The Australian Emeralds presented by Boral fought their way through one of the toughest groups at the LG Presents WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup 2016 before mixed results in the Super Round saw them claim 5th place at the tournament.
Catcher Tahnee Lovering and outfielder Tammy McMillan were both named in the World All-Star Team after outstanding performances at the World Cup.
McMillan, a Queenslander made her debut at the World Cup this year, and the 24-year-old outfielder shone, claiming six hits and six RBIs, hitting .353 for the tournament.
After debuting for the Emeralds 12 years ago, veteran catcher Tahnee Lovering was named in the World All-Star team for the first time. Hitting .400 with eight hits and five RBIs for the tournament, Lovering was one of the best offensive players for Australia, while presence behind the plate was immense.
Emeralds head coach Simone Wearne described Lovering as “a true leader and one of the most committed and passionate players to ever pull on the green and gold.”
Catcher Tahnee Lovering and outfielder Tammy McMillan were both named in the World All-Star Team after outstanding performances at the World Cup.
McMillan, a Queenslander made her debut at the World Cup this year, and the 24-year-old outfielder shone, claiming six hits and six RBIs, hitting .353 for the tournament.
After debuting for the Emeralds 12 years ago, veteran catcher Tahnee Lovering was named in the World All-Star team for the first time. Hitting .400 with eight hits and five RBIs for the tournament, Lovering was one of the best offensive players for Australia, while presence behind the plate was immense.
Emeralds head coach Simone Wearne described Lovering as “a true leader and one of the most committed and passionate players to ever pull on the green and gold.”
During the group stage, Australia fell to a red-hot Chinese Taipei side, before a win over Hong Kong kept their hopes for Super Round qualification alive. A win alone wouldn’t be enough against the #2 ranked USA, with a victory margin of five runs or more required to seal qualification. A 10-2 onslaught eliminated the USA from medal contention for the first time in World Cup history, and sealed the Emeralds place in the next stage of the competition.
A dominant victory over Korea in the Super Round kept The Emeralds in medal contention, but back to back defeats at the hands of eventual champions Japan and bronze medallists Venezuela saw Australia finish fifth.
There were a number of outstanding performances from Emeralds players during the tournament, including the unearthing of two future Emeralds superstars. Olivia Bannon showed maturity beyond her 17 years, looking completely comfortable starting at second base for every game of the tournament. Bannon hit .333 for the tournament with six hits and four RBIs.
Abbey Kelly also came of age, with the 17-year-old Victorian product starting on the mound for the must-win game against one of the most dominant teams in Women’s Baseball, the USA. Kelly pitched an absolute gem, only giving up two hits in her 6 innings of work and showed maturity and composure in her debut appearance at a World Cup.
Japan ended up claiming their fifth straight World Cup, while Canada claimed silver. Venezuela defeated Chinese Taipei in an all-time classic to walk away with the bronze.
The Emeralds also set the tone off the field during the tournament, with a number of projects and programs cementing themselves as more than just a successful team on the field.
The next chance to see some international women’s baseball will be the Phoenix Cup in February, while the Open Women’s National Championship will take place in Canberra between the 15-22 April 2017 in Canberra.