The South African Baseball Union has officially announced the Senior Baseball5 National Team that will represent South Africa at the WBSC African Continental Qualifiers to be held in Lusaka, Zambia in November 2025.
The team announcement follows regional training and final trials held in Pretoria. The Baseball5 Elite Training Squad (ETS) has been actively training in various provinces, building towards this moment as South Africa prepares to compete against the top Baseball5 nations in Southern Africa.
The selected players are Ruben Danks, Moegamat Meekaa’eel Jacks, Austin Mmoloki Mangka, Ihsaan Slamdien, Maria Catharina Cloete, Tshwarelo Bridget Lamola, Itumeleng Violet Moreroa, and Bonolo Precious Tlome.
The non-travelling reserves include Louis Michael Albertyn, Aidan Bryce Bartes, Tashrique Manuel, Mpudzizeni Sylvester Maredi, Tebogo Phasha, Chaunzel Quinnè Bouwer, Kelly Duke, Kay’dShay Naude, and Melissa Pieterse.
The WBSC African Qualifiers in Lusaka will serve as the pathway to the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup, which will be hosted in Italy in 2026. According to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the continental quota for the 16-team Baseball5 and Youth Baseball5 World Cups will be as follows: Africa – 2 teams, Americas – 4 teams, Asia – 3 teams, Europe – 3 teams, Oceania – 1 team, Host Nation – 1 team, and 2 Wild Card entries awarded by the WBSC.
