The Australian Youth Championships were once again held at Blacktown this month. We hit the ground running to start the new year, with plenty of action around the diamonds throughout the weeklong tournament.
The Under 18 and 16 National Championships are a huge attraction. This year, 14 MLB scouts made an appearance in Sydney to cast their eyes on the best young Aussie baseballers. Baseball Australia reported that “nearly all of Australia’s 37 Major Leaguers have played in this tournament,” highlighting the calibre of talent that comes from this event.
Our Under 16’s Metro team secured the trophy for the third year in a row! The team maintained a solid performance throughout the tournament going 8-0 with a combined team batting average of .400, putting them in the top position overall. Congratulations to Tahlan Cavill (Golden Bat), Fletcher Willard (MVP) and Kobe Cusbert (Golden Arm) for receiving major awards for the tournament. Cavill, with a batting average of .692, finished his tournament 9 for 13 with 5 RBIs! Kobe Cusbert was consistent on the mound, with a .700ERA, with 8 strikeouts, only giving up 3 hits in his 10IP. Fletcher Willard stunned on both fronts, finishing with a .667 batting average, going 8 for 12 and holding a 1.312ERA in 5.1IP with 8SO. Consistently stunning stats are showcased throughout the team and congratulations to Matt O’Neill and his coaching staff on their victory!
Image: Under 16’s NSW Metro secure Australian Youth Championships victory for the third year running!
The U16’s Country team came out firing winning their first game 8-3 against ACT! The team, a combination of NSW Country and Metro players, were full of energy and gave it their all throughout the tournament, finishing with a tied game against South Australia before the rain came through! Stand-out performances from Will Klein-Schiphorst and Draven Fatu, with a combined 21AB and 9 hits, each with a .429 average.
The NSW Under 18’s boasted talent across the board and stood up against some tough competition. Congratulations to Josh Nati who received the Golden Glove award. Nati played at third and made no errors in 21 total chances, with 16 assists and 5PO. Josh put up a solid performance across all areas of his game, also looking dangerous with the bat. James Fergusson and Ben Karakasis lead the pitching for the Metro team, with Fergusson in 7.1IP giving up only 1 hit and 1 run, finishing with a .000ERA. Karakasis in 11.0IP had 10SO and finished with a .636ERA. Country Under 18’s also started strong with a 13-1 win over ACT and finished their finals with a 4-1 win against QLD. Lewis Mercieca’s pitching stood out with a .000ERA in 5.1IP only giving up 2 hits!
Congratulations to all the teams for their efforts throughout the AYC. We are wishing those players who now face discussions with college and MLB scouts about their prospective futures, all the best in their decisions. We love sharing the good news stories of our members, so any news regarding college or pro ball opportunities, please feel free to reach out to Baseball NSW at communications@baseballnsw.com.au to discuss a story!!
