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recap by Eric Balnar, photos and videos via WBSC and @rc_rainecreative

Australia may have lost their final game but they officially finish with their best ever placing at an Under 12 World Cup.

The game itself was close until it wasn’t.

Panama broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth inning by exploding for nine runs in their 13-3 win on Sunday afternoon.

Australia ends their tournaments with a pair of wins in the Placement Round.

They finish ninth overall. Their previous best was tenth.

recap by Eric Balnar, photos and videos via WBSC and @rc_rainecreative

Team Australia had combined for just seven hits in five games before today.

Team Australia piled on 15 total hits this afternoon during an 11-2 win over Czechia at the Under 12 World Cup in Tainan.

Two five run innings – one in the fifth and one in the sixth – was the exclamation mark o a fun afternoon.

Nine different Australians had hits. 11 reached base. Harvey Ninnis and Phil Toye led Australia with three base-knocks each.

Toye, Billy McCarthy and Preston Taylor combined on the mound to keep Czech bats at bay. The three-headed pitching monster allowed just three hits.

The win is significant. It equals their most ever wins in a U12 World Cup and could prove to give an edge over Czechia in key world ranking points.

recap by Eric Balnar, photos and videos via WBSC and @rc_rainecreative

A relentless Cuban outfit rolled to a 19-2 victory in Australia’s final Group Stage game at the Under 12 World Cup in Tainan.

Cuba scored runs in all five of their batting innings during the run rule victory.

Australia finishes the Opening Round with a 1-4 record and will advance to the Placement Round to figure out who finishes between 7-12.

Germany and Cuba also move to the Placement Round from Pool A.

EVENT HUB: Follow Team Australia at the 2025 U12 World Cup

Cuba flexed their muscles early. Yuceider Torres hit a two-run homer in the first inning to build a 3-0 lead.

Torres finished the day with two hits and five RBI to lead all Cuban players.

Cuba totalled twelve hits on the morning. They slammed the door shut with an emphatic five-run fourth and six-run fifth.

Australia hung tough even when the scoreline started to pile up. Team Manager Matt O’Neill would feel good about a plucky fourth inning where his team brough nine batters to the plate and cashed in a couple runs.

Ethan Uncle and Billy McArthy had RBI singles.

Australia used six pitchers in the loss. Ethan Uncle looked in command, pitching 1.0 innings allowing one hit, no walks and no runs.

Now Australia shifts their attention to the Placement Round with five other opponents. It begins tomorrow.

All teams record vs opponents from which they’ve played carries over. So, Australia begins the Placement Round with a 1-1 record with games upcoming vs Panama, Czechia and South Africa. The full standings can be found below.

STATS / BOX SCORE

Click here for the official box score. 

STANDINGS AFTER GAME’S CONCLUSION

Top three teams advance to Super Round. Bottom three teams move on to Placement Round

Pool A

Japan 4-1
Mexico 4-1
Chinese Taipei 4-1
—
Cuba 2-3
Australia 1-4
Germany 0-4

Pool B

Korea 5-0
United States 4-1
Dominican Republic 3-2
—
Panama 2-3
Czechia 1-4
South Africa 0-5

PLACEMENT ROUND STANDINGS

7 – Cuba 2-0
7 – Panama 2-0
9 – Australia 1-1
9 – Czechia 1-1
11 – South Africa 0-2
11 – Germany 0-2

UPCOMING GAMES:

– TBD

MORE LINKS

• WBSC Event Hub
• Team Australia Tournament Hub 

recap by Eric Balnar, photos and videos via WBSC and @rc_rainecreative

If you give a well polished team like Japan an inch, they will take a mile.

That seemed to be theme in Japan’s 15-0 run-rule win over Australia on Tuesday at the Under 12 World Cup.

Let’s start with their pitching. The trio of Toshiki Maruyama, Ryota Shimizu and Jota Shimohira didn’t allow a hit or walk while striking out six in their 4.0 innings of work. Perfect.

Their offense was opportunistic.

Headlined by a ten-run fourth inning, Japan tallied 12 hits and nine walks. In true Japanese fashion, only one of those hits was for extra-bases.

Luku Masuda started well for Australia. He threw 1.2 innings and kept a donut on the board in the first inning.

Japan took the lead for good in the second. After a pair of Japanese baserunners reached off a walk and a misfield, two runs were scored off an RBI single and a wild pitch.

It could have been more, but Izaac Johnson worked his way out of a jam in relief.

EVENT HUB: Follow Team Australia at the 2025 U12 World Cup

A single and three walks to start the third gave Japan more than ample opportunity to add to their scoreline. A bases-loaded walk, a ground out to first and a sacrifice fly increased the lead to 5-0.

Through it all, Felix Moncrieff entered the game and retired all three batters he faced.

Japan pulled away with a damaging ten-run fourth inning. Nine singles and three walks pushed the game into run-rule territory.

Japan (4-0) secured their spot in Super Round with their fourth victory of the tournament.

Australia, destined for the placement round, falls to 1-3. They play Cuba (1-3) next on Wednesday in a make-up game from Tuesday’s washed out contest. The time has yet to be confirmed.

STATS / BOX SCORE

Click here for the official box score.

STANDINGS AFTER GAME’S CONCLUSION

Top three teams advance to Super Round. Bottom three teams move on to Placement Round

Pool A

Japan 4-0
Mexico 3-0
Chinese Taipei 3-1
—
Australia 1-3
Cuba 1-3
Germany 0-4

Pool B

Korea 4-0
United States 3-1
Dominican Republic 2-1
—
Panama 2-2
Czechia 0-4
South Africa 0-4

UPCOMING GAMES:

– July 30, Time TBD:  Australia vs Cuba (0-3)

MORE LINKS

• WBSC Event Hub
• Team Australia Tournament Hub 

recap by Eric Balnar, photos and videos via WBSC and @rc_rainecreative

Ten different players reached base as Australia patiently worked 13 walks in a 9-2 win over Germany on Day 3 of the Under 12 World Cup.

It’s the first win of the tournament for Team Australia, improving their record to 1-2.

Phillip Toye, Billy McCarthy and Preston Taylor helped limit the German offense in a strong pitching performace.

Australia was anchored by a tremendous “do-it-all” performance by Toye.

The starting pitcher delivered big moments for Australia both on the mound and at the plate.

He has a fun stat line to read: 3.0 innings, 6 strikeouts, 1 earned run, 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 2 stolen bases.

Toye helped weaved his way out of trouble on multiple occasions, using the strikeout to strand five German baserunners in his three innings of work.

“Phil was outstanding tonight,” says team manager Matt O’Neill. “He was able to get ahead in counts and pitch to a lot of week contact. He was backed up well by Billy McCarthy and Preston Taylor. Reef Bevan was excellent behind the plate for us, too.”

Toye may be the headliner but this was an overwhelmingly positive team-effort from the Australians.

EVENT HUB: Follow Team Australia at the 2025 U12 World Cup

Ten different players reached base off 13 walks and four hits.

Izaac Johnson, Phil Toye, Liam Kelly and Preston Taylor each had base-knocks. Harvey Ninnis, Luku Masuda, Ben Beezley and Liam Kelly each produced two walks.

“The fielding was also excellent tonight,” says O’Neill. “They made some big plays.”

Australia pulled away in a four-run fourth inning large in part to six straight German walks.

Here’s how the game unfolded.

Australia scored their first runs of the World Cup in the second inning.

Luku Masuda, Liam Kelly and Reef Bevan all walked to put runners on.  It loaded the bases for for Izzy Astill who executed a sacrifice fly to push a run across the plate.

The next batter, Preston Taylor, promptly dumped a ball into shallow centrefield to increase the Aussie advantage to 2-0.

It could have been more, but the Germans pulled off a 9-2 double-play to end the inning.

Germany poked their heads on the scoreboard in the third. A two-out single up the middle cut the lead in half.

But Australia countered Germany’s inning ending play-at-the-plate with one of their own. Reef Bevan tagged out an agressive German runner trying to swipe home.

Toye increased Australia’s lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth with an RBI single.

Then, patience paid off. Australia worked six consequetive walks to add another three runs to the scoreboard with RBI to Ben Beezley and Izaac Johnson.

6-1.

Lismore’s Billy McCarthy then took over for Toye. He pitched a clean fourth inning before the Germans struck in the fifth off an RBI single from Tim Kruger.

McCarthy’s final line: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 3 SO.

Australia added two more in the sixth thanks three more walks and a wild pitch.

Preston Taylor allowed just one base-runner in his closing effort for Australia.

Despite the loss, Germany actually outhit Australia 6-4.

Australia (1-2) will face Cuba (0-3) tomorrow at 5:00PM AEST in a game that will go a long way in determining where they finish. Germany faces Japan.

STATS / BOX SCORE

Click here for the official box score.

STANDINGS AFTER GAME’S CONCLUSION

Top three teams advance to Super Round. Bottom three teams move on to Placement Round

Pool A

Japan 3-0
Mexico 3-0
Chinese Taipei 2-1
—
Australia 1-2
Germany 0-3
Cuba 0-3

Pool B

United States 3-0
Korea 3-0
Dominican Republic 2-1
—
Panama 1-2
Czechia 0-3
South Africa 0-3

UPCOMING GAMES:

– July 28, 4:30PM AEST:  Australia vs Cuba (0-3)
– July 29, 12:30PM AEST: Australia. vs Japan (2-0)

MORE LINKS

• WBSC Event Hub
• Team Australia Tournament Hub 

recap by Eric Balnar, photos and videos via WBSC and rainecreative

Chinese Taipei were near perfect in their 13-0 victory.

Five different pitchers spread across 5.0 innings combined to allow just one hit and three baserunners.

A few thousand locals piled into the stadium in 30+ degree heat and humidity to watch the tournament hosts improve to 2-0.

If Chinese Taipei were near perfect, Australia was not. Eight walks and an error gave too much room for their counterparts to maneuvre.

Australia did pick up their hit and make a pair of nice defensive plays, but ultimately fall to 0-2.

Here’s how the game unfolded:

recap by Eric Balnar, photos and videos via WBSC

Iker Cavillo and Bryan Bareno combined for a no-hitter, while Gaston Gaxiola went deep, in Mexico’s 10-0 win over Australia to open the 2025 Under 12 World Cup, presented by RAXUS.

Cavillo, the Mexican starter, was dominant.

He tossed 4.0 innings with no hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

Bareno followed suit with a perfect 1-2-3 fifth inning. The game was called after five innings due to run rule.

EVENT HUB: Follow Team Australia at the 2025 U12 World Cup

The Mexican pitching was supported well by a strong batting performance.

They came out flying. Mexico tagged Australia for three runs off four hits in the first. Doubles from Emiliano Felex and Iker Cavillo provided a punch.

Two more doubles in the third increased the Mexico advantage to 5-0.

Then came the thunder.

They pulled away with a thunderous three-run homer off the bat of Gaston Gaxiola.

Despite the scoreline, there were some nice moments for the Australians in their first game.

Many of them came in the field.

Billy McCarthy had a pair of strikeouts in his 1.1 innings of relief, including a clutch strikeout with runners on in the second inning to keep Mexico off the board.

Zeke Coughlin induced an inning-ending double play in the third, backed up by some tidy work in the field from shortstop Phillip Toye and firstbaseman Ben Beezley.

Liam Kelly took a nice little catch in right-field too.

In the fifth, Zeke Coughlin showed off his muscle by throwing a runner out.

Mexico sealed the game in the fifth with a pair of two-out hits to push the scoreline to 10-0.

Australia was able to use twelve different players in the loss, allowing a good chunk of the squad to grab their first taste of international World Cup Baseball.

“I’m really happy with the effort from the team today,” says Australia’s manager Matt O’Neill. “We ran into a strong offensive lineup but were able to push them the whole way.” Billy McCarthy was big in the middle for us – he was able to keep the Mexican hitters off balance.”

Australia will have some time to recover before playing vs hosts Chinese Taipei on Saturday night at 8:30PM AEST.

STATS / BOX SCORE

STANDINGS AFTER GAME’S CONCLUSION

Top three teams advance to Super Round. Bottom three teams move on to Placement Round

Pool A

Mexico 1-0
Cuba
Chinese Taipei
Germany
Japan
Australia 0-1

Pool B

Dominican Republic 1-0
Korea
Panama
South Africa
United States
Czechia 0-1

UPCOMING GAMES:

– July 26, 8:30PM AEST:  Australia vs Chinese Taipei
– July 27, 8:30PM AEST:  Australia vs Germany
– July 28, 4:30PM AEST:  Australia vs Cuba
– July 29, 12:30PM AEST: Australia. vs Japan

MORE LINKS

• WBSC Event Hub
• Team Australia Tournament Hub 

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has revealed the groups and schedule for this year’s Under 12 World Cup in Taiwan.