As part of the final day programme at the U23 African Baseball Championships in Boksburg, an Invitational Team made up mostly of U15 and U18 Elite Training Squad (ETS) players took on U23 Benin in a friendly fixture.
The young South African side played with confidence and skill throughout, matching Benin inning for inning before pulling away to secure a 15–10 victory. The result highlighted the exciting potential coming through South Africa’s ETS system and the strong foundations being built for the country’s future baseball programmes.
Final Score: Invitational Team 15 – U23 Benin 10
The team included Caylum de Wet, Tatum White, Riley Long, Liam van der Westhuizen, Ethan Foley, Liam Karels, Adriaan van der Merwe, Rylee Greyvenstein, and Declan Esterhuizen, with Cameron Sequeira and Tshidiso Hlomuka on the bench.
Coaches Gareth Long, Clifford White, and Bruce Foley guided the squad through an energetic and competitive game that captured the attention of everyone in attendance.
The fixture was part of the day’s closing schedule at the U23 African Championships, serving as a valuable opportunity for developing players to gain international exposure in a competitive setting.
The day concludes with the Championship Final between South Africa and Zimbabwe, which will decide the 2025 U23 African Champion and Africa’s representative for the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2026 in Nicaragua.
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