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The Under 18 Baseball World Cup starts this time next week.

Australia’s contingent of top young talent flies out late Thursday to Taiwan. They’ll have a week to prepare for the tournament.

They’ll need every second of preparation they can get – the competition is top notch.

Australia has finalised their roster for next week’s 2023 Under 18 World Cup of Baseball in Taiwan.

Australia and Curaçao battled in an entertaining contest at the Little League World Series, but the Carribean nation edged out the Sydney-side 2-1.

It certainly is a grand stage for this U13 event and a heck of an experience for Australia, represented by NSW charter Hills.

Australia ended their Women’s World Cup campaign on a high note with a 9-2 win over Hong Kong on Monday morning.

The game was much closer than the scoreline suggests. The Emeralds trailed 2-0 in the fifth inning and were being no-hit.

Claire O’Sullivan (NSW) recorded two of her three runs batted in on the afternoon with a clutch two-out double in the fifth to put Australia up 3-2, helping to erase an early 2-0 deficit.

The Emeralds piled on the runs in the seventh, scoring six times to put the game beyond doubt.

O’Sullivan went 2-for-3 with 3RBI. Morgan Doty also pieced together a 2-for-3 afternoon with a pair of RBIs to her name.

Lili Cavanagh and Gen Beacom also each had two hits. In total, Australia had 10 base knocks.

The Emeralds got solid pitching throughout the game, limiting Hong Kong  to just three hits.

Maddison Erwin (ACT) opened the game with 2.2 innings of work, allowing two unearned runs off two hits. Maddison Tabrett (NSW) pitched 3.1 innings of relief with one hit, no walks and no runs. Ash Patton (ACT) pitched a clean seventh inning to round things out.

Australia finishes Group A in fourth place with a 2-3 record. Unfortunately, the Emeralds fall just short of advancing to the Final Round in 2024. Australia either led or had the winning run in scoring position in all games played.

You can read about the tournament and view the game recaps at our international hub at www.baseball.com.au/internationalhub.

BOX SCORE – Australia def. Hong Kong

Game Recap

Maddie Erwin started well on the mound for the Aussies. She weaved a perfect first two innings to keep zeros on the board.

The Emeralds had their chances early. They loaded the bases in the second but starting pitcher Yin Sum Kwong struck out Kelsey Brennan to end the inning.

In total, Australia left six baserunners on through the first four innings but couldn’t convert.

Despite the six base runners, none of them were actually hits – they all came off walks and errors.

It didn’t help that Hong Kong made some highlight reel defensive plays to keep bats at bay.

WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup players 1️⃣
WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup wall 0️⃣#BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/nkvmndeRdm

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 13, 2023

Hong Kong plated a pair in the third inning. With two outs and nobody on, Hong Kong started a rally. A walk and hit put two runners on, and then Australia made two errors to account for the two runs.

Yin Sum Kwong put forward a heck-of-an-effort for Hong Kong. She held Australia hitless through the first 4.2 innings with five strike outs.

Finally, Emerald bats woke from their slumber with two outs and nobody on in the fifth.

Lili Cavanagh, Gen Beacom, Leah Cornish and Claire O’Sullivan strung together four consecutive hits to put Australia on the board.

Cornish had an RBI to make it 2-1 and chase Kwong from the game.

Claire O’Sullivan went bang on one of the first pitches she saw from new pitcher Yik Shan Hung. The veteran slugged a ball deep into the outfield to score Beacom and Cornish and give Australia the lead.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, struggled to get anything going offensively after their two runs in the third.

Maddison Tabrett was excellent in relief of Erwin, throwing 3.1 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball.

Australia put up a lopsided number in the seventh inning to seal the deal. Five hits, a walk, a hit-by pitch and a sacrifice fly accounted for six runs in the damaging getaway inning.

O’Sullivan, Gen Beacom, Carly Moore, Morgan Doty and Lili Cavanagh had the hits in the seventh for Australia. Doty had a two-run RBI, O’Sullivan plated a run, while Jordan Richardson and Caitlin Eynon had sacrfice flies.

16-year-old Ash Patton finished the game off with a tidy 1-2-3 inning including two strikeouts.

Standings

1. USA – 5-0
2. Canada – 3-1
3. Mexico – 3-2
4. Australia – 2-3
5. Hong Kong – 1-4
6. Korea – 0-4

Czechia scored their six winning runs in the top of the last inning to upend Australia in an 8-3 win during the first game of the Junior League World Series (U15).

The scoreline is deceptive. This was a closely contested game until Czechia exploded for six runs in the seventh inning.

The Wanneroo Giants, representing Australia at the major junior event in Michigan, gave the Czech-side from Brno a run for their money.

Quinn Fatai had a tremendous start for the Aussies. He tossed 6.0 innings of three hit baseball, allowing just two runs off three hits.

The Giants scattered ten hits throughout the afternoon and had some solid scoring opportunities. The scored two in the first inning and one in the last.

Chayse Benseman starred for Australia with the bat, going 2-for-3 with all three RBIs. Cooper Barber and Quinn Fatai also had two hits.

Quinn Fatai, Dylan Bandy Sebastian Beazley, Jaxon Elliot and Xavier De Haas rounded out the hitting for Australia.

Lukas Urbanek had three hits for the Czechs, and Lukas Kincl knocked in three runs to lead the charge from the opposition.

David Barton was the man to beat on the mound for the Czechs.

Czechia struck first in the first inning with a single run. Australia responded right away.

The Giants opened the game with three straight singles, including a two-RBI hit from Benseman. The Czechs tied it up right away.

From there, the game went into a pitcher’s dual. Both Barton and Fatai were tremendous. They bent but never really broke.

Each team had some nice defensive plays.

Finally, the Czechs punched through in the seventh. The damage was done when nine straight players from Czechia reached the basepaths, and the team systematically ran up the score for six runs.

Australia actually ended the seventh on a nice double play.

Australia got a couple base runners in an attempted comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Benseman was able to drive in his third RBI of the game.

Wanneroo plays their next game on Tuesday 15 August at 11:00PM AWST (11:00AM local time, 1:00AM AEST) vs an opponent to be determined later. It’s a must win – a second loss would end the Giants’ run at the major US event.

The schedule can be found here.

Australia lost a heartbreaker at the Women’s World Cup.

The Emeralds erased a 4-0 deficit to take a late three run lead, but Canada put up crooked numbers in the final two innings to race home to an 11-7 in Group A action from Thunder Bay.

This contest was wild. It had more up-and-downs than a Gold Coast roller coaster.

Canada took a 4-0 lead in the third-inning but the Emeralds showed great resolve.

A dramatic five run fifth inning – complete with a pair of clutch two-out, two-strike, two-RBI knocks from Caitlin Eynon and Abbey Kelley – helped the Emeralds storm to a 7-4 lead.

The advantage didn’t last long. Canada scored three in the sixth to tie it and added four more in the last to win it.

Australia drops to 1-3 in Group A of the Women’s World Cup. They needed a victory to keep hopes of advancing to the Final Round.

In all likelihood, the loss eliminates them from advancing to next year’s championship round. There is a slim mathematical possibility, but Australia will need to beat Hong Kong and hope results go a wild way in Group B action in Japan next month.

Allie Bebbere had a standout pitching performance for the Emeralds, going 2.1 shutout innings of relief, allowing no hits.

Caitlin Eynon had a critical go-ahead two-out RBI in a 2-for-4 performance.

16-year-old Leah Cornish had a pair of hits and two RBI in her first World Cup start. Abbey McLellan had two hits as well.

Canada’s Alexane Fournier had a standout performance for the Red & White. She had three hits and 5RBI.

Eight different Emeralds had hits in the loss.

Canada, Mexico and the USA are guaranteed spots in the Final Round in 2024.

Australia finishes Group A action at 5:30AM AEST vs Hong Kong on Monday morning.

BOX SCORE: Click here.

GAME RECAP – AS IT HAPPENED

The game featured a highly anticipated pitching match-up between two of the best pitchers on the planet – Canada’s Allie Schroder and Australia’s Gen Beacom.

The Emeralds got off to a steady start. Gen Beacom held the Canadians hitless and struck out one to ease her side into the game.

Schroder responded with a hitless, scoreless inning of her own.

Canada pressured in the second. A hit and a walk had runners in scoring position, but Beacom struck out two batters to keep the game scoreless.

⚡🇦🇺 Great pitch by Gen Beacom to end the inning!#BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/ixKKrq2L9i

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 12, 2023

The Emeralds made a big decision to insert 16-year-old World Cup debutant Leah Cornish into the line-up. It paid off early, with the reigning Australian Women’s Championship Golden Bat knocking a single to the outfield on the firsts pitch see saw.

But Allie Schroder showed her might, inducing a 6-4-3 double play to help keep it scoreless through two.

Canada hit the scoreboard in the third with a big two out rally. Three critical walks loaded the bases. With two outs, Alexane Fournier had a two-out RBI single to put the home side up 2-0. A wild pitch later, and suddenly it was 3-0. A ground ball scored another insurance tally.

🇨🇦🔝 Canada take the lead! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/Ht2mN1BZhZ

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 13, 2023

In total, Canada scored four runs off one hit and four walks in the inning.

Australia pushed back with a mini-rally in the fourth. Hits to Carly Moore and Abbey McClellan and a walk to Abbey Kelly loaded the bases. Leah Cornish and Lili Cavanagh showed tremendous patience to earn a pair of walks and score the Emeralds first two runs of the game.

Maddi Tabbrett nearly tied it but a great diving catch from Ela Day-Bedard in left field denied some runs.

4-2 after three.

Allie Bebbere started her relief appearance well. She went the next 2.1 innings allowing just one walk, no hits and struck out three.

🇦🇺 Allison Steane with a ⚡ pitch to get the SO! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/898iP3V55X

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 13, 2023

Allie Schroeder, meanwhile, settled down after her third inning blip, retiring Australian bats in order in the fourth.

Schroeder was taken out in the fifth inning.

That’s when the Emeralds made a move. They remarkably scored five runs in the fifth to power ahead.

Ticara Geldenhuis started the party by reaching on an error, Morgan Doty walked, McClellan singled.

Bases loaded, nobody out.

Leah Cornish cashed in one run with a single to right field. 4-3.

Then, with two outs and the bases still juiced, Caitlin Eynon had a two-RBI single to put the Aussies in front.

The train kept rolling. Abbey Kelly had a two-out, two-strike, opposite field line drive to score another two innings. Just like that: 7-4 after five.

🇦🇺🔝 Australia take the lead! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/eSKrQHQJBL

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 13, 2023

Claire O’Sullivan took over on the mound in the sixth. Canada pegged one back on a sacrifice fly to cut the Aussie lead to two.  She remained in the game for a couple outs, before being replaced by Leah Cornish with two outs and two runners on.

Canada tied it off an Alexane Fournier hard-hit ground ball to third which scored two runs. Knotted at seven.

It was Fournier’s fourth RBI of the game.

🇨🇦😲 It’s a new ballgame! #BaseballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/cbbxCDwL3T

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) August 13, 2023

With the scores tied in the seventh and final inning, Australia sent closer Morgan Doty to the hill.

She did her job early in the inning by inducing consecutive ground balls, but Canada managed to reach on a few infield hits.

Canada loaded the bases.

Alizee Gelinas laced a ball to centre to score two. Fournier had her fifth RBI a couple batters later. 11-7.

Jordan Richardson got the final out for Australia in the seventh.

Australia pressured with a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t guide anyone home.

Canada, Mexico and USA all clinch spots in the 2024 Final Round.

STANDINGS

1. USA 4-0
2. Canada 3-1
3. Mexico 3-1
4. Australia 1-3
5. Hong Kong 1-3
6. South Korea 0-4

EMERALDS GAMES

August 9 – USA 3 def Australia 2
August 10 – Mexico 16 def Australia 8 (extra innings)
August 11 – Australia 10 def Korea 3
August 13 – Canada 11 def Australia 7
August 14 – vs Hong Kong @ 5:30AM AEST

For full schedule and tournament information, visit www.wbsc.org.

The Emeralds scheduled World Cup game vs Hong Kong has been postponed due to weather.

The heavens have opened up in Thunder Bay and tournament officials have told the team the Hong Kong vs Australia game, originally scheduled for 1:30AM AEST (11:30AM in Canada) will not be played today.

The Emeralds will keep their next scheduled game vs Canada at 9:30AM AEST on Sunday 13 August. The Hong Kong game will be rescheduled after that, likely for the following day (Sunday in Thunder Bay but some time on Monday 14 August with the time zone in Australia).

Stay tuned to Team Australia Baseball social media channels or www.wbsc.org for latest news.

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.