• Baseball five is the street version of traditional baseball nine.
• The baseball federation is headed to the coast next weekend
Image: MARYAN SIYAD
The Kenya Baseball Federation is conducting nationwide trials in order to come up with an under-18 team that will represent the country in this year's Africa Baseball 5 World Cup qualifiers in Cape Coast Ghana.
The exercise which was conducted at the Hub Karen on Saturday before heading to other regions, saw players from the metropolitan region come together and spread the game of baseball five.
Speaking during the selection the president of the baseball federation Titus Mutwiri said :“We want to top the senior team’s performance when we go to Ghana. There is a lot of talent in this country and we want to nature that and be the kings of baseball in Africa."
Baseball five is the street version of traditional baseball nine which requires nine players and equipment. Baseball five on the other hand does not require equipment and only consists of five players .
The game was created in order to spread baseball in marginalized countries that can not afford the expensive equipment.
Also speaking during the exercise was the commissioner of the baseball federation of Kenya George Kinuthia.
Kinuthia said : "I am very hopeful that we will do well and follow in the footsteps of the senior team who came runners up last year.”
“What I love about baseball five is the inclusion. It’s game that has both genders. In a game of five players, two must be from a different gender. You cannot play one gender otherwise the team is disqualified,” he added.
The baseball federation is headed to the coast next weekend as they continue in search of more players to represent Kenya in Ghana.
The Africa Baseball five World Cup qualifiers is set to take place from 14-23 May.