Telford baseball star Betheliza Dela Paz is aiming to shine for Britain at Euros

Betheliza, known as Lhiez, played pitcher, shortstop and third base for the 26ers in the inaugural UK Women's Baseball League season last year.

And while she is looking forward to the new campaign beginning in April, she is also determined to make it into the GB squad for the European Championships, which are being held in France in August.

Lhiez arrived in England from the Philippines in 2011 and works as a trainee surgical care practitioner at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire.

On her road to GB selection, she said: "I've always been a fan of Major League Baseball. I'm from the Philippines and that's quite big along with basketball, so we were fans.

"When I was young, I played softball from 10 years old because baseball used to just be exclusively for men.

"Until just recently, there wasn't any women's baseball teams, even here in England, but last year a women's league was formed.

"I got invited to try baseball out at Telford, because I knew some of the players from softball. And I never looked back.

"There were coaches who were scouting players for the national team.

"They asked us to try out last August, we trialled for two days, and they made the selection, so the rest was history."

Lhiez is among 21 players hoping to earn selection for the European Championships

"It's really exciting stuff. There's a bit of mixed emotions – excitement and a bit of nervousness as well," she said.

"We have some tune-up games coming up, but those schedules are still to be arranged, so we don't know just yet.

"The European Championship, though, is in August

"If we qualify there, that'll take us to the World Cup, so it's very exciting.

"Even just saying it makes you feel very excited. I'm so proud to be representing Great Britain."

Hoping to impress at both club and national level, it is an exciting time for Lhiez.

The women's game as a whole is growing, too, with the 26ers – named after the atomic number for Iron – going from strength to strength after helping form the British Baseball Federation's (BBF Women's Baseball league in 2021.

"The sport is growing and being played by lots of women as well, not just men," added Lhiez.

"The men are really receptive. When there wasn't any women's teams, we used to play with the men.

"We just said 'don't treat us differently, we can take the hard balls, so don't take it easy on us'."

"We're really delighted it's all falling into place with the women's game now and progress is being made."