The Hills team win Australian championship to qualify for 2016 Little League World Series

THE Hills baseball team are off to the 2016 Little League World Series after being crowned champions at the Australian Little League Championships.

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THE Hills baseball team are off to the 2016 Little League World Series after being crowned champions at the Australian Little League Championships.

The Hills squad, made of players from four local clubs, Quakers Hill Pirates, Rouse Hill Wildcats, Castle Hill and Winston Hills, beat Central Coast 7-3 in the all-NSW final in Lismore last week.

At the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in August, the Hills will compete against 15 other teams, including seven international and eight from the United States. The series will be telecast by ESPN to several countries, providing invaluable exposure to Hills and Australian baseball players.

The Hills under-12 players are this week’s nominees for the Junior Sports Star Team Spirit Award, with head coach Les Stockdale saying the players can be very proud of what they have achieved.

“This is a dream come true for all of them and some of them stood head and shoulders above the competition,” said Stockdale, a former pro baseball player.

“We timed our run to perfection as we were finished fourth in the state championships before winning all four games in the pool stages at the nationals.

“The reason we had a big turnaround from the state championships is because the boys were then coming together for the first time and it’s hard to gel as a team,” Stockdale said.

“It’s hard to live up to such an expectation, you always plan to go undefeated but when you actually do it and get into the championship game it puts another level of pressure on the kids.

“The kids remained relaxed throughout the whole tournament.”

Remarkably, the Hills, who will be fourth Australian side to make it to the Little League World Series, scored 75 runs and allowing only four over seven matches while winning the title.

“It’s the ultimate prize for a young baseballer,” Stockdale said.

“It’s what they all aspire to do and we hope this will inspire kids back at the Hills Junior Baseball Association to continue to play and aspire to get to this stage too.

“At Little League World Series the players will be treated like pro baseballers and will never experience something like this in their lifetime.”

Hills’ Harrison Wheeldon threw exceptionally well in a pressure situation, striking out six and only giving up three earned runs.

Brent Iredale was one of Hills’ standout players offensively, picking up two hits, one of which was a home run.

“Baseball NSW are very proud to have five of the top eight teams at the tournament the success is a testament on how the sport has grown in terms of grassroots baseball,” said association spokesman Chris Doroudgar.

The squad: Ethan Treble, Harrison Wheeldon, Clayton Campbell, Brent Iredale, Mathew Clements, Christos Lyberopoulos, William Edwards, Will Unitt, Thomas Jackson., Stephen Courtney, Adrian Lautier, Ryley Gonzalez, Roan North and Mitchell Tritton. Head coach: Les Stockdale; assistant coaches: Chris Swan and Scott Wright; executive officer: Louise Riddell;

John Yard and Jeff Catt (Hills Baseball Association).

■ The Juniors Sports Star awards are sponsored by Rebel while Fox Sports Pulse sponsors the team spirit awards

■ To nominate a young athlete visit: juniorsportstar.com.au