Grand Slam * Stats & News
Updated: February 14, 2016
Scores & Statistics
Baseball Scores & Stats
Softball Women Scores & Stats
Copyright © 1997-2016
Grand Slam/Marco Stoovelaar


www.grand-slam.nl
International Baseball
Headlines
Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2016 by Marco Stoovelaar




(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)

Australia wins first World Baseball Classic Qualifier
Nederlands

BLACKTOWN, Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) - Australia will return again to the World Baseball Classic next year, as it won 12-5 on Sunday-afternoon (February 14) vs. South Africa in the Final in this years first World Baseball Classic Qualifier. The event was held at Blacktown Baseball Stadium, which is located in Blacktown, just outside of Sydney.

While Australia was the favorite and the win appears to be big, it didn't come that easy. The score was tied at 1-1 after four innings. Australia then took a 3-1 lead in the fifth, but trailed 4-3 in the sixth. The home team then came alongside and led only 6-5 when the bottom of the eighth inning began. Australia then decided the game with a 6-run rally.

On Friday-evening, Australia won 4-1 vs. South Africa to become the first finalist, as expected. On Saturday-evening, South Africa reached the Final by winning 9-2 vs. New Zealand, which was therefore eliminated. The Philippines was already eliminated on Friday.

Australia also participated in the first three editions of the World Baseball Classic, but was eliminated in the first round each time.

On March 17, the next two Qualifying Tournaments will get underway.
In Mexicali (México), the four participating countries are México, Czech Republic, Germany and Nicaragua.
In Panama City (Panama), Panama, Colombia, France and Spain will be the participating teams.
The fourth and last tournament will be played in September in Brooklyn (USA).

Canada, China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, South Korea, USA and Venezuela already have qualified, based on their accomplishments during the last Classic in 2013. Just as in 2013, the World Baseball Classic will have the status again as World Championship. Back then, the Dominican Republic won the title and was crowned as World Champion. In 2011, the Netherlands was the final team to capture the World Championship-title in a World Cup Tournament old-style, which then was held in Panama.

(February 14)

Related Articles:
South Africa second finalist in World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 13, 2016)
Australia in Final World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 12, 2016)
Australia, South Africa open WBC Qualifier with convincing win. (February 11, 2016)
First World Baseball Classic Qualifier to open in Australia. (February 10, 2016)
Dominican Republic new Classic-champion. (March 19, 2013)
Dutch Team ends up short in semi-final. (March 18, 2013)
Dutch Baseball Team World Champion! (October 15, 2011)




Game Five - Australia vs. South Africa (Final)
While the win appears to be big, it didn't come that easy. The score was tied at 1-1 after four innings. Australia then took a 3-1 lead in the fifth, but trailed 4-3 in the sixth. The home team then came alongside and led only 6-5 when the bottom of the eighth inning began. Australia then decided the game with a 6-run rally.

Australia collected 17 basehits, including three by Trent Oeltjen, who also scored twice and batted in two runs. Mitch Dening scored three runs, while Trent D'Antonio batted in three runs. Brad Harman and Allan de San Miguel homered for the Aussies, while Gift Ngoepe and Kyle Botha homered for South Africa.

South Africa took a quick lead in the top of the first inning, as Gift Ngoepe led off the game with a homerun off of starter Travis Blackley.

Australia came alongside in the bottom of the first with two outs off of Kyle Gaddin. Mitch Dening was then hit by a pitch, advanced on a single by Stefan Welch and scored on a double by Trent Oeltjen.

The next innings were controlled by the pitching and defense, as South Africa turned two double plays and Australia one.


...Brad Harman homered for Australia...
...On the photo, he is hitting for Australia...
...during the 2013 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen)
In the bottom of the fifth inning, off of reliever Carl Michaels, Australia took a 3-1 lead when Brad Harman and Allan de San Miguel began with back-to-back homeruns.

However, that lead was shortlived. In the top of the sixth, with one out, Anthony Phillips singled and Jonathan Phillips doubled. They scored when Kyle Botha followed with a 3-run homerun that gave South Africa a 4-3 lead! Hereafter, Brad Willemburg added a single and advanced on a wild pitch. He moved on a grounder, then a pitching followed. Peter Moylan took over for Travis Blackley and closed with a strikeout.

In the bottom of the sixth, Australia came alongside thanks to doubles by Trent Oeltjen and Trent D'Antonio.

After the Australian defense turned another double play in the top of the seventh, the team re-took the lead by scoring two runs in the bottom half of the at bat. Facing reliever Callan Pearce, James Beresford led off with a single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Logan Wade and scored on a single by Mitch Dening. The latter then stole second base and move on a single by Stefan Welch, who was replaced by pinch-runner Aaron Whitefield. Trent Oeltjen then delivered a runscoring single that brought in Dening and moved Whitefield to third base. However, Oeltjen himself was eliminated when he tried to advance on the throw to third base. That was costly, as the game was far from over.

South Africa narrowed the deficit to 6-5 in the top of the eighth off of closer Ryan Searle. Anthony Phillips led off with a single and Jonathan Phillips walked. The two moved on a grounder by Kyle Botha, then the first scored on a grounder by Brett Willemburg.

That was to be it for South Africa. Australia then struck with a 6-run rally in the bottom of the eighth to decide the game. The first two runs were scored when an error was made on a sacrifice bunt by Allan de San Miguel. A sacrifice fly and basesloaded walk accounted for the next two runs and a 2-run single by Trent D'Antonio lifted the lead to 12-5.

In the top of the ninth, Searle retired the side to end the game.




Thank you for visiting this site.
Mail your suggestions and questions to stoov@wxs.nl
Copyright © 1997-2016 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.