow (NSW) – RHP – San Diego State, Freshman
– Nick Hosie (ACT) – C – Bradley, Senior
– Brent Iredale (NSW) – INF – Arkansas, Junior
– Luke Krkovski (NSW) – LHP – Lamar, Senior
– Johnny Lemm (QLD) – C/1B/RF – Southern Illinois, Junior
– Liam McCallum (NSW) – LHP – Winthrop, Senior
– Daniel Mills (NSW) – RHP – Columbia, Freshman
– Ryan Morrison (VIC) – RHP – Seattle, Senior
– Zac Murphy (NSW) – LHP – Mercer, Junior
– Conor Myles (VIC) – LHP – Texas San Antonio, Senior
– Jimmy Nati (NSW) – UTL – Stanford, Senior
– Cayden Nicoletto (WA) – OF – Missouri, Senior
– Harun Pelja (VIC) – RHP – Youngstown State, Senior
– Zak Skinner (VIC) – C – Lamar, Senior
– Keenan Spence (VIC) – OF – Purdue, Senior
– Jack Waters (QLD) – RHP – Eastern Kentucky, Senior
– Jarryd Wood (VIC) – RHP/INF – Pacific, Senor
– Mason Wray (VIC) – C – Northwestern State, Senior
– Harry Wilton (NSW) – OF – St. Bonaventure, Redshirt Freshman

06 February 2025 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

- Team Australia

World Baseball Softball Confederation touch down in Australia to talk Brisbane Olympics 2032

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has touched down in Australia, marking a defining moment on the journey towards the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.

Headquartered in Pully, Switzerland — adjacent to Lausanne, the home of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Capital — the WBSC is the world governing body for baseball and softball.

The delegation sent to Australia includes President Riccardo Fraccari, Executive Director Michael Schmidt, and Chief Operating Officer Marco Ienna. Their visit will support and observe Australia’s Brisbane 2032 preparations, Softball Australia’s Under 23s Men’s National Championships, and athlete pathways toward LA28 and beyond.

They met with Softball Australia CEO Sarah Loh and Baseball Australia CEO Glenn Williams.

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari emphasized the importance of this visit in shaping the future of the sport in Australia.

“The WBSC is delighted to be in Brisbane alongside Baseball Australia and Softball Australia officials. Australia has long been a great baseball and softball country, and we are excited about the future of our sport here.”

“During our visit, we had the privilege of holding initial conversations with Brisbane 2032 officials over the potential inclusion of baseball and softball in the upcoming Olympic Games. We sincerely appreciate the time and attention of the Organising Committee. The WBSC remains committed to working with our partners in Australia and ensuring baseball and softball’s continued success on the world stage,” added Fraccari.

Softball Australia CEO Sarah Loh shared her excitement for what’s on the horizon.

“Softball Australia are delighted to welcome the WBSC to Brisbane to discuss our continued cooperation. We enjoy a great relationship with the WBSC and its leadership, working together to advance our sport in Australia,” she said. “We’re proud to showcase our world-class players, and program to the WBSC while also using this opportunity to learn key insights ahead of an important chapter in Softball Australia’s history.”

Baseball Australia CEO Glenn Williams also welcomed the delegation’s visit as a significant moment for the sport.

“Having President Fraccari and other representatives from the WBSC in Australia is a true commitment to Baseball and Softball in Australia and the importance of having the sports in the Brisbane 2032 games,” he said. “Baseball Australia and Softball Australia are aligned and are excited about what a home games for our sports would mean for everyone involved and the future generation of our players.”

As part of the visit, the WBSC delegation, alongside Baseball Australia and Softball Australia representatives, met with Brisbane 2032 Chif Executive Officer, Cindy Hook and Director of Sport, Brendan Keane at their headquarters on Wednesday 7 February

The meeting, which included WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari, Baseball Australia CEO Glenn Williams OLY (2004), and Softball Australia CEO Sarah Loh, provided a valuable opportunity to discuss baseball and softball’s global reach, strong Australian heritage, plans for the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games, and aspirations for Brisbane 2032.

The discussion was further enriched by the insights of Olympians Tanya Harding OLY (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) and Stacey Porter (2004, 2008, 2020), as well as Australian baseballer Tim Atherton, who shared their experiences on the profound impact that softball and baseball have had on their lives, from junior levels to professional careers.

The WBSC visit comes as Australia prepares for a pivotal few years in international baseball and softball, with upcoming World Cups and Olympic qualification pathways taking shape.

For more information on WBSC’s global initiatives and Australia’s role in the international baseball and softball landscape, visit WBSC.org.

Catch Team Australia play Hanwha Eagles in a three-game exhibition series. Head here to learn about our roster!

05 February 2025 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

- Aussies Abroad College Baseball

College Update | Will Page-Allen to transfer to Division 1 Fresno State plus an Aussie JUCO update

Canberra pitcher Will Page-Allen will play Division I baseball next season, after confirming he will be transferring to the Fresno State Bulldogs.

20-year-old Page-Allen is in his sophomore year at Feather River College in California. He was an oft-used reliever at the Junior College, collecting a 3.44 ERA in 34.0 innings with an 11.91 strikeout per nine inning mark.

After his success, he was invited to a sophomore showcase. Universities from California and other states sent scouts to select potential recruits.

“Afterwards I was contacted by a number of them who were interested in my ability,” says Page-Allen. “California State University, Fresno flew me down for an official visit of their college, which is a chance to see the campus, meet the coaches and get a feel for whether I wanted to study there.”

Page-Allen says he liked the look of the school, loved their great coaches, and decided to accept a scholarship offer.

Success. Page-Allen will play Division 1 at a school who has won a College World Series in the past (2008).

MORE COLLEGE STORIES: Here are more stories and commitments

He wouldn’t have been able to get there if it weren’t for his experience at Feather River.

“[This school] has been a great, life-changing experience. It has been so much fun coming over to a different country and being able to play the sport I love, while continuing my education. It has taught me so much about the world and also myself, and I can’t wait to do this again next year at Fresno State,” he says.

Above: Page-Allen (left) with fellow Aussie Caleb Garven

Page-Allen’s baseball abilities have improved since leaving his Canberra home in 2023.

His velocity has increased from 86-87mph to 90-92mph.

“My ability to meet new people and build connections has improved,” he adds. “I didn’t know anyone over here, I had to start from scratch and build up from there. I have also really improved at just living and taking care of myself – as it’s just me over here, I have really had to grow up and learn to take care of my own business.”

Page-Allen says prospective Australians looking at college should make sure they do lots of research on the schools they’re talking to.

“There are so many different schools where you can play baseball in America, one of them is bound to be a fit for you. Just make sure that it offers what you want to study, that the area it’s in suits you – and finally a little trick is just to picture yourself playing for the team and think to yourself, “can I see myself there?”. That’s what you want to do.”

TOP AUSSIE PERFORMERS UPDATE, FEBRUARY 5, 2025

We’re now two weekends into the Junior College (JUCO) season and there are dozens of Aussies plying their trade.

The NCAA season begins next weekend.

Here are some big early performing Australians in the JUCO world after two weeks. Did I miss someone who had a big performance? Many apologies! Email me at eric.balnar@baseball.com.au so I can follow along their journey too.

– Max Stagg (South Australia, Central Arizona) – Hit a homer in his first start on January 25.

– Bronson Neave (Victoria, Arizona Western) – Hitting .311 across seven games with 7 RBI.

– Tom Chessell (Queensland, Clarendon College) – Went 2-for-5 in his first two games.

– Blake Barlow (Queensland, Clarendon College) – 2.0 IP, 0ER, 1H and 4 strikeouts in lone appearance

– Koby Chesterton (Canberra, Vernon) – 2.2 IP with no earned runs in debut appearance on January 29

– Quinn Johnson – (New South Wales, Pratt) – 4-for-14 with a homer, 3 RBI and five runs through his first four games

– Blake Gooding – (New South Wales, Hillsborough) – 5-for-13 with 2 RBI through his first five games in sophomore season

29 January 2025 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

- Team Australia

Roster Announcement | Team Australia looks to future with 27-man squad named for Hanwha Series

Team Australia has named a 27-man roster who will compete against Korean professional team Hanwha Eagles in Melbourne next month.

From February 13-15, Team Australia will play a three-game series against the KBO side.

It’s stiff competition for an Australian team exploring player potential for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic.

The Hanwha Eagles feature players like long-time MLB pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu, 2023 KBO home run champion Roh-Si Kwan and multiple Korean national players.

The Eagles will be in Melbourne for Spring Training, preparing for the upcoming Korean season. The game presents a great test for Team Australia against quality opposition.

It’s also a great opportunity for national coaches selectors to evaluate players they haven’t normally seen in a national squad environment.

“I am excited as always to get together with TeamAustralia to compete against the Hanwa Eagles,” says head coach Dave Nilsson. “With the next World Baseball Classic fast approaching, this series is important to take a look at the talent we have around the country.”

There are 14 players who were not named to the Premier12 squad that competed in Asia in November 2024.

“All fourteen of these players showed in the recent ABL season they have the talent needed to perform on the biggest stage,” says Nilsson.

Among the new Team Australia inclusions is 17-year-old Max Durrington, a recent signing with the Athletics and ABL Rookie of the Year finalist. He joins fellow finalist Jo Stevens and 2025 ABL Rookie of the Year Jaylin Rae.

Helms Award winner and pitching champion Alexander Wells is a further notable inclusion.

Jarryd Dale (Orix Buffaloes Spring Training), Todd Van Steensel (Baseball Dubai), Aaron Whitefield (knee) & Steve Kent (retired) are all notable regulars who have publicly announced their unavailability.

Baseball Australia CEO and Olympic baseball silver medallist Glenn Williams says it’s a massive honour to be playing games in front of a home crowd.

“Team Australia playing on home soil in front of Australian fans is always exciting,” he says. “Melbourne Aces fans turned out in record numbers this year with the Aces setting the benchmark in ABL attendance. We can’t wait to get the team down to Melbourne again for what will be a great series.”

Get your tickets via this link.

UPDATE (February 4): Dan McGrath has replaced Coen Wynne on the roster for the Hanwha Series

23 January 2025 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

- Aussies Abroad Aussies Sign Pro

Jarryd Dale receives invite to Orix Buffaloes Spring Training in Japan

After a stellar Australian Baseball League season, Melbourne infielder Jarryd Dale has an opportunity in Japan.

In the first week of February, Dale will fly to Japan on a Spring Training invite with NPB’s Orix Buffaloes.

The 24-year-old Team Australia shortstop had a career best year in the ABL.

He led the league with a .381 average and led all shortstops in fielding percentage. Dale was named a finalist for the Helms Award, given to the ABL’s most valuable players.

The link with Orix came through the Melbourne Aces partnership with the Japanese professional team. The Buffaloes send players to Melbourne each season to play in the ABL.

“After having a good season I was talking to our manager Jon Deeble about my plans for the year and ultimately the relationship he and the Melbourne Aces have with Orix Buffaloes landed me the opportunity to go to their spring training and try make a club,” he says.

Dale will head to Spring Training in Miyazaki, a place he’s previously gone with Team Australia at the World Baseball Classic.

“This is a new and exciting opportunity for me as for the past seven years I’ve gone to spring training in the USA,” he says.

Dale spent seven seasons in the minor leagues with the San Diego Padres. He’s also played for Australia at the World Baseball Classic and Premier12.

He’s also won two Claxton Shields, although this past ABL season was his most productive on a personal level.

“The mindset I had throughout the ABL year was to be confident,” says Dale. “My mental game has grown throughout the years so everyday the challenge was to trust the work I put in will have a positive result.”

If Dale cracks the Orix Buffaloes roster, he will be assigned to either their Major League (NPB) or Minor League club.

“I’ve learned that regardless of the adversity I’ve faced I have to keep a positive outlook on the game and remember why I play it,” says Dale. “For me that’s my family as they continue to support me as I go through my career.”

21 January 2025 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Aussies Sign Pro

South Australian infielder Nic Paparella flies out to USA to attend Galveston College

Another Australian has joined the US College Baseball ranks.

South Australian Nic Paparella has committed – and already flown out to – Galveston College, a Division I Junior College based in Texas.

Paparella departed late last week and has already commenced work-outs ahead of the Spring Season.

18-year-old Paparella played for Australia at the 2023 Under 18 World Cup, has appeared as a development player for the Adelaide Giants, and represented South Australia at multiple Australian Youth Championships.

Paparella played for Australia on a travel trip to the Perfect Game Invitational in Jupiter. He played at the MLB Select showcase, too.

16 January 2025 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

- Aussies Abroad Aussies Sign Pro

17-year-old Victorian pitcher Robinson Smith signs with Pittsburgh Pirates

17-year-old Victorian pitcher Robinson Smith has become the latest Australian to sign professional after inking a six-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates today.

With family and friends at Sandringham Royals Baseball Club, Robinson unveiled his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform on the very first day of the International Signing Window.

“Signing professionally is something I have dreamt about for as long as I can remember,” says Smith. “The Pirates are the perfect fit and offer me the opportunity to develop as a player and pitcher, supporting my journey to my big-league goal.”

Smith joins fellow Australians Jayden Kim, Solomon Maguire, Rubens Romero & Brandan Bidois in the Pirates organisation.

He’s been a highly touted and heavily scouted in the Australian baseball scene.

At the 2024 Under 18 National Championships, Smith was a key cog in the Victorian pitching staff during their Gold Medal campaign.

There were sixteen MLB organisations with on eye on him at the Australian tournament.

He spent a good portion of 2024 in the United States, honing his skills working with Top Prospects coach Manny Carrion in Florida.

He showcased his talent in front of scouts on a regular basis, before choosing the Pirates.

Smith says he embraced the experience.

”Some people might notice them and get nervous, but I used it as a confidence booster,” he says.

Smith is 6’4 right-hander with multiple pitches. He possesses a 90mph+ fast ball and multiple off-speeds.

He was a crucial part of Victoria’s U18 National Championship Gold Medal in 2024. Smith was named to the U18 Junior Squad shortly after.

He has experience pitching with the Southern Mariners Charter program and through club ball with the Sandringham Royals.

He’s been eating regular innings in Division 1 of the Victoria State League.

“I would definitely say I have a lot of energy on the mound,” says Smith. “You can see I want to win. I want to have a battle. There’s a competitive drive behind me when I am pitching. I have a quick arm and I’ve been working on my command. I think have good breaking balls.”

Smith was signed by Pirates scout Tony Harris.

“Athletes like Robinson are rare. We have been following his development for some time, and he possesses the physicality, athleticism, competitiveness, and work ethic that we seek in a young ballplayer,” he says. “He enjoys playing on both sides of the ball, loves to hit, and has a fastball that consistently reaches the low to mid-90s (miles per hour).”

You put the whole package together, and it’s very exciting. I believe his future is on the mound and he has the potential to play at the highest level, so it’s time to put in the work and aim for the big leagues,” he says.

Robinson expressed his gratitude to his family and the the Australian baseball community.

“I have had so many people help me get where I am today: family, coaches, and teammates. It will take hard work, but I’m up for it and can’t wait to begin next month,” says Smith.

You can follow his professional journey via baseball.com.au.

More media to come. We’re so proud of you, Robinson!

16 January 2025 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Australian Youth Championships

Final Stat Leaders of the Australian Youth Championships - Under 16 & U18 Division

The 2025 Australian Youth Championship has come to a close.

Here are all your stat leaders from each age bracket.

More Reading: 2025 Australian Youth National Championship Award Winners

UNDER 18

Gold: New South Wales
Silver: Western Australia
Bronze: South Australia
4. Victoria
5. Queensland
6. A.C.T
7. New South Wales Country

Golden Glove: Lincoln Gruppelaar (NSW)
Golden Arm: Riley Puckett (NSW)
Golden Bat: Lachlan Vella (NSW)
MVP: Matt Trainor (NSW)

TEAM RECORDS

STATS

UNDER 16

Gold: South Australia
Silver: Victoria
Bronze: Western Australia
4. New South Wales
5. Queensland
6. New South Wales Country
7. Roos

Golden Glove: Cooper Bishop-Worn (VIC)
Golden Arm: Will Bonham (NSW)
Golden Bat: Cooper Busch (VIC)
MVP: Ollie Hayes (SA)

TEAM RECORDS

STATS

15 January 2025 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Australian Youth Championships

U18 Gold Medal Day Updates & Highlights | New South Wales win Under 18 National Championship

For the first time in 10 years, New South Wales have claimed Gold on a dramatic final day of the Australian Youth Championships. Read about how the day unfolded below, including recaps, highlights and player quotes from both finals games.

Watch the replay on Baseball+.

First, here’s yesterday’s recap of how today came to be.

MASTER AYC HUB: baseball.com.au/ayc2025

PAST U18 RESULTS: U18 Australian Baseball Championships Hub

BROADCAST: Baseball+ (plus.baseball.com.au)

TODAY’S SCHEDULE AND RESULT

For live scoring, search ‘2025 Australian U18 Youth Championship’ in the GameChanger App to follow along. You can also find the link here.

Preliminary Final: Western Australia 3 def South Australia 0

Gold Medal: New South Wales 7 def Western Australia 0

Consolations – Because of weather, only one consolation will be played.

ACT 15 def Victoria 5

RECAPS

GOLD MEDAL GAME RECAP: NEW SOUTH WALES WIN GOLD AFTER SHUTTING OUT WESTERN AUSTRALIA

A shutout. A homer. A one-hitter. A fire alarm delay. A stadium evacuation. A gold medal.

New South Wales wrapped up their 2025 Under 18 Championship campaign in golden colours after defeating Western Australia 7-0.

Ethan Bickel, Damien Wilson and Ashton Kennedy combined to one-hit a potent Western Australia offense.

New South Wales built up an early 5-0 lead, and put a ribbon on it late with a Lachlan Vella homer.

It was Vella’s fourth big fly of the event.

The game also endured a peculiar fire alarm delay for almost an hour in the middle of an at-bat in the fourth inning.

“I knew the offence we had was on fire. Our field was outstanding all tournament, barely any errors, so it was great to pitch behind them,” said Bickel after the game. “I stuck to my routine, it has been going well all week. There were a lot of nerves but I tried to stay as calm as possible to get the job done for the boys.”

The bats came out of the gates hot for New South Wales, building a nice buffer.

Kobe Cusbert and Tahlan Cavill each had an RBI single in the bottom of the first, pairing nicely with Josh Nati’s sacrifice fly. 3-0.

Matt Trainor cashed in a fourth run in the second and later scored on a wild pitch. 5-0.

Meanwhile, Ethan Bickel was humming along nicely on the bump. He allowed no runs, with one hit and one walk, with five strike outs in the first 3.1 innings. He was removed after the fire delay.

Damien Wilson took over from there, tossing 2.2 innings with no hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

Ashton Kennedy sealed the final three outs with a perfect seventh, featuring two strikeouts.

Matt Trainor went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. He was named the tournament’s MVP.

Tahlan Cavill also had two hits.

Lachlan Vella put the game to bed with a huge exclamation point in the sixth.

He crushed a ball over the left field fence for his fourth homer of the season to reach our final 7-0 scoreline.

“I looked at Christian Lane before the at-bat and said ‘This is my last U18 at-bat’ and then I torched one over the fence,” said Vella, the tournament’s Golden Bat winner.

New South Wales win their first U18 title in 10 years.

Head coach Phil Hemmer praised the camaraderie after the game.

“We focused on building the core, building the group [before the tournament].”

“We wanted to be good young men, good blokes and good teammates. From the start we wanted to come together as a team. And I think it proved dividends. We were great off the field, great on the field, we were a good group to be around and that’s the principle we tried to build around.”

“Guys were able to be themselves. We encouraged that and it worked out,” he said. “That’s 20 mates right there. They win together. They lost together. They pulled tarps together. They cooked together. It was just a team.

“It didn’t necessarily mean be the best team on the field, but we wanted to be just the best team. We wanted to be the best bunch of blokes, look after each other, and respect where we are. We did that in leaps and bounds. I’m very proud of the boys.”

Hits: Matt Trainor (2), Tahlan Cavill (2), Lachlan Vella, Kobe Cusbert, Christian Lane, Frank Clarke.

PRELIMINARY FINAL: NEAR PERFECT GAME SENDS WESTERN AUSTRALIA TO GOLD MEDAL FINAL

A perfect game attempt was foiled with one out in the bottom of the last as Western Australia defeated South Australia 3-0 to advance to the Gold Medal Final at noon.

Logan Truscutt was sublime in his start. 12 up, 12 down. No walks, no hits, no runs. He struck out two.

Brady Manning followed and retired the first seven batters he faced before James McFarlane singled. Manning finished with a sensational line of 3.0 innings with one hit, no runs and five strikeouts.

“We had good rest, good sleep and good tunes on the bus ride to the ballpark,” said Truscott after the game. “I was out there throwing strikes, I didn’t realise it was a perfect game until the fifth inning.”

Western Australia did all their scoring in the bottom of the third. Tyson Edwards and Lenny Golding each had RBI singles. Riley Oliphant had a sacrifice fly.

Credit to South Australian pitching, they were solid too. Mitch Evans allowed three runs off four hits in his 3.1 innings start. Sam Galpin, Haru Riley and Zac Tibbits then combined to allow no hits over the following 3.2 innings.

Western Australia will now play New South Wales at 12:00PM. Watch on Baseball+.

Hits Western Australia: Lenny Golding, Ben Nesbit, Judd MacNeil, Tyson Edwards
Hits South Australia: James McFarlane

CONSOLATION GAME: ACT 15 def VICTORIA 5

ACT won their fourth game of the tournament, dispatching Victoria for as second time in the week.

The game was tied in the fourth until Eli Tanouye & Bailey Richards singled in three runs.

They pulled away with a six run fourth inning, tallying five hits. Dominic Hamilton and a 2-RBI single, Tanouye had a sacrifice fly, Ryan Padovan cashed in a pair with a single and Ben Sawyer drove in a score.

Cayden Nash led ACT with two hits. Richards, Padovan, Ethan Clugstan and Hamilton all had two runs batted in.

Sam Walk and Sam Land both had two hits for Vic U18. Ryley Shanks led Victoria with 2RBI, going 1-for-2.

FINAL TOURNAMENT STANDINGS

1. New South Wales
2. Western Australia
3. South Australia
4. Victoria
5. Queensland
6. Australian Capital Territory
7. New South Wales Country

HOW FINALS WORK

Monday 13 January will be the first days of finals.

The following teams have qualified in this order:

1. Western Australia
2. New South Wales
3. Victoria
4. South Australia

Here’s how the finals work:

– The winner of 1v4 (Western Australia vs South Australia) will play the winner of 2v3 (New South Wales vs Victoria) in the Qualifying Final. The loser will meet in the elimination final.

– The winner of the Qualifying Final advances to the Gold Medal Game. The loser goes to the Preliminary Final.

– The winner of the Elimination Final will advance to the Preliminary Final as well.

– The Gold Medal will be contested between the winner of the Qualifying Final & the Preliminary Final

– Roos, New South Wales Country & Queensland will play in the consolation round

The schedule for the remainder of the finals will be confirmed after Saturday.

14 January 2025 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Australian Youth Championships

U18 Nationals Day 6, Jan 14 | Updates, Recaps, Scores, Schedules & Information

WEATHER UPDATE: Tomorrow’s Gold Medal and Preliminary Final Games have been moved forward

South Australia survive and advance & New South Wales punched their ticket to the Gold Medal Game at the Australian Youth Championships on a hot day in Blacktown.

We also had some key performances in the consolation games.

13 January 2025 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Australian Youth Championships

2025 Australian Youth National Championship Award Winners

Congratulations to our 2025 Australian Youth Championship Award Winners.

Under 16 Hub: Click here
Under 18 Hub: Click here

AYC Hub: www.baseball.com.au/ayc2025

Under 18

TOURNAMENT MVP – MATT TRAINOR (NSW): Trainor had a great tournament on both sides of the plate. He hit .500 with 8RBI and 6BB. He delivered clutch hits throughout the week. He pitched 4.0 innings of scoreless ball throughout the week.

GOLDEN BAT – LACHLAN VELLA (NSW): Vella went beast mode. He had 12 hits. Four of those were homers. He also had 15 RBI. He led the tournament in all of those categories.

GOLDEN ARM – RILEY PUCKETT (NSW): A tournament we’ll be talking about for a long time. He threw a shutout in both of his starts. Outing 1: 6.0 innings with 2 hits, 0 walks and 7 SO in a 1-0 complete game effort over Queensland in the minor rounds. In the Preliminary Final, he threw 6.0 shutout, striking out seven, allowing four hits and one walk. In total: 12.0 IP, 5H, 14SO, 1BB and no earned runs.

GOLDEN GLOVE – LINCOLN GRUPPELAAR (NSW): Lincoln was a vacuum at shortstop. He played regular innings in the middle of the field and didn’t make an error. A perfect fielding percentage in a Gold Medal Effort.

GOLD MEDAL NEW SOUTH WALES

SILVER MEDAL WESTERN AUSTRALIA

BRONZE MEDAL SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Under 16

TOURNAMENT MVP: Ollie Hayes (South Australia): Hayes had a big tournament in all three phases of the game. He hit .435 for South Australia and led the team in RBI, delivering clutch hits throughout the tournament. In the field, he made just one error while playing mostly shortstop and helped turn two double plays. He also pitched 9.0 innings (second on the team) allowing four runs and was used in big spots. South Australia won the national title.

GOLDEN ARM: Will Bonham (New South Wales): Bonham threw 9.1 innings across four games in the tournament. He led qualified pitchers with in ERA (0.75) and strikeouts (17), often used in high leverage situations.

GOLDEN BAT: COOPER BUSCH (Victoria): A dominating tournament at the plate, going 14-for-27 (.529) with five extra base hits and 10 runs batted in. Busch helped pace a lethal Victorian offence.

GOLDEN GLOVE: COOPER BISHOP WORN (Victoria): Excellent on the diamond both as a pitcher and infielder, making just one error in the game and amassing 12 assists.

Gold Medal: South Australia

Silver Medal: Victoria

Bronze Medal: Western Australia

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