2016 will go down in history as the year Australian Little League put itself on the map.
For the first time ever, Australia will have a representative in the Senior League, Junior League and Little League World Series.
The final piece of the puzzle came together last week when Victorian Senior League Charter team the Southern Mariners defeated Guam 10-0 in the Senior League Asia-Pacific Championship final.
In Australia's first year of delivering the Senior League Division, the Southern Mariners have become the first Australian Team to represent the Asia-Pacific Region at a World Series event.
This comes after NSW charter Hills claimed the Australian Little League Championship crown last month and received automatic qualification to the famed Little League World Series.
If all that wasn’t enough for Little League in Australia, Cronulla won gold at the Australian Junior League Championship and subsequently received automatic qualification to the Junior League World Series, a first for Junior League Baseball in Australia.
Baseball Australia’s Head of Little League Mathew Sundstrom is thrilled by the continued growth of Little League in Australia.
“We’re really thrilled about the future of Little League in Australia and sharing in the amazing benefits Little League offers,” Sundstrom said.
“Baseball Australia’s relationship with Little League continues to grow as the members and local communities embrace the Little League pathway and the opportunities it brings."
The Southern Mariners will compete in the Senior League World Series which takes place between 31 July and 6 August in Bangor, Maine.
Cronulla flies the flag for Australia at the Junior League World Series that gets underway on the 14th of August in Taylor, Michigan.
The jewel in the Little League crown as always is held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and for the lucky Hills team from NSW, they’re in for the trip of a lifetime.
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