This Month's News
July2015

Black Sox into gold medal game at world softball championship after win against Canada

July 5, 2015

Saskatoon, SK

 

ORIGINAL STORY - by Tony Smith

 

DAVID STOBBE/ REUTERS

Brad Rona scored a two-shot home run as the Black Sox booked a spot in the world championship softball final with a 9-5 win over hosts Canada in Saskatoon.

Four home runs have helped drive the Black Sox to a ninth consecutive world softball championship final and a chance of a seventh gold medal.

Rookie Jerome Raemaki, Wayne Laulu, Thomas Enoka and Brad Rona all blasted the ball out of the park as the Black Sox celebrated a rollicking 9-5 comeback win over host nation Canada on Sunday (NZ time).

Raemaki, attending his first world championship, had three hits from four at-bats to maintain his fine hitting form in the playoffs phase in Saskatoon.

The Black Sox silenced the home crowd by inflicting Canada's first defeat of the tournament and avenging their 2-1 round-robin defeat to their hosts.

Canada now have to play the winner of a game between Venezuela and Australia for the right to meet the Black Sox in Monday morning's (NZ time) final.

But the Kiwis have continued their remarkable run of qualifying for every world series final since 1984.

With 10 safe hits, including four home runs, the Black Sox deserved their morale-boosting win over their arch rivals Canada, despite committing four fielding errors.

They have now scored 18 runs in two playoff games and pitcher Heinie Shannon threw another smart game to catch the Canadians off-guard.

But Mark Sorenson's men had to show plenty of grit to fight back from a 3-1 deficit after a sluggish start in surreal conditions at Saskatoon with smoke from distant forest fires billowing across the ballpark.

The Black Sox began brightly enough in the top of the first inning when leadoff Ben Enoka extended his hitting streak with a single to leftfield. 

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Thomas Raemaki followed with another safe hit through second base, narrowly missing hitting Enoka, who scooted around to third.

Enoka sprinted home to score on younger brother Thomas' fielder's choice.

But the Black Sox defence disintegrated in the bottom of the first with Canada notching three runs after three errors by the New Zealand infield.

Mathieu Roy equalised after picking a walk and haring around the bases when Brad Rona at first base, failed to secure Cole Evans' off-target throw.

Rona could not drag in a low throw from Evans, allowing Brad Ezekiel to add Canada's second run.

Second baseman Tyson Byrne was also guilty of a fielding fumble but he atoned by taking Canadian catcher Ryan Boland out at first base for the third out with the bases loaded.

Canada jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second after Brandon Horn slotted a single and scored on Jeff Ellsworth's thundering drive to the fence.

But Shannon struck back with a clutch stand-up strikeout on Canadian clean-up hitter Stephen Mullaley.

Raemaki stepped up with two outs in the third inning and smote a home run over the rightfield fence to cut the lead to 3-2.

That prompted Canada coach John Stuart to yank starting pitcher Sean Cleary and bring on Paul Koert.

But Koert had to be replaced later after the Black Sox went on a scoring spree.

The burly Laulu blasted the ball over the fence in the top of the fourth with Nathan Nukunuku on base. Substitute Joel Evans doubled and so did Byrne, who brought in Cole Evans for a 5-3 lead.

Thomas Enoka has been a long ball threat all week and hammered another home run to also score Raemaki after the Wellington man's third hit.

Canada struck back in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot home run by shortstop Ian Fehrman.

But Rona, a five-time world series representative, responded with a two-shot home run, his first of the week.

Canada kept fighting to the last with Ezekiel homering in the bottom of the seventh, but the Black Sox kept their composure to complete the three final outs.

In other games, Australia eliminated Japan 3-0 with a three-run homer from Nick Norton and 12 strikeouts by pitcher Adam Folkard.

Venezuela knocked out the Dominican Republic by the same score with ace pitcher Ramon Jones nabbing nine strikeouts and Jorge Lima blasting a home run.

 - Stuff

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