Following on from winning the Australian Junior League title in Glenelg, Adelaide from 26 May 2017, the Hills Junior League team have been preparing for the World Series in Taylor, Michigan, USA. The Junior League World Series starts on 13 August 2017 and continues until 20 August 2017, the first taste of international baseball for most boys. This is a competition full of national winning teams from right across the globe.
In this way it owns a true definition of "world" that is sometimes missing in some baseball.
It is a brutal format of 'double elimination' - two losses and you are done.
The release of the draw has articulated this challenge: http://www.llbws.org/llbbws/jlbbws/worldseries.htm .
- We play the 'Asia Pacific' representative in an 8.00pm battle under lights on Sunday 13 August, 2017 (Sydney Time - Monday 14 August at 10.00am)
- If we win, we play 'Europe' at 1.00pm on Monday 14 August, 2017 (Sydney Time - Tuesday 15 August at 3.00am).
- If we lose, we play an elimination game at 1.00pm on Tuesday 15 August (Sydney Time - Wednesday 16 August at 3.00am).
It will be a fantastic achievement to win one game - or more.
This international test is where it is at for our boys and the step up in class will be welcomed and immense. The challenge is now before them.
After eight weeks of preparation, the journey begins on Friday 11 August 2017. Final team talks, equipment juggling and planning is almost in place. The jet engines are poised and rumbling. The boys are about to experience the joys and challenges of top end baseball. A once in a lifetime for many. Nothing like a true international game to see the world!
