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Can last year’s silver medalists go one step further?

How will almost an entirely new youth women’s team perform on the big stage?

Welcome to the preview of New South Wales for the upcoming Women’s and Youth Women’s Championships in Melbourne from April 13-19.

For links to more stories, podcasts, schedule and tournament information, visit our tournament hub at www.baseball.com.au/women.

Make sure you download Baseball+ for broadcasted games.

WOMEN’S PREVIEW: Experienced squad primed to make another run at gold

2024 Result: Silver Medal

Whenever New South Wales takes the field in a national championship there is one clear goal: Win. It. All.

This year is no different.

New South Wales took home silver in 2024. The tournament ended on a tough note.

After winning a heated preliminary final vs Queensland, a 10-9 epic, New South Wales was ready to take on Victoria in the championship game.

Enter the rain. The gold medal game was never played.

Victoria were declared deserving winners after going unbeaten in the tournament.

However, it’s left New South Wales hungry for a shot at redemption.

The 2025 team features five members of the 2023 Emeralds – INF/ P Maddison McGuire, UTIL Ticara Geldenhuis, C Maddison Heath, P / INF Claire O’Sullivan and P / INF Maddison Erwin – all of whom have won gold at a national championship before.

Claire O’Sullivan did it all last tournament, both with the bat and on the mound. She won the Golden Bat Award after hitting .714 with a 2.024 OPS, 15 hits, a homer and 15 RBI. All of those numbers were tournament leading.

Outfielder Ticara Geldenhuis (below) brings World Cup experience, a women’s nationals gold and time in Japan to the fray. In the Japanese national championships last year, she hit .600 and hit a walk off homer.

The squad is buoyed by the return of Maddison McGuire, a member of the Emeralds since 2011. She returns to form after missing last year due to welcoming her second daughter to the world. The infielder / pitcher has been in All-Star form for powerhouse Blacktown Workers in the women’s competition.

On the mound, while World Cup pitchers, O’Sullivan, McGuire and Maddi Erwin will no doubt pitch important innings, New South Wales will look to a few others to navigate through the tournament. The likes of MacKenzie Jackson and Ebony Van Eynde will be tasked with going deep into games.

“[I’ve been working a lot on] my pitching mechanics,” says Jackson, entering tournament number nine. “I’m lucky enough to have the coaching staff I do at Blacktown Workers and fortunate enough to work with current ABL players.”

The coaching staff has a few different key cogs in their line-up, too.

18-year-old Isobel Lambert broke out last season and is a noted rising star. Emerald Maddison Heath appears healthy. Sayaka Mori and Lisa Nakashio (below) have turned into to well-rounded, athletic stars to provide some versatility.

“I’d be watching Lisa Nakashio and Izzy Lambert,” says Claire O’Sullivan, “I’m their number one fan because they work so hard to be the best and have the best attitudes. Everything they do is for the team.”

There’s a few breakout stars in the mix. 16-year-old Ryleigh Delacour-Batch makes her senior women’s debut.

“I am the youngest on the team and I am very grateful to be surrounded by such incredible female athletes,” says Delacour-Batch, who starred for the Youth Squad in 2024.

Outfielder Cayla Johnston is in sizzling form entering the tournament too. The Eastern Suburbs Dolphins player had a breakout women’s season in New South Wales and looks to show it off at nationals.

“She has been working hard at training and has had a great club season,” says Isobel Lambert. “She’s highly dedicated and I think she will have a breakthrough tournament.”

With a deep pitching staff, a core of champion players, national team talent, and a couple new players providing fresh perspective, is this the year New South Wales return to the top?

Group Stage Schedule:

– April 13, 11:45AM: vs Western Australia
– April 13, 5:15PM: vs Victoria
– April 14, 2:30PM: vs Queensland Maroon
– April 15, 5:15PM: vs South Australia
– April 16, 11:45AM: vs Queensland White

YOUTH PREVIEW: Unified energy, positive team culture drives young New South Wales squad ahead of U16 Girls Nationals

2024 Result: 4th

If the senior New South Wales squad is loaded with experience, the Youth squad is undergoing somewhat of a transition.

Only four players return from last year’s team.

Still, head coach Amy Saliba is excited about the prospects of her young squad.

“Overall, the team vibe has been positive and supportive,” says Saliba. “The girls will always have one big open circle which welcomes everyone and anyone, opposed to a number of small groups mixed throughout the team. They also seem to love to end a training night with a BeReal team selfie!”

Among the four returning players is Ivy White (below) . She enters her final year of youth eligibility. She’ll likely be tasked with catching important moments for the team.

Tamyrn Love also returns and has been playing Division I for Ryde in the New South Wales Women’s League, helping them to a grand final.

“I think my pitching has improved a lot over the last 12 months,” says Love. “People didn’t really think of me as a pitcher before but recently I have been given so many great opportunities on the mound. I have been helped my so many great coaches, that I have come so far. With the help of a growth spurt!”

Lily Warren has also been catching the eyes of her teammates in training.

“Every training she is there putting in 100% always and also picking up anyone who feels down,” says teammate Lily Baxter. “She also doesn’t get down on herself and if she makes an error she will laugh about it and do better the next time the ball gets hit at her.”

Tallara Joseph-Riogi – a hard throwing pitcher – was also an oft-named player to watch by her teammates.

Tallara herself, however, is quick to deflect the attention elsewhere.

“My whole team is one to watch,” she says. “Every single one of them brings something special to the team talented, unique and strong”

The teamwork and energy around the team has coach Amy Saliba excited as a whole about girls baseball in New South Wales.

“It’s definitely growing,” says Saliba. “The NSW Little League Girls series held at the beginning of the year was a hit and I’m excited to see how women’s baseball develops with these talented girls coming through the ranks in the coming years.”

Group Stage Schedule:
– April 15, 9:00AM: vs QLD
– April 15, 11:45AM: vs SA
– April 16, 11:15AM: vs WA
– April 17, 9:00AM: vs VIC

MORE PREVIEWS

CARVE Eyewear will be rewarding peak performance at the 2025 Australian Women’s and Youth Women’s Championships.

The performance eyewear company and Baseball Australia confirmed an agreement in time for the premier women’s baseball event from April 13-19.

For the first day of each individual event – Women’s and Youth Women’s – we will name a ‘Carve Performer of the Day’ for each team in the tournament.

The winner of each team will receive sunglasses courtesy of Carve. We will also name a “CARVE Play of the Tournament” for each division.

Carve’s performance eyewear blends cutting-edge technology with sleek design to ensure optimal clarity, comfort and protection in every athletic pursuit.

Their products are crafted for sport. You can view their performance products here.

The national championships run from April 13-19. For information, visit our tournament hub at www.baseball.com.au/women.

MORE INFO

CARVE’s sunglasses are engineered with advanced UV protection, ensuring maximum defence against harmful rays during long hours on the field.

The impact-resistant lenses provide robust durability, perfect for the dynamic and fast-paced nature of baseball. Additionally, our anti-glare lens configurations enhance visual clarity, allowing players to maintain optimum depth perception even in the brightest conditions.

Ensuring highest technical standards, CARVE Eyewear delivers exceptional value, making top-tier performance sunglasses accessible to all Baseballers.

Elevate your game, your own way with CARVE Eyewear—where innovation meets affordability.

On Wednesday 16 April 2025, the power of sport will once again be harnessed to drive change, as NO MORE teams up with Baseball Australia at the Australian Women’s and Youth Women’s Baseball Championships for the annual NO MORE Day.

Now in its eleventh year, this powerful partnership continues to shine a light on domestic and family violence while celebrating the strength of community, leadership, and action.

Players, umpires and coaching staff will proudly link arms before each game today, with teams wearing orange NO MORE sweatbands, umpires in orange shirts.

As part of the campaign, a ‘Spirit of the Game’ Award will be presented to one player from each team, an umpire and a scorer at the end of the tournament who embodies fair play, teamwork, community, and respect on and off the field – setting a positive example for all.

This year’s theme – “What Can I Do?” – reminds us that change starts with each of us.

Whether on the field, in the crowd or watching from home, everyone can take action.

Speak up. Show respect. Start a conversation. Offer support. Challenge harmful attitudes. Small actions create big change.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Pledge your action today.

Head to nomore.org.au – or directly to https://tinyurl.com/2025AWYWC – and share your commitment on the pledge board. Join players, officials and fans in showing the world that you are part of the solution.

You can also support this important work by making a donation to NO MORE.

Every contribution helps fund community-led education, prevention and awareness programs across Australia. Visit https://www.nomore.org.au/donate to donate and help create safe homes and communities.

ABOUT NO MORE

NO MORE is a national Aboriginal-led initiative founded by Dr Charlie King AM, working with communities to prevent domestic and family violence through education, awareness, and grassroots action.

For more information, useful links or to support NO MORE’s pages below.

Domestic Violence Action Plan: https://www.nomore.org.au/create-your-own-domestic-violence-action-plan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NOMORE.org.au/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomore.org.au/

Web: No More | Link up and say ‘No More’ to family violence

Toolkit & Resources: https://www.nomore.org.au/no-more-toolkit-and-resources

If you or a person you know is in immediate danger, call 000. If you or a person you know needs support, please contact the below direct service providers.

VIOLENCE1800RESPECT I 1800 737 732 (24/7)

www.1800respect.org.au – call or chat online

National sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling, information and support service.

THE OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS

For a flyer on official proceedings in PDF form, click here. 

– Orange sweatbands for the players and coaches, who will sport them throughout the day

– Linking of arms before each game;

– Spectators encouraged to wear orange

– Spirit of the Award winners announced at closing ceremonies;

– Baseball community encouraged to take the pledge and donate;

feature story by Eliza Wood ahead of the 2025 Australian Women’s Championships

If you are a young baseball player in need of a role model, someone to look up to, to inspire you, then look no further than Western Australian baseballer Caitlin Eynon.

She is the epitome of the existing opportunities for female baseballers in Australia – and she’s only 21 years old.

Despite pressure to pursue softball in her early years, nothing could draw her away from the game she’s loved since she was seven.

Driven by this passion for baseball, Eynon always knew she would challenge the status quo.

“[Even] from back then I sort of wanted to be the person, or the one person to push those boundaries,” she asserts.

And push she has, if her resume is anything to impress you by.

She made her senior women’s national championship debut at the age of 13. To date she has played in three Australian Baseball League Women’s Showcases for the Adelaide Giants (below) and spent time abroad training in Japan.

In 2023, Eynon represented Australia at the World Cup.

She also won gold with team WA at the Australian Women’s Championships, where she was hit .481 in the tournament and unleashed a three-hit, three-run performance in the gold medal match.

Additionally, coming as no surprise, she historically has some of the best numbers in the WA state league.

In 2023-24 she recorded a season with numbers so unfathomable they feel like a typo: 21-for-23 with a homer, 15 RBI and 25 RBI in just nine games.

Eynon played predominantly with the men in 2024-25 in the State League Reserves, Western Australia’s Division II equivalent, chalking up a solid .380 on-base-percentage in 16 games while chucking 7.2 innings on the mound with five strikeouts and four earned runs.

A total athlete, it’s clear Eynon possesses a calibre that can’t be overstated – positional versatility.

Not only is she an elite shortstop – the most demanding position to master, but she is also on record for being one of the hardest throwing female pitchers in Australia, clocking 74mph.

“They go very hand in hand,” she says. “As a pitcher you’re constantly checking in with your shortstop, as a shortstop you’re constantly checking in with your pitcher for plays.”

Eynon shares an equal love for both positions, something she’ll have to do for Western Australia in April’s national championships.

“I enjoy the freedom of being able to use my feet [at shortstop], it requires a lot of athleticism which is something I’m constantly working towards… as the pitcher you set the tone of the game, you’re in control of the speed of the game and everything that’s happening around you,” she says.

Jason ‘Pops’ Pospishil, head coach of the Emeralds, attests to Eynon’s ability.

“She is a Top 3 short stop in the world right now,” says Pospishil. “Her combination of arm strength, foot speed and bat to ball skills puts her in the upper echelon of world class players.”

With an unrivalled skill set, Eynon is eyeing off her dreams and checking them off one by one.

She started with time in Japan, perhaps the world’s most devout baseball national. Eynon jumped at the opportunity to train there in October 2023.

Even with the language barrier, Eynon couldn’t speak more highly of her experience and the learnings she took away.

“I could barely communicate with them, they could barely communicate with me, but when we were playing baseball it really did bring us together, we were speaking a language through baseball,” she says.

“They had a very big attention to detail,” she continues. “Their dedication and drive to being the best athletes they can be was just awesome. They play with so much respect for the game and for each other as well… I gained a whole new appreciation for baseball.”

Returning home with a clear focus and more determination than ever, Eynon has barely scratched the surface with where she’s dreaming of taking her career.

Fast-forward to October 2024, which brought a game changing announcement to the world of women’s baseball.

The unveiling of the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) in America.

Looking to re-write history by offering women baseballers worldwide, the opportunity to showcase their talent on the stage they deserve.

Co-founded by baseball pioneer Justine Siegal, the WPBL is set to commence in 2026 running from May-August.

Scouting camps/trials and a league draft are in the works for 2025.

Featuring six teams, the WPBL will consist of a regular season, playoffs and championship.

This bombshell dropping sparked Eynon’s interest straight away, prompting a quick application from WA’s star baseballer.

“That’s what my goals are based around now, that and the World Cup next year,” she states. “Just being able to put all your time and energy into baseball, not having to worry about anything else, except for playing baseball – that’s most of our goals really.”

“No doubtedly she is one who could play in the newly created WPBL,” says Pospishil. “It would be so beneficial to our program to see as many players from Australia have the opportunity to play in the league.”

Alongside the WPBL, Eynon’s number one priority always lies with representing her country on the world stage.

The Emeralds will begin their World Cup campaign in 2026 with the finals to take place in 2027.

“My number one priority will be the Emeralds. Making sure I can do everything I can to bring success to that team next year when we go to our group stage,” she says.

Eynon is always focussed on the task at hand. Her motivator? Achieving success.

“The most impressive asset [she has] is that all she cares about is winning. She doesn’t get caught up in worrying about anything else that does not have an impact on winning,” says Pospishil. “Culturally, in a national team environment, we need to get to a space where all of our athletes care about the things that have an impact on winning and nothing else.”

Staying healthy and continuing to get stronger are other key areas Eynon will keep going after, as she strives to reach new heights and maximise her potential.

Away from the physical parts of the game and her personal career, an aspect of great importance to her is progressing in her leadership skills.

“I really tried in the last 6-12 months growing into more of a leadership role,” she says. “I definitely want to try and develop that over the next couple of years and make myself someone that the younger girls can look up to and be the best role model I can be for them.”

Speaking from her own experience, if she could offer one piece of advice to the next generation of aspiring baseballers, that encapsulates all that she believes it would be…

To play with confidence.

This is such an underrated yet instrumental piece of advice, that any young athlete would relish in knowing and applying to their own game.

Just from talking with Caitlin, it doesn’t take long to realise that she is undoubtedly a leader and role model in the making – if she isn’t already considered one.

Even though the pathways and opportunities to excel as a female playing baseball in Australia, aren’t so clear cut and perfectly laid out, they most definitely do exist.

And Caitlin Eynon is a grand slam example of it.

MORE STORIES BY ELIZA WOOD

• Team-first, dream-driven: Molly Paddison is focused and raising the bar
• A Newbie’s Guide to Women’s Baseball: Six Takeaways from a chat with Amy McCann

The Australian Women’s Championships begins in April. Head to www.baseball.com.au/women for stories, tournament information and podcast links

by baseball.com.au writer Eliza Wood, for more stories visit www.baseball.com.au/women.

Molly ‘The Business’ Paddison is giving all new meaning to the nickname that was bestowed upon her at last year’s nationals.

The 17-year-old from Queensland was a breakout star of the 2024 Australian Women’s Championships.

In her first year at the senior level, Paddison co-led the tournament in hits (15), recorded a staggering .536 average, drove in eight runs and helped Queensland win a bronze medal – their first since 2016.

It consolidated her performance in the Under 16 division just a year prior, a tournament where she claimed MVP honours.

She was rewarded with selection to the Brisbane Bandits squad for the professional Australian Women’s Showcase and is firmly on the radar of national selectors.

But the truth is, Molly is only just getting started.

Relentlessly dedicated to the game she’s loved since the age of four, the now 17-year-old has her sights set higher.

Aspiring for greater success is one thing; holding yourself accountable and committing to it, is another.

Paddison is the latter.

Levelling up her game not only to pursue her own dreams of being an Emerald one day, but most importantly to revel in and share success with her teammates.

The appreciation and gratitude she has for the support system around her can’t be faulted.

“I know I wouldn’t be in the spot I am today without them,” says Paddison. “They’ve all helped me get to where I am.”

Her team-first mentality is what sets her apart, a quality that shines bright according to Queensland’s head coach Lisa Norrie.

“She’s not just focused on her own success, she genuinely cares about the growth and success of everyone around her,” says Norrie. “Despite her talent, she is always the first to credit her teammates for their achievements, understanding that baseball is a team sport where success is built on collaboration.”

In other words, she just tries to be one ninth of the equation.

Less than a month out from the big dance, it’s all starting to ramp up, up north.

Molly’s current training week is totalling 20 hours of combined on and off-field work and playing 2-3 games on weekends.

She devotes herself to the game by capitalising on every minute of every hour.

“Molly’s work ethic is exceptional, showcasing a blend of dedication, discipline, and passion for the game. She approaches every practice and game with tireless commitment to improvement,” affirms Norrie (below).

A gifted talent, Paddison has been working hard on many aspects of their game to elevate it further.

She’s already a strong hitter and while she has continued to hone in on her craft, she is pushing her self to become a lethal dual threat.”

“I’ve always worked hard on my hitting but I’m also working hard on my pitching, so I can bring another aspect to the team if needed,” says Paddison.

Norrie is very aware of this too.

“It’s exciting to see her evolve into such a well-rounded player, constantly pushing herself to grow. That drive is a big part of what makes her such a special talent,” says Norrie. “Adding pitching back into her game shows how dedicated she is to being the best version of herself, both for her team and for her own growth.”

Paddison has also learned a lot about the importance of recovery and nutrition, areas that haven’t been commonly emphasised in the past due to her age.

Now equipped with a better understanding of how you take care of yourself off the field, it allows you to perform at your best on the field.

This is pivotal knowledge for any athlete – especially when you’re about to compete day in and day out against the country’s best.

Not only has Molly enhanced her focus in these parts of her game, but she is also making strides in her mental game. Learning how to cope and manage the pressure that comes with having the talent she possesses and backing up past performances.

“I’m pretty nervous I’m not going to lie… there’s that level of pressure… I performed so well last year how can I top that this year? How can I help my team to go one better this year,” expresses Molly.

For Paddison, the key to navigating this is the simplicity of what sport is all about: enjoyment.

“I play better when I’m having fun,” she says.

Proudly repping the Queensland maroon alongside her teammates, an honour that means so much to her, is what forms her love for the game. By bringing herself back to the importance of that, is when Molly knows she can perform at her best.

In times of learning and growth, it’s clarity like this that can truly impact the most.

It’s safe to say heads will be turning yet again, when this teen sensation enters Melbourne Ball Park this coming April, as in case it wasn’t clear – Molly means business.

MORE STORIES

For stories, podcasts and tournament information, visit www.baseball.com.au/women.

• All-Female Umpiring Crew Appointed at Women’s and Youth Women’s Championships for First Time
• A Newbie’s Guide to Women’s Baseball: Six Takeaways from a chat with Amy McCann