Shaun Lanaghan has helped the Australian under-19s team to the 2018 WBSC junior men’s world championship title.
The Junior Steelers are the most prolific champions at under-19s championship level having won five of the 12 championships.
The win in Prince Albert, Canada broke a 10-year drought for Australia at the titles.
Going into the competition ranked fifth, Australia impressed throughout the initial rounds, finishing second in group A behind defending world champions Japan after a 3-2 loss in the round robin matches.
After defeating hosts Canada 2-0 in the first round of playoffs, the Junior Steelers were again pitted against Japan.
Lanaghan, from Caringbah South, pitched all seven innings in the semi-final, restricting Japan to just four hits and two runs. Australia won the match 4-2 to move straight into the championship match.
Lanaghan finished the tournament with two wins, 16 innings pitched, 18 strikeouts, 11 hits and five runs for an earned run average of 2.25. He also had five at bats with one hit, three runs and an average of .200.
Japan defeated the world’s top ranked under-19s team New Zealand to return to the gold medal match but Australia were primed for the final.
A 6-1 win was set up by a no-hitter by Queensland pitcher Layton Reid as Australia ran away with the title.
Junior Steelers head coach Laing Harrow said it was a professional tour for the team.
“Layton (Reid), Shaun Lanaghan, Brad Kilpatrick and Michael Ludkin were outstanding all week,” he said.
“They kept the runs to a minimum and allowed our offence to go ahead and do their job.”
