30 September 2022
U-18 BASEBALL WORLD CUP RECAP
Team Australia have concluded their XXX World Cup campaign with a 7-2 victory over South Africa to finish ninth. Touching down in Florida on 28th of August, the touring team of over 45 players and coaches saw their first taste of international competition since 2019.
Bringing together some of Australia’s best underage players, the tour saw Team Australia preparing for the World Cup at The Perfect Game’s Fort Myers facility, which included lead up games against Chinese Taipei, Canada and the USA.
The WBSC’s 30th U-18 World Championship was contested over 50 games, with the world’s best young baseball prospects and teams battling it out over nine days of competition at LECOM Park and Ed Smith Stadium.
Group A featured host No. 5 USA, No. 3 Korea, No. 8 Netherlands, No. 12 Canada, No. 25 Brazil and No. 26 South Africa.
Group B featured world No. 1 Japan, No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 4 Mexico, No. 10 Australia, No. 13 Panama and No. 17 Italy.
The top three teams from Group A played the top three teams from Group B in the Super Round, with the top two teams meeting ‘For the Title of World Champion’ which was awarded to Team USA.
In Team Australia’s final game four Australian pitchers combined to pitch a one-hitter in their last game at the XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.
World No. 10 Australia closed their participation at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup with a 7-2 victory over South Africa, ranked 26th in the world, in the last game played at LECOM Park.
Travelling across the world to compete against the best in the World was an exciting experience for the athletes.
Baseball Australia’s GM of Performance Pathways & Player Development Michael Crooks put the tour into perspective.
“The opportunity for our talented young players to recommence international competition is critical for our athletes. With the majority of two years lost to lockdown and weather events in Australia, our players have not been able to play in any higher-level tournaments since January 2020. “
“While we have done everything in our power to simulate higher level events locally, there is nothing like international competition, and all of our touring party, players and coaches, will be better off for the experiences in August and September. We look forward to this tour providing the foundation for our player’s growth into the future.”
In earlier matches Australia kicked off their campaign with a loss to Mexico (9-5) Chinese Taipei (13-2) and Japan (0-10) before securing their first win again Italy (5-4) in Game 4. With the game ties at two, Australia scored three in the top of the seventh and then withstood Italy’s last attack to clinch the win.
On day five Team Australia has a narrow loss to Panama (2-3) and Canada held on in a (7-6) thriller to open Placement Round.
Brazil came within one strike from a win that would have meant a seventh-place finish with one game to play in the Placement Round, but Team Australia tied the game in the seventh with their first hit and went on to win (5-4) in the ninth.
Team Australia now returns to home to the 2023 WBSC U-18 Qualifier in December and the Australian Youth Championships returning to their regular scheduling in January.
Crooks said, “We have a very exciting summer of baseball planned for our performance pathways players. The return of the AYC’s under the new format trialled at the U16’s last July is exciting, but in addition, we have additional competition content that will tie into the event with our overseas partners that we will be announcing soon”
“Equally, the ability for the U-18 age group to get a taste of more international competition within the World Cup Qualifier in December will round out a huge summer for our players. We look forward to sharing the details of that event once they are finalised.”
Looking ahead the U-23 team begins their World Cup campaign on the 14th of October. To keep up with all the action head to Team Australia’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
