By Nina Zimmerman
FLORIDA, USA – Two weeks and approximately 16500 kilometers later, 26 young Australian athletes are further along their path to professional baseball, after completing an MLB-backed exhibition game tour of Spring Training.
“Our main aim was to be professional on and off the field and respect the magnitude of the opportunity,” said Glenn Williams, Baseball Australia’s Head of High Performance and the Executive Officer for the team. “The players lived up to those lofty expectations and we had very positive feedback from MLB, the clubs we played against and the hotels and restaurants we went into.”
The team’s 6-3 victory over a Boston Red Sox side in the third game of the tour served as one of the key highlights for the boys and for the sport’s growth Down Under.
“To beat a professional club was an excellent result and provided credibility for our programs and will make people take notice of what we are achieving in Australia,” Williams said.
Throughout the trip, the players had the opportunity to meet with past and current Australian baseballers, including former MLB All-Star Grant Balfour, former Major Leaguer John Stephens and Detroit Tigers prospects Warwick Saupold and Zac Shepherd.
“Highlights of the trip were the Aussie contingent based in Florida coming to eat with us and spending time with our boys when we went to their professional homes,” Williams said. “It was a blast to see so many Aussies over there and great to catch up with them.”
In addition to giving the players a sense of what lies ahead on the pathway to the professional ranks, the tour also served as a barometer for Baseball Australia’s High Performance programs, according to Williams.
“The velocity on the pitchers we faced was often mid 90’s, which highlighted an area where we need to improve,” Williams said. “Measures are being taken now to design programs that will assist in improving velocity.”
Here are the results and game recaps from the team’s final four games in Florida. For more photos of the tour and game-by-game box scores, visit Baseball Australia on Twitter (@BaseballAust).
Game 4: Twins 11, Australia 3
Australia took an early 3-0 lead over the Twins’ Extended Spring Training squad, led by Victorian Jarryd Dale’s two-out, two-run single in the top of the fourth inning. However, the Twins rallied in the later frames, capped off by a five-run seventh inning that allowed them to cruise to an 11-3 win. Max Barrett (VIC) had a solid start in the loss, tossing five innings of three-hit baseball and allowing one earned run while striking out five batters.
Game 5: Orioles 2, Australia 0
Lefty Alex Wells, who represented Australia at the U18 Baseball World Cup in Osaka last year, pitched a gem for the Orioles Extended Spring squad and led them to a close shutout win over Australia. Despite the loss, the Aussie hitters showed maturity at the plate, working deep into the count, and the defence was significantly improved from a four-error day in the team’s previous game against the Twins.
Game 6: Twins 8, Australia 0
The team’s second-to-last game in Florida saw them face off against another familiar pitcher, Twins’ No. 30-ranked prospect Lachlan Wells. Minnesota put five runs on the board in the first inning and added another run in the second to take an early 6-0 lead. Ben Tsui (NSW) and Ulrich Bojarski (WA) tallied Australia’s lone two hits of the day, and the game was a great learning experience for the Aussies, as they faced pitchers who threw in the upper 90s over the course of the nine innings.
Game 7: Tigers 7, Australia 1
The team was joined by Craig Shipley, Andy Graham and Zac Shepherd for the game, and, boosted by the extra support, were more aggressive at the plate than in previous games. Ulrich Bojarski (WA) had a monster day at the plate for Australia, going 3-for-4 with a double and a solo home run to left-centre field in the fourth inning that represented Australia’s lone run of the day. The team’s pitching, led by a four-strikeout performance from starter Mitch Neunborn (WA), also finished the tour on a strong note.
By Nina Zimmerman
FLORIDA, USA – Two weeks and approximately 16500 kilometers later, 26 young Australian athletes are further along their path to professional baseball, after completing an MLB-backed exhibition game tour of Spring Training.
“Our main aim was to be professional on and off the field and respect the magnitude of the opportunity,” said Glenn Williams, Baseball Australia’s Head of High Performance and the Executive Officer for the team. “The players lived up to those lofty expectations and we had very positive feedback from MLB, the clubs we played against and the hotels and restaurants we went into.”
The team’s 6-3 victory over a Boston Red Sox side in the third game of the tour served as one of the key highlights for the boys and for the sport’s growth Down Under.
“To beat a professional club was an excellent result and provided credibility for our programs and will make people take notice of what we are achieving in Australia,” Williams said.
Throughout the trip, the players had the opportunity to meet with past and current Australian baseballers, including former MLB All-Star Grant Balfour, former Major Leaguer John Stephens and Detroit Tigers prospects Warwick Saupold and Zac Shepherd.
“Highlights of the trip were the Aussie contingent based in Florida coming to eat with us and spending time with our boys when we went to their professional homes,” Williams said. “It was a blast to see so many Aussies over there and great to catch up with them.”
In addition to giving the players a sense of what lies ahead on the pathway to the professional ranks, the tour also served as a barometer for Baseball Australia’s High Performance programs, according to Williams.
“The velocity on the pitchers we faced was often mid 90’s, which highlighted an area where we need to improve,” Williams said. “Measures are being taken now to design programs that will assist in improving velocity.”
Here are the results and game recaps from the team’s final four games in Florida. For more photos of the tour and game-by-game box scores, visit Baseball Australia on Twitter (@BaseballAust).
Game 4: Twins 11, Australia 3
Australia took an early 3-0 lead over the Twins’ Extended Spring Training squad, led by Victorian Jarryd Dale’s two-out, two-run single in the top of the fourth inning. However, the Twins rallied in the later frames, capped off by a five-run seventh inning that allowed them to cruise to an 11-3 win. Max Barrett (VIC) had a solid start in the loss, tossing five innings of three-hit baseball and allowing one earned run while striking out five batters.
Game 5: Orioles 2, Australia 0
Lefty Alex Wells, who represented Australia at the U18 Baseball World Cup in Osaka last year, pitched a gem for the Orioles Extended Spring squad and led them to a close shutout win over Australia. Despite the loss, the Aussie hitters showed maturity at the plate, working deep into the count, and the defence was significantly improved from a four-error day in the team’s previous game against the Twins.
Game 6: Twins 8, Australia 0
The team’s second-to-last game in Florida saw them face off against another familiar pitcher, Twins’ No. 30-ranked prospect Lachlan Wells. Minnesota put five runs on the board in the first inning and added another run in the second to take an early 6-0 lead. Ben Tsui (NSW) and Ulrich Bojarski (WA) tallied Australia’s lone two hits of the day, and the game was a great learning experience for the Aussies, as they faced pitchers who threw in the upper 90s over the course of the nine innings.
Game 7: Tigers 7, Australia 1
The team was joined by Craig Shipley, Andy Graham and Zac Shepherd for the game, and, boosted by the extra support, were more aggressive at the plate than in previous games. Ulrich Bojarski (WA) had a monster day at the plate for Australia, going 3-for-4 with a double and a solo home run to left-centre field in the fourth inning that represented Australia’s lone run of the day. The team’s pitching, led by a four-strikeout performance from starter Mitch Neunborn (WA), also finished the tour on a strong note.