U-18 Continental champs Australia, South Africa qualify for U-18 Baseball World Cup 2015 Osaka

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Australia and South Africa, the No. 14 and No. 29 ranked baseball nations in the world, won their respective continental baseball championships — which were organised for the first time in history in Africa and Oceania, through WBSC’s continental arms, Baseball Confederation of Oceania (BCO) and the African Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA).

Australia won the three-nation U-18 BCO Championship that was staged at one of the world’s newest international-standard baseball venues — McLeod Park Baseball Diamond in Auckland, New Zealand.

The inaugural BCO Championship/U-18 World Cup qualifier was broadcast nationally via Sky TV, and was available to follow through online platforms via live play-by-play. (Click here for box scores.)

No. 26 New Zealand and No. 44 Guam finished in 2nd- and 3rd place respectively.

In Meru, Kenya, South Africa became U-18 Champions of Africa, defeating unranked Uganda, 4-1, in the gold medal match.

Tanzania, WBSC’s newest member, took home the bronze medal, beating Kenya, 25-13.

Kenya as first-time hosts and Tanzania’s first-ever experience in an international baseball competition marked historic breakthroughs for the worldwide emergence, inclusiveness and popularity of baseball, particularly among young people, WBSC officials said.

The African U-18 Baseball World Cup qualifier and the introduction of international baseball in Keyna generated national headlines and media attention across the host nation and participating nations.

Australia and South Africa will compete for the U-18 championship, which is being hosted by Japan at historic Koshien Stadium at the end of August/early September. Dates of the 2015 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup will be announced in the coming days.