Wellington, NZ - - Black Sox name blend of seasoned softballers and rising talent in new-look training squad
Veteran Black Sox captain Nathan Nukunuku heads a 32-strong national training squad.
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New Zealand Black Sox men's softball coach Mark Sorenson has kept faith with his world champion team and has also called up 11 uncapped newcomers in naming a 32-man training squad to prepare for a series with the Czech Republic.
Veteran infielder Brad Rona and pitcher-utility Karl Gollan have retired, but the remaining 15 gold medallists involved in the Black Sox's record seventh world championship victory at Whitehorse, Canada in July will take part in the Czech series on February 10-11 at Albany.
The squad includes captain Nathan Nukunuku, who is bidding to attend a record seventh world championships tournament in 2019.
Jerome Raemaki returns to the Black Sox training squad after knee surgery.
"All the guys available from the Whitehorse squad are back," Sorenson said. "It's recognition of their achievement. This is their free pass – from here, moving forward, we'll be back to selecting entirely on performance."
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Sorenson and his selection panel have also added a clutch of promising younger players, including Canterbury utility Reilly Makea and Auckland catcher Harrison Valk, who are still eligible for the 2018 Junior Black Sox under-19 world championship team.
Canterbury teammates Callum Bishop (L), Reilly Makea and Jackson Watt have been named in the Black Sox training squad after earlier representing the Junior Black Sox. The trio play for champion Canterbury club Papanui.
"We are quite excited by the young talent coming through," said Sorenson, who added the Black Sox were building depth in most positions.
Former Junior Black Sox standout Daniel Chapman (Auckland) and left-hander Eru Drage (North Harbour) - who have yet to play for the Black Sox -Â join 2017 world championships pitchers Nik Hayes (Hutt Valley), Josh Pettett (Wellington) and Campbell Gibson (Auckland).
The other uncapped players include Valk, Makea and his Papanui and Canterbury teammates Jackson Watt (outfield) and Callum Bishop (infield), infielders Dante Matakatea (Wellington), Zac Boyd (Wellington) and Rhys Evans (Auckland) and outfielders Bradley Bennett (Auckland) and Vinnie Harris (North Harbour).
Auckland Marist pitcher Daniel Chapman has been called into the Black Sox training squad.
Most have already had international experience with the Junior Black and the New Zealand Major Sox under-23 team.
Wellington infielder Jerome Raemaki, who missed the 2017 world championships after knee surgery, returns for the trial series.
Sorenson said Raemaki and Auckland outfielder Ben Enoka, who was side-lined for most of the tournament in Canada with a leg problem, were "not quite 100 per cent" fit, but would be by the time the trial rolled around.
The players will assemble in Auckland on Thursday February 8 for a training camp on Friday February 9.
Sorenson said they would be split into two "evenly-matched" 16-man squads for the tri-series with the Czechs.
Each side would play doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.
The Black Sox squad features three sets of brothers -Â Ben, Thomas and Campbell Enoka from Auckland; Cole and Rhys Evans (Auckland) and Reilly Makea (Canterbury) and Dante Matakatea (Wellington).
Infielder Pita Rona is the son of just-retired four-time Black Sox world championship gold medallist Brad Rona.
Meanwhile, the Black Sox have re-appointed Hutt Valley's Daryl Marino as assistant-coach with former Black Sox catcher Casey Eden as manager.
AT A GLANCE
The 2017-18 New Zealand Black Sox training squad
Pitchers: Nik Hayes (Hutt Valley), Josh Pettett (Wellington), Campbell Gibson (Auckland), Daniel Chapman (Auckland), Eru Drage (North Harbour).
Catchers: Kallan Compain (Auckland), Zane van Lieshout (Auckland), Cory Timu (Hutt Valley), Harrison Valk (Auckland).
Infielders: Nathan Nukunuku (Auckland), Joel Evans (Hutt Valley), Tyron Bartorillo (Canterbury), Cole Evans (Auckland), Josh Harbrow (Canterbury), Zac Boyd (Wellington), Dante Matakatea (Wellington), Callum Bishop (Canterbury), Pita Rona (North Harbour), Rhys Evans (Auckland), Isaac Fletcher (Auckland), Jerome Raemaki (Wellington).
Outfielders: Ben Enoka (Auckland), Campbell Enoka (Auckland), Thomas Enoka (Auckland), Wayne Laulu (Wellington), Reilly Makea (Canterbury), Jackson Watt (Canterbury), Bradley Bennett (Auckland), Vinnie Harris (North Harbour), Connor Peden (Auckland), Alfons Oveinokovas (Auckland), Hohepa Monk (North Harbour).
WORLD RANKINGS
The Black Sox remain top of the latest World Baseball Softball Council men's softball rankings issued on December 19, 2017.
The 10 top rankings are: 1-New Zealand, 2-Japan, 3-Argentina, 4-Canada, 5-Australia, 6-USA, 7-Venezuela, 8-Czech Republic, 9-Mexico, 10-Great Britain.
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