Hong Kong stuck with the Australian Emeralds for two innings, however an unprecedented offensive explosion saw the Emeralds score 22 runs in the third and fourth innings to claim their second win of the World Cup.
Two of the three debutants got their first action at a World Cup, with Kaila Borgomastro claiming the final two outs of the ballgame on the mound, while Elodie O'Sullivan made a start in left-field, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
O'Sullivan's first hit at a World Cup was an RBI double, which started Australia's nine run second inning. All nine of Australia's runs came with two outs.
Australia wins!!! Play at the plate to end the game with Hong Kong #WomensBaseball #WorldCup @teamausbaseball pic.twitter.com/VNJHApqhgv
Eight-time World Cup representative Shae Lillywhite lead the way with four RBI at the top of the lineup, while Tahnee Lovering, Taylah Welch and Natalie House all picked up three RBI apiece. Lillywhite's bases clearing double was the highlight of the fourth inning, where Australia plated 13 runs.
Sinead Flanigan only surrendered one earned run in 3.2 innings of work, as the Victoria struck out three.
The Australian Emeralds take on Canada at 8am AEST on Sunday 26 of August in their penultimate Pool B encounter.
The Emeralds second game of the Women's World Cup was full of ebbs and flows, but unfortunately the Dominican finished stronger, scoring three late runs to top Australia 9-6.
The Dominican Republic did all of their damage with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, as the bottom third of their lineup picked up four consecutive hits, scoring three runs.
Victorian veteran Shae Lillywhite began a five-run inning with a double to centrefield, while back-to-back RBI singles from Taylah Welch and Olivia Bannon capped off the five run frame.
Highlights: Australia v Dominican Republic #WomensBaseball #WorldCup @fedoberd @teamausbaseball pic.twitter.com/uZbfxmjrRU
— WBSC #WomensBaseball ⚾ (@WBSC) August 23, 2018
World Cup debutant Abbey McLellan finished with a pair of hits (including a double), while Chelsea Forkin claimed her fourth hit in six at-bats to lift her average to .800 through two games.
Maddison Tabrett kept the offence at bay through the late stages, however some clutch hitting from the Dominicans proved the difference.
Australia (1-1) faces Hong Kong (0-2) in a critical Group B matchup, which takes place at midnight AEST tonight, you can catch the game live via the WBSC YouTube Channel.
Highlights: Australia v Dominican Republic #WomensBaseball #WorldCup @fedoberd @teamausbaseball pic.twitter.com/uZbfxmjrRU
World Cup debutant Abbey McLellan finished with a pair of hits (including a double), while Chelsea Forkin claimed her fourth hit in six at-bats to lift her average to .800 through two games.
Maddison Tabrett kept the offence at bay through the late stages, however some clutch hitting from the Dominicans proved the difference.
Australia (1-1) faces Hong Kong (0-2) in a critical Group B matchup, which takes place at midnight AEST tonight, you can catch the game live via the WBSC YouTube Channel.
The Australian Emeralds were made to wait for their first victory at the Women's World Cup in Florida, after weather suspended their game against Cuba. Despite the delay, Australia finished the better, scoring the last seven runs to defeat Cuba 12-4.
The delay began with Australia holding a one run lead, however an offensive explosion after the resumption of play put the game beyond doubt. The Emeralds plated six runs in the bottom of the fourth, and with a dominant relief appearance from Laura Neads, the Emeralds claimed win number one.
Neads only gave up one hit in 3.2 stellar relief innings, as the NSW veteran kept the Cuban offence at bay.
Western Australian Natalie House started the game off in style for the Australians with a one-out double in the bottom of the first, and was almost instantly driven in thanks to an RBI triple from Chelsea Forkin as Australia got the scoring going.
Forkin was one of Australia's best with bat in hand, going 3-for-3 with three RBI on the day. Taylah Welch didn't miss a trick despite not taking part in the 2016 tournament, claiming three hits and a stellar defensive play in left-field.
Taylah Welch
LIVE: Cuba 0-2 Australia 2st Inning #WomensBaseball #WorldCup @teamausbaseball pic.twitter.com/irGApiJ80N
Cuba plated three runs of their own in the top of the second to take their first lead of the ballgame, but the Emeralds consistent scoring proved the difference, as they plated runs in the first five innings.
Baseball Australia just announced the 2018 Hall of Fame inductees, and Baseball Victoria is proud to confirm the induction of Brett Ward, who has enjoyed a decorated baseball career in Victoria. He’s joined by fellow inductees Ben Shom, Greg Elkson and Mark Ettles. Ward is the 16th Victorian to be welcomed into the Hall of Fame. His long list of contributions to the sport in our state is a testament to his abilities, both as a player and a team leader.
BRETT WARD (VIC)
Category of excellence: Playing (1986-1988 & 1989-1999)
Brett Ward has been a constant in Australian baseball circles since his debut in the Victorian State League for Coburg in 1977.
Ward broke onto the national scene in 1979, as he was a key part of Victoria’s U18 National Championship, while also representing Australia’s U18 team in the same year.
Fast-forward five years and Ward was a regular in Victoria’s Claxton Shield lineup, where he claimed two championships in 1984 and 1986.
Ward holds a number of Claxton Shield records, including most hits (22) and highest batting average (.550) in a ten game Claxton Shield series. With a batting average north of .300 in his six years of Claxton Shield action, Ward was one of the most consistent hitters in the competition.
Ward was honoured with the Claxton Shield’s highest individual honour in 1984, claiming Helms Award before his debut for the Australian national team.
Ward has the distinction of hitting the first home run at the Altona Baseball Stadium, and was named in Victoria’s Claxton Shield All-Star team.
- Coburg Baseball Club (player, 1977-1985) – two championships.
- Victorian U18 National Champion (1979)
- Australian U18 team (1979)
- Claxton Shield (1983-1988) – two championships.
- Helms Award (1984)
- Geelong Sportsman of the year (1984)
- Australian national team (1984-1987, 1989-1990)
- Sunshine Baseball Club (player, 1986-1990 – one championship.
- Melbourne Monarchs (1989/90 & 1992/93) – one championship
- Williamstown Baseball Club (manager, 1991-1993) – one championship.
Congratulations Brett!
GEORGE BENJAMIN (BEN) SHOM (WA)
Category of excellence: Playing (1919-1946 & 1947-1967)
Ben Shom began his baseball career in 1936 and by 1939 he was a key member of Western Australia’s Claxton Shield team.
An outstanding shortstop and top-level hitter, Shom was a key part of Western Australia’s inaugural Claxton Shield triumph in 1952.
In that 1952 Claxton Shield, Shom starred with three hits in a record breaking 16 inning marathon against Victoria, as WA claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win. Shom’s third hit was in the top of the 16th inning, and he came around to score the game’s only run off the bat of fellow Hall of Famer Charlie Puckett (a game where Puckett also threw a 16-inning shutout).
The final game of the 1952 Claxton Shield saw South Australia claim an early lead, but Shom scored the team’s first run of the ballgame, a squeeze play which drove in Charlie Puckett.
Shom was selected for the 1952 Australian team after WA’s Claxton Shield win.
Following the absence of a WA Claxton Shield team in 1946, Shom was a key part of reigniting the return of a Claxton Shield team in 1947. Shom was outstanding in a three-game exhibition series against South Australia. Western Australia won all three games, as Shom batted in the winning run in game two, and scored the winning run in game three.
- Captain/Coach of Victoria Park’s first premiership team (1946)
- Claxton Shield
o 1x Claxton Shield victory (1952)
- Australian Representative (1943 & 1952)
GREG ELKSON (SA)
Category of excellence: Playing (1968-1988)
A name synonymous with South Australian baseball is Greg Elkson, with the star pitcher becoming a regular in both the South Australian and Australian setups.
The 1978/79 season was a breakout one for Elkson, as the starting pitcher led Glenelg to a premiership, and earned the first of five Capps Medals for the best and fairest player in the South Australian Baseball League (SABL). The highlights didn’t stop there for Elkson, who made his debut in the Claxton Shield and in the Australian team during 1979.
Elkson won the Bob Finn Trophy for the best and fairest in South Australia’s Claxton Shield team for three consecutive years between 1981 and 1983, and was a regular in the Australian team setup, as he toured Japan, Korea and North America between 1979 and 1985.
Elkson’s longevity at the top level was enviable, as the dominant lefty finished with five Capps Medals over a 12 year period, with his last coming at the Goodwood Baseball Club as a 33-year-old.
Elkson’s SABL career spanned 19 seasons between 1977/78 and 1996/97 as he accumulated 510 senior appearances with Glenelg, Goodwood and Southern Districts
- SABL Division 1 Premiership (1978/79, 1979/1980, 1983/84)
- Capps Medallist (1978/79, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1987/88, 1989/90)
- Claxton Shield (1979-1984, 1986-1987)
- Australian national team (1979-1985)
- Bob Finn Trophy (1981-1983)
- Inaugural Adelaide Giants player (1988/89)
MARK ETTLES (WA)
Category of excellence: Playing (1989-1999)
Mark Ettles made history on June 5 1993, becoming the first ever Western Australian to reach Major League Baseball.
Ettles paved the way for the next generation of Western Australian talent, as his dedication and application proved a career at the top level of baseball was an achievable goal.
Beginning his career in the USA with the University of West Florida in 1988, Ettles played a key role for the Argonauts in a variety of roles. He lead the pitching staff as both a starter and a closer, making 14 starts and 14 relief appearances. Ettles struck out 102 hitters at West Florida in 1989, leading his team to the Southern States Conference Championship and a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers.
A dynamite split finger fastball was Ettles’ main weapon, as he climbed through the ranks, debuting for the Padres and becoming the second Australian (behind Graeme Lloyd) to register a win at the MLB level (July 2 1993).
A regular in the Western Australia and Perth Heat setups for well over a decade, Ettles was named to ABL All-Star teams in 1992 and 1997.
Ettles claimed a bronze medal at the 1997 Intercontinental Cup, and capped off his international career with the honour of Olympic representation at Sydney 2000.
- University of West Florida (1988/89)
- Detroit Tigers (1989-1991)
- San Diego Padres (1991-1995)
- Western Australia/Perth Heat (1985-1998)
- ABL All-Star Team (1992, 1997)
- Olympian (Sydney 2000)
- Australian national team (1997-2000)
Baseball Australia is proud to announce Ben Shom, Brett Ward, Greg Elkson and Mark Ettles as the 2018 Hall of Fame inductees.
GEORGE BENJAMIN (BEN) SHOM (WA)
Category of excellence: Playing (1919-1946 & 1947-1967)
Ben Shom began his baseball career in 1936 and by 1939 he was a key member of Western Australia’s Claxton Shield team.
An outstanding shortstop and top-level hitter, Shom was a key part of Western Australia’s inaugural Claxton Shield triumph in 1952.
In that 1952 Claxton Shield, Shom starred with three hits in a record breaking 16 inning marathon against Victoria, as WA claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win. Shom’s third hit was in the top of the 16th inning, and he came around to score the game’s only run off the bat of fellow Hall of Famer Charlie Puckett (a game where Puckett also threw a 16-inning shutout).
The final game of the 1952 Claxton Shield saw South Australia claim an early lead, but Shom scored the team’s first run of the ballgame, a squeeze play which drove in Charlie Puckett.
Shom was selected for the 1952 Australian team after WA’s Claxton Shield win.
Following the absence of a WA Claxton Shield team in 1946, Shom was a key part of reigniting the return of a Claxton Shield team in 1947. Shom was outstanding in a three-game exhibition series against South Australia. Western Australia won all three games, as Shom batted in the winning run in game two, and scored the winning run in game three.
- Captain/Coach of Victoria Park’s first premiership team (1946)
- Claxton Shield
o 1x Claxton Shield victory (1952)
- Australian Representative (1943 & 1952)
BRETT WARD (VIC)
Category of excellence: Playing (1986-1988 & 1989-1999)
Brett Ward has been a constant in Australian baseball circles since his debut in the Victorian State League for Coburg in 1977.
Ward broke onto the national scene in 1979, as he was a key part of Victoria’s U18 National Championship, while also representing Australia’s U18 team in the same year.
Fast-forward five years and Ward was a regular in Victoria’s Claxton Shield lineup, where he claimed two championships in 1984 and 1986.
Ward holds a number of Claxton Shield records, including most hits (22) and highest batting average (.550) in a ten game Claxton Shield series. With a batting average north of .300 in his six years of Claxton Shield action, Ward was one of the most consistent hitters in the competition.
Ward was honoured with the Claxton Shield’s highest individual honour in 1984, claiming Helms Award before his debut for the Australian national team.
Ward has the distinction of hitting the first home run at the Altona Baseball Stadium, and was named in Victoria’s Claxton Shield All-Star team.
- Coburg Baseball Club (player, 1977-1985) – two championships.
- Victorian U18 National Champion (1979)
- Australian U18 team (1979)
- Claxton Shield (1983-1988) – two championships.
- Helms Award (1984)
- Geelong Sportsman of the year (1984)
- Australian national team (1984-1987, 1989-1990)
- Sunshine Baseball Club (player, 1986-1990 – one championship.
- Melbourne Monarchs (1989/90 & 1992/93) – one championship
- Williamstown Baseball Club (manager, 1991-1993) – one championship.
GREG ELKSON (SA)
Category of excellence: Playing (1968-1988)
A name synonymous with South Australian baseball is Greg Elkson, with the star pitcher becoming a regular in both the South Australian and Australian setups.
The 1978/79 season was a breakout one for Elkson, as the starting pitcher led Glenelg to a premiership, and earned the first of five Capps Medals for the best and fairest player in the South Australian Baseball League (SABL). The highlights didn’t stop there for Elkson, who made his debut in the Claxton Shield and in the Australian team during 1979.
Elkson won the Bob Finn Trophy for the best and fairest in South Australia’s Claxton Shield team for three consecutive years between 1981 and 1983, and was a regular in the Australian team setup, as he toured Japan, Korea and North America between 1979 and 1985.
Elkson’s longevity at the top level was enviable, as the dominant lefty finished with five Capps Medals over a 12 year period, with his last coming at the Goodwood Baseball Club as a 33-year-old.
Elkson’s SABL career spanned 19 seasons between 1977/78 and 1996/97 as he accumulated 510 senior appearances with Glenelg, Goodwood and Southern Districts
- SABL Division 1 Premiership (1978/79, 1979/1980, 1983/84)
- Capps Medallist (1978/79, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1987/88, 1989/90)
- Claxton Shield (1979-1984, 1986-1987)
- Australian national team (1979-1985)
- Bob Finn Trophy (1981-1983)
- Inaugural Adelaide Giants player (1988/89)
MARK ETTLES (WA)
Category of excellence: Playing (1989-1999)
Mark Ettles made history on June 5 1993, becoming the first ever Western Australian to reach Major League Baseball.
Ettles paved the way for the next generation of Western Australian talent, as his dedication and application proved a career at the top level of baseball was an achievable goal.
Beginning his career in the USA with the University of West Florida in 1988, Ettles played a key role for the Argonauts in a variety of roles. He lead the pitching staff as both a starter and a closer, making 14 starts and 14 relief appearances. Ettles struck out 102 hitters at West Florida in 1989, leading his team to the Southern States Conference Championship and a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers.
A dynamite split finger fastball was Ettles’ main weapon, as he climbed through the ranks, debuting for the Padres and becoming the second Australian (behind Graeme Lloyd) to register a win at the MLB level (July 2 1993).
A regular in the Western Australia and Perth Heat setups for well over a decade, Ettles was named to ABL All-Star teams in 1992 and 1997.
Ettles claimed a bronze medal at the 1997 Intercontinental Cup, and capped off his international career with the honour of Olympic representation at Sydney 2000.
- University of West Florida (1988/89)
- Detroit Tigers (1989-1991)
- San Diego Padres (1991-1995)
- Western Australia/Perth Heat (1985-1998)
- ABL All-Star Team (1992, 1997)
- Olympian (Sydney 2000)
- Australian national team (1997-2000)
Abbey McLellan is a rookie by name, but certainly not by nature.
She has represented Victoria at multiple Australian Women’s Championships, with her most recent campaign in April yielding a .552 batting average, a team high 16 hits and a very handy OBP of .658.
A 16-year-old McLellan hit .444 for Victoria White at the 2011 Australian Women’s Championships, and since then she has become a constant offensive threat for every pitching staff she faces.
Seven years on from her breakout performance, McLellan has earned her first Australian Emeralds call-up.
She isn’t taking it for granted.
“There is no one on the team that is guaranteed to play every inning of every game,” McLellan says.
“I know I’m here for a reason and I want to make the most of my opportunities.
“I’m not really worried about the statistics, as long as my coaches and I can honestly say I gave it everything, I’ll be satisfied.”
Despite her inexperience at World Cup level, McLellan believes playing against some of the best players of this generation each and every week has prepared her for what’s to come in Florida.
“Being from Melbourne I have the opportunity to play with Bronwyn Gell and Shae Lillywhite, two of the best to ever do it,” she says. “It’s incredible to go away with them after playing with them week-to-week for the last couple of years.
“Their dedication to the program is incredible, and my self-confidence has increased as I’ve been able to perform and have success with them.”
The Emeralds’ 2018 World Cup campaign has involved one of the most detailed and professional preparations yet, and McLellan says it will hold the team in good stead.
“We’re quietly confident,” McLellan says.
“We have put a lot of effort into our game strategies, skills and we feel mentally and physically prepared.
“Our team dynamic is exceptional. A lot of motivation for on-field performance comes from off-field relationships, so I think the closer we are off the field impacts our performance on it.
“We have the motivation, and if we play to our potential there’s no reason why we can’t come back with something shiny around our necks."
Australia has finished its U15 World Cup on a high, topping Germany 8-2 to seal ninth spot on Sunday morning.
Early offence powered Australia to a 5-0 lead after two innings and they never looked back, collecting a third win in Panama.
Solomon Maguire blasted a three-run homer in the second to extend Australia’s lead to five runs.
GAME INFO: BOX SCORE
Germany hit back late but Australia answered with runs of its own.
Maguire finished with two hits while Charlie Collins had three hits and Nicholas Chappell drove in two runs.
Starter Bailey-Jay Cooke worked five innings, striking out four and allowing one earned run to pick up the win.
Australia led the way offensively with 10 hits to two.
Hosts Panama and the USA will clash in the U15 World Cup final tomorrow morning.
Gold Coast has been eliminated from the 2018 Little League World Series following a 6-0 loss to the Caribbean on Day 3 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The Caribbean took the lead with a three-run third and the Cougars, representing Australia Region, were unable to muster the offence for a comeback on Sunday morning.
Oscar Hyde collected Gold Coast’s sole hit, a single in the fourth inning.
The Caribbean added three more runs across the fourth and sixth inning.
Cougars’ starter Matthew White recorded five strikeouts, while allowing one earned run during his 3 2/3 innings on the mound.
Jett Grimmond punched out three Caribbean hitters in relief.
Gold Coast’s loss eliminated it from the LLWS after a thrilling 3-2 loss to Mexico on Friday morning.
Australia's bats were hot as they put in a complete performance to defeat China 9-2 at the U15 World Cup overnight.
The 15 hits were spread evenly for the Australian offence, which included three doubles and three triples.
China scored the opening run of the ballgame in the top of the first, but from there the Australians flexed their muscle, piling on nine unanswered in a dominant display.
Victorian Charlie Collins made his two hits count, as he legged out a double and a triple while also claiming a pair of RBI. Nikau Pouaka-Grego and Quinn Johnson kept their solid tournaments going with two hits apiece, while Jaime Fox drove in a team-high three RBI.
Solomon Maguire worked hard during his four innings on the mound, but the NSW utility battled well, only giving up one earned run from four hits. Maguire was replaced by Parker Robinson, who picked up where Maguire left off, finishing the game strongly on the hill.
Australia's final game of the U15 World Cup takes place at 1am AEST on Sunday 19 August, with a win against Germany sealing 9th place at the World Cup.