Baseball SA Insider April 2026
INTRODUCTION
April has been a big month for baseball across South Australia, with plenty happening on and off the field. From strong national performances to the return of major events at West Beach, it’s been great to see the talent coming through and the continued growth of the game. And even as we head into the off-season, there’s still plenty to look forward to.
Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s been happening across Baseball SA.
MESSAGE FROM THE GM
While the regular season has now wrapped up, we are already busy preparing for the next one, which will be here sooner than many of us realise. While this time of year can feel like a transition period, there has still been plenty happening across the game since our last newsletter.
Our Women’s Youth and Women’s teams recently represented South Australia at the Australian Youth Women’s Championships and Australian Women’s Championships, and both teams represented the state very well. It was especially pleasing to see our Youth Women return home with the silver medal, particularly with a relatively new squad, which says a lot about the talent in that group and the work continuing to go into the women’s program.
We also welcomed the State Charter Championships back to West Beach, and we could not have asked for much better conditions across the four days. With great weather and plenty of exciting baseball, it was a terrific event and another strong showcase for the sport.
Congratulations to the Marlins, who swept the Little League Development, Little League and Junior League divisions, and will now go on to represent South Australia at the upcoming Little League National Championships over the coming months. We also wish the Adelaide Armada in Intermediate and Senior League, along with the Little League Seahorses, all the best in their upcoming tournaments. We wish them all the best and look forward to following how they go.
In the meantime, our winter Performance Pathways Programs are about to get underway at West Beach, which means the quieter part of the year never stays quiet for long. With baseball activity across six days a week, there will still be plenty happening at the venue as players, coaches and families continue preparing for what comes next.
Thank you to everyone continuing to contribute across this part of the year, and I look forward to seeing plenty of activity around the diamonds in the months ahead.
BASEBALL AUSTRALIA HALL OF FAME 2025
Baseball SA is proud to celebrate the induction of two South Australians into the 2025 Baseball Australia Hall of Fame, recognising their outstanding contributions to the game at the highest level.
Mark Hutton (Sturt Baseball Club) made history as the first Australian pitcher to start a Major League Baseball game, debuting with the New York Yankees in 1993. Across a five-season MLB career with the Yankees, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds, Hutton achieved remarkable success, including winning two World Series titles (1996, 1997). He also represented Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Don Masters (Woodville / Northern Districts) etched his name into history with a standout performance at the 1971 Asian Series, becoming the first Australian pitcher to defeat Japan in an international series. A 12-time South Australian representative, Masters was a key figure in six Claxton Shield-winning teams and was named the South Australian Baseball League’s Best Player in 1976/77.
These inductions highlight the rich legacy and ongoing impact of South Australian baseball on the national and international stage.
Read the Full Article: 2 South Australians Inducted into Baseball Australia Hall of Fame for 2025 — Baseball South Australia
LIFTING PATHWAYS TO NEW HEIGHTS
In case you missed it, JPS Lifts are now the official partners of our Pathways Programs and we couldn't ask for a better team to help us elevate our future stars.
Specialising in residential and commercial lift design, sales, installation, modernisation, and service, JPS Lifts bring over 200 years of combined expertise.
Known for sky-high standards in reliability and customer service, JPS Lifts offer round-the-clock peace of mind with 24/7 support from local, qualified Adelaide technicians.
Whether it’s lifting people or programs, JPS Lifts are committed to moving South Australians upward and onward. Welcome aboard to the leading name in vertical transport!
PERFORMANCE PATHWAYS
Baseball SA Performance Pathways is gearing up for the next block of activity, with our 2026 programs starting next week. Our pathway is built around four key opportunities: the College Pathway Program, State Prospects On Ramp Program, Emerging Program, and Elite Program designed to support athletes at different ages and stages of development, while keeping a clear line of progression and ongoing assessment across the year.
As part of this pathway, trials and assessment points help place athletes into the most suitable training environment, with the Prospects stream using a formal trial process to guide program placement, while the Emerging stream provides a direct entry point for the relevant age group and continues to be reviewed through scheduled testing windows. Elite opportunities remain invitation-based through ongoing identification. We’re excited to get the winter development phase underway and continue building strong, connected pathways for South Australian athletes.
AYWC AND AWC 2026
South Australia’s AYWC team has delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Australian Youth Women’s Championships, finishing with a well-earned silver medal in Melbourne.
Held from April 14–18, the tournament brought together the best young talent from across the country, with South Australia showcasing resilience, growth, and strong team spirit throughout the week.
Despite falling short in the gold medal game against Western Australia, the result marks a significant achievement for the group particularly considering the squad featured 13 rookies competing at their first-ever National Championships.
The team continued to improve with each game, building confidence and cohesion as the tournament progressed, ultimately earning their place in the championship decider.
Read the Full Article: SOUTH AUSTRALIA CLAIM SILVER AT 2026 AYWC NATIONALS — Baseball South Australia
GOLDEN ARM – LILLIAN STERRY
Sterry had a 0.00 ERA and allowed two hits across her 5.1 innings over two appearances.
She led the tournament with 14 strikeouts.
Sterry’s stellar shutout performance in the Finals helped South Australia reach the Gold Medal Game.
2026 STATE CHARTER TOURNAMET
April saw the culmination of all the hard work and preparation for our charter teams, with the State Charter Tournament being held at West Beach from April 17th – 20th. Over the course of the weekend, we saw 30 games over 4 days, and was given some terrific baseball, with the passion of the players, coaches and families being showcased throughout the tournament. In addition to our Junior League, Little League and Little League Development age groups where the winners would advance to their respective National Tournaments, our Intermediate and Senior League Adelaide Armada teams also got in so preparation with practice games against a combined team made up of state and charter players from previous years, provided them with much needed game situations to hone their preparation for their respective tournaments.
In the other age groups, we saw intense finishes in all age groups, with spots in the gold medal games coming down to the final games and tie breaker scenarios. However, the Adelaide Marlins proved to be too strong in all 3 age groups, punching their ticket to the National Championships without losing a game at any level. Congratulations to the Marlins!
May will see our teams start to head away to their National Tournaments, starting with our Senior League team heading to Blacktown starting on May 13th, followed by the Junior and Intermediate League teams in Lismore from May 21st. May will also see the commencement of our Little League Girls Seahorses program, with trials to be announced shortly so that a team can be selected for their tournament in July.
2026 Adelaide Seahorses Little League Girls Team
Baseball South Australia advises that player registrations and coach Expressions of Interest for the 2026 Adelaide Seahorses Little League Girls Team have been open since February and are closing soon.
This program provides young athletes with the opportunity to represent South Australia on the national stage, develop their skills in a high-performance environment, and be part of a positive and supportive team culture.
For more information visit: 2026 Adelaide Seahorses Little League Girls Team Registrations Now Open — Baseball South Australia
Baseball SA is recruiting 14 new Division 1 umpires for the 2026/27 season through a fully structured, funded development program.
If you’ve played the game and want a role in it that can take you further than playing ever could, this program is for you.
What the program includes:
• 52 hours of paid training across the season
•24 weekly online theory sessions (1 hour, from home)
6 two-hour practical sessions at West Beach (April–September)
•Integration with the existing league umpire training group
•Annual Umpire Seminar
•Full uniform and equipment supplied (~$800 value, recovered through pay)
•AABU and BUASA membership paid by Baseball SA
•Season-long mentoring from ABL panel umpires
•$875 paid before Christmas upon completing the first 3 months
•Average season earnings of $4,000 paid fortnightly
Who we are looking for:
• Aged 20–30
•Played State League baseball at any level
•Available Saturdays
•Willing to commit 1 hour per week online plus 2 hours per month practical
Training commences SOON!!
Submit your expression of interest via email:
neil.poulton@baseballsa.org.au OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE NOW!
