One of Bendigo's rising baseball stars is preparing for his biggest challenge to date.
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Harry Fitzgerald has been named on one of the Victorian squads for the 2020 Australian Youth Baseball Championships.
The 14-year-old underwent several trials to secure his spot on the Under-16 Victoria White team.
"It was a challenge to make it on the team as I was up against some of the best kids in the state," Fitzgerald said.
"I enjoyed it as it was good to test myself and also meet plenty of new people."
The trials involved several rounds, with 150 players being reduced to two teams of 18.
One of the biggest highlights for Fitzgerald is to represent country Victorian players on a national level.
The championships will be held in January 2020 across three locations, with the under-16 tournament taking place at Geelong Baseball Centre.
Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said some of the country's best players would be in action.
"Baseball Victoria is looking forward to welcoming athletes from across Australia to these terrific Victorian venues for the 2020 Australian Youth Championships," Middleton said.
"We are excited to host this tournament and watch high-level baseball across the state of Victoria."
Fitzgerald was born into a family of baseball players, with some of his earliest memories down on the diamond with his father Brian, who is the vice-president of the Bendigo Baseball Association.
Fitzgerald's mother Jeanine is also the secretary of the organisation, baseball truly runs through the family's blood.
Fitzgerald, who prides himself on being a utility player competes with the Falcons in the BBA and also down in Melbourne with the Essendon Baseball Club.
"I feel as if I am hitting the ball quite well at the moment, but I'm a utility and I'm comfortable anywhere the coach puts me," Fitzgerald said.
The Falcons were runners up of the 2019 BBA division one finals series after they were defeated by the Dodgers, who broke their 20-year premiership drought.
Fitzgerald was also the recipient of the prestigious 2019 Rookie of the Year Award from the BBA.
The BBA consists of four teams: Strathfieldsaye Dodgers, Bendigo East, Falcons and the Scots.
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