This Month's News
December2014

Black Sox see off Australian Steelers to seal world championships spot

December 13, 2014

Auckland, NZ

 Black Sox see off Australian Steelers to seal world championships spot

ORIGINAL STORY by Tony Smith

     More Results

 

 

Photosport

BIG HITTER: Wellington slugger Wayne Laulu led the way for the Black Sox with a two-run line shot homer over the centrefield fence against the Australian Steelers at Auckland's Rosedale Park.

 

Wellington slugger Wayne Laulu showed the younger Black Sox the way today as they scored a second consecutive win over Australia and booked a world championships berth.

Coach Mark Sorenson fielded a youthful lineup but they were still too good for the Australian Steelers, winning 9-5 to continue their unbeaten run at the Oceania series at Auckland's Rosedale Park.

The six-time world champion Black Sox will defend their title in Saskatoon, Canada in June.

Australia will join them there if they beat Samoa later this afternoon.

Laulu - the only member of the Black Sox starting lineup over the age of 30 - led the way with a two-run line shot homer over the centrefield fence in the third inning.

It was the Black Sox's sixth home run in three games at the Oceania tournament. But today's performance was more about disciplined, contact hitting than pure power.

The Black Sox accumulated 12 safe hits with young catcher Cory Timu grabbing two hits from three at-bats and shortstop Tyson Byrne and leftfielder Thomas Enoka two from four.

Australia again opted to shield top pitchers Adam Folkard and Andrew Kirkpatrick from the New Zealanders.

Joel Goodall, who was on the mound in New Zealand's 6-0 win over Australia last night, started again and was immediately in trouble. He walked Kiwi leadoff Ben Enoka and conceded a safe hit to Tyson Byrne.

The Australians dismissed Thomas Enoka and Laulu but young Hutt Valley infielder Joel Evans stepped up and drove a single to score Ben Enoka and Byrne.

 

Byrne, who started at shortstop today after playing second base yesterday, collected his second safe hit in the third frame and scored on Laulu's blast.

The Australians grabbed their first run of the series against New Zealand in the bottom of the third after catcher Andrew Havercroft led off with a single. He was replaced on the bases by skipper Joel Southam and scampered home on rightfielder Ryan Sinclair's hit.

Laulu went tantalisingly close to a second home run in the top of the fifth inning, but the ball drifted the wrong side of the foul ball pole in the distant outfield.

But Australia fought back to score four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to turn a three-run deficit into a 5-4 lead.

Havercroft picked a walk, James Todhunter singled and Southam was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Sorenson made a pitching change, replacing starter Bayley Pearson-Hoani with veteran lefthander Heinie Shannon. But Sinclair snared his second hit of the game to score Cameron Bint (running for Havercroft) and Todhunter.

Shannon struck out Kirkpatrick but Marshall Kronk cracked a hit to bring Southam home and Sinclair gave the Australians the lead on Ben Enoka's outfield error.

Australia's advantage was shortlived with the Black Sox replying with their own four-run burst after Sorenson brought some big guns into the batting lineup in the top of the sixth inning.

After Timu led off with a single, Black Sox captain Nathan Nukunuku entered the game and made base on a fielder's choice. Veteran power hitter Donny Hale stepped up and supplied a safe hit.

Jerome Raemaki drove a hit to bring Nukunuku home and Josh Harbrow, running for Hale, crossed the plate after a bad throw from Australian rightfielder Julian Jemmott.

Ben Enoka batted in Raemaki before scoring himself on brother Thomas' single.

After the Black Sox's big inning, Sorenson complimented his players for their disciplined, team-oriented batting approach by focusing on hitting flat line drives to score runs rather than swinging for the fence.

Harbrow stroked a leaguer to shallow rightfield to score Campbell Makea, running for Timu, in the top of the seventh.

AT A GLANCE

New Zealand's hitters were: Thomas Enoka (2) Tyson Byrne (2), Cory Timu (2), Joel Evans, Ben Enoka, Jerome Raemaki, Wayne Laulu, Donny Hale, Josh Harbrow.

 - Stuff.co.nz

 

OUR SPONSORS

TRENDING NOW
@alsfastball
FRIENDS OF AL'S FASTBALL
AU Sable AFP Fastpitch Fastpitch West International Softball Congress Men’s Fastpitch SA North American Fastpitch Association Ontario Amateur Softball Association

Ontario Masters Fastball sports betting site betway Shooters Fastpitch League Softball Canada Softball New Zealand WBSC