Adelaide Giants, Brisbane Bandits and Victorian Aces to strut stuff in 2024 Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase at Albert Park, Lismore

Baseball elites from Canada, Japan and the United State’s World Cup teams are joining an exciting showcase event pitched for Lismore in coming days. Here’s what’s planned.

Chloe Atkinson, 17, making her showcase debut. The Western Australian impressed as WA won a gold medal at the 2023 Women’s Championships. At the nationals just gone, Atkinson led WA with 14 hits (3rd in tournament) and 12 RBI (4th in tournament) She also bashed seven extra base hits. Her .584 average was also near the competition lead.

The best of the best lady baseballers will hit Lismore for a four-day elite baseball bonanza.

Games at Albert Park will be broadcast around the world throughservice Baseball +.

This year’s Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase will feature the best players from across Australia, and nine international World Cup players.

The Adelaide Giants, Brisbane Bandits and Victorian Aces will play two games per day and one on final day over a Round Robin Tournament from May 9-11, with a gold medal game scheduled for May 12.

Up-and-coming Australian talent, World Cup players from Canada, Japan and the United States and Emeralds stars will be involved in the event, backed by the state government.

The Women’s Showcase will run alongside the Australian Little League Girls Division Championships, with little league games (U13) played in the morning, followed by world-class baseball in the evening.

Mackenzie Jackson is on the radar for National Squad Selection. Jackson pitched more innings than anyone else for NSW at the recent national titles. In over eight innings, she had a 2.34 ERA. She'll be the go-to-arm for the Giants.

Lismore City Council Mayor Steve Krieg said hosting the championships was a coup for the city and further proof that Lismore was gradually recovering from the 2022 floods, and looking to the future.

“I have attended numerous state and national championships at Albert Park and the consistent feedback I receive from players and visitors is pure amazement at the calibre of our sporting facilities,” he said.

The council estimates the event will generate almost half a million dollars ($435,172) for the Lismore economy.

Maddi Erwin from Canberra is one of Australia's top pitchers. She is playing for Adelaide in the 2024 Showcase. She played for Australia in the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Baseball Australia CEO Glenn Williams said the showcase pushes the calibre of women’s baseball forward.

“As we celebrate the third Australian Women’s Showcase, the thrill of witnessing some of the world’s best female players competing against Australia’s finest will be another great spectacle,” he said.

“It’s an exciting event which we hope will inspire baseball players around Australia and across the globe.”

Breanna Green had an iconic pitching performance at the 2019 Australian Youth Championship to lead NSW to gold. She was part of NSWs gold medal winning side in the 2022 Women’s Nationals at Adelaide.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said sports-loving residents from across the region would embrace the event in the regional hub.

“Albert Park Baseball Complex Lismore has always been a great nursery for producing top baseballers and houses the best grounds that allow for competition at national and international level,” she said.

“I’m sure the girls’ little league games will be just as fiercely contested as the elite tournament, so the national championships auger well for the future of baseball is rural and regional Australia.”

The 2024 event builds on the Women’s Showcase 2020 at Adelaide and 2022 at Geelong.

Albert Park Baseball Facility is at 345 Keen Street, Lismore.