The Team Australia U18 squad may have bowed out of the U18 World Cup in Okinawa, Japan, but they scored their best result at the tournament since finishing 10th in 2019.
After blowing out Italy 12-3 in their last Placement Round game, the Australians finished below the undefeated Cubans (5-0) and ahead of the Italians who also finished with an identical 3-2 record.
Starting pitcher Mitch Evans had a stellar looking stat line against Italy. He pitched 2.1 innings where he struck out three and allowed two hits and zero earned runs.
Meanwhile, Ethan Bickel picked up the slack and threw 2.2 shutout innings, striking out three while earning only four hits and zero walks.
Throughout the tournament, the Australians played hard and earned quality wins against tough competition. They dropped Game 1 against Germany in the Group Stage but rallied to defeat Panama and China, earning them a spot to the Super Round.
After losing to Cuba 2-1 in a heartbreaking walkoff, the Aussies also rallied to win their next two games in blowout fashion, first against South Africa and then Italy.
The United States went on to win the gold medal over Japan, while Chinese Taipei claimed bronze over Korea.
Following the World Cup, the Australians’ strong and determined play under team manager Jason Pospishil did not go unrecognized.
We spoke to our High-Performance Manager, Grahame Cassel, who joined the Under 18’s Coaching staff in Japan, and he shared that the team’s performance bodes well for the Australians, with this tournament being one of the world’s best baseball competitions with numerous players expected to enter the Major League system in the future.
Moreover, the Australians’ experience will prove valuable as they grow and gain confidence as players, for this was the first time they’ve played at a game speed far surpassing local baseball.
From NSW, Ashton Kennedy received the Leading Hitter of the Tournament honor while teammate Josh Nati also earned the Most RBI Award, coming in clutch for the Australians with some timely hits when his team badly needed runs.
Both players were excellent on the plate. Kennedy finished 8 for 18 while hitting .444, leading all hitters in the tournament. Meanwhile, Nati hit .375 and led the field with 12 RBIs.
The overall performance from our NSW players though, was remarkable!
On the mound, Team Australia’s best pitcher was our man Damien Wilson, putting in two quality stints as starter. As starting pitcher, Wilson kept batters off balance through his well-timed and well-placed changeups.
Likewise, relief pitcher Bickel got the team out of some serious scrapes by keeping his composure amid tough situations to strike out one hitter after another.
Utility man Matthew Trainor also served his team well, playing all outfield spots and hitting .364 while performing well as a relief on the mound.
Additionally, Team Australia’s hitters faced the challenge of top-level pitching from all over the world, as they contended with fastballs up to 96 mph and terrific off-speed pitches.
However, the Aussies acquitted themselves well despite these surprises and gained all-important confidence once they realized they could hang with top teams at the international level.
After this tournament, the players will certainly look to try for a Collegiate or Professional career. Several of them are already receiving offers.
From this tournament, six players–Kennedy, Bickel, Trainor, Wilson, Puckett, and Vella–are leaving Sydney this month to participate in the MLB World Select tour in Arizona.
At the tour, they will play with other international talent against a few professional AA teams, where scouts from college and all 30 MLB teams will also be in attendance.
Baseball NSW congratulates Team Australia U18 for their brilliant performance at the World Cup! This is only another step forward in Australia’s pursuit of excellence on the field.
Image credit: Scott Powick | WBSC