23 November 2024
U18 World Cup Qualifiers Event Hub | Australia wins best-of-five series, advances to 2025 U18 World Cup
Australia has qualified for the 2025 WBSC U18 World Baseball Cup after defeating New Zealand in a best-of-five series in Blacktown by a score of 5-0.
Australia will play at the World Cup in Japan, 2025.
Game recaps are below. Scroll down for rosters and info.
LIVE SCORING LINK: Follow on Game Changer
Live Update: Australia leads best-of-five series 2-0.
Game 1 – Thursday 5 December – Australia 10 def New Zealand 0
Game 2 – Thursday 5 December – Australia 4 def New Zealand 2
Game 3 – Friday 6 December – Australia 19 def New Zealand 6
Game 4 – Sunday 8 December – Australia 11 def New Zealand 1
Game 5 – Sunday 8 December – Australia 5 def New Zealand 0
RECAPS
Game 5 – Australia 5 def New Zealand 0
Four Australian pitchers combined to one-hit New Zealand to wrap up the series.
Riley Peoples (3.0 innings), Mitch Evans (2.0 innings), Deakin Filko (1.0 innings) and Will Couzner (1.0) looked in fantastic form in the win.
New Zealand managed just one hit in the seance inning. The pitchers combined to strike out six batters and allowed just one walk.
Zach Altamura cashed in the first run of the game in the first inning on a two-out RBI single.
Ben Nesbit helped score a pair in the second to push Australia out to a 3-0 lead. Christian Lane and Riley Cooper each drove in a run to round out the scoring in the fifth.
It’s Australia’s fifth victory in the five game series.
Game 4 – Australia 11 def New Zealand 1
Australia has jumped out to a 4-0 series lead after another impressive batting display.
Max Durrington chipped in with three hits and two walks from the lead-off spot. Riley Cooper led the offence, going 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Australia came firing out of a cannon. They opened play with a pair of singles to Max Durrington & Ben Nesbitt.
Andrew Land followed by doubling in the first run. Three straight walks led to two more runs.
Riley Cooper soared Australia away with a two RBI single.
5-0 Australia, all before the first out.
Mason Malkoun added a sixth run with a ground out RBI.
Australia added two more in the sixth, and another pair in the seventh.
On the mound, Ethan Bickell provided a great start. He went 4.0 innings allowing just three hits, one run, two walks while striking out four.
Damien Wilson and Tyler Howarth closed things out for the Aussies.
Game 3- Australia 19 def New Zealand 6
It took about six hours because of rain & lightning delays, but Australia brought the thunder on Friday afternoon to take a 3-0 series lead.
The win guarantees a best-of-five series victory for Australia, with two games still to be played. We’re going to the U18 World Cup!
Ten different Australians reached in this one. Tahlan Cavill and Ben Nesbit each had two hits. Cavill had four RBI.
Max Durrington and Andrew Land secured a pair of base knocks for Australia.
Zach Altamura had three walks, Mason Malkoun had two.
Nesbit and Land also chipped in with 3 RBI.
Australia stormed ahead with a seven run third inning to put the game beyond reach for the Kiwis.
Game 2 – Australia 10 def New Zealand 0
Australia is knocking on the door of the 2025 Under-18 World Cup after a hard-fought win over New Zealand to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
A strong start from Mitch Evans on the mound and a pivotal fifth inning loomed large for the Aussies in the win.
All players in the starting line-up reached base.
Seven different Australians combined for eight hits: Mason Malkoun, Max Durrington, Ben Nesbit (x2), Zach Altamura, Andrew Land, Christian Lane and Riley Cooper.
Liam Kiddle and Cooper Teichmann had walks.
Altamura and Land had the RBIs for Australia.
Mitch Evans (SA) was superb in his start. He threw 4.0 innings, allowing one hit, two walks and struck out four.
Australia put their first runs on the board with a two-out rally in the third. Zach Altamura (SA) cashed in his fourth RBI of the day with a single which was promptly followed by an RBI single Andrew Land (VIC) to double the lead.
New Zealand cut the lead in half in the fifth off a sacrifice fly.
But another two-out rally in the fifth proved to be the difference for the Aussie hosts.
With the bases loaded, Riley Cooper singled in a run. A walk to Liam Kiddle and just like that, Australia earned a 4-1 advantage.
The runs were important because New Zealand wouldn’t quit. They added a run of an RBI from H. Wong and had two base-runners on with one out.
Australian pitchers Will Couzner and Riley Peoples held their nerve, striking out two batters to escape the jam.
Peoples continued his fine form in the seventh & final inning, working a 1-2-3 frame.
Australia returns to the diamond for Game 3 on Friday at 3:00PM. They lead the best-of-five series 3-0.
Game 1 – Australia 10 def New Zealand 0
Photo: Damien Garth. Recap: Eric Balnar.
Australia has secured a run-rule victory in the first game of five-game qualification series for the 2025 U18 World Cup.
It was a full-blown team effort with multiple characters contributing on the box score.
Max Durrington, Andrew Land and Zac Altamura all had two hits.
Andrew Land (VIC) opened the scoring for Australia in the first with a two-RBI single. They added another with a bases-loaded walk to lead 3-0 after one.
Zac Altamura (SA, below)) soared the Aussies in front with a bases clearing double in the second inning to push the scoreline to 7-0.
A Ben Nesbit sacrifice fly moved the score to 8-0 in the third.
New South Wales pitcher Damien Wilson turned in a great start for the Aussies. He went 3.1 innings allowing just four hits while strikeout out six.
South Australian Tyler Green followed with 2.1 innings of one-hit work with one strikeout.
Australia next plays at 3:00PM with a 1-0 series lead.
ROSTER
There has also been a roster adjustment. Queensland outfielder Liam Kiddle and Queensland catcher Cooper Teichmann have been added to the squad ahead of the qualifying event. The updated roster is below.
