Latest news with #Softball
RNZ News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
The Black Sox fight to reclaim the world title
sport national 25 minutes ago The Black Sox have won silver at the Softball World Cup. The team has long been a dominant force in the sport, having won the Men's World Championship a total of seven times, becoming World Champions for the first time in 1976. NZ Softball Hall of Famer Jarrad Martin talked to Jesse.
RNZ News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Black Sox lose to Venezuela in Softball World Cup fin
The Black Sox have been pipped at the post to win an eighth Softball World Cup. One of the team's coaches Bevan Watene spoke to Charlotte Cook. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
13-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Black Sox beaten in World Cup final
Photo: WBSC New Zealand has been beaten in the final of the Men's Softball World Cup in Canada. The Black Sox were beaten 3-0 by Venezuela in the decider in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The South Americans, who also beat New Zealand earlier in the tournament, opened the scoring in the third innings with a home run to Pedro Flores. They then added another two runs in the sixth. New Zealand had three hits but were unable to get any of them home. New Zealand were chasing an eighth World Cup victory, while it is a first title for Venezuela. Black Sox head coach Thomas Makea had said their goal this year was to make the podium, after finishing eighth in 2022. He said this year's success had come down to a strong connection among the boys, both on and off the diamond. The USA beat Japan 10-1 in the play-off for third.
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Black Sox secure Super Round spot at Men's Softball World Cup
Photo: WBSC The New Zealand Black Sox have secured a spot among the world's top four after a strong start to their campaign at the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup. After back-to-back wins over host nation Canada and world number one Argentina, the side fell 7-2 to Venezuela in their final pool game. But the early momentum was enough to send them through to the next stage of the tournament. The 2025 Men's Softball World Cup features eight teams, split into two groups. Group A: New Zealand, Argentina, Canada and Venezuela Group B: Australia, Japan, USA and the Dominican Republic Following the opening round, the top two teams from each group advance to the Super Round, where they play crossover matches to determine who goes through to the medal games. The top two finishers in the Super Round will face off for the world title, while third and fourth will compete for bronze. The Black Sox's group proved particularly tight, with all four teams picking up one win and one loss in the early stages. Each side beat a different opponent, making for a closely contested race to the top two spots WBSC rules state if teams are tied on points, placement is determined first by head-to-head results, and then by Team Quality Balance (TQB) - a formula that considers the number of runs scored and allowed per inning. Final Group A standings: Venezuela (2 wins, 1 loss) New Zealand (2 wins, 1 loss) Argentina (1 win, 2 losses) Canada (1 win, 2 losses) New Zealand earned second place in the group behind Venezuela, having beaten both Argentina and Canada in their earlier matches. Despite the loss to Venezuela, those earlier victories secured their place in the Super Round. Photo: WBSC The Black Sox opened with a strong win over host team Canada, followed by a statement victory against Argentina. Their loss to Venezuela came despite a power-packed effort from designated player Thomas Enoka, who got the side on the board with a home run in the fourth inning. Team captain Cole Evans added a second bomb in the sixth. Pita Rona, son of Black Sox legend Brad Rona, opened on the mound, followed by Canterbury pitcher Ben Watts before twenty-one-year-old Liam Potts closed out the game with a clean seventh inning. Despite those efforts, Venezuela capitalised on fielding errors and strong hitting to hand the New Zealand side its first defeat of the competition. Photo: WBSC Head coach Thomas Makea said post-match the bounce of the ball simply didn't go their way against Venezuela. "Pimentel [Venezuela's starting pitcher] was tough on the mound. He got ahead early, and we just couldn't chase him down in the end," he said. However, despite this, the boys have reached their target of making top four, bringing them closer to their goal of hitting the podium. "We've made it through as one of the top two in our pool. Big congratulations to the boys - this was one of our goals at the start of the tour, and we've achieved it." Makea said they will celebrate this moment. "The boys deserve it, and we'll do that in our own way." Photo: WBSC Captain Cole Evans said it wasn't the result they wanted to end their group play - especially after strong early performances - but "that's softball." "It's tournament ball, and every team here is gave ourselves some chances, but a few errors let the game get away on us a bit." He said he was proud of the boys for reaching the Super Round. "That was our main goal, to make the weekend. We've done that, and now we can really have a crack. There'll be some quality sides coming through, but we'll prepare well and come out ready." The Super Round kicks off Saturday (NZT), with the top two teams moving on to the gold medal game. The third and fourth-placed sides will play for bronze. Meeting the boys in the Super Round from group B will be Japan and USA. In a crucial match to keep their title hopes alive, the Black Sox will face last World Cup Bronze medalists, USA, Saturday at 8.30am NZT. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Black Sox men off to powerful start at Softball World Cup
The NZ men defeated top-ranked Argentina in seven innings. Photo: WBSC NZ Black Sox have opened their Softball World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins, including a statement victory over world No.1 Argentina. In a passionate seven-inning contest, the NZ men secured a 4-1 win over the South Americans, after defeating hosts Canada 8-3 in their tournament opener. The side qualified for the tournament - hosted at Prince Albert, Canada - last July, under new head coach Thomas Makea, a WBSC and Softball NZ Hall-of-Famer, four-time world champion and three-time NZ Player of the Year. Liam Potts limited the South Americans to just one run. Photo: WBSC Black Sox pitcher Liam Potts delivered an impressive performance against Argentina, holding their strong batting line-up to just one run. Potts was named 2024 Softball NZ Men's Pitcher of the Year, after a standout season with club team Parklands Christchurch United (PCU) and Canterbury Red Sox. He finished the game with an ERA (earned run average) of 0.78. Behind the plate was fellow Red Sox representative and Otago native Cam Watts. Potts said he had to stay locked in the whole way through, using every bit of energy he had. "I had to focus on every pitch," he said. "It's hard, very hard, but we won, so at the end of the day, it's worth it." Black Sox pitcher Liam Potts pitched the side to its second win of the WBSC World Cup, holding the worlds number one ranked side, Argentina, to only 1 run. Photo: WBSC Potts pitched an entire seven innings and he admitted the plan was always for the starting pitcher to go for as long as they could. 'We do it based on how the teams are feeling or how they're looking in the box," he said. "Today, the boys were looking to hit... but today, I had them." He said the run support from his teammates allowed him to pitch with confidence. "The boys were amazing tonight," he said. "They just fired away. "The boys have turned up and there's no better feeling at the moment." Captain Cole Evans grabbed the lead with a centrefield double in the fifth inning. Photo: WBSC New Zealand put their name on the scoreboard first at the top of the second inning, with Rhys Evans doubling down the third-base line to bring Reilly Makea home, after a walk and sacrifice bunt. Argentina levelled the score at the bottom of the inning, after a defensive error put a runner in scoring position and utility infielder Khalil Luna drove to right-field. The score remained 1-1 until the fifth, when momentum shifted. Second basemen Tane Mumu reached second and was brought home, after a throwing error off Seth Gibson's bunt. Team captain Cole Evans followed with a double to centrefield, scoring Gibson and extending the lead to 3-1. In the seventh, Dante Makea-Matakatea led off up the middle, before Gibson brought him home with a drive over leftfield, sealing the game 4-1. New Zealand have won a record seven men's world softball titles. Photo: WBSC New Zealand remain the most decorated team in men's softball, with a record seven world titles, clutching their first in 1976. Now they're chasing an eighth . The Black Sox are the only unbeaten team in Group A and will come up against Venezuela at 8.30am Friday NZT, needing victory to clinch a sport in the Super Round, which begins Saturday. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
