South Africa national baseball team
| Country |
 South Africa
|
|---|---|
| Confederation | African Baseball & Softball Association |
| World Baseball Classic | |
| Appearances | 3 (First in 2006) |
| Best result | 16th (2 times, most recent in 2009) |
| Olympic Games | |
| Appearances | 1 (First in 2000) |
| Best result | 8th |
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 5 (First in 1998) |
| Best result | 14th (1 time, in 2001) |
| All-Africa Games | |
| Appearances | 2 (First in 1999) |
| Best result |
 1st (2 times, most recent in 2003) |
|
South Africa World Baseball Classic |
|
|---|---|
| Tournament Results | |
| United States 2006 | 16th |
| Mexico 2009 | 16th |
| Medal Tally | |
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The South African national baseball team is a baseball team which represents the Republic of South Africa in international baseball competitions such as the World Baseball Classic and formerly the Summer Olympics.
South Africa's inclusion in the WBC was considered rather surprising by many observers. South Africa has never sent a player to Major League Baseball, indeed, the highest a South African player has ever gotten in the minor leagues has been Triple-A (Mark Miller, a catcher in the Cincinnati Reds organisation who reached AAA with the Indianapolis Indians in 1980).
In the team's first game, South Africa nearly pulled off an upset of Canada, a team consisting of mostly Major League Baseball players. South Africa took an 8–7 lead into the ninth inning before falling 11–8. This would be as close as the team would get to winning a game. The South Africans lost the next two games to Mexico 10–4, and to the United States in a mercy rule-shortened 17–0 rout.
South Africa competed at the 2009 World Baseball Classic in Group B with Mexico, Cuba and Australia.
In game 1 South Africa were overpowered by international powerhouse Cuba, giving up 6 home runs in an 8–1 loss. The South African defence was a bright point in the match however, turning three double plays and 2 pickoffs.
In the group elimination match South Africa lost heavily to hosts Mexico 14–3. Although the South Africans kept it a one-run ball game heading into the 7th inning, the Mexican team pounced on the inexperienced bullpen pitchers that entered the game late on and scored 11 runs in the final three innings.
South Africa finished the 2009 WBC with an 0–2 record, with 4 runs scored and 22 conceded.
Four qualifying tournaments were scheduled in 2012 for the 2013 World Baseball Classic, with one team advancing from each to join the 12 squads that had qualified previously by winning at least one game in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Each of the pools included one team with previous experience in the WBC, but which failed to win a single game during the 2009 tournament. South Africa was placed in Qualifier 1 with Spain, France and Israel at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.
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Wikipedia