Black Sox through to final of world championships

July 16, 2017

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A place in the final of the Men’s Softball World Championships was at stake as the Golden Homes Black Sox took on Canada in wet and trying conditions in Whitehorse today.

 

A win over the red hot Canadians would represent the tenth consecutive world championship final for the Black Sox, a significant feet for any team in any sport.

 

The Black Sox would have been looking to claim a significant victory and regain some pride given the Canadians have had the better of the men in back in the last two encounters. The Kiwis were well beaten by Canada 10-3 in the Bob Law Memorial tournament in Vancouver 10 days ago and prior to that at the 2015 gold medal game, 9-5.

 

Canada jumped out to an early 2 run lead in the bottom of the first when Brad Ezekiel put one over centre field fence with a runner on off New Zealand ace Josh Pettett. Pettett had a shaky start after hitting two batters and giving up a double and a homerun.

 

Campbell Enoka continued his great hitting form with a dinger of his own in the 3^rd inning to tie the score up 2-2 after Tyrone Bartorillo had earlier reached first with a single to left field.

 

Canada drove in another run in the bottom of third to take the lead and the catalyst for Mark Sorenson to bring in Karl Gollan for the struggling  Pettett. Left handed junk pitcher Gollan hit the first batter faced to load the bases and walk in the next to give Canada a 4-2 lead. Gollan hit his second and the fourth batter of the game allowing the Canadians to extend the lead by 3. Two consecutive fly balls allowed two more Canadian runners to score and New Zealand falling deeper behind. A double to centre field and the score to 8-2 meant the end for Gollan and Nik Hayes in from the ball pen. Hayes was unable to stop the bleeding as Canada drove in another run and New Zealand now in run rule territory, 9-2.

 

But the Black Sox weren’t done as catcher Kallan Compain hit a grand slam off Canadian reliever Justin Schofield in a wet induced game to change the score to 9-6 in the top of the 4^th. The Black Sox collected a number of walks off the struggling Canadian pitchers and a blooper by Wayne Laulu over the top of infield to give New Zealand 2 more and the lead for the first time of the game, 10-9.

 

It was an unbelievable inning for the Black Sox who scored 8 runs largely due to the wet conditions and a ball that was extremely hard to manage by both teams.

 

Ezekiel continued to hurt the Black Sox taking his 4^th hit of game and driving in a key RBI to level the game at 10 each.

 

In form hitter Thomas Enoka showed once again why he is regarded as one world’s best with a ball over left field fence to give New Zealand back the lead. The Kiwis tacked on another run through a heavy slide into the second baseman by Wayne Laulu forcing the error and allowing Cole Evans to score from third on some smart base running.

 

Bottom of the 7^th will bases loaded, Hayes walks in a Canadian runner to make it 12-11 and now with everything on the line. A ground ball to Bartorillo who takes the out at 3^rd to take the final out in what was one of the most bizarre games of softball seen at this level. No one would have imagined such a score line between the two heavy weights of the softball world.

 

The Black Sox are now in the final, that’s 10 in a row! Canada will now play the winner of the Argentina versus Australia game which will determine the Black Sox opponent.

 

Jayden Moore, Black Sox Manager

+64 27 539 1094.

 

 

Best

Glen

 

 

 

Glen Roff - Softball Manager

Softball New Zealand

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