The captain and pitcher lead Black Sox to World Championship

March 10, 2013

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The New Zealand Black Sox celebrate their sixth ISF World Championship after beating Venezuela, 4-1, at Rosedale Park in Auckland, Sunday, March 10.

ORIGINAL STORY by Bob Otto

 

The captain and pitcher lead Black Sox to World Championship

Written by Bob on March 10th, 2013

“No two words (world champion) sound so pretty together.” – Black Sox catcher Patrick Shannon

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – The New Zealand Black Sox had a couple of concerns going into the ISF World Softball Championship. Would their injured captain be able to perform at his world-class standard? And which pitcher would step forward as New Zealand’s go-to guy?

The captain, Rhys Casley, and the pitcher, Jeremy Manley, put those concerns to rest in grand style. Between the two of them, they helped lead New Zealand to a record-breaking sixth world softball championship Gold medal with a 4-1 victory over Venezuela on Sunday.

In front of a packed Rosedale Park in Auckland, Casley belted a three-run home run in the third inning to break a 1-1 tie. With the lead, Manley buckled down and pitched a gem, scattering four hits in going the distance.

TWO STRAIGHT For Manley, it was his second win over Venezuela. In the deciding winner’s playoff game, he shackled the South American’s on four hits and 15 strikeouts for a 2-0 win.

Along with its sixth championship, New Zealand won the gold in 1976 at Christchurch (shared with the USA and Canada after the tournament was rained out), 1984 and ’96 at Midland, Mich.; 2000 in East London, South Africa, and again at Christchurch in 2004.

After the game, about 3,500 delirious Black Sox fans – cheering and dancing in the stands – showed their appreciation for their national team bringing the championship back home.

“All the hard work and all the training was worth it,” said catcher Patrick Shannon, who helped the Black Sox cause with a home run. “We proved ourselves in the world championship. No two words sound so pretty together.”

 

PAEZ’ THREE BAGGER But Venezuela struck some fear in the first inning when leadoff batter Iran Paez tripled, followed by Manley hitting Herwins Querales with a pitch. After a strikeout and walk, John Zambrano lifed a fly ball deep enough for Paez to score.

But that would be all Venezuela would get off Manley. He toughened the rest of the way, while his teammates got him all the run support he would need.

The Black Sox tied the game in the second inning on Shannon’s solo home run, and in the third, Casley, who shrugged off a shoulder injury to play in the championship,drove a Ramon Jones’ outside rise ball over the left-field fence with Daniel Milne and Brad Rona aboard.

 

Rhys Casley with New Zealand’s trophy after the Black Sox defeated Venezuela to claim the 2013 ISF World Championship.

 

 

“We worked so hard,” Casley said. “I just wanted to make contact and drive in a run. This is huge for our country. It’s a surreal feeling and hasn’t sunk in yet.”

For some, Venezuela was the Cinderella team; not expected to reach the championship with the likes of defending champion Australia, powerful-hitting Canada, the USA, and tough Argentinians in the 16-team tournament.

THEY’RE FOR REAL But Venezuela (7-4 overall, 2-2 playoffs) made believers out of the doubters: In the first game of the playoffs, they knocked off Canada, 3-1, then after losing to the Black Sox, bounced right back with a 2-0 win over Australia for a return encounter with New Zealand.

Finishing as the Silver medalist was a great accomplishment, as it marked the first time Venezuela reached the World Championship title game. And they showed their joy by waving their flag and celebrating in front of their cheering fans after the game.

But the world championship belonged to New Zealand, which finished second in Pool B (6-1), and swept through the playoffs perfect at, 3-0.

“I’m so proud and happy for (the Black Sox),” said New Zealand coach Eddie Kohlhase. “This is a courageous bunch. The stuck to the processes and worked hard for four years…and Casley, the fact that he’s actually playing is unbelievable.”

TOUGH FOES The Black Sox toughest games came against Venezuela, along with a 9-7 loss to Canada in pool play, and the 10-inning, 5-4, win over Australia and its famed pitcher Adam Folkard. That was an especially satisfying victory, as it was Folkard who hung a 5-0 loss on New Zealand in the 2009 World Championship. It was a loss that the Black Sox never forgot. 

Winning the world championship has restored the Black Sox to their rightful place on the world stage of fastball, said one the sport’s greatest players.

“The Black Sox are back where they belong, on top of the world,” said Mark Sorenson, a former captain of the team and ISF Hall of Fame member, who announced many of the games. “It is an amazing feeling.”

PITCHING TOTALS: Venezuela: Erick Alvarez, 2/3 inning, two hits. Erick Urbaneja, two innings, one run, two hits, two strikeouts. Jones, 3 1/3 innings, three runs, one hit, three walks, home run.

New Zealand: Manley, seven innings, one run, four hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

BATTING TOTALS: Venezuela: Paez 1 for 3, run; Querales 1-2, Rafael Flores 1-3, and Frances Rojas 1-1.

New Zealand: Tyson Byrne 1-3, Brad Rona 1-2, run; Casley 1-2, run, 3 RBI; Ben Enoka 1-3, and Shannon 1-2, run, RBI, home run.