Baseball Victoria is currently taking applications for two Assistant Coach roles to work with the U18 and U16 White teams for the 2017 Australian National Championships.
Tournament Dates: 6 – 15 January, 2017
Tournament Venue: BISP, Sydney
Team Tryouts: October (Dates TBC)
Team Training: Wednesday & Saturdays (November – December)
Questions in relation to the roles and applications can be directed to Baseball Victoria’s High Performance Manager Damian Shanahan via:
m. 0419 466 394
Baseball Victoria is pleased to announce the Baseball Operations Advisory Group which will be charged with, but not limited to, providing strategic direction in regard to the development of players and coaches in Victoria.
The Baseball Operations Advisory Group
Collectively, the group has more than 250 years with the sports industry and come from diverse backgrounds which include:
Baseball Victoria's Vice President Scott Dawes says he's confident that the right people have been put in place to he progress baseball in our state.
“The experience that all baseball participants receive is largely dictated by the quality of coaching they’re exposed to, at all levels.”
“We must ensure that all participants, particularly at entry & junior levels, are provided with great experiences in order to keep them in the game as long as possible & to continue to attract new participants to the sport.”
“Furthermore, any barriers to growth must be removed to ensure the finite resources we have, including volunteer hours as well as money, are invested in the really important activities that will have the greatest impact on growing the sport in Victoria.”
“The experience that all baseball participants receive is largely dictated by the quality of coaching they’re exposed to, at all levels.”
“We must ensure that all participants, particularly at entry & junior levels, are provided with great experiences in order to keep them in the game as long as possible & to continue to attract new participants to the sport.”
“Furthermore, any barriers to growth must be removed to ensure the finite resources we have, including volunteer hours as well as money, are invested in the really important activities that will have the greatest impact on growing the sport in Victoria.”
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.
The Australian Emeralds presented by Boral have finished 2016 World Cup campaign in fifth position.
Similar to their opening pool rounds, The Emeralds had it all to play for in their final super-round match-up against eventual Bronze Medallists Venezuela, needing to win by more than six runs to secure a place in the bronze medal game.
There was to be no heroics this time around with the Venezuelan defence turning inning-ending double plays to get out of three of the first four frames.
The Emeralds tried to rally late, putting up a four-run spot in the seventh but the damage was done and the Emeralds were forced to settle with a fifth place finish at this year’s tournament.
Here’s how our Victoria girls fared in the tournament.
Leslie Anglin
In her first World Cup appearance, Anglin played like a 10-year veteran and was an offensive weapon down the bottom half of the Emeralds line-up.
Bronwyn Gell
The starting short stop, lead-off hitter and one of the team’s on-field leaders, Gell showed maturity beyond her years and will be an asset to the National Program for many years to come.
Abby Kelly
Picked as a pitcher in her first World Cup, her start against the USA in the must win pool game was one of the great stories of the tournament. Showed she can play on both sides of the ball and made the most of her opportunities when presented with them.
Shae Lillywhite
Playing in her sixth World Cup, Lillywhite showed she still has what it takes to mix it with the best in the world. Used predominantly off the bench in big spots, Lillywhite came up clutch on more than one occasion with her impact felt both on and off the field.
All of the Australian Emeralds results
Tournament Final Standings
Venezuela had some early momentum against the Australian Emeralds presented by Boral, and held on to defeat the Emeralds 7-4 at the LG Presents Women’s Baseball World Cup 2016.
Australia needed to defeat Venezuela by six runs or more to seal qualification in the Bronze Medal Game, but an offensive explosion from Venezuela in the first inning made it tough for Australia to gain momentum.
Venezuela’s pitching was conducive to groundballs, and it showed, with three of the first four Australian innings ending via the double play.
Despite falling behind early, The Emeralds continued to put pressure on Venezuela, culminating in a four run seventh inning, but ultimately, the damage was done.
Shae Lillywhite managed to pick up two hits and an RBI for the Emeralds, while a hit in the 7th from Tahnee Lovering drove in another two runs.
Jacinda Barclay took the ball for The Emeralds, and despite giving up some runs early, continued to grind away and tossed four shutout innings in a row against a Venezuelan lineup which claimed twelve total hits.
That result sees Australia finish 5th at the 2016 World Cup, with Venezuela taking on Chinese Taipei for the bronze medal tomorrow afternoon. Japan match up with Canada for the title of World Champion tomorrow evening.
GIJANG, S. Korea – Two big innings were the difference for the Australian Emeralds presented by Boral, who fell to Japan 10-0 at the LG Presents WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup 2016.
After Tabitha Callander was relieved of her starting duties early in the piece, Emeralds veteran Laura Neads came in to the game and threw extremely well against a solid Japanese lineup. Neads threw three shutout innings against a team that has won 17 consecutive games at the Women’s World Cup.
Leslie Anglin, Olivia Bannon and Chelsea Forkin all picked up a hit each, while Western Australian Morgan Doty was the only Emerald to pick up two hits.
Following their victory, Japan has sealed their place in the World Championship Final, while Australia’s loss sees them fall to 1-3 in the super round.
The Emeralds take on Venezuela tomorrow in their final game of the Super Round at 8pm AEST.
We are yet to confirm whether The Emeralds will be eligible to qualify for the Bronze Medal game, information will be provided when it comes to hand.
The Emeralds take on Venezuela tomorrow in their final game of the Super Round at 8pm AEST.
We are yet to confirm whether The Emeralds will be eligible to qualify for the Bronze Medal game, information will be provided when it comes to hand.
20 of some of the best school age baseball players in the country jet off to the United States next week to take part in a three-week trip across the country playing games against different colleges. This is a fantastic opportunity for all of these athletes to perform in front of some very important spectators.
14 of the 20 athletes on the roster attended the 2016 MLB Australian Academy Program, and have had some experience playing baseball on a daily basis for an extended period of time. One of the more notable inclusions on the Schoolboys roster is South Australian pitcher Jack O’Loughlin. O’Loughlin, a product of the Port Adelaide Baseball Club recently put pen to paper on a deal with the Detroit Tigers, an MLB team with a rich history of Australian signings.
Click here for a full roster.
Click here for the full tour schedule.
The Australian Emeralds presented by Boral are getting the job done on the field at the LG Presents WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup 2016. Off the field, they’re putting runs on the board too.
The Australia-Korea Foundation (AKF) was established in 1992 by the Australian Government to promote relations between Korea and Australia, and in 2016, a landmark partnership between the Emeralds and the AKF enabled a baseball cultural exchange program to be held in Seoul, Korea before the Women’s Baseball World Cup.
The cultural exchange program facilitated more than just baseball clinics run by the Australia Emeralds, it provided a channel to develop international relations and nurture relationships through a common passion, the passion of baseball.
Emeralds veteran Tahnee Lovering made a stirring speech at the Australian Embassy in Korea before the World Cup.
“Korea has such a strong history and love of baseball that introducing the women’s game creates interest and opens doors for conversations about gender equity and opportunity. We hope that in our games and clinics we have been able to showcase our Australian identity, values and culture through the spirit of sport, competition and fair play.”
This partnership, off the back of the hugely successful ‘Diamonds in the Rough’ program and the recent naming rights sponsorship with Boral, cement The Australian Emeralds as one of the most proactive Australian National Teams of 2016.
To stay up to date with the Australian Emeralds at the 2016 Women’s World Cup, tune in to www.emeralds.baseball.com.au or the Team Australia Facebook Page.
Baseball Australia would like to congratulate Craig Shipley on his selection to the NSW Hall of Champions at Sydney Olympic Park.
The NSW Hall of Champions was established at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in 1984. The 'Wall of Fame' in the Hall of Champions shows iconic photographs from more than 330 athletes covering 49 sports.
Shipley made his debut in the MLB for the LA Dodgers in June of 1986, and spent 11 seasons playing on the biggest stage in baseball. After debuting for the Dodgers, Shipley's decorated career saw him spend time at the New York Mets, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and San Diego Padres. In 1996, Shipley's Padres won the National League West Division Crown.
Born in Parramatta, NSW, Shipley currently is involved with the front office with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
According to Baseball NSW, Shipley will be presented at a ceremony hosted by Minister of Sport and Recreation the Hon. Stuart Ayres MP on Monday November 14 at Sydney Olympic Park.