BASEBALL pitcher Jackson Boyd, of Langwarrin, will represent Australia in the under-23s Baseball World Cup in Columbia on Saturday 20 October.
The soon-to-be 19-year-old will join an Australian contingent of 24 players and compete against 12 international teams for World Cup glory.
Boyd was chosen from his past performances, most notably being the under-18s Baseball World Cup in Canada last year where his side finished just outside of the top three.
The call-up to join Australia’s national team came just moments after touching down in Florida in August where Boyd had just started studying sports science at North West Florida College. Boyd moved to Florida to continue following his dream of playing baseball at the elite level.
Boyd’s mother, Jacqui Gordon, said Jackson was looking forward to representing his country once again.
“I know he’s very excited and honoured about heading to the World Cup, especially when some of the players he went to Canada with last year will be playing,” she said.
Australia has been placed in Group B and will face five international teams being Korea, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and the Czech Republic.
The top three sides in each group will progress to the Super Round.
Australia’s opening game kicks off against Venezuela on the opening day, Saturday 20 October.
Boyd will also be playing with the spirit of loved coach, Jack Larner, who passed away from cancer on Monday 15 October.
Larner took the Southern Mariners Senior League side, which Boyd was a part of, from state champions, to national champions, to Asia Pacific Region champions and finally to runners-up in the World Series.
That side became the first Victorian Baseball team to qualify for a World Series, the first Australian Senior League team to qualify for the World Series and the first Australian team to qualify through the Asia Pacific Region – a feat that will live on in the history books.
