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 in Geelong from May 5-8.
Following the success of the inaugural Showcase featuring the Brisbane Bandits and Adelaide Giants in 2021, the Victoria Aces will make its Showcase debut in the expanded three-team 2022 format.
13 Victorians have been selected to don the blue and white in 2022 including eight-time Team Australia ‘Emeralds’ World Cup representative Shae Lillywhite, reigning National Championship MVP and five-time Emerald Bronwyn Gell, and teenage pitching phenom Genevieve Beacom.
A trio of Emeralds in Morgan Doty, Abbey Kelly and Abbey McLellan, plus rising Victorian stars Gabby Bevan, Emily Devine and Maddy Patrick, will suit up in their home colours after being loaned to the Giants and Bandits in 2021.
Emerald Leslie Anglin, plus Allie Bebbere, Hannah Jackson and Jess Johnson, will make their Showcase debut for their home club.
The Aces also warmly welcome some of baseball’s biggest names in Emeralds seven-time World Cup veteran Tahnee Lovering (NSW), and four-time rep Taylah Welch (QLD).
Three-time World Cup Emerald and 2020 Tokyo Olympian softballer Chelsea Forkin (QLD) is confirmed, as is Luisa Gauci (QLD), currently the only Australian playing US college baseball.
The international experience is further bolstered with the addition of Team USA veteran and six-time World Cup catcher Anna Kimbrell.
Victoria Aces Team Manager Samantha Hamilton also confirmed her coaching roster with Stephen Black, Tim Ballard and Donavon Hendricks providing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the club.
“I am really excited about what lies ahead for the Victoria Aces players, coaches and staff,” said Hamilton. “We have set some really great foundations both on and off the field through the Baseball Victoria High-Performance Academy led by Damian Shanahan and Keli’i Zablan, and we are keen to keep building on these through to and at the Showcase.”
Victoria Aces Roster
| PLAYERS | |||
| Outfield/Pitcher | Leslie | Anglin | VIC |
| Pitcher/1B | Genevieve | Beacom | VIC |
| Pitcher | Allie | Bebbere | VIC |
| Pitcher | Gabby | Bevan | VIC |
| Utility | Emily | Devine | VIC |
| Outfield | Morgan | Doty | VIC |
| Utility | Chelsea | Forkin | QLD |
| Utility | Luisa | Gauci | QLD |
| Infield/Pitcher | Bronwyn | Gell | VIC |
| Outfield/Pitcher | Hannah | Jackson | VIC |
| Pitcher | Jess | Johnson | VIC |
| Infield/Pitcher | Abbey | Kelly | VIC |
| Catcher | Anna | Kimbrell | USA |
| Infield | Shae | Lillywhite | VIC |
| Catcher | Tahnee | Lovering | NSW |
| 1B/Pitcher | Abbey | McLellan | VIC |
| Utility | Maddy | Patrick | VIC |
| Outfield | Taylah | Welch | QLD |
| STAFF | |||
| Manager | Samantha | Hamilton | VIC |
| Assistant Coach | Stephen | Black | VIC |
| Assistant Coach | Tim | Ballard | VIC |
| Assistant Coach | Donavon | Hendricks | VIC |
| EO | Ursula | Howard | VIC |
The 2022 Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase will be held at the Geelong Baseball Centre from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 May.
The Victoria Aces will take on the Adelaide Giants and Brisbane Bandits in a doubleheader on Thursday, before facing the Giants on Friday and Bandits on Saturday. The top-two teams will face off in the May 8 grand final.
Victoria Aces Schedule
- Thursday May 5 @ 4:05pm - Aces vs Giants
- Thursday May 5 @ 7:05pm - Aces vs Bandits
- Friday May 6 @ 7:05pm - Giants vs Aces
- Saturday May 7 @ 4:05pm - Bandits vs Aces
- Sunday May 8 @ 12:05pm - Grand Final
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.
Links
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