Baseball Australia is
excited to announce that top level baseball is coming to Bendigo, as the
Australian Emeralds will take on the might of the Japanese across the Queen’s
Birthday Weekend (8-11 June).
Two squads containing Australia’s best
female athletes will do battle with a Japanese All-Star Team at the Strathfieldsaye Recreational Reserve, with the event held in conjunction with the Bendigo
Baseball Umpires Association, the Bendigo Baseball Association, Baseball
Victoria and the Greater Bendigo City Council.
This event serves as preparation for the
upcoming 2018 Women’s World Cup which will be held in Florida during August,
and gives our top-level Emeralds an invaluable opportunity to emulate the high
intensity situation of tournament baseball in their own backyard.
Australian Head Coach Simone Wearne
believes hosting such an event in regional Australia is vital, especially in a great
baseball city like Bendigo.
“The Bendigo Council have been very supportive,”
Wearne said.
“Bendigo has a great reputation for hosting
sporting events and the Council and the local baseball association
representatives have helped us plan what is set to be a great event.”
Baseball Australia CEO Cam Vale is excited
to bring top level international baseball to Bendigo.
“This significant event is multi-faceted,
providing significant benefits to a number of key stakeholders,” Vale said.
“To provide the Emeralds with an
opportunity to participate in high level matchplay and bring international
baseball to a key regional centre is vital to the development of baseball in
Australia.”
The Greater Bendigo Council’s Tourism and
Major Events Manager Terry Karamaloudis said “We’re thrilled to welcome the
Japanese and Australian women’s baseball teams to Bendigo, for what will be a
great display of elite women’s sport for our community.
“This will be the sixth Australian women’s
representative team here in Bendigo in the last few years. We are gaining a
reputation as a destination for elite sporting matches and we are keen to see
that continue.”
Stay tuned for a detailed release regarding
the events structure and various other activities during the Women’s Baseball
Challenge.