The Australia Cup was a wonderful finale to a summer of softball. Across two months, the Aussie Spirit played four national teams, including three ranked in the top five in the world. This week, it was New Zealand and world number one Japan who ventured to Downey Park in Brisbane. Here are three takeaways from each of those teams.

THE AUSSIE SPIRIT

1. Australia is inching closer to the best in the world

There is plenty of reason for optimism, despite Australia losing its five games against Japan.

After recording just two hits against the USA in December, the Spirit piled up 34 hits against Japan, a team notorious for lockdown defence and elite pitching. 

Australia showed a scrappy attitude all-weekend, a fearless approach to the best in the world. 

They were agonisingly close to defeating the Japanese on multiple occasions. Australia held multi-run leads three times. In one game, they led 4–2 with two outs in the top of the final inning. In another, they kept battling back, tying the game multiple times before being walked off.

They hit a home run off world-renowned Miu Goto. They produced highlight reel after highlight reel catch in the outfield.

Simply put, they took them on.

There is still plenty of work to do, as infielder Tamieka Whitefield acknowledged after the games, but there is genuine cause for optimism that this group has the “it” factor and could challenge Japan in a big game come World Cup time.

It was an excellent fact-finding exercise to uncover the one percenters that can be cleaned up.

2. World Cup selection is going to be hard

National selectors have a great problem to have. Who will play for Australia at the 2027 WBSC Women's Softball World Cup?

There are only 16 spots available on a World Cup roster, and far more than that have built a compelling case.

This week, the debutants made their mark.

Amber Hood finished the tournament on a five-game hitting streak. Mya Geros led the group with nine hits. Chelsea Robinson played multiple positions, threw runners out, and picked up timely hits. Seventeen-year-old Arwen Kavanagh was thrown into the cauldron intentionally and held her own against a Japanese lineup full of professional players. 

Eighteen-year-old Abbie Bastian delivered an RBI in the first inning of the opening game against the top-ranked side in the world.

Meanwhile, players like Pippa Adkins drove the ball with authority. Jenna Trim hit a pair of homers. Kylie Steemers came through clutch.  Steph Trczinski took a 0.00 ERA into the final day of the tournament. 

Plenty of players put their hand up and said “pick me”, making the selectors’ job a difficult one.

3. Big game players doing big game things

Sometimes teams defy analytics and lean on that unquantifiable “it” factor. Who steps up when the moment demands it?
Australia showed they have that capability this weekend.

Arwen Kavanagh escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam without allowing a run.

Taylah Tsitikronis applied a remarkable diving tag at the plate to take away a winning run.

Pippa Adkins leaped above the wall to rob a home run.

Jenna Trim crushed a late-game, game-tying home run off Miu Goto.

Amber Hood and Sara Riou both made spectacular diving catches.

I could go on.

Big-time players need to make big-time plays, and the Spirit felt like a group where anyone could deliver a defining moment at any time.

Bonus: Pride in community

I'll keep this short. The most moving display of the whole weekend was the tremendous strength, connectivity and community spirit the softball community showed.

Dozens of former players turned up across the weekend - many flying in from around the country.

You could field a line-up of players from 1996 Atlanta team who watched a game from the outfield.

Chelsea Forkin, Justine Smethurst and Stacey Porter brought their respective villages to their Hall-of-Fame Induction Ceremonies that moved many to tears.

The volunteers across the state and the Brisbane Softball Association turned up day after day and contributed to a great event.

JAPAN

1. They own the base paths

Entering the gold medal game, Japan had stolen 21 bases across eight games.

New Zealand and Australia combined for just two.

The Japanese constantly find ways to apply pressure on the base paths. Give them an inch and they take a mile. They force opponents to play faster than they want and manufacture mistakes.

They take the game on.

2. Saori Yamauchi’s coming-out party

We may have witnessed an international star emerge right before our eyes.

Yamauchi, now 26, debuted for the national team as an 18-year-old at the Asian Games and World Cup, but has struggled to secure a long-term place in the senior squad.

This week, she spoke volumes with her bat.

After going 0-for-5 on day one, she told the broadcast she was nervous and wanted to settle in on day two.

Then, bang.

Yamauchi finished with a tournament-high four home runs. She hit the decisive two-run shot in the grand final and earlier delivered a bases-clearing triple against Australia.

Elite stuff.

3. On-base machines

They can hit.

Across eight round-robin games, Japan tallied 68 hits, 28 of them for extra bases, and drew 40 walks. With a .475 on-base percentage, the world number one team consistently hit their way out of trouble.

It was a major reason they erased three separate multi-run deficits.

That perfect blend of patience and aggression.

NEW ZEALAND

1. Highlight reels in the field

Every game felt like it featured a White Sox highlight.

Dannyka Ferriso made several outstanding diving stops and backhanded plays at second base. Outfielders threw runners out. They turned multiple inning-ending double plays.

As the tournament progressed, so did their confidence. There is real athleticism across this group.

2. The kids are coming

Sixteen-year-old Poppy Priddle has speed to burn and constantly threatens at the plate. She threw a runner out from the outfield and made a diving catch.

Seventeen-year-old Yvanni Gibson produced several big moments, including a smooth 9-3 double play from right field.
Twenty-one-year-old Lace Tangianau delivered a handful of key base hits.

Three names to remember who could be in the mix for a long time.

3. This meant a lot to them

You could hear it in the broadcast interviews. New Zealand has had limited opportunities to face high-calibre opposition in recent years.

In their first tour of Australia in seven years, the Kiwis played with joy, competed fiercely, and did not take a moment for granted.

Family members were visibly emotional on screen as they watched their athletes compete.

Hopefully this is the beginning of a regular series between two great rivals and close neighbours.

You can watch the replays of all 13 Sotball Australia Cup games on Kayo Sports.