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Australia came out on the wrong end of a closely fought battle with Czechia in their final game of the Under 12 World Cup.

Czech slugger Max Major had all four Czech runs-batted-in during the 4-0 victory.

Australia pressured throughout the game. They had the bases loaded in the sixth inning, and two runners on in the fourth and fifth. They just couldn’t land the decisive blow.

Oliver Allen gave Australia every opportunity to stay close in this game with a tremendous start on the mound. He went 3.0 innings, allowing just three hits, strikeout out four and conceding a pair of runs.

Zavier Leigh and Toby Kelman pitched well in relief.

Frantisek Fiser had his best game of the tournament for the Czechs on the mound. He kept Australia off-balance, allowing only four hits and no runs in 5.1 innings pitched.

Australia pressured on multiple occasions but were stonewalled by some staunch Czech defense.

The main culprit was slick second baseman Daniel Horak.

He was the centre of a tremendous double-play the Czechs turned to get out of the fourth inning. Australia had two runners on and just one out. That play surely saved at least a run.

Then, in the fifth, Horak made a nice catch on a hard-hit ball to end the inning. Once again, Australia had two runners on.

That allowed the Czechs to score two getaway runs in the sixth inning.

This concludes the Under 12 World Cup for Australia. They finish 11th at the event.

BOX SCORE

report via WBSC

Australia has their first win of the Under 12 World Cup, after defeating New Zealand 17-2 in Taiwan.

It was a true team effort. Eight different Aussies combined for 14 hits while three pitchers kept New Zealand bats in check. Seventeen different players were used.

The game was called via a run rule in the fourth inning.

The climax came early. Australia scored 13 runs in the first inning.

It was a true display of teamwork – with every player in the Australian line-up either scoring or having an RBI in the opening digs.

It was a productive day top-to-bottom. Toby Kelman (NSW) went 3-for-3 with four RBI. Travis Holborow (NSW) had four RBIs to his name. Litsu Tamura, Harrison Thomas-McLean and Ignatius Carter also had multi-hit games.

Australia (1-5) plays their next game of the placement round on Friday at 1:00PM AEST vs Panama (3-3). You can watch the game via WBSC’s ‘GameTime’ streaming platform.

Game Recap

Australia got off to a dream start – a whopping 13 runs in the first inning.

Their first seven batters found a way to reach base. In fact, Australia brought 19 batters to the plate in the frame. It was an impressive display of teamwork, with every player making a contribution by virtue of a run or RBI.

Better yet, Australia was able to convert the pressure into some runs. A lot of them.

BOX SCORE: Australia vs New Zealand

Harrison Thomas-McLean (NSW) came through with the first RBI of the game on a ground ball that had eyes. He scored Jakob Cruz (NSW) for the first run of the game.

Toby Kelman (NSW) crunched his third double of the tournament, powering a ball to deep centrefield to score Litsu Tamura (QLD).

A patient bases-loaded walk earned by Travis Holborow (NSW) made it 3-0. Maisen Ricketts (VIC) followed with a deep sacrifice fly to left field.

Mark Howell (WA) provided more punch. His RBI single to centre scored Chase Crew (QLD). Holborow scored off a balk, Howell scored off a wild throw.

Toby Kelman tallied his second hit of the inning, this time a deep single to right field, that scored another two runs.

Holborow kept piling on. He had a two-RBI double that hugged the right-field line.

Maisen Ricketts brought home two more, his third RBI of the opening inning, with a deep double of his own.

Suddenly, it was 13-0. After one inning.

Zavier Leigh made quick work of New Zealand, allowing just one hit and no runs through the first two innings before being subbed.

Australia added a couple more in the second.

During that inning, Toby Kelman recorded his third hit and fourth RBI of the game. Holborow also drove in his fourth of the contest.

Australia also flexed their defensive muscles in this game. Mark Howell made a sensational diving grab in centrefield to end the second inning.

After an Ashton Diplock (SA) RBI put the Aussies up 16-0 in the third, New Zealand launched a mini-rally. They tallied four straight hits in a row to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the third.

Australia added their final run in the fourth.

Oliver Allen came in to shut things down and preserve the 15-run-rule win.

Australia plays Panama tomorrow.

Tournament hosts Chinese Taipei overwhelmed Australia to conclude group play at the Under-12 World Cup, winning 18-0 on Wednesday night.

Chinese Taipei were red-hot favourites entering the game. The win moves them to a perfect 5-0 record – one of only two unbeaten teams left.

Chinese Taipei started the game with five straight hits. They scored five runs in the first, eight runs in the second and another five in the third, all while keeping Australian bats in check.

Yu-Yen Lo was the catalyst for Taiwan. He had two hits, 5 RBIs and a massive grand slam in the second inning.

Australia’s big highlight was a 9-4-3 double play in the first inning.

Archer Petersen and Toby Kelman had the lone hits for the Green & Gold.

Chinese Taipei advance to the Super Round of the tournament. They will be a strong contender to win it all. All teams who finish Top 3 in their group advance to the championship portion of the tournament.

Australia (0-5) moves on to the placement round. They will play the bottom three teams from Group B over the coming days. These teams are: New Zealand (0-5), Panama (2-3) and Czechia (1-4).

BOX SCORE

AUSTRALIA GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• A nifty heads-up double-play to end the first. It was a 9-4-6 double-play by Ashton Diplock, Litsu Tamura and Archer Petersen
• A great opposite field double that split the outfielders for Toby Kelman (NSW) in the second inning
• Litsu Tamura had a nice day in the field. He made another nice play in the third inning off a hard hit ground ball and nearly turned two;
• Archer Petersen had another base hit. He is hitting over .500 for the tournament;
• Honestly, just the experience. Let’s remember these are just kids. Australia got the invite just four weeks before the tournament started. They started strangers and will end brothers. Today they got to play in front of a big crowd, with cheerleaders, music, trumpets and vs a world-class opponent. What an experience!

Above: Australia visited a school in Taiwan today.

Below: Started off strangers, ended up brothers.

Japan has handed Australia it’s fourth straight loss to open the 2023 Under-12 World Cup.

The formidable Japanese bats could not be contained, as the power house baseball nation raced to a 15-0 win in Taiwan on Tuesday

Japan exploded for nine runs in the second inning.

Kengo Wada led the way for the winners, going 3-for-3 with a grand slam and six RBI.

Archer Peterson had Australia’s only hit of the game.

Australia wraps up pool play tomorrow with a game vs the hosts Taiwan.

The consolation round will occur after, with a schedule to be announced soon.

Some highlights for Australia include:

• A nifty double play turned by Archer Peterson at shortstop
• After allowing a grand slam, Harry Roberts showed some nice toughness by bouncing back and striking out the next batter
• Harrison Thomas-McLean made a fantastic trap and throw at third to retire the Japanese batter

Venezuela scored early and often in a 19-2 win over Australia in the second game of the WBSC Under 12 World Cup.

It’s Australia’s second loss of the tournament after falling to Germany on Saturday afternoon, despite a valiant comeback effort.

Australia may have dropped their opening game of the Under-12 World Cup by a 7-3 scoreline to Germany but a resilient never-say-die effort, some nice defensive plays and a wonderful display of sportsmanship leaves plenty of reasons to be proud.

To be fair, Australia’s youngest national team ran into a heck-of-a-pitcher.

German starting pitcher Felipe Morales took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. He delivered a big-time performance on the global stage he’ll never forget. He struck out seven batters and was looking confident all afternoon, dancing the baseball all around the strike-zone.

Above: Felipe Morales (Photo: WBSC)

Australia could have folded over and packed it in, but they didn’t. Despite being down seven runs going into the final inning, the team grinded out some tough at-bats vs Morales. The Green & Gold punched back with three late runs to apply some serious pressure on the Germans. That’s the never-say-die attitude we love to see.

Then there’s the sportsmanship.

Morales left the game with bases loaded in the sixth after fooling the Australian batters all game. When he left the game, Australian first baseman Oliver Allen (VIC) gave the German pitcher a cool little fist bump to the opposition in a tremendous display of respect and sportsmanship.

The final line on Morales reads 5.1 innings with two hit, four walks, three earned runs and seven strikeouts. The damage came from the final three batters he faced – he allowed a walk, hit-by-pitch and a double in his final three batters – not indicative of his start at all.

In another positive note for the Green & Gold, not many German-batters were able to power a ball to the outfield. They scored most of their runs off Australian walks, infield-hits and a handful of errors.

In total, Germany had five hits and Australia had three. Litsu Tamura (QLD) was the one that broke up the no-hitter and recorded Australia’s first base knock of the tournament.

The German infield was sensational most of the game. They made a number of athletic plays to retire Australian batters off hard-hit balls in play. Perhaps the Aussies would have reached base in club ball, but not at this World Cup.

Germany jumped Australia early. A patient approach at the plate led to four walks for the Germans and lots of pressure on the base paths.

Box Score: Australia vs Germany – U-12 World Cup

There weren’t many hard-hit balls, but singles to Liam Hagen and Willem Lenhart helped bring home three first inning scores for Germany.

It could have been more if it weren’t for a nifty backhanded catch from third baseman Toby Kelman (NSW) and a sharp line-drive snag from Oliver Allen (VIC) at first. Both those plays limited damage and kept the German bats at bay.

Australia had difficulty responding to the initial German strike, thanks in large part to the pitching from Morales.

After allowing a lead-off walk in the first inning, Morales proceeded to sit down the next eleven batters in order.

Germany added four more runs in the third inning. Only one ball left the infield that entire frame – a shallow pop fly to end an inning. Once again, Germany took advantage of walks and hits.

Australia’s push back came in the sixth inning. With bases loaded and one out, Allen had a deep left-field double that bounced off the wall to score a run. Mark Howell (WA) and Litsu Tamura (QLD) both had RBIs.

The spark was just too little, too late for Australia – but lots of positive signs to build from. Let’s hope it’s a great learning experience heading into their next game.

Australia will take on Venezuela at 11:00AM local time (1:00PM AEST) on Sunday. It won’t be easy – Venezuela didn’t allow a hit in their Saturday afternoon victory over Mexico.

A mass amount of rain due to a Typhoon passing by Taiwan has forced the postponement of Day 1 of the Under-12 World Cup.

The teams are not in any danger and are safe. There’s just a lot of rain.

WBSC is working hard on a revised schedule of play. Stay tuned to this page and Team Australia Baseball channels for updates.

UPDATE (6:50AEST): WBSC is still working on a revised schedule, but Day 2 of the U12 World Cup will continue as originally planned. Australia will play one game on Saturday 29 July – Germany at 4:30PM.

Seven Australian representative teams will be playing in a major global tournament between July 28 and September 10.

Head to our “International Hub” at www.baseball.com.au/internationalhub for all the latest links, story and coverage.

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World Cup and International Baseball Silly Season is just days away. Australia’s Under-12 national team will be the ones kickstarting the party.

Australia has teams in the Under-12 World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Under-18 World Cup, Little League, Junior League, Senior League and Intermediate League World Series.

This team is a collection of elite 12 & under talent from across the great Australian lands who will head to Taiwan to battle the best kids from other countries.

There are two groups in the tournament. Australia is in Group A with Taiwan, Germany, Japan, Mexico and Venezuela. Group B features Czechia, Dominican Republic, South Korea, New Zealand, Panama and the USA.

The group stage runs from July 28 – August 1. Australia must finish in the Top 3 to qualify for the ‘Super Round’ vs the other Group’s Top 3 teams if they wish to medal at this event.

There is no doubt this tournament will be a life-changing experience for the players and their families. A trip to a ‘baseball-first’ country, new friends, competitive baseball and a lot of learning opportunities are on the horizon.

We’ll be providing coverage via our social media. Make sure you follow Team Australia Baseball on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. The games will be broadcast via the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) GameTime App.

It’s an exciting experience for the kids, many of whom haven’t met each other before.

“I can’t wait until we’re at the airport,” says Australia’s U12 coach Phil Hemmer (NSW).

“You know what kids are like. They all have baseball in common, they’re all representing their country. They’ll walk up to each other and be best of mates.”

Players from around the country have been training with their high performances managers, or with coaches in their respective states. They’ve yet to play together – but they’ll be well acquainted soon.

Hemmer says wearing the Green & Gold and representing your country isn’t something you get to do every day.

“I hope and want everyone to feel the pride that I’m feeling,” he says. “I’d love to do something special. Can you imagine if we did something cool? Let’s go win some games do something nobody in this country has done before.”

The whole experience will be different. No longer will the players be battling on suburban grounds. They’re going to Taiwan – a country that is baseball mad with facilities many of these athletes haven’t seen before.

“I hope they learn a lot. I want them to experience and see things they haven’t seen before,” he says.

“I also want them to learn. I want them to succeed but I also want them to fail – I want them to see challenges and continue to learn to work things out. Baseball and life aren’t perfect. This will be great for them.”

We’re sure they’ll represent us with honour.

Here they are…

PLAYING ROSTER – 2023 U-12 WORLD CUP

Oliver Allen – VIC – 1B / Pitcher: A power guy. He’s a big Victorian hitter who has the ability to drive in some runs for his team.

Ignatius Carter – NSW – Utility: He can play all over the infield, outfield and even step on the mound. A tall, athletic kid that brings some versatility to the squad.

Chase Crew – QLD – 1B /P : Chase will be relied on to drive in some runs and play some good defense. He had a solid Little League National Championship and was serviceable across the diamond – a cool kid!

Jacob Cruz – NSW – Utility: Coach Phil Hemmer says he’s got a “heck of a swing.” He can handle any position asked and is a great athlete.

Ashton Diplock – SA – Utility: South Australia’s only representee on the squad. Ashton can play nearly everywhere – he had a stand out Little League Nationals that put him on the radar.

Bodhi Evans – VIC – Utility: Don’t be fooled by his size – he may be smaller than others on the field but he can flat out play. He moves on the infield like he’s been doing it his whole life. Anywhere Bodhi plays is slick – very sure handed.

Travis Holborrow – NSW – Catcher:  One of the main catchers on the squad. He is little but has a great defender with no issues throwing guys out at second base. Travis is a good lefty bat and a refined catcher for his age who works hard at his craft.

Mark Howell – WA – OF: Mark made an impression on selectors at the Little League Championships with some standout plays in centrefield. He has a bazooka – an absolute cannon of an arm. He runs around the outfield like it’s his day job.

Hugh Kelly – NSW – P/INF: He’s already put a stamp to his name as a candidate to be a real leader of the team. He’s a big, strong, tall kid that will likely pitch some big games. He can be sent out on short notice and will just throw strikes.

Toby Kelman – NSW – P/C/INF: What can’t he do?! A power bat who hit the ball really hard at nationals. He’s the complete package who can pitch and catch as well as play infield.

Zavier Leigh – QLD – OF / P: One of Australia’s only left-handed bats on the team. From all reports, his nationals were stellar – he played so well he pushed his way on the team. He should be proud of how he played. “I can see him being a big contributor,” says coach Phil.

Max Minard – NSW – P/OF: A late addition to the team but make no mistake – he deserves to be here. He’s shown a lot of improvement and can really let things fly with the call-up. A versatile player.

Archer Peterson – QLD – P/INF: One of the main arms and could be in a leadership role with the team. He is a great competitor and won some epic duals with great players at the Little League Nationals.

Maisen Ricketts – VIC – C: One of the main catchers on the squad. He didn’t go to the Little League National championships (his charter didn’t make it) but coaches in Victoria speak highly of him. He is a solid defender with a good arm.

Harry Roberts – NSW – P/Util: He’s a very controlled guy who can throw a lot of innings and can play outfield and infield. He asks a lot of questions and is a good student of the game.

Litsu Tamura  – QLD – C/INF: Didn’t go to Little League Nationals because his charter didn’t make it. But Litsu trialed after the fact and made an impression. He’s another C / INF with versatility. He will play a big role. A tall kid with a big bat.

Jacob Tayler – VIC – OF / P: A fantastic young man who is very polite and an astute student of the game. he is very disciplined at training. Jacob has a strong bat that will play – a run scoring potential guy.

Harrison Thomas McLean – NSW – P: A tall leader on the team.  He is strong, throws hard and hits hard. Harrison does everything with intent.