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16 November 2026 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Team Australia - U23

Game Notes: Australia faces Venezuela for U23 World Cup Gold

Australia and Venezuela battle for U23 World Cup Gold at 11:00AM AEDT on Monday 16 November, or 6:00PM local in Nicaragua on Sunday.

It’s Australia’s first appearance in a World Cup Gold Medal Game of any level since 2016, when they won silver at the U23 World Cup in Mexico.

The last time Australia claimed gold on the world stage was the 1999 Intercontinental Cup.

Australia (5-3) advanced by winning a three-way tiebreak with Japan and Chinese Taipei. They face the reigning World Baseball Classic champions Venezuela (7-1).

You can watch the game live and free only in Australia on Baseball+ from 10:45 AM AEDT, or via Gametime.Sport around the world.

Follow Team Australia Baseball on social media platforms for in-game updates.

GAME NOTES

Starting Line Up: The tried, tested and true formula. Watson keeps his regulars in the starting nine. Will-Page Allen gets the start. Page-Allen has appeared three times this tournament, allowing two runs in 5.2 innings of work. Page-Allen attends Fresno State University (NCAA Div I) in the USA.

Some Notes on Australian Baseball History: Australia’s last World Cup Medal was silver at any level came at the 2016 U23 World Cup. Australia has claimed silver four times at World Cup events since winning Gold at the 1999 Intercontinental Cup – a 2004 Olympic Silver, two Women’s World Cup silvers, and a U23 silver.

Last Match Up: Australia lost 6-3 to Venezuela in the opening game of the Super Round. Venezuela took advantage of an inopportune error, scoring three decisive runs off one miscue in the middle innings.

Japan wins Bronze: Japan defeated Chinese Taipei 8-4 earlier in the day to cash in a bronze medal from this event.

Heartwarming video: I can’t stop watching the reaction of the Australian players finding out they made the Gold Medal Game. The players were unaware they had one a tiebreaker to make the Gold Medal Game, as the Venezuela vs Chinese Taipei game was happening simultaneously. You can see Solomon Maguire look so defeated and regain a whole new set of life when Manager Shayne Watson says, “HOWEVER…”

Messages flood in: It’s been great seeing so many Australian national team alumni and current players post about this event on social media. Pitcher Todd van Steensel has been active throughout. Travis Blackley has been dialled in. Darryl George, Sam Holland and Warwick Saupold are often commenting. Those are just naming a few but I love how connected the Aussie community is. By all reports the APBC team has been talking lots about the effort this U23 group has put forward.

15 November 2026 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Team Australia Team Australia - Men

Australia bounces back to claim third in Tokyo

Australia has finished third at the Asia Professional Baseball Championship, riding a six-run fifth inning and a gutsy relief effort from Kieren Hall to beat Chinese Taipei 6-4 at the Tokyo Dome on Sunday.

A crowd of 6,121 packed into the Dome for the third-place playoff. Chinese Taipei supporters made up the bulk of the crowd, but a strong contingent of Japanese fans threw their support behind the Australians.

The win came less than 24 hours after a heavy 16-1 loss to tournament hosts Japan, and winning pitcher Ky Hampton said the response spoke volumes about the group.

“Especially after our game yesterday, to bounce back like that, play a close one and come out on top, it’s really good credit to the guys and how they’re able to bounce back,” Hampton said.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve won a medal or placed in an Australia uniform, so it’s awesome.”

Chances go begging early

Australia had plenty of looks at the plate early but couldn’t land the big hit through the first four innings.

Chinese Taipei struck first in the second. A leadoff walk and a single put two on against starter Adam Bates, and Hampton was called in from the bullpen. The opening run came home on a groundout, but Hampton steadied, striking out the next two hitters to strand the runners.

From there Hampton settled the ship. He struck out two in a clean third and gave up just a single in the fourth, finishing with three innings of one-hit work, four strikeouts and one walk.

Hampton said the key after Saturday’s loss was a short memory.

“A good thing about baseball is you can always play again the next day,” he said. “You always come back. So being a short, short memory, just flushing it, getting back to the field, trusting that preparation.”

The big fifth

The Australian bats finally broke through in the fifth, and they did it in a hurry.

Jayden Kim walked to open the inning and Byron Armstrong moved him up with a sacrifice bunt. Jaylin Rae and Alex Hall both walked to load the bases, and Chinese Taipei went to the bullpen for the second time in the inning.

Iredale drove in the tying run with a single to centre, and Burke was hit by a pitch to force home the go-ahead run. Blake Cavill then ripped a two-run double down the right-field line, and Campbell followed with a two-run double down the left-field line to make it 6-1.

Chinese Taipei used three pitchers in the inning and eight for the game.

Chinese Taipei hits back

The response was immediate. Cooper Morgan took over from Hampton in the bottom of the fifth, and back-to-back singles, a strikeout and a walk loaded the bases. A three-run double to left-centre cleared them and cut the lead to 6-4.

Another walk brought Conor Myles out of the bullpen, and the left-hander got a groundout to short to end the inning. Myles then sat Chinese Taipei down in order in the sixth.

Hall slams the door

The game’s biggest moment came in the seventh. Two singles and a strikeout had runners on first and second with one out, and the Chinese Taipei crowd was in full voice when Kieren Hall was called in.

A walk loaded the bases and brought the Dome to its feet, but Hall struck out the next batter looking and got a groundout to short to escape.

Hall retired all six batters he faced in the eighth and ninth, finishing with two and two-thirds hitless innings to earn the save. He retired the last eight hitters of the game.

“I was just trying to… not trying to get ahead of myself, but I think I just had belief that we could get it done,” Hall said.

“I believed in the guys around me. I believed in Hallie [catcher Alex Hall] calling pitches. I feel like we all work way too hard to just keep letting games slip, and it just felt awesome to get another win here.”

Hall said the offence’s output across the tournament gave the pitching staff confidence.

“The boys battled and hit well this tournament,” he said. “Knowing that in the back of your mind helps you believe that you can win and helps you have a bit of security when you’re out there. It just gives you more confidence just to do what you do and trust the process.”

A proud moment for the program

Hall, a long-time member of the national program, said the result was reward for everyone involved in the sport.

“I mean, it’s special,” he said. “To finally see results is just awesome. I think everyone that’s involved in Baseball Australia, whether that’s from the men’s team all the way to under 12, everyone deserves it. It makes me proud to be Australian.”

Both pitchers spoke warmly of their time in Japan.

“Japan’s always great,” Hampton said. “They treat us really well here. They take care of us. We got some good fans here. Just being able to be in this environment again is only going to help the national team moving forward for next year.”

Eyes on the Premier12

With the Premier12 on the horizon, both players know their spots are far from locked in.

Hall said he would be back on the mound soon, aiming to “hopefully get a lot of innings there and just keep working hard and just trying to best prepare to hopefully be selected for that Premier 12 team.”

Hampton’s message was simple.

“Keep working, trusting your stuff,” he said. “Nothing’s guaranteed. So you’ve got to make sure you keep your spot, and everyone else is coming for you.”

 

15 November 2026 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Community

U23 World Cup: Australia loses to Japan but advances to U23 World Cup Gold Medal Game

Australia has lost the game but won the right to play for Gold.

In a dramatic finish to the Super Round at the U23 Baseball World Cup in Nicaragua, Australia fell 5-3  to Japan but did just enough to secure a place in the Gold Medal Game.

Max Stagg delivered one of the most important moments of Australia’s tournament in the bottom of the seventh inning, driving in a crucial run on a sacrifice fly to score Solomon Maguire to cut Japan’s lead to two.

Why was it so important? Well, in this tournament, sometimes the margin of defeat matters just as much as the result.

With Chinese Taipei defeating Venezuela earlier in the day, Australia knew it could afford to lose to Japan by no more than two runs and still advance to the Gold Medal Game.

That’s exactly what happened.

The result left Australia, Japan and Chinese Taipei tied with 3-2 Super Round records. Australia and Japan advanced to the Gold Medal Game on the tournament’s tiebreaking criteria, with Chinese Taipei missing out.

It means Australia will play for a World Championship Gold Medal despite losing its final Super Round game.

BOX SCORE: Aus vs Japan 

It was far from straightforward.

The defining stretch came in a three-run fourth inning, when Japan capitalised on an Australian defensive mistake to score two unearned runs.

Before we get to how the game unfolded, let’s recap the pre-game scenario.

Australia, already guaranteed to play for at least Bronze, could advance to the Gold Medal Game with either of the following:

1. A win over Japan.
2. A Chinese Taipei victory over Venezuela (which happened), combined with a loss to Japan by no more than two runs.

Captain Solomon Maguire opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning, giving Australia an early 1-0 lead.

Japan responded with two runs in the second, courtesy of RBIs from Yuta Maruki and Shunta Sakurauchi, to move ahead 2-1.

Australian starter Lachlan Rosser kept his team in the contest, allowing two runs on three hits across two innings before handing the ball to Charlie Pierson.

Then came another big Australian swing.

Darcy Barry launched a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2 and put Australia right back in the contest.

 

But the bottom of the fourth would prove decisive in the game’s context.

Asahi Watanabe put Japan back in front with a swinging bunt that brought home the go-ahead run.

With two outs and runners on the corners, Australia had an opportunity to escape the inning trailing by just one.

Pierson induced a ground ball, but it popped in and out of the glove of Nikau Pouaka-Grego. The costly error allowed two more runs to score, suddenly stretching Japan’s advantage to 5-2.

Those two unearned runs threatened to change Australia’s entire tournament.

Pierson otherwise pitched admirably, allowing just one earned run across four innings of work, while Lachlan Brook added scoreless relief to keep Australia within striking distance.

With a Gold Medal Game berth hanging in the balance, Australia needed to fight back just one run.

Solomon Maguire got a hit to start the seventh, one of three on the day. Australia moved him over and Max Stagg came through with the RBI that Australia into the Gold Medal Game.

Australia managed to get another runner aboard in the final inning but couldn’t complete the comeback.

The final out confirmed a Japanese victory.

Australia will play for Gold at 11:00AM AEDT. Watch free on Baseball+.

COACH QUOTES

From Shayne Watson

There was a lot riding on this game, but from the moment we arrived at the field, the group was in a really good place. We were connected in how we supported each other, committed to our preparation, and courageous enough to embrace the challenge that Japan presented.

The game had its momentum swings, but the players never lost belief. They stayed present, trusted each other, and found a way to keep competing. That’s been a hallmark of this group throughout the World Cup.

When it was confirmed that we’d earned a place in the Gold Medal Game, there was genuine emotion.

The players and staff have invested so much into this campaign, and to see that hard work rewarded was a special moment for everyone involved.

Reaching a World Cup Gold Medal Game is a significant achievement for this group and for Australian baseball. We’ve felt the support from back home throughout the tournament, and we’re incredibly grateful for it.

Tonight we’ll take a moment to enjoy what we’ve achieved, but tomorrow our full attention turns to Venezuela. We’ve earned the opportunity to compete for a gold medal, and we’re determined to make the most of it.

 

Tag Cloud:
2026 u23 World Cup

14 November 2026 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Team Australia Team Australia - Men

Japan Too Strong at the Tokyo Dome as Iredale Homer Lifts Australia

Japan showed why they are the number one baseball nation on earth, flexing their muscles in a 16-1 win over Team Australia in front of a 33,000 fans at Tokyo Dome.

The hosts set the tone early, scoring 11 runs in the first inning before Australia could register an out, highlighted by a grand slam. From there, it was a tough night against one of the best teams in the world.

But there were still moments to savour for the green and gold, and a group determined to take every lesson from the experience.

A dream come true for Iredale

Australia’s highlight came from Brent Iredale, who launched a solo home run to put the green and gold on the board.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the Tokyo Dome,” Iredale said. “Getting the opportunity to play against Japan and having all their fans come out, it was a dream come true.”

“It was pretty cool. It’s not every day you get to hit a home run in the Tokyo Dome, so it was pretty special to me,” he said. “We were down a lot, so I couldn’t really do any fancy stuff, but I had fun jogging around the bases. It was pretty surreal.”

While the result was not what the team wanted, Iredale said he would hold on to the experience.

“It was exciting to play out there, even though the result wasn’t what we wanted,” he said. “I was happy with just being out here and having fun. In the end, it’s just the game.”

Learning on the big stage

For Alex Skepton, the night was about soaking up everything the Tokyo Dome had to teach.

“The Tokyo Dome is one of a kind. You really just can’t put any sort of words on playing here,” he said. “Just trying to embrace the experience and take all the learnings that you possibly can out of it. Just be a sponge, and come back and bounce back as best as we can.”

Playing in his second APBC, Skepton said he felt far more prepared this time around.

“Last time I came here, I remember just looking up at the pitcher for the first time and seeing the crowd, and everything sort of got to me. I had to reset after that,” he said. “This time around, being lucky enough to put on the green and gold again, I was a lot more prepared.”

His biggest lesson was about slowing the game down.

“Everything speeds up around you, and it’s really easy to get distracted by that,” he said. “But the game is actually within you and how you control it. Bringing it back to as simple baseball as you possibly can really helps you refocus. Once I got in the box, it almost felt like it slowed down.”

“Not the outcome that I wanted, but still lots of lessons learned for sure.”

Flipping the page

Australia now sits at one win and two losses in the APBC. The team awaits the result of tonight’s game between Chinese Taipei and Korea to find out whether it will play for gold or bronze on Sunday.

Whichever it is, the message in the clubhouse is clear. “Tomorrow we’re going to flip the page,” Iredale said.

“It’s going to be tough, like any international game is. We’re just going to go out there and play our baseball, stick to our approach and everything we’ve done our whole time here.”

Skepton agreed.

“The game’s behind us now. Learn from whatever games we’ve played and just reset,” he said. “Tomorrow is another day. Get after it, stay aggressive and put our best baseball forward.”

14 November 2026 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Team Australia - U23

Game Notes: Lemm homers twice as Australia survives late Korean scare to secure World Cup medal game

For six innings, Australia looked in complete control.

John Lemm had homered twice, the pitching staff had kept Korea scoreless, and a historic victory was seemingly within reach.

Then, suddenly, things got interesting.

Korea loaded the bases in the seventh inning, scored twice and threatened to steal a game Australia had controlled from the outset.

With two outs, the bases loaded and the potential winning run at the plate, Solomon Maguire crashed into the centrefield wall to make a multiple-run saving catch.

Moments later, Callum Donnelly caught a ball at the warning track to preserve the win.

With the win, Australia secured a place in a medal game at the U23 Baseball World Cup.

Before we get to the game recap, let’s understand the scenario this win vaults Australia into.

BOX SCORE: Australia vs Korea 

First, Australia is guaranteed to play in a medal game. It’s the first time an Australian national team will play for a medal at any World Cup event since the 2019 U18 World Cup.

The colour of medal will be determined tomorrow.

With just one game remaining in the Super Round, Australia sits at 3-1 with a date against World No. 1 Japan (2-2) Sunday morning at 11:30AM AEDT.

A win and Australia advances to the Gold Medal Game against Venezuela.

Now, back to the ballgame. Let’s begin with John Lemm.

The St. Louis Cardinals prospect was already the tournament’s leading hitter entering the game. He padded his resume by going 3-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and a walk to improve his batting average to .583 and OPS to 1.933.

He sailed a two-run blast 431 feet over the right-centre field wall to open up a 2-0 advantage in the first, before launching a 427-foot solo shot over the right-field wall to extend Australia’s lead to 4-0 in the fifth.

It was his tournament-leading fourth home run and who he hit them off makes it even more impressive.

Sitting at 0-3 in the Super Round entering today, Korea needed a win to put itself back in contention for a medal game.

They sent their ace, SSG Landers prospect Dowoo Yi, to the mound with an impressive tournament resume across two games: 8.1 innings pitched and a 0.00 ERA.

Australia spoiled his scoreless streak just three batters into the game, courtesy of John Lemm.

Max Stagg reached base twice, going 1-for-2 with a walk, and delivered an RBI single to right field in the third inning to put Australia up 3-0.

Nikau Pouaka-Grego put together a three-hit night, while Quinn Johnson went 2-for-3 to improve his batting average to .471.

Enough about the bats. How about the boys on the hill?

Tyson Noel was excellent on the mound in his second start of the tournament. The 6’7″ Western Australian arm commanded the strike zone and pitched to contact all evening, allowing just four hits across 4.2 scoreless innings.

Josh Beezley helped Australia out of a jam in the fifth, recording a crucial strikeout to end the inning.

Juan Ramirez followed with a perfect sixth inning, including a strikeout.

Through six innings, Korea had barely threatened. Australia had a four-run cushion, its pitching staff was dealing, and a place in a medal game was just three outs away.

Then came the seventh. Korea mounted one final rally against Will Page-Allen, loading the bases with one out.

An RBI single brought home Korea’s first run. A sacrifice fly to deep centre field made it 4-2.

Enter Lachlan Brook to try to record the final out.

With the bases loaded again, Korea sent a towering fly ball towards the left-field warning track.

But Donnelly settled underneath it, made the catch and secured one of Australia’s most significant victories in recent World Cup history.

Australia finishes with a 4-2 win and improves to 3-1 in the Super Round.

An Australian national team is guaranteed to play for a medal at a WBSC event for the first time since the 2019 U18 World Cup.

Up Next: The big one. Australia faces World No. 1 Japan at 11:30AM AEDT on Sunday morning. A win sends Australia to the Gold Medal Game against Venezuela. Watch it live and free on Baseball+ (Australia only).

GAME NOTES

Coach Quotes: Here’s what Shayne Watson said after the game:

Another outstanding performance from the group against a quality Korea side. We knew it would take a complete team effort, and the players responded really well to the challenge.

Tyson Noel gave us a fantastic start and set the tone early. He showed great composure on the mound, executed his pitches consistently, and worked deep into the game to get us into the fifth.

Offensively, John Lemm had a huge impact with two home runs, while Nikau Grego continued his strong tournament with three hits that lead to scoring opportunities.

Defensively, Solo came up with a massive play in centre field with a crucial catch for the second out in the top of the seventh inning.

In another high-pressure situation, Lachlan Brook once again showed his composure and competitiveness by coming in and closing out the game.

Most pleasing was the way the group stayed connected and committed throughout the contest. We played with confidence, trusted each other in key moments, and found ways to execute when the game was on the line.

We’ll recover, reset, and turn our attention to Japan. The group has built some strong momentum, but we know every game presents a new challenge and we’ll need to be ready to perform again tomorrow night.

Line-up: Australia returned to its regular line-up today, with Josh Nati back in the starting nine after missing yesterday’s game due to illness. It was a pretty ‘crappy’ day for Australia overall yesterday, with a bout of food poisoning sweeping through the Australian camp and limiting several players and coaches.

Around the Grounds and Scenarios: Chinese Taipei threw the Super Round into chaos, creating a whole whack of scenarios with a 2-1 victory over Japan. Both teams now sit at 2-2.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico (1-3) pushed undefeated Venezuela (4-0) all the way before falling 8-7 in extra innings. The victory secured Venezuela’s place in the Gold Medal Game.

In simple terms, Australia’s fate is in its own hands. Beat Japan tomorrow and Australia advances to the Gold Medal Game against Venezuela.

If Australia loses to Japan and Venezuela defeats Chinese Taipei, Japan advances to the Gold Medal Game.

If Japan and Chinese Taipei both win tomorrow, Australia, Japan and Chinese Taipei will finish in a three-way tie at 3-2, with Team Quality Balance (TQB) determining their final positions.

A Monumental Win: Australia defeated Korea at the U23 World Cup for the first time since 2016.

Medal Game Bound: Australia is guaranteed to play for at least a bronze medal. It’s the first time Australia has reached a medal game at the U23 World Cup since 2016, and the first time an Australian men’s national team has reached a medal game at a WBSC World Cup since the 2019 U18 World Cup.

Offensive Numbers: Entering the game, Australia was batting .304 as a team, good for second in the tournament. Korea, on the other hand, had struggled to get its bats going, beginning the day with a .203 average… he lowest among all six Super Round teams.

Defence Stands Up: A day after a critical error cost Australia three runs in a 6-3 loss to Venezuela, Australia’s defence bounced back in a big way.

John Lemm threw out a would-be base stealer in the first inning, with Darcy Barry applying a sharp tag. Tyson Noel also induced a 6-4-3 double play when Korea threatened in the fourth.

And, of course, Solo Maguire made the biggest defensive play of the night, hauling in a deep fly ball at the centre-field warning track and crashing into the wall.

Solomon Maguire in the Spotlight: The WBSC published a feature on Australian captain Solomon Maguire yesterday. Maguire has represented Australia at every WBSC baseball age level – U12, U15, U18 and U23 (three times) as well as the senior Premier12 tournament. Read it here. 

STANDINGS – SUPER ROUND

With one day to play.

1. Venezuela 4-0
2. Australia 3-1
3. Japan 2-2
4. Chinese Taipei 2-2
5. Puerto Rico 1-3
6. Korea 0-4

Tomorrow’s games: Venezeula vs Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico vs Korea, Australia vs Japan

Tag Cloud:
2026 u23 World Cup

13 November 2026 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Team Australia - Men

Aussies fade after first-inning flurry as Chinese Taipei edge Australia 6-4 in Tokyo

Australia made the perfect start but could not land the knockout blow, going down 6-4 to Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome on Friday afternoon after leaving runners stranded in several key moments.

Chinese Taipei struck first with two runs in the top of the first. A bunt single, three walks and a double steal set up a run-scoring single from Ma Chieh-sen, and a groundout from Tseng Sheng-an added the second.

Australia answered straight away. Jaylin Rae opened the bottom of the first with a double down the left-field line and Alex Hall drove him in with a single to centre. Chinese Taipei starter Chen Ko-yi then lost the zone. Blake Cavill, Clayton Campbell and Max Durrington drew three straight walks to load the bases, and Jayden Kim lined a two-run single to left to finish off a four-run inning and put Australia ahead 4-2.

That turned out to be the last of the Australian scoring. Chang Jen-wei pulled a run back with a solo home run to left off starter Luke Krkovski in the second. Beattie and Miles then kept Chinese Taipei quiet with a perfect inning each, Miles striking out two in the fourth.

Chinese Taipei drew level at 4-4 in the fifth when Wang Nien-hao doubled over the right fielder’s head,

The Aussies had chances to retake the lead. In the bottom of the fifth, singles and walks from Brent Iredale, Cavill and Campbell loaded the bases with two out, but couldn’t capitilise. An inning later, a walk to Byron Armstrong and a double to left-centre from Rae left runners on second and third with one out, but Chang Cheng-en got Hall to fly out and struck out Iredale to escape the jam.

Chinese Taipei took the lead in the seventh. Kuo Tien-hsin walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly to left from Ma. They added a run in the eighth when Lin Chia-wei singled and stole second, and a fielding error at third let him score.

Burke: “Just a shame we couldn’t keep it rolling”

Senior outfielder Chris Burke said the opening inning showed what the group can do, but the side could not sustain it.

“We came out aggressive and we were able to put barrel to the ball and find ways to move guys over. It was really exciting to see that in the first inning,” Burke said.

“It was just a shame that we couldn’t keep it rolling throughout the game. We didn’t come up in big situations. It just wasn’t as complete a game as yesterday, and that was frustrating.”

Burke backed the group to respond.

“This group is really good at bouncing back. We’re excited for the buzz that’s going to be there tomorrow. Go out there, get a win and put ourselves in a good position moving forward.”

Rae: “The only way to the gold medal game is through them”

Leadoff hitter Jaylin Rae said the tournament setting was bringing out the best in the playing group.

“Playing in the dome and playing against these teams, this competition really pushes you. Personally I felt ready for it, and as a group we’re ready for it and ready to take it to Japan,” Rae said.

“If the pitchers are going to throw it in there, we’re not going to let it go. We’ve had good swings, we’ve picked good pitches and we’ve done damage, so there’s no reason to change. We’ve just got to keep it rolling and put a full nine innings together.”

On the challenge ahead, Rae added:

“We’re a confident group. Japan’s the number one team in the world, but the only way to get to the gold medal game is through them, and we’re ready for that.”

Up next

Australia take on Japan at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday 14 November at 12pm local time (2pm AEDT), live on Baseball+.

13 November 2026 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Team Australia - U23

Game Notes: Venezuela 6 - Australia 3 | Super Round at the U23 World Cup

Tournament favourites and World No. 3 Venezuela erased a three-run deficit to defeat Australia 6-3 and remain unbeaten at the WBSC U23 World Cup and improve to 3-0 in the Super Round.

Venezuela, the reigning World Baseball Classic champions, entered the game with a perfect record, having outscored opponents 44-1, led the tournament in virtually every offensive metric and had yet to trail.

Every player in their line-up is either a current or former MLB-affiliated professional.

Their pitching staff was equally intimidating, with arms regularly reaching 96 mph or higher, including closing pitcher Victor Meijas, who touched 99 mph on the radar gun.

But Australia gave the South American powerhouse a genuine scare.

The Aussies umped out to a 3-0 lead, becoming the first team to put Venezuela behind in this World Cup.

BOX SCORE: Aus vs Venezuela 

Australia opened the scoring in the second inning, capitalising on a Venezuelan defensive miscue. Callum Donnelly helped manufacture the opening run to give Australia an early 1-0 advantage.

The Australians doubled down in the third. Nikau Pouaka-Grego and Max Stagg each drove in runs to extend the lead to 3-0.

All the while, starting pitcher Ben Karakasis was delivering a plucky performance against one of the tournament’s most dangerous line-ups.

Through three innings, Karakasis had allowed just one baserunner, who reached on an error, while striking out five without issuing a walk.

For three innings, Australia had Venezuela on the ropes.

But it’s hard, as they say, to keep a good team down.

Venezuela erupted for four runs in the fourth, albeit in unusual fashion, to take the lead.

A walk and a single ended Karakasis’ afternoon after 3.1 innings, bringing Lachlan Robinson into the game.

A wild pitch brought home Venezuela’s first run before a walk helped load the bases.

Then, with two outs and the bases loaded, Australia appeared to have an opportunity to escape the inning. But Darcy Barry and Quinn Johnson couldn’t quite connect on an inning-ending play, with the ball escaping into right field.

Three runners came around to score on the error, turning Australia’s 3-0 advantage into a 4-3 deficit.

Four runs had crossed the plate in the inning, with none credited as RBIs – a cruel turn of events for an Australian side that had been in control.

Venezuela added two more in the fifth, opening the inning with three consecutive hits.

Johnfrank Salazar, one of the tournament’s standout hitters, drove in a run to make it 5-3. A bases-loaded sacrifice fly extended the advantage to three before Deakin Filko escaped further damage with an inning-ending double play.

Australia refused to go quietly.

The Green & Gold brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the sixth and opened the seventh with a double, but couldn’t find the breakthrough against Venezuela’s powerful bullpen.

On the mound, Filko and Jesse Neretlis combined for three scoreless innings to close out the game, allowing just two hits and no walks.

Australia finished with eight hits, with eight different players recording one apiece.

Donnelly and Darcy Barry each doubled, while Pouaka-Grego, Stagg and Luke Donaghey collected RBIs. Donaghey also stole a base.

HUB: Australia at the U23 World Cup

John Lemm continued his impressive tournament with another hit, moving him to a .524 batting average and 1.641 OPS.

For Venezuela, Johnfrank Salazar finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Lewis José Castillo Salas scored twice. The Venezuelan line-up drew four walks and struck out just once across the final four innings after Karakasis’ dominant opening three.

Despite the defeat, Australia remains well positioned in the Super Round.

The Green & Gold sit at 2-1, with victories carried over against Puerto Rico and Chinese Taipei, and games remaining against Korea and Japan.

With the top two teams advancing to the gold-medal game and third and fourth playing for bronze, Australia’s final two games will be crucial in determining its medal prospects.

The final clash against Japan could ultimately decide whether Australia plays for gold, bronze or misses a medal game altogether.

Australia will take plenty of encouragement from its performance against a Venezuelan side that had barely been challenged entering the contest.

Up Next: Australia faces Korea at 11:30 AM AEDT on Saturday. Watch live and free on Baseball+ (Australia only).

GAME NOTES

Coach Quotes: What Manager Shayne Watson had to say after the game:

Our guys were prepared for the challenge of facing Venezuela. Getting out to a quick lead carried the momentum early in the game.

Ben Karakasis threw well against a strong offensive line-up, and he mixed his pitches well.

We fought hard to stay in the game and gave ourselves opportunities late, but Venezuela were able to execute when it mattered and did enough to maintain their lead.

Our guys showed a lot of courage today and fought till the end to still give us a shot at coming back a few time late in the game.

Time to bounce back, reset and get ready for Korea tomorrow.”

Line Up: Only one change to the lineup. Josh Nati was a late scratch, just moments before the game (illness).





Elsewhere in the Super Round: Japan rolled past Puerto Rico, winning 11-1 to open Super Round play. The win pushes Japan to 2-1 and Puerto Rico to 1-2. It likely means the game vs Japan on Sunday will determine if Australia will play for Gold or not. Later tonight, Korea (0-2) faces Chinese Taipei (0-2). Because Australia already defeated Chinese Taipei, a positive result for them would be favourable for us.

CURRENT SUPER ROUND STANDINGS

As of 11:00AM AEDT, Friday 13 November

Venezuela 3-0
Australia 2-1
Japan 2-1
Puerto Rico 2-1
Korea 0-2
Chinese Taipei 0-2

Top two teams after Super Round play for Gold. 3 and 4 play for Bronze. 

Tag Cloud:
2026 u23 World Cup

12 November 2026 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Team Australia - Men

Korea stunned in comeback win for Team Australia

Australia has opened its Asia Professional Baseball Championship campaign with a win to remember, fighting back late to beat Korea 8-7 at the Tokyo Dome on Thursday.

Down 6-4 heading into the eighth inning, the Green and Gold scored four runs across the final two frames. Clayton Campbell tied it with a two-run homer, before Chris Burke and Darlington drove in the go-ahead and insurance runs with doubles in the ninth.

Kieren Hall then held his nerve on the mound, conceding one run in the bottom of the ninth before getting the final out to seal it.

“It’s definitely up there,” catcher Alex Hall said of where the win ranks for him. “Just to fight back, I guess. Makes it more special.”

“Emotions are high,” Campbell said. “Glad we got the win, and everybody did their job today. Pitchers threw the ball over the plate. Hitters did their job. I feel like it was a good team win.”

Watch Highlights here:

A dream start under the dome

The build-up to the tournament had been anything but comfortable. Tokyo has been cold and wet all week, but the squad kept working.

“We’ve been grinding these last few days,” first baseman Blake Clavill said. “The weather has been raining, freezing. But that doesn’t stop us Aussies. So we come here in the dome, and the weather has to be perfect in here.”

Clavill wasted no time making the most of it. With two out in the first inning and Alex Hall and Burke aboard on walks, he sent a three-run homer over the right-centre field wall off Korean starter Kim Min-jun.

Australia added a fourth in the third. Ray led off with a double into the left-centre gap, Hall walked again to end Kim’s day, and Burke greeted reliever Jo Dong-wook with an RBI single to right.

On the mound, Bates retired the side in order in the first, and Ky Hampton followed with three scoreless innings. He struck out three, walked no one, and escaped his only real jam with a 5-4-3 double play.

The sixth inning swing

Korea flipped the game in one inning. Pinch-hitter Kim Ji-chan doubled to lead off the sixth and Kim Ju-won drove a two-run homer to left to make it 4-2.

Three walks followed and loaded the bases, and Kim Hwi-jip cleared them with a double over the right fielder. A Park Jae-hyun RBI single made it 6-4 before Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis struck out Kim Ji-chan to finally end the inning.

“I think the biggest thing for us was just, knock it down,” Campbell said. “We kind of get down in those situations. Got to just move on and move forward.”

Miles and Torpy did exactly that in the seventh, keeping Korea off the board and giving the bats a chance.

The fightback

The comeback started with a break. Clavill reached on a fielding error to open the eighth, and with one out, Campbell turned on a pitch from Park Jeong-min and sent it into the left field seats. Just like that, it was 6-6.

Kieren Hall came in for the bottom of the eighth and struck out the first two hitters he faced, keeping the momentum in the Australian dugout.

In the ninth, Alex Hall singled to left to start the rally. With one out, Burke doubled to right-centre to score him for the lead, and with two out, Darlington found the same gap for an insurance run.

“Definitely nerve-wracking, for sure,” Hall said. “But you’ve just got to have that fighting mentality. And all the boys had that today.”

Hall reached base five times from the two hole and spent the afternoon guiding eight different pitchers from behind the plate.

“I’m just playing for the country, playing for my teammates on the bench next to me, doing whatever I can to get on base,” he said. “Pitchers are doing whatever they can to throw strikes, and I’m just trying to tell them as much as I can behind the plate. It’s just amazing.”

Korea made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth. A walk and a Kim Ju-won double put runners on second and third, and a sacrifice fly cut the lead to one. But Kieren Hall got Ahn Hyun-min to pop up to second, to seal the win.

Two teams, one program

The win came while a second group of young Australians is playing on the other side of the world, with the under-23 side in the Super Round of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup in Nicaragua.

“It’s crazy enough we’ve got two teams going on at the same time with the same age,” Alex Hall said. “But the talent coming through is amazing for the program and for Team Australia.”

For Clavill, it is proof of how far the game has come at home.

“It truly shows that we’re a baseball country now,” he said. “Each year we’re getting better and better. That’s never happened in Australian baseball, that we have this many talented kids right now. It’s extraordinary to see.”

Campbell, who came through the junior program himself, sees the cycle continuing.

“When I was coming through the program, we had those older guys and we were looking up to them,” he said. “I think the depth is coming along really well, and it’s exciting for Australia.”

Hall says the group has nothing left to prove to itself.

“Hopefully everyone keeps backing us, and we can keep fighting and get to the next stage, because we’re good enough. Our baseball is good enough,” he said. “We just want to prove that to everyone. We don’t need to prove it to ourselves, because we know we’re good enough.”

Switch on again tomorrow

There is little time to savour it. Australia faces Chinese Taipei at 12:00 on Friday, before taking on Japan on Saturday.

“Just enjoy today a little bit for the afternoon, and then kind of switch mode to tomorrow,” Hall said. “A new game, fresh game. Next man up, fight all the way, because no one’s up there alone. I feel like all the boys have got my back when I’m up there hitting or playing defence, and I hope they feel the same way with me.”

Clavill already knows how his morning will look.

“I’m a little crazy,” he laughed. “Before the games, I’m always ready to go from 8:00 in the morning, head on a swivel. That gets me excited. The boys are going to go back, relax a little bit, and then as soon as 8:00 rolls around in the morning, it’s switch on and ready to compete again. And we’re going to do exactly what we did today.”

Campbell kept it simple.

“Game’s over now. Enjoy it. See you tomorrow,” he said. “I think we’re going to keep rolling, and I think we’re going to continue to do great in this tournament. Can’t wait.”

11 November 2026 By Staff Writers

By Staff Writers

Team Australia Team Australia - Men

Team Australia Settles In at the Tokyo Dome Ahead of Tomorrows Korea Clash

TOKYO: Team Australia has settled in at the Tokyo Dome, completing its first training session at the iconic venue ahead of tomorrow’s opening clash with Korea at 12pm local time.

Practice was full of energy, with the group connecting well after its camp in Fuchu. Excitement is building across the squad ahead of a big week at the Asia Professional Baseball Championship.

For Sydney’s Jo Stevens, the feeling started before he even reached the field.

“The team’s good. Everyone looks great. Preparation was really good,” he said. “Walking from the hotel to the stadium, you get chills.”

Chills at the Dome

Stevens said the moment felt even bigger given where he was only weeks ago.

“I was only here like four weeks ago, sitting up in the stands,” he said. “So now hitting and fielding on the field, it’s a great experience. It gives me chills. Excited for tomorrow.”

Fellow Sydneysider Jaylin Rae was just as blown away by his first hit out at the venue.

“Unbelievable. Nothing really compares to this,” he said. “Even just coming down from the hotel and walking through the tunnel, coming out to the stadium. It’s going to be an incredible experience.”

Both players praised the team’s base in Fuchu, where the squad spent the past few days preparing.

“Fuchu was awesome. Pretty cold, but it was awesome,” Rae said. “The town looked after us, and the fields, the facilities and everything they had for us were awesome. Great training camp, and the boys were ready.”

“Fuchu was great. They treated us amazingly,” Stevens added. “We got looked after really well.”

From juniors to the men’s team

Rae and Stevens have both worn the green and gold at Under-18 and Under-23 level. This week is a step into the men’s national side.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Rae said. “Any time you can put on the jersey, it’s a pretty incredible experience. You can’t really describe it. Everyone is up to the challenge, and we’re ready to show out.”

“It’s been a goal of mine for the last couple of years, just being able to put my foot in the door,” he added. “It shows that the work that I put in is paying off. All these guys, we’ve been playing together for years now, so to come through together is just something you can’t really describe.”

Stevens said the setting is very different from the junior World Cups.

“With the Under-23s and 18s, you’re more in a World Cup stage, going through the process of teams a little bit quicker,” he said. “Then you go into this, and it’s a bigger stage. You’ve just got to settle the nerves a little bit more. Know the preparation that you’ve done is correct, trust your instincts and go get it.”

He is also enjoying helping the newer players settle in.

“We’ve all pretty much played together. You get some new guys in, and it’s great to take them under the wing and show them what Team Australia is about,” he said.

Looking further ahead, Stevens is open about what he is chasing.

“To possibly be in that Premier12 team and then possibly an Olympian, that’s definitely a dream,” he said. “To be a part of it is amazing, and hopefully I get that opportunity.”

“We expect to qualify”

At the pre-tournament press conference, head coach David Nilsson was clear about how this week fits into the bigger picture.

“The Olympic qualifier next year at the Premier12 is something that we’re expecting to perform very well in, and we expect to qualify for the Olympics,” he said. “So we’re using this event to see some younger players, and to see if there are some pieces that can be added to the men’s senior team. So it’s a very important event.”

Nilsson said Australia’s growing depth is what stands out about this group.

“As a nation, we’re developing more players. We have more depth than we’ve had before,” he said. “For this group here, we have some very good athletic players. We always want to be very athletic defensively and we want to have good strength, so I think you’ll see that with our players.”

With players drawn from the Australian Baseball League and the US minor leagues, Nilsson said blending the group was easy.

“They’ve all grown up in Australia, and we’ve all known each other for a long time,” he said. “We all support each other and we all follow each other. Regardless of where they play, it’s very easy from my point of view to have them blend in together.”

He believes the best is still to come.

“Over the next 5 or 10 years, you’re going to see Team Australia continue to get better and better because of the depth,” Nilsson said. “As you see more players coming through college, the minor league system and the major league system, we as a team are going to get better.”

As for the mood heading into the opener:

“We’re very relaxed. As a group, we’re very confident, and we’re really looking forward to competing on this stage.”

“We’ve all got each other’s back”

Catcher Alex Hall, who joined Nilsson at the press conference, said the chemistry in the group is already strong.

“We have good chemistry going on with this team,” he said. “With a bunch of experienced guys coming back and then fresh faces, we’re all leaning on each other’s shoulders. We’ve all got each other’s back during the games. Even in practice, we want to practice perfect. So we’re just having that mentality of next dog up.”

Hall, who has a strong record against Japan, played down any talk of power.

“I’m just looking to drive the ball, not trying to hit home runs,” he said. “Just try to get the ball in the gap, try to pick out a weakness of the pitcher and be on time. That’s all I’m really trying to do.”

He said his main job is a simple one, and it is shared by the whole lineup.

“My main role would just be to get on base as many times as possible. That’s what we all think,” he said. “The more we can get on base, the more we can score runs, and the more we can win games.”

And whoever is on the other side, the plan stays the same.

“At the end of the day, we just focus on what we can do to beat them,” Hall said. “We just need to do it the Australian way, play our baseball, and we’ll figure it out from there.”

Team Australia opens its tournament against Korea at the Tokyo Dome tomorrow at 12pm local time. Watch Live and Free on Baseball+

11 November 2026 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Team Australia - U23

In Review: Australia through to the Super Round at the U-23 World Cup

Australia is through to the Super Round of the U23 Baseball World Cup in Nicaragua.

They’ve done it in emphatic fashion.

The Aussies finished first place in Pool A with a 4-1 record, recording victories over Chinese Taipei, Panama, Puerto Rico and Nicaragua.

That’s an impressive collection of victories, including three nations ranked higher than Australia in the WBSC World Rankings.

Australia outscored its opponents 32-13 across five games, with contributions coming from all over the diamond.

Their .306 team batting average ranks second in the tournament, while their pitching staff owns the second-best ERA (2.06), trailing only a dominant Venezuelan outfit that has outscored opponents 44-1.

Defensively, Australia has been even more impressive.

Their .993 fielding percentage is the best in the tournament, with just one error committed across five games.

Best of all? Everyone is contributing. Every player in the lineup has reached base, and it feels like each game brings a new hero stepping up.

FULL STATS: Australia at the U23 World Cup 

Among that collection of heroes, there’s been one constant. His name is John Lemm.

The St. Louis Cardinals prospect has grabbed headlines around the baseball world, slugging his way to the tournament lead in hits (10), batting average (.556) and triples (2).

He also has two home runs, six RBI and ranks second in OPS.

Connected, Committed and Courageous

Before the tournament, Team Australia manager Shayne Watson challenged his players to live by three guiding principles: Connected, Committed and Courageous. You can read about the story and method behind the message here. 

It’s clear those words are more than just a slogan.

There’s a certain energy in the dugout, the way players support one another, the willingness to take the game on and the resilience when things aren’t going their way.

Perhaps the best example came after Australia’s only loss of the tournament, a challenging defeat to Czechia in which the pitching staff issued 11 walks.

Watson wasn’t interested in letting the result define his team.

He told us that after the game, he simply reminded the group of those three C’s.

“We wanted to reinforce that our identity isn’t based on results alone. It’s based on how we respond, support each other, and continue to compete. I thought the group carried that mindset into today’s game and produced a really strong team performance,” said Watson after the following day’s win over Chinese Taipei.

“Even in [the Czechia] loss, there were plenty of examples of those behaviours, and it was important that our players recognised them.”

Australia responded with consecutive wins over World No. 2 Chinese Taipei and World No. 9 Panama, outscoring them 14-3.

Now, they’ll look to carry that momentum into the Super Round.

“Advancing to the Super Round with a 2-0 record is a credit to the work our team has put in,” said Watson. “We’ll enjoy this result, reset, and get ready for the challenges ahead. The priority is to recover and get ready for games in two days time.”

What’s next? The Super Round

The top three teams from Pool A join the top three teams from Pool B in the Super Round.

It’s effectively another round robin, but results against teams that advanced from the same pool carry over.

That puts Australia in an excellent position.

The Aussies enter with a 2-0 record, tied with Venezuela at the top of the standings.

They’ll face Venezuela (2-0), Japan (1-1) and Korea (0-2) over the next three days. Their previous results against fellow Pool A teams – Puerto Rico (1-1) and Chinese Taipei (0-2) – carry over.

The top two teams in the final standings advance to the gold medal game, while third and fourth will play for bronze.

The schedule is as follows:

– Friday 13 November, 7:30AM AEDT vs Venezuela (2-0)
– Saturday 14 November, 11:30AM AEDT vs Korea (0-2)
– Sunday 15 November, 11:30AM AEDT vs Japan (1-1)

Every game is available to watch in Australia on Baseball+ and on Gametime.Sport internationally.

GAME RECAPS: How Australia reached the Super Round

Game 1: Australia 3 defeated Nicaragua 0

Australia opened the tournament with a dominant pitching performance from Lachlan Brook and Will Page-Allen.

The duo combined for a one-hit shutout in a 3-0 victory over the tournament hosts. Brook threw 52 pitches across 4.0 innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two.

Page-Allen was perfect in relief, retiring all nine batters he faced across 3.0 innings, including two strikeouts.

Together, they retired the final 16 Nicaraguan batters.

Offensively, Quinn Johnson drove in two runs while John Lemm led the game with two hits.

Manager Shayne Watson praised the team’s commitment to its three guiding principles.

“What pleased me most was the way the group stayed connected throughout the game. The players consistently supported one another, remained committed to the team’s purpose, and showed real courage in key moments. Those qualities were important contributors to tonight’s result.”

FULL RECAP

Game 2: Australia 9 defeated Puerto Rico 1

Another terrific pitching display, this time accompanied by some red-hot bats.

Josh Nati launched two home runs, including a towering 425-foot moonshot.

John Lemm backed up his impressive opening game by going 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and two RBI.

On the mound, Tyson Noel tossed 3.0 innings, allowing one hit, one walk and one run. Charlie Pierson followed with 4.0 innings of relief, conceding just one hit.

Australia improved to 2-0.

“Offensively, our at-bats reflected the team-first approach we’ve been talking about all tournament. Our players competed for every pitch, took the free bases when they were available, and then capitalised on opportunities with timely hits,” said Watson.

FULL RECAP

Game 3: Czechia 9 defeated Australia 6

Australia paid dearly for free bases, and an opportunistic Czechia took full advantage.

Of Czechia’s nine runs, only one was driven in by a hit. Three scored on bases-loaded walks, three on wild pitches, one on a sacrifice fly and another on an error.

In total, Australian pitchers issued 11 walks.

The Aussies trailed 6-2 and 9-3 but fought back on both occasions, eventually bringing the tying run to the plate with two outs in the final inning.

Australia outhit Czechia 9-6.

Darcy Barry led the Aussies with two hits, John Lemm extended his hitting streak to three games, and Cal Fingleson recorded an RBI for the third consecutive game.

“The good thing about tournament baseball is that you don’t have to wait long for your next opportunity. Credit to Czechia, they played a strong game and capitalised on their opportunities,” said Watson.

“We felt well prepared and got off to a good start scoring two in the first inning. However, we gave them too many opportunities early in the game. We fought hard to stay in the game and gave ourselves opportunities late, but Czechia were able to execute when it mattered and did enough to maintain their lead.

“We’ll learn from today’s performance, reset and connect quickly, and turn our full attention to Chinese Taipei tomorrow.”

FULL RECAP

Game 4: Australia 4 defeated Chinese Taipei 0

A true team performance. And one heck of a bounce-back.

After the disappointment against Czechia, Australia responded by shutting out World No. 2 Chinese Taipei.

The Aussies outhit their opponents 11-4, while Lachlan Rosser, Will Page-Allen and Lachlan Brook combined for the shutout.

Max Stagg delivered a four-hit performance, while John Lemm continued his torrid start with a 2-for-4 effort that included a triple.

Australia improved to 3-1 and moved within touching distance of a Super Round berth.

“This was a true team performance. It’s difficult to single out individuals because every player who put on the Australian jersey today contributed in a meaningful way to the result,” said Watson.

“Before today’s game, we spent time reflecting on our three ‘Big C’s’ – Connected, Committed and Courageous. Even in yesterday’s loss, there were examples of those behaviours, and it was important that our players recognised them. We wanted to reinforce that our identity isn’t based on results alone. It’s how we respond, support each other and continue to compete.”

FULL RECAP

Game 5: Australia 10 defeated Panama 3

Perhaps Australia’s most complete performance of the tournament.

With a Super Round berth and top spot in Pool A on the line, the Aussies delivered in every facet of the game.

With the bats: Eight hits, three home runs, eight walks and three hit-by-pitches. Every player in the starting lineup reached base, with seven reaching safely at least twice.

John Lemm launched a 450-foot two-run homer in the first inning, while Callum Donnelly and Josh Nati also went deep.

On the mound: Charlie Pierson, Juan Ramirez and Josh Beazley combined to issue just one walk across seven innings. Ramirez, making his national team debut, touched 97 mph on the radar gun and tossed two scoreless, hitless innings.

In the field: Australia turned two double plays and produced several highlight-reel moments, including a leaping catch from Donnelly and outstanding defensive work from Nikau Pouaka-Grego at third base.

The result secured top spot in Pool A and ensured Australia would carry a 2-0 record into the Super Round.

“One area that has been a real strength for us throughout the tournament has been our defence. We’ve handled the ball consistently, communicated well, and trusted one another in key moments. The way the players communicate and support each other on the field is a great reflection of our connection as a team, and they’ve taken real ownership of that part of their game,” said Watson.

FULL RECAP

11 November 2026 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

Team Australia - U23

Game Notes: Australia 10 def Panama 3 | 2026 U23 World Cup

Australia powers past Panama 10-3 to secure top spot in Pool A and Super Round berth

story by Eric Balnar

Australia’s bats exploded in a convincing 10-3 win over Panama to officially punch their ticket to the U23 World Cup Super Round and secure top spot in Pool A.

The victory also ensures Australia starts the medal rounds with a 2-0 record, tied for first in the tournament.

It was one of Australia’s best all-around performances of the tournament.

The Aussies combined for ten runs on eight hits, three homers, eight walks and three hit-by-pitches. Every player in the starting lineup reached base, with seven hitting the base paths at least twice.

On the mound, Charlie Pierson, Juan Ramirez and Josh Beazley combined to issue just one walk.

Defensively, Australia was flawless.

They turned two double plays and produced several highlight-reel moments, including a leaping catch by left fielder Callum Donnelly and some outstanding throws from third baseman Nikau Pouaka-Grego.

John Lemm dominated at the plate again, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple and two RBI. His efforts included a towering 450-foot moonshot in the first inning to put Australia ahead 2-0.

Lemm finishes pool play as the tournament leader in hits (10).

BOX SCORE: Australia vs Panama

Donnelly and Josh Nati also went deep.

Australia broke the game open with a four-run second inning, built on a series of walks and capped by a two-RBI single from Pouaka-Grego.

The second-inning outburst came at the perfect time.

Not long after Lemm’s two-run blast, Panama opened the bottom of the first with three consecutive doubles off Pierson to tie the game at two.

HUB: All the info from the U23 World Cup

Pierson settled after the shaky start, eventually tossing 4.0 innings while allowing six hits and three runs, with no walks and four strikeouts.

It was Pierson’s (below) second solid outing of the tournament after throwing four shutout innings against Puerto Rico on Day 2.

From there, he handed the ball to Juan “Manny” Ramirez, who made his national team debut in relief. The 20-year-old, who can throw 97 mph, was outstanding. He faced just six batters across 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings, allowing one walk and striking out two.

Josh Beazley pitched a perfect seventh inning to close out the victory.

Australia finishes Pool A with a 4-1 record and enters the Super Round with a 2-0 record.

The Aussies will now play three games against the qualifiers from Pool B, with results against fellow advancing teams carrying over.

Australia’s upcoming Super Round opponents are Venezuela (2-0), Japan (1-1) and Korea (0-2). Chinese Taipei (0-2) and Puerto Rico (1-1) join Australia from Pool A, after Czechia (2-3) upset host Nicaragua (2-3) this evening.

The top two teams in the Super Round standings will advance to the gold medal game, while the third- and fourth-placed teams will compete for bronze.

The Super Round schedules below.

– Friday 13 November, 7:30AM AEDT vs Venezuela (2-0)
– Saturday 14 November, 11:30AM AEDT vs Korea (0-2)
– Sunday 15 November, 11:30AM AEDT vs Japan (1-1)
– Gold / Bronze – Monday 16 November

Be sure to chheck our tournament hub at https://baseball.com.au/u23worldcup2026/ for updates later tonight. You will be able to watch all games free on Baseball+.

Panama, which needed a victory to remain in contention, will now compete in the Placement Round.

Game Notes

Coach Quotes: Here’s what manager Shayne Watson had to say after the game

Going into the game, we were clear on what was at stake and the opportunity in front of us. The players embraced that challenge and approached the game with the intent and focus we were looking for.

We knew Panama had some dangerous hitters at the top and through the middle of their lineup, and we expected them to come out aggressively. Our pitchers did a quality job of executing their plans and limiting their opportunities to build momentum.

Charlie Pierson gave us an outstanding start, providing four strong innings in challenging, humid conditions. Ramirez and Beezley combined well at the back end of the game, continuing to attack the strike zone and maintain control when we needed it.

Offensively, Lemm and Nati helped get things going and create momentum for our lineup. It was also great to see Donnelly rewarded with a home run after consistently hitting the ball hard throughout pool play.

One area that has been a real strength for us throughout the tournament has been our defence. We’ve handled the ball consistently, communicated well, and trusted one another in key moments. The way the players communicate and support each other on the field is a great reflection of our connection as a team, and they’ve taken real ownership of that part of their game.

Advancing to the Super Round with a 2-0 record is a credit to the work the group has put in.

We’ll enjoy this result, reset, and get ready for the challenges ahead.

Tomorrow will be an optional light session for the guys that need to get work in. After tonight’s game it was played under very challenging conditions, so the priority is to recover and get ready to play in two days time.

Starting Lineup: Australia returned to the exact same lineup that delivered wins on Day 1, Day 2 and Day 4.

Johnny “The Leader” Lemm: That’s it. That’s the headline. I feel like a broken record mentioning him every game. He opened today’s scoring with a towering 450-foot two-run homer to put Australia ahead early. He later tripled, his second of the tournament, in the sixth inning and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Lemm finishes pool play as arguably the tournament’s best hitter. He leads the competition in hits (10), batting average (.556) and triples (2). He’s also fifth in RBI and second in OPS.

Taking Advantage of Free Passes: Panama walked eight batters and hit another three. Australia made the most of those free passes, capitalising on their opportunities to build an early lead.

Patient Solo: Solomon Maguire continues to set the table at the top of the lineup. The U23 captain worked three walks, bringing his tournament total to seven. Maguire, playing in his third U23 World Cup, has an on-base percentage of .563 (7th).

Velo, Baby!: Juan Ramirez touched 97 mph on the radar gun, making him the hardest-throwing Australian pitcher of the tournament so far.

Defence Comes Through: We’ve talked plenty about the hitting, but Australia’s defence also delivered in some big moments. Callum Donnelly made a leaping catch near the wall, while the Aussies turned two double plays to escape tricky situations. Nikau Pouaka-Grego also produced a couple of highlight-reel plays at third base. Australia finished the game without committing an error.

A Note on Nati: Josh Nati leads the tournament in home runs (3) and is tied for the lead in RBI (8).

Good Looking Finishing Numbers: Australia finishes pool play with a .306 batting average (2nd), a 2.06 ERA (2nd) and a 32-13 run differential in its favour. Australia’s .993 fielding percentage ranks first in the tournament, with the team committing just one error across five games.

How the Super Round Works: The top three teams from Pool A join the top three teams from Pool B in the Super Round. It’s effectively another round robin, but results against teams that advance from the same pool carry over (wins over Chinese Taipei and Puerto Rico). That means Australia starts with a 2-0 record and will face Venezuela (2-0), Japan (1-1) and Korea (0-2) over the next three days. The top two teams in the final Super Round standings will play for gold, while the third- and fourth-placed teams will compete for bronze.

STANDINGS

Super Round Standings (Current)

Venezuela 2-0
Australia 2-0
Puerto Rico 1-1
Japan 1-1
Korea 0-2
Chinese Taipei 0-2

Pool A (Final)

Australia 4-1
Puerto Rico 3-2
Chinese Taipei 2-3*
—
Panama 2-3
Czechia 2-3
Nicaragua 2-3

*Chinese Taipei win tiebreaker to advance

Pool B (Final)

Venezuela 5-0
Japan 4-1
Korea 3-2
—
Great Britain 2-3
Cuba 1-2
South Africa 0-5

Tag Cloud:
2026 u23 World Cup
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