Meet the #VictoriaAces for the 2022 Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase

Victoria Aces

An 18-player roster loaded with a host of the sport’s biggest homegrown and international talent will represent the Victoria Aces at the 2022 Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase at the Geelong Baseball Centre from May 5-8.

The Victoria Aces will line up against the Adelaide Giants and Brisbane Bandits.

Schedule

Thursday 5 May 4.05pm Aces vs Giants
Thursday 5 May 7.05pm Aces vs Bandits
Friday 6 May 7.05pm Giants vs Aces
Saturday 7 May 4.05pm Bandits vs Aces
Sunday 8 May 12.05pm Grand Final (Top 2 Teams after May 5-7)

Watch Live on TV

All seven games from the 2022 Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase will be shown on Kayo Sports. Read More.

Watch Live in Person

Visit the Geelong Baseball Centre to watch the Victorias Aces Live!

Playing Roster

Abbey Kelly - 23
Essendon Baseball Club

Abbey Kelly led the Essendon Bombers Baseball Club to its maiden Women’s Division 1 Premiership in 2018/19 and in 2021/22, became the first woman at the club to play in their Men’s Division 1 side. She has won four of the last five VSBL Women’s Division 1 MVP Awards. Abbey won the tournament MVP at the 2019 Australian Women’s Baseball Championships. Abbey boasts two World Cup appearances for the Australian Emeralds, highlighted by a win on the mound on her debut against the USA to send the Emeralds into the 2016 Women’s World Cup Super Round. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Adelaide Giants.

Abbey McLellan - 27
Footscray Baseball Club

Abbey McLellan has been a standout at Footscray Baseball Club for the last decade, winning the VSBL Women’s Division 1 MVP and a batting title in 2016/17 and taking out the batting award the following next season. A long-time Victorian representative, Abbey was critical to Victoria’s 2017 and 2019 national titles as she also took home the Golden Bat award in both years as the batting champion. Abbey earned a call up to the Emeralds for the 2018 Women’s World Cup where she appeared in every game mixing time between catching, first base and as the designated hitter. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Brisbane Bandits.

Allie Bebbere - 27
Essendon & Fitzroy Baseball Club

Started playing baseball with the LaTrobe University women’s team after deciding to ‘give it a go’ after scoring at one of her boyfriend’s games. In 2019 she won the VSBL Women’s Division 1 Premiership with Essendon and was named Essendon’s joint Women’s MVP alongside Abbey Kelly. She won gold with Victoria Blue at the 2019 National Championships and won the ‘Golden Arm’ Pitching Award at the 2022 Australian Women’s Championship. Allie currently plays for the Fitzroy Lions in the VSBL Division 1 men’s competition, one of only three women, with Kelly and Beacom, to do so. 2022 will see her make her Australian Women’s Showcase debut.

Bronwyn Gell - 28
Doncaster Baseball Club

Infielder Bronwyn Gell has been a driving force in the success of Australian and Victorian baseball since the mid-2000s. A five-time World Cup veteran for the Australian Emeralds (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018), Gell boasts dual medals - silver in 2010 and bronze in 2014 plus the 2012 Stolen Basas Award. A five-time national champion with Victoria since making her debut in 2008, Bronwyn has claimed National Championships MVP honours twice, in 2017 and 2022. A stalwart of the Doncaster Dragons Baseball Club in Melbourne’s VSBL competition, she claimed the 2012/13 Women’s MVP and owns two league batting titles. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Brisbane Bandits.

Emily Devine - 19
Springvale Baseball Club

Emily started playing baseball at the age of 11 after watching the movie Benchwarmers. Emily starred as a junior highlighted by a huge performance at the 2018 Australian Youth Women’s Championship where she helped Victoria claim gold with a two-run homer over NSW. She was named the tournament MVP after batting .625 with nine RBIs and 17 total bases. She has been a key contributor to the Springvale Lions Baseball Club in recent years, including back-to-back VSBL Women’s Division 1 Premierships in 2020 and 2021. In 2018, she became the first-ever female to hit a home run over Springvale’s centre field fence. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Brisbane Bandits.

Gabby Bevan - 20
Springvale Baseball Club

After quitting karate at age 10 to take up baseball, Gabby Bevan has risen through the junior ranks to earn her spot as one of Victoria’s most reliable pitchers. She has played an integral role in the recent Springvale Lions Baseball Club’s VSBL Women’s Division 1 Premierships. She won the league’s pitching award in both 2019 and 2020 and was named the VSBL Women’s Division 1 MVP for the 2018/19 season. At the 2019 Australian Women’s Championship, Gabby got the start for Victoria Blue in the gold medal game, allowing just one run on four hits in five innings as Victoria won gold. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Brisbane Bandits.

Genevieve Beacom - 17
Sandringham Baseball Club

The 17-year-old made history in January 2022 as the first female pitcher for an Australian professional baseball team when she pitched for the Melbourne Aces. She was the first female to play for Australia at the Cal Ripken Series (2013) and be selected to a Victorian Under 16 team (2019). In 2020, Beacom became the first female to pitch in a VSBL Men’s Division 1 game when she took the mound for the Sandringham Royals, while in the 2021/22 season, Beacom lead the Royals Under 18 side to the premiership with a 9K shoutout in the grand final. At the 2018 Youth Women’s Nationals, she struck out 17 in 6 ⅓ innings in the gold medal game. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Adelaide Giants.

Hannah Jackson - 31
Springvale Baseball Club

Originally from Sale, Hannah Jackson has been with Springvale for 15 years, regularly collecting club awards and scoring spots on representative teams. She won Springvale’s Women's Best & Fairest award in 2016/17, which culminated in the Lions’ fifth straight premiership. Hannah has picked up three more VSBL premierships with Springvale since then, including the 2020 grand final against Doncaster where she took a fantastic catch in left field, a move head coach Shae Lillywhite credited as saving the game. Won the 2021/22 VSBL Hitting Award. 2022 will see her make her Australian Women’s Showcase debut.

Jess Johnson - 33
Doncaster Baseball Club

After bouncing between baseball and softball while growing up in Victoria’s Sunraysia region, Johnson moved to Melbourne and settled on baseball. Made her National Championships debut for Victoria in 2010, and in 2015 took a break from baseball and began playing American Football. Jess was selected to the inaugural Australian women's team for the World Championships in 2017 where she started every game as ‘left tackle’. Johnson led the Doncaster Dragons’ Division 1 side to the 2021/22 premiership from the mound. Not only does she have a great pitching arm, but Jessica can hit home runs too, even taking out the Division 1 Home Run Award during the 2020 Baseball Victoria Awards. 2022 will see her make her Australian Women’s Showcase debut.

Leslie Anglin - 37
Newport Baseball Club

Leslie Anglin has played women’s baseball at Werribee, Geelong, Essendon, Footscray, East Belmont and is currently supporting the growth of the women’s program at Newport Baseball Club. The catcher slash outfielder donned green and gold for the Women’s World Cup in 2016 and 2018 as the Emeralds finished fifth and seventh, respectively. Making her Victorian Blue debut in 2008, she has won multiple national titles with the Big V and has also taken individual honours including the 2018 National Championships Golden Bat Award. 2022 will see her make her Australian Women’s Showcase debut.

Maddy Patrick - 20
Springvale Baseball Club

Maddy Patrick has fully embraced Springvale Baseball Club winning back-to-back premierships in 2020 and 2021. She’s also made the most of winter baseball at Boneo and Victorian representative opportunities, including the 2018 Australian Youth Championship. Maddy made a difference in the team’s gold medal campaign, protecting the side’s perfect start with quality pitching, eventually earning her a spot on Victoria Blue in 2019. At the Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase she received the Spirit of the Game Award for her positive attitude and team contributions. Won the 2021/22 VSBL Pitching Award. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Brisbane Bandits.

Morgan Doty - 29
Newport Baseball Club

From Western Australia, now residing in Melbourne, Morgan Doty has taken the field for Newport, Footscray, and Melbourne Uni, as well as Victorian and Western Australian State Teams and the Australian Emeralds. A dual state representative at the National Championships, while on her debut for WA in 2010, her walk-off hit gave WA its first national crown. Most recently for Victoria Blue in 2019, she earned the tournament’s Golden Arm pitching award. At the recent 2022 Nationals, Morgan dominated with the bat to win the Golden Bat award. She has represented the Australian Emeralds at the 2016 and 2018 Women’s World Cup, displaying her dominance in the outfield and at the plate. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Brisbane Bandits.

Shae Lillywhite - 37
Springvale Baseball Club

A decorated veteran of women’s baseball in Victoria and across Australia, Shae Lillywhite is the country’s most capped female player, having played in eight consecutive Women’s World Cups from 2004 to 2018. The Emeralds’ star infielder was named to the 2006 Women’s World Cup All-Star team at second base, and in 2013, she became the first Aussie to sign with the Japan Women’s Baseball League. At the helm of the Springvale women’s program, Shae has been integral to the Lions' numerous VSBL Women’s Division 1 Premierships both as a coach and player and has won three league batting crowns. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Adelaide Giants.

Anna Kimbrell - 31 - USA

Kimbrell began playing baseball at age 8 with Rock Hill Little League baseball, played for Nation Ford High, where she was the first girl to play high school baseball in South Carolina, and later went on to be the first girl to play American Legion baseball in the state. Joining the Team USA baseball program in 2006, Kimbrell has crafted one of international baseball's most decorated careers, appearing in all six World Cups since 2008, winning silver in 2012 and 2014. At the 2018 Baseball World Cup, she started as a catcher in all nine games and batted .444. In 2015 at the Pan American Games, Anna caught Stacy Piagno’s no-hitter, the first no-hitter in women’s international baseball history. Kimbrell is no stranger to playing down under having suited up for the Springvale Lions in the 2018/19 VSBL.

Chelsea Forkin - 32 - Queensland

From her start in Perth as the 2003 Australian Women's Baseball Nationals batgirl, Forkin launched herself onto the international stage at 15 as the youngest player to represent Australia (a record she still holds) at a World Cup. Named to the 2004 All-World Team, Forkin moved to softball shortly after and onto numerous World Championships and a USA Pro Softball career. She returned to the Emeralds for the 2016 and 2018 World Cups, before being named to the Australian Olympic 15-woman softball team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 2022 will see her make her Australian Women’s Showcase debut.

Luisa Gauci - 22 - Queensland

Luisa Gauci started playing baseball at 12 in her hometown of Brisbane and she spent the next five years in the Bandits development Academy and Queensland Team. Gauci moved to the United States in 2019, joining the West Los Angeles Community College where she became the first woman in the CCCAA. She then became the first woman to earn a baseball scholarship in NWAC - Green River College for the 2021/22 season - and to play baseball in Northwest Athletic Conference. 2022 will see her make her Australian Women’s Showcase debut.

Tahnee Lovering - 34 - NSW

Selected to make her National Championships debut with New South Wales at 16 as a bullpen catcher, just six months later Tahnee found herself in the green and gold of Australia, and one of the youngest players at the 2004 World Cup. Since then, Tahnee has amassed one of world baseball’s most stunning resumes including winning two medals across seven World Cups for Australia, being named the 2010 Australian Player of the Year, selected to the 2016 All-World Team, plus claiming a host of national titles with New South Wales. A stalwart of the Sydney Baseball League, she has played across all levels of the men’s grades with the North Shore and Ryde Baseball Clubs. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Adelaide Giants.

Taylah Welch - 28 - Queensland

A veteran of the Queensland state team, Welch boasts four World Cup appearances for Australia (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018). At the 2018 World Cup, Welch lead the tournament in total hits and doubles; was third in tournament batting average and led Australia in HR and RBI. Played professional softball in the USA and just missed out on the Olympic qualifier team in 2019. Contested the 2021 Australian Women’s Showcase with the Brisbane Bandits.

Coaching Roster

Samantha Hamilton - Head Coach

As a player, Hamilton was a member of the inaugural Australian national team that won bronze at the 2001 World Series in Canada, was one of just six players in the history of the game to compete at all five IBAF Women's World Cups between 2004-2012, and was an integral member of Australia's 2010 World Cup silver medal-winning team. As a Coach, Hamilton took the reigns at the Doncaster Dragons Baseball Club in Melbourne in 2006 and has built it to become one of Australia's largest women's programs. In 2004 Hamilton became the first woman to coach a Baseball Victoria Boys / Men's State Team, was part of the VIS Coaching Staff and was an assistant coach for the Team Australia Under 19 Women's National Team in 2014. Hamilton is the Head Coach of the 2022 Victorian Women's Team.

Stephen Black - Assistant Coach

Over 50 years of involvement in all aspects of the club, state and national baseball. Began with the Coburg Baseball Club as a nine-year-old, played Division 1 First Nine, and represented Melbourne Bushrangers in the ABL and Victorian Provincial at Senior Level. Has held the Head Coach role with Australian Under 13 National Team Head Coach at the Cal Ripken World Series, Victorian Rubberball, Victorian State Under 23’s Head Coach and Victorian Provincial senior team. Pitching Coach of the 2022 Victorian Women's Team. Named Baseball Victoria Coach of the Year – Fitzroy Baseball Club Division 2.

Tim Ballard - Assistant Coach

Boasts more than 50 years in organised baseball having played, coached, been an administrator, or scouted at every level across the USA and Australia. In Australia, he has coached Club ball across both Summer & Winter, in the VIS Baseball Academy, Melbourne Aces Baseball Academy, and Claxton Shield. At a national level, in the MLBAAP, MLB U14 Camp, ABL, and multiple national teams. Was the Pitching Coach when Australia won the 2010 World Cup silver medal.

Donavon Hendricks - Assistant Coach

A stalwart of the VSBL Division 1 competition, Hendricks recently coached the Upwey Ferntree Gully Baseball Club to the 2021/22 Premiership, the club’s first in twenty years. Has previously coached for Waverley Baseball Club (Winter), Victorian Under 16 team, and Victorian Academy. His playing resume includes the Victorian Claxton Shield 2005 to 2010, ABL Melbourne Aces 2011 – 2012, Australian Team 2006-08, South Africa National Team Roster 2009–11 and the Atlanta Braves Farm system 2006-08.

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Baseball Victoria acknowledges the support of the Melbourne Aces through the joint venture to promote and manage the Victoria Aces, the Victorian Government through its Significant Sporting Events Program, and the City of Greater Geelong through its community events grants.