SOMERVILLE’S Genevieve Beacom this month achieved her dream of playing in the Cal Ripken World Series of Baseball in Missouri, US.
Genevieve became the first female starting pitcher in the 16-year history of the tournament and the first female to make a mixed-gender team playing for Australia.
The Cal Ripken World Series is described as the place “where the world comes to play – the Ripken Way”.
The Year 7 Flinders College student toured Japan with the Victorian Mavericks women’s team in the lead up to the tournament before heading to the US. She had a week’s training with her Australian team mates at Aberdeen, Maryland, playing against Japan, Canada, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Kansas at Branson, Missouri.
“She pitched really well, played first base and outfield. She was the first girl to ever be a starting pitcher at the Cal Ripken World Series. As you can imagine we are extremely proud of her achievements,” mum Chrysanne said.
The World Series pits the 10 best teams from the United States and eight international teams: Australia, Canada, Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, along with New Zealand and Puerto Rico.
Team Japan is currently the four-time defending CRWS champion.
Genevieve, 12, played the summer season as a left-handed pitcher for Cheltenham Baseball Club and was a member of the premiership sides in the under-12s and under-14s.
First published in the Western Port News – 22 August 2017
