BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — An Australian 18U baseball team known as the Colts are playing in the United States for the World Baseball Showcase, currently competing in the West Coast.
This week the Aussies are facing local high schools including some talent from around Bakersfield in games being hosted at Cal State Bakersfield. CSUB head coach Jeremy Beard has a personal connection with the Colts Director Steve Fish which has helped initiate the international competition on Bakersfield soil.
While the experience is exciting for the Australian players, CSUB is also reaping the benefits of seeing some baseball talent from over seas.
"The biggest difference is their accent. Baseball is baseball wherever you go," CSUB assistant coach Jonathan Johnson said.
"It is cool to get an Australian team out here because you don't get to see them often and it's great for them to get to come out here to the states and do some traveling and see a bunch of different schools, and we've actually just signed one of their players from last year."
The purpose for the Aussies to compete across the U.S. is for just that: to allow colleges to see some of them play.
Bakersfield teams will face the Colts on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
