Australia sweeps the Oceania U-15 Baseball Championship

Australia became the 11th nation to qualify for the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2018, to be played in Panama, as they swept hosts New Zealand in the best-of-three Oceania U-15 Championship Series in Auckland.

Australia won (12-4) game 1 behind a strong start on the mound by James Nati. A home run by Nicholas Chappell helped the aussie open the score with a home run.

Game 2 required an extra inning effort for Australia, that earned an 11-6 win in 10 innings. Australia and New Zealand were tied at 2 after 7 and then scored 2 runs each in the eighth and 1 each in the ninth. Australia got the third out of the bottom of the ninth at home plate and came back with a 6 run rally, ignited by a 2 RBI double by Jaine Fox, that proved to be a game winner.

Jake Burns picked the win pitching 5 innings in relief.

Team Australia awarded the first place trophy

Fiji finished third as they beat 2 games to 1 New Caledonia.
New Caledonia got started with a 16-12 win on Friday, 19 January. Fiji came back tying the series with a 22-7 win the next series and outscored New Caledonia, 18-2, in the bronze medal game.