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Fifty of the best junior baseball players from across the country will attend Australia’s Under 18 National Junior Camp on the Gold Coast this week with World Cup roster spots on the line.

At the end of the camp, the 50 players will be cut down to 20. Those players will represent Australia at the Under 18 World Cup from August 31 – September 10 in Taiwan

The camp is hosted at Surfers Paradise Baseball Club and will run from August 13 – 20.

Baseball Australia released the initial 28 players selected for the camp in February, but 22 more players have been added.

National Player Development Manager Andrew Riddell says coaches and scouts across Australia have been keeping a close eye on the best junior talent from across the country.

“After our national championships in January, 28 players received invites based off their performances while playing for their state,” he says. “Since then, we’ve kept track of players around Australia while they were training in their high-performance programs. The additional players were selected because of their hard work – and now they have the same opportunity to wear the Green & Gold.”

There is a spread of talent from across the country, including 15 from New South Wales, 11 from Victoria, 9 from Queensland, 8 from Western Australia, 5 from South Australia and 2 from Country New South Wales.

“We’re looking forward to getting to Surfers and letting the 50 players go at it to determine who represents Australia in Tawain,” says Riddell.

Players will partake in morning training sessions every day, with games played each afternoon.

If you’d like to arrange a story or media, please contact Eric Balnar at eric.balnar@baseball.com.au or at 0409 294 647.

This camp is proudly supported by the City of Gold Coast.

all photos via WBSC

Mexico won a wild one. In extra innings, nonetheless.

The Mexicans scored their first ever Women’s Baseball World Cup victory defeating Australia 16-8 in bonus innings in Group A action.

The scoreline is deceptive. The game was decided in a tiebreaker, after all.

The Emeralds trailed 5-2 and 8-5 during the game. They erased both of those three-run deficits in a plucky comeback attempt. Mexico just could not be contained in extras.

There was a dramatic moment to get there. Ticara Geldenhuis (NSW) forced extra-innings by delivering a two-out, two-RBI base hit to lock the game at eight.

It wasn’t meant to be. Errors and walks cost Australia in the tie-break inning, with Mexico scoring eight-runs off just two hits, including a massive three run homerun.

In the game, only eight of Mexico’s runs were earned. Australia allowed eight unearned runs in the loss.

To be fair, Mexico seemed to deliver in the moments that mattered the most. A two-out, two-RBI double in third inning, and the same again in the fifth, scored four of Mexico’s runs in the win. The three-run homer in extras was also handy.

Australia didn’t help themselves. They made five costly errors during the game.

Mexico outhit Australia 9-7.

Morgan Doty and Kelsey Brennan each had two hits for the Emeralds. Gen Beacom had two RBIs.

Ticara Geldenhuis reached three times and had two RBI.

It’s now desperate times for the Emeralds. They need to finish in the Top 3 of their group to have a chance at advancing to the World Cup Finals Round in 2024.

Australia has three remaining games this week – vs Korea, Hong-Kong and Canada. They will need to win all of them – and get a little bit of help. It is still very possible.

The Emeralds have been in position to win each of their games.

Australia’s next game is tomorrow morning at 1:30AM AEST vs Korea. The loser is likely eliminated.

BOX SCORE: Click here.

Game Recap

Australia jumped Mexico early with two early runs off backs of an aggressive approach.

They scored their first run of the game off a perfectly executed double-steal. Morgan Doty applied the pressure at home and Ticara Geldenhuis snuck in at home. 1-0.

Gen Beacom swung early in a count and drove a ball to right to score Doty and record Australia’s second run of the inning.

Defensive miscues got the better of Australia in the third inning. Australia made three errors and hit a batter in the inning, allowing Mexico to score five runs on just one hit.

That ‘one hit’, however, was damaging. Daniela Aguilar hammered a ball off the wall with two-outs and bases-loaded to put Mexico up 5-2

Australia wasted no time issuing a response.

A Shae Lillywhite walk, and Morgan Doty single, put two runners on for Abbey McLellan. The Victorian slugger drilled a ball to left field to score one.

Gen Beacom followed with her second RBI of the game. 5-4. In her first World Cup game, Carly Moore leveled the scores at five during the next at-bat with a rocket off the bat, an RBI double to left.

Mexico regained the lead in the fourth on a fielder’s choice.

Mexico added another clutch punch in the fifth inning. Marcela Diaz delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to plate a pair of runs and increase the lead to 8-5.

The Emeralds pressured in the sixth. With two-outs, Australia managed to squeeze a runner on first and third but couldn’t find a clutch hit.

Morgan Doty pitched a crucial 1-2-3 seventh, holding Mexico off the scoreboard.

It was important. Australia had a magnificent bottom of the last.

Early hits and a pair of walks loaded the bases. Another walk cashed in a run to cut the lead to 8-6.

Then, with two outs, enter Ticara Geldenhuis.

The New South Wales-native delivered a dramatic two RBI base hit to tie the game at eight and force extras.

Australia had a chance to win it the next at-bat, but the Mexican pitcher got Shae Lillywhite to strike out swinging.

Mexico seized back momentum in extra innings. With tie-breaker rules in effect (runners on first and second to start the inning), Mexico laid down a bunt. A throwing error by Doty cashed in two runs. And it piled on from there.

Trademarked by a three-run homer by Dianna Ibarra, Mexico made a statement.

Mexico scored eight runs off two hits in the eigth inning.

A heartbreaker for Australia, but there is still hope.

BOX SCORE: Click here.

Tournament Standings (as of conclusion of day)

1. United States of America – 2-0
2. Canada – 2-0
3. Hong Kong – 1-1
4. Mexico – 1-1
5. Australia – 0-2
6. Korea – 0-2

Australia pushed powerhouse baseball nation United States to their limit, but ultimately fell 3-2, in a high-drama opening game of the Women’s Baseball World Cup.

The USA tagged out the tying run in a dramatic play at the plate in the penultimate inning during a game that had a bit of everything – including a wild thunderstorm.

The Emeralds left it all out on the field. They clawed back from a 3-0 deficit to get within one run heading into the last inning. Australia even had two runners in scoring position – including a potential game winning run.

Australia out-hit and out-chanced the favoured Americans. Unfortunately, they couldn’t outscore them.

One of the big reasons why? A masterful pitching performance from American starter Elise Berger.

From the moment the umpire said “play ball”, her stuff was on.

Her breaking ball was dancing, her fastball filled up the zone, and she induced tons of soft contact to stymy the Emeralds’ bats. She even survived a one-hour rain delay after the first inning.

She left the game allowing just one run and two hits through 5.2 innings of work.

A five-walk third inning was Australia’s downfall. The blemish accounted for two of America’s three runs.

Let’s not mince words: the United States team is loaded. The squad features superstars of the game including men’s league professional player Kelsie Whitmore, the first woman to play NCAA Division I men’s baseball Olivia Pichardo, and 2015 Pan-Am Games gold medalist Anna Kimbrell.

The Emeralds got solid pitching from starter Genevieve Beacom and reliever Allie Bebbere.

Beacom (VIC) pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two runs off no hits and four walks. Bebbere (VIC) pitched the remaining 3.1 innings, conceding just one run and allowing two hits.

Ticara Geldenhuis (NSW), Morgan Doty (VIC/WA), Abbey McLellan (VIC), Claire O’Sullivan (NSW), Caitlin Eynon (WA) and Jordan Richardson (NSW) combined for Australia’s six hits.

Eynon and McLellan had the runs batted in for the Emeralds.

Catch up Emeralds’ news, stories and media from across the country at our International Hub.

Next up for Australia (0-1) is a date with Mexico (0-0). They play at 5:30AM AEST in a crucial Group A clash.

The Top 2 finishers in Group A and B advance to the Championship Round, held in Canada in 2024. Two wild card spots will also be awarded.

The Emeralds have run of games vs Mexico, Korea, Hong Kong and Canada over the next four days. They’ll likely need to win three of them to advance.

Game Recap – As It Happened

Above: Allie Bebbere in relief for Australia. Photo: Brendan Beacom.

When the first pitch of the game cruised over the plate you could tell it was going to be a day for the pitchers.

The weather was a factor, too. A local storm to Thunder Bay brought heavy gusts of wind – hitters would always have trouble driving the ball deep into the outfield.

Emeralds’ starter Gen Beacom and American starter Elise Berger went toe-to-toe in the first two innings. Neither pitcher allowed a hit.

A thunder, lightning & rainstorm swept across the diamond after the first inning, delaying the contest for an hour and knocking over the right field fence. When we returned, the pitchers picked up right where they left off.

Beacom sat down the first seven batters she faced, mixing in three strikeouts along the way – all of them looking.

⚡⚾ Genevieve Beacom’s stuff! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/yypAZqO9an

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 8, 2023

Her sizzling start came to a halt in the third. The United States worked four walks off Beacom in the third, including three-straight. The Americans scored a run off of a wild pitch to take the early lead.

The final line on Beacom: 2.2 innings, two earned runs with no hits and four walks.

Allie Bebbere entered the game in the bottom of the third inning with bases loaded and two outs. She walked in one run and got a shallow fly ball off the dangerous Olivia Pichardo to limit the damage.

2-0 USA after four.

Australia had a base-runner in three of the first four innings but struggled to find that one decisive blow.

The woman behind the Emeralds’ frustrations was starting pitcher Elise Berger. The right-hander’s breaking ball was on point, mixing it well with her fast ball. She induced a lot of soft-contact ground balls and allowed just one hit with no walks through her first five innings.

Berger’s final line: 5.2 innings, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and 1 strike out.

The USA’s defense was on song, too.

👏 Great play to end the inning! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/hR1O3JrJnh

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 8, 2023

USA added a crucial third run in the bottom of the fourth.

But Australia made a move in the fifth inning.

Ticara Geldenhuis had a lead-off walk. With two-outs, Abbey McClellan’s two-out infield RBI scored the Emeralds first run and chased Berger from the game.

The Emeralds promptly the bases after the pitching change. With two outs, Caitlin Eynon lined a ball to left field which scored one run, but the USA tagged the tying run out at the plate.

⚡💪 Great throw by Jillian Albayati to avoid the tying run! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/AyxKuaBz52

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 8, 2023

Bebbere continued her excellent form in the bottom of the sixth, tallying a crucial strikeout with an American insurance run standing in scoring position.

The final line on Bebbere: 3.1 innings with 3 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks and 2 strike outs.

It allowed Australia to pressure in the seventh and final inning. The Emeralds managed to bring two base runners to the basepaths with just one out.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t find the knock out blow.

👏🇺🇸 USA win a fantastic baseball game against Australia! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/Sfdwk50Yop

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 8, 2023

Australia will reset and play tomorrow vs Mexico in a game the Emeralds need to win.

BOX SCORE: Click here.

Photo: Brendan Beacom

The Emeralds have touched down in Canada and are ready for the Women’s World Cup of Baseball.

It’s a huge moment for these 20 players and the staff. They have five ‘Group A’ games of baseball to play vs fierce international opponents between August 9-13 in Thunder Bay, Canada.

If the Emeralds finish in the Top 2 in their group, they will advance to the 2024 Championship Round in Canada. If the Emeralds finish third, they are still in good position to gain a Wild Card entry to the 2024 round. Anything lower? Their campaign comes to an end.

You can learn about the team and each of the players + how the roster is constructed by clicking here.

The Australian media is starting to pick up on the Emeralds and their stories too.

We will be updating an ongoing list at our International Hub but have provided a list below.

Make sure you follow Team Australia Baseball for up-to-date stories, news and behind-the-scenes content.

Baseball.com.au

1. “Our Why” – Emeralds share their “why” as they prepare to take on the world
2. The Emeralds – Meet the Members of the Women’s World Cup Team
3. Roster Construction Strategy – Why Australia is focusing on versatility at the Women’s World Cup

Online / Print News

1. Herald Sun: Herald Sun – Meet the 20 Women representing Australia at the Women’s World Cup
2. National News: ABC News – Carly Moore is the first South Australian to make the Women’s World Cup
3. ACT in Canada:  Meet the two ACT players going to the World Cup
4. Magazine Story: CITYMAG – Profile on Emeralds’ catcher Carly Moore
5. Meet Gen Beacom: Hard throwing Australian making International News.

Radio / TV

• Young Guns (WIN Canberra): Erwin and Patton make Team Australia, ready for the World (WIN News)
• Radio Shae Lillywhite: RADIO – Shae Lillywhite on ABC Grandstand (Starts at 29:00)
• Podcast: Gen Beacom to appear on this week’s podcast of the Female Athlete Project (follow on Insta or wherever you get your podcasts)
• Podcast: Various Interviews on “Inside Pitch”

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.

🇨🇿 Czechia executed a brilliant 5-4-3 double play to end the 4th inning! – VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup#BaseballWorldCupU12 pic.twitter.com/jGkU8AXYKR

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 5, 2023

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