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South Africa national baseball team

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Country
  
South Africa

Appearances
  
1 (First in 2000)

Location
  
South Africa

Appearances
  
3 (First in 2006)

Best result
  
8th

South Africa national baseball team httpsbaseballsafileswordpresscom201405cov

Confederation
  
African Baseball & Softball Association

Best result
  
16th (2 times, most recent in 2009)

The South African national baseball team is a baseball team which represents the Republic of South Africa in international baseball competitions such as the World Baseball Classic and formerly the Summer Olympics.

Contents

2006

South Africa's inclusion in the WBC was considered rather surprising by many observers. South Africa has never sent a player to Major League Baseball, indeed, the highest a South African player has ever gotten in the minor leagues has been Triple-A (Mark Miller, a catcher in the Cincinnati Reds organisation who reached AAA with the Indianapolis Indians in 1980).

In the team's first game, South Africa nearly pulled off an upset of Canada, a team consisting of mostly Major League Baseball players. South Africa took an 8–7 lead into the ninth inning before falling 11–8. This would be as close as the team would get to winning a game. The South Africans lost the next two games to Mexico 10–4, and to the United States in a mercy rule-shortened 17–0 rout.

2009

South Africa competed at the 2009 World Baseball Classic in Group B with Mexico, Cuba and Australia.

In game 1 South Africa were overpowered by international powerhouse Cuba, giving up 6 home runs in an 8–1 loss. The South African defence was a bright point in the match however, turning three double plays and 2 pickoffs.

In the group elimination match South Africa lost heavily to hosts Mexico 14–3. Although the South Africans kept it a one-run ball game heading into the 7th inning, the Mexican team pounced on the inexperienced bullpen pitchers that entered the game late on and scored 11 runs in the final three innings.

South Africa finished the 2009 WBC with an 0–2 record, with 4 runs scored and 22 conceded.

2012 Qualifier

Four qualifying tournaments were scheduled in 2012 for the 2013 World Baseball Classic, with one team advancing from each to join the 12 squads that had qualified previously by winning at least one game in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Each of the pools included one team with previous experience in the WBC, but which failed to win a single game during the 2009 tournament. South Africa was placed in Qualifier 1 with Spain, France and Israel at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.

South Africa lost the first game of this double-elimination tournament to dark horse Israel, 7–3. They moved into the loser's bracket where they eliminated France, 5–2 in 11 innings, after Paul Bell hit a 2-run double into left field in the top of the 11th. In the loser's bracket final, South Africa fell to eventual WBC qualifier Spain, 13–3, and was eliminated from the tournament. Minnesota Twins prospect, Hein Robb pitched 5.1 innings in 2 relief appearances, giving up 0 runs while striking out 4 batters during the qualifying tournament.

Olympic Games

The national team appeared in their first and only Olympic tournament in 2000. The team finished with a record of 1–6 with their only win against the Netherlands.

The win against the Netherlands was thanks largely to two key players:

  • Tim Harrell (P) pitched all 10 Innings in the game, giving up just two un-earned runs on five walks and six hits, with four strikeouts.
  • Ian Holness (RF) knocked in all three of South Africa's runs. He hit a Solo Home Run in the 6th Inning against Dutch starter Patrick de Lange, followed by an RBI Double off reliever Radhames Dykhoff. He finished off the run scoring by hitting another Solo Home Run in the 10th Inning, off Dutch closer Rikkert Faneyte.
  • South Africa gained entry into the tournament by beating Guam 3–0 in a Best-Of-Five Africa/Oceania playoff series.

    All-Africa Games

    South Africa was the host of the All-Africa Games in 1999. South Africa won the gold medal with ease, by defeating all of the other national teams. In order of the wins South Africa won against Lesotho (43–0) with Ian Holness hitting 4 home runs and 14 RBIs, Zimbabwe (37–2), Nigeria (19–1), Uganda (31–0) and Ghana (28–3). South Africa was again the dominant power in the 2003 Games held in Abuja, cruising to the final where they beat Nigeria 15–0 to win Gold.

    World Baseball Classic Qualifier 2012 South Africa Team Roster

  • Alessio Angelucci
  • Paul Bell
  • Kyle Botha
  • Brandon Bouillon
  • Kieran Cree
  • Dylan De Meyer – Seattle Mariners
  • Michael Dempsey
  • Shannon Ekermans
  • Jared Elario
  • Kyle Ettisch
  • Ryan Groves
  • Richard Holgate
  • Wesley Hoskins
  • Gavin Jefferies
  • Robert Lewis-Walker – Cincinnati Reds
  • Dylan Lindsay
  • Kieran Lovegrove – Cleveland Indians
  • Wade Mackey
  • Carl Michaels
  • Faizel Moosa
  • Gift Ngoepe – Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Anthony Phillips – Seattle Mariners
  • Jonathan Phillips
  • Allan Randall
  • Hein Robb – Minnesota Twins
  • Tayler Scott – Chicago Cubs
  • Dylan Unsworth – Seattle Mariners
  • Darren Wedel
  • Karl Weitz
  • Brett Willemburg
  • Team Manager
  • Rick Magnante
  • 2000 Summer Olympics

  • Neil Adonis
  • Clint Alfino
  • Francisco Alfino
  • Paul Bell
  • Vaughn Berriman
  • Jason Cook
  • Errol Davis
  • Simon de la Rey
  • Nick Dempsey
  • Ashley Dove
  • Darryl Gonsalves
  • Brian Harrell
  • Tim Harrell
  • Richard Harrell
  • Ian Holness
  • Kevin Johnson
  • Willem Kemp
  • More MacKay
  • Liall Mauritz
  • Glen Morris
  • Alan Phillips
  • Darryn Smith
  • Russell van Niekerk

  • Players that have represented South Africa.

  • Neil Adonis, South African national team designated hitter
  • Clint Alfino, South African national team outfielder
  • Francisco Alfino, South African national team infielder
  • Alessio Angelucci, minor league pitcher
  • Barry Armitage, minor league pitcher
  • Paul Bell, minor league infielder
  • Vaughn Berriman, South African national team pitcher
  • Kyle Botha, Bundesliga catcher
  • Scotty Bremner, South African national team catcher
  • Jason Cook, South African national team outfielder
  • Errol Davis, South African national team outfielder
  • Simon de la Rey, South African national team infielder
  • Dylan De Meyer, minor league pitcher
  • Michael Dempsey, South African national team outfielder
  • Nick Dempsey, minor league infielder
  • Ashley Dove, South African national team pitcher
  • Shannon Ekermans, South African national team pitcher
  • Justin Erasmus, minor league pitcher
  • Kyle Ettisch, South African national team catcher
  • Gavin Fingleson, minor league infielder
  • Darryl Gonsalves, South African national team catcher
  • Ryan Groves, South African national team pitcher
  • Brian Harrell, South African national team pitcher
  • Richard Harrell, South African national team pitcher
  • Tim Harrell, minor league pitcher
  • Donavon Hendricks, minor league pitcher
  • Ian Holness, South African national team outfielder
  • Kevin Johnson, South African national team infielder
  • Michael Johnson, Great Britain national team pitcher
  • Willem Kemp, Bundesliga catcher
  • Tyrone Lamont, minor league pitcher
  • Justin Lazarus, Bundesliga infielder
  • Robert Lewis-Walker, minor league pitcher
  • Roddi Liebenberg, Great Britain national team pitcher
  • George Lintern, Great Britain national team outfielder
  • Will Lintern, Bundesliga catcher
  • Kieran Lovegrove, minor league pitcher
  • Dave Lowery,South African national team pitcher
  • Morne Mackay, South African national team infielder
  • Liall Mauritz, South African national team pitcher
  • Carl Michaels, minor league pitcher
  • Mark Miller, minor league catcher
  • Faizel Moosa, South African national team outfielder
  • Glen Morris, South African national team pitcher
  • Mpho Ngoepe, minor league infielder
  • Alan Phillips, South African national team player
  • Anthony Phillips, minor league infielder
  • Jonathan Phillips, minor league infielder
  • Ashley Scott, South African national team infielder
  • Darryn Smith, South African national team pitcher
  • Raymond Tew, South African national team manager
  • Michael Trask, Great Britain national team outfielder
  • Ryan Trask, Great Britain national team outfielder
  • Russell van Niekerk, South African national team pitcher
  • Darren Wedel, South African national team player
  • Konrad Weitz, minor league catcher
  • Brett Willemburg, minor league infielder
  • References

    South Africa national baseball team Wikipedia