Australia beat New Zealand, advance to XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup
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<p>Australia beat New Zealand, 4-0, in the final of the U-18 Baseball Oceania Qualifier and became the seventh qualified nation for next year’s <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2023-u18-baseball-world-cup/home"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup</span></strong></a>. The tournament was played in Auckland, New Zealand, at Lloyd Elsmore Park, with the final game staged at Bayside Baseball Club. </p>
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<p>Alistair Tanner threw a complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts. Josh Nati was 1-for-2 with 2 RBI and Sam Gooch was 2-for-3.</p>
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<p>Australia join Spain, Netherlands, USA, Panama, Mexico and Venezuela as a qualified nation for the XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. Spain and the Netherlands advanced to the global event as winner and runner-up respectively from the <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2023-u18-baseball-world-cup/news/spain-wins-first-ever-u-18-euro-championship-qualifies-with-runner-up-netherlands-for-xxxi-wbsc-u-18-baseball-world-cup-2023"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">European Qualifier</span></strong></a>; while USA, Panama, Mexico and Venezuela qualified as the top teams in the <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2023-u18-baseball-world-cup/news/usa-panama-mexico-and-venezuela-qualify-for-xxxi-wbsc-u-18-baseball-world-cup"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Americas Qualifier</span></strong></a>.</p>
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<p>The XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup is scheduled for 2023 with five more participating National Teams to be determined.</p>
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<ul><li><strong>Africa (1)</strong>:</li><li><strong>Asia (3)</strong>:</li><li><strong>Americas (4)_</strong> No. 4 Mexico, No. 5 USA, No. 6 Venezuela, No. 13 Panama</li><li><strong>Europe (2)</strong>: No. 19 Spain, No.8 Netherlands</li><li><strong>Oceania (1):</strong> No. 10 Australia</li><li><strong>Wild Card (1):</strong></li></ul>
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<p>Australia and New Zealand ended the opening round of the tournament tied on top of the standings with a 3-1 record, after sweeping Guam and splitting their games in the double round robin first stage. This set up a winner-takes-all game between both nations, and Australia prevailed over the hosts to take the only available spot in the world cup.</p>
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<p>Austalia has medalled five times in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, with one silver and four bronzes (1981, 1982, 1989 and 1995). Australia played the final in 2010 losing against Chinese Taipei in Thunder Bay, Canada.</p>
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<p><strong>U-18 Oceania Qualifier final standings</strong></p>
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<ol><li>Australia</li><li>New Zealand</li><li>Guam </li></ol>
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<p><em>Cover photo: Tayla Murphy</em></p>
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