Australia to debut in WBSC Baseball5 World Cup, include Women's Baseball World Cup star Allie Bebbere in roster

WBSC Women's Baseball Cup star Allie Bebbere (nee Steane) has been named as part of world No. 39 Australia's eight-player roster for the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2024, which will take place in Hong Kong, China from 7-12 October.

The 29-year-old, who turns 30 on Thursday, will be the first Australia player to play in a WBSC senior Baseball and senior Baseball5 World Cup.

Bebbere participated in the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage in 2023, where Australia finished fourth just missing out on a place in this year's Finals, pitching 5.2 innings (the joint most for Australia and joint ninth overall in the tournament) with a 1.24 ERA (the second lowest of all pitchers who pitched more than five innings).

She follows in the footsteps of four-time Women's Baseball World Champion and WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2022 silver medallist Ayako Rokkaku, who was named MVP at the inaugural WBSC Baseball5 World Cup in Mexico City.

Hong Kong will mark Australia's debut in the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup. The Australians participated in the WBSC Youth Baseball World Cup 2023, and head coach Adrian Medina returns to lead the team. Amelia Wright, aged 16, is the only player on the roster who competed for him in 2023 in Ankara.

Baseball Australia confirmed that trials were held in three states – Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland and all members of the roster are registered baseball players.

Ebony Sutherland is part of a rising crop of young baseballers in Victoria. She took part in the 2022 Australian Youth Women’s Baseball Invitational while Jose Rodriguez is originally from Cuba and grew up playing the original version of the sport.

Australia - in Group B along with World No. 5 Japan; No. 4 France; No. 3 Tunisia; No. 7 Mexico and No. 9 China - will start their campaign against Mexico, who finished fifth in 2022.

The WBSC Baseball5 World Cup features 12 teams divided into two groups with each playing five games during the group stage, which will take place from 7 to 9 October.

Group A includes World No. 1 and 2022 bronze medallists Chinese Taipei; defending champions and No. 2 Cuba; No. 13 Venezuela; No. 17 Hong Kong, China; No. 6 South Africa and No. 10 Lithuania.

The top three finishers from each group will secure a spot in the Super Round, while the remaining six teams will enter the Placement Round.

The Super Round, taking place on 10 and 11 October, will determine the top two teams who will compete for the Baseball5 World Championship title on 12 October at 15:00. Before the final, the third and fourth-placed teams will compete for the bronze medal and the final podium spot.