Clive Thabo Dube
Sports Reporter
THE ZIMBABWE Women Baseball Team has made history at the South African Baseball Championships 2023.
The first national women baseball team traveled to compete at Boksburg Cardinals, Gauteng in what marked a historical moment for the country.
The trip to the neighboring country is part of Zimbabwe Baseball Association (ZBA) plans to let females break barriers through sport by providing equal opportunities to females.
“The ladies fared very well, improving with each passing game. They started by losing with very big margins but as they got accustomed to the playing field conditions and the high tempo, they began managing the game better. At the end of the tournament we beat the much fancied Western Province to clinch a bronze position.” Said Head Coach Eldon Mudzingwa.
Gauteng A was the overall winner of the prestigious tournament, Gauteng B followed suit and Zimbabwe select scooped the bronze medal. The Western province finished fourth.
The just ended tournament provided the much needed experience amongst the females to compete with other nations moving forward.
The initiative by Zimbabwe Baseball Association will indeed see the sport further develop and provide exposure of baseball in the country. By a long a shot, the national women’s baseball will play at the highest level.
“Great lessons were learnt and the team proved they can fight and match the much fancied opponents.
It’s now back to the drawing board as we prepare for our international fixtures. But now the foundation has been laid, this is the first ever Zim ladies baseball national team.” He added.
Baseball is continuing its rapid rise and the collegiate history making by ZBA spearheading the sport of baseball is worth marveling at.
However, there’s need for the sport to hit a home run in other parts of the Southern African country.
What raises eyebrows is the fact that the country’s second largest City has no baseball fraternity (league club’s/ association) of its own to groom players. Yet the national teams, both male and female set up camp in Bulawayo (Hamilton High School) before heading out to South Africa.