Men's Softball World Cup: Black Sox secure final spot with decisive win over Japan
They'll face Venezuela in the gold-medal final on Monday, a rematch of the 2013 world championship, where Aotearoa came out on top.
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Otago Daily Times
an hour ago
- Otago Daily Times
Mixed emotions after Black Sox beaten in final: Watts
The Black Sox regained respect but missed out on returning to the top of the world. They missed out on a record-extending eighth title when they were beaten 3-0 by Venezuela in the final of the Softball World Cup in Canada yesterday. Cam Watts, the Dunedin schoolteacher in the New Zealand squad with brother Ben, was both proud and devastated when he spoke to the Otago Daily Times from Prince Albert shortly after the final. "It's sort of mixed," Watts said. "We're gutted we couldn't get over that final hurdle but I think everyone is still really proud of where we've come from, and the progress the team has made." While the Black Sox will be disappointed, they can reflect on a fine campaign that restored their status as heavyweights of the sport. They missed the top six at the last World Cup — at home, too, which stung — and had slumped to a ranking of eighth in the world. After playing some excellent softball in the early rounds in Prince Albert, they delivered a clutch 8-3 win over Japan to reach the final on a tiebreak. Watts, who appeared in three games as a catcher at the World Cup while his brother appeared as a relief pitcher in two, felt the New Zealanders had honoured the country's glittering legacy at the tournament. "We talked about being underdogs but I think we turned some heads around world softball. "We've played really well, we're a tight unit, everyone contributed in some way, and I'm really proud of the effort. "It sucks to lose the final, but it is what it is. "The boys will have a nice wee break and reflect on the journey we've had over three years. I think we'll be hungry to come back and get that gold." The final was extremely close most of the way with neither side able to get their bats humming. New Zealand managed just one hit off ace Venezuelan pitcher Maiker Pimentel through the first five innings and trailed 1-0 with two innings to play. They had a big opportunity with runners on second and third at the top of the sixth, but could not make it count, and Venezuela added insurance runs with a two-run homer at the bottom of the inning. It was a first world title for Venezuela, who were beaten by the Black Sox in the 2013 final and won bronze two years later. Pimentel, who struck out nine and had just two walks in the final, was named tournament MVP. "He's a heck of a pitcher, and he's shut a lot of teams out all week," Watts said. "We just couldn't quite get the timely hit. That's softball." The United States thumped Japan 10-1 in the bronze medal game. Kaikorai Valley College students will have to wait a little while longer before getting to see Mr Watts and his silver medal. He has grabbed an opportunity to play for Canadian club JDT Energy at tournaments in Oklahoma and Minnesota before returning to Dunedin on August 5.
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
'Mana of Black Sox will go on': NZ men's softball climbs back to podium at World Cup
Black Sox pitcher Liam Potts in action during the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup Final against Venezuela. Photo: WBSC The mana of the Black Sox carries on, as the team returns home with a silver medal and a restored place on the world stage. The New Zealand side finished runners-up to Venezuela in a 3-0 final in Prince Albert, Canada - a major comeback from their eighth-place finish in 2022. Although it wasn't the final result they would have wanted, the boys' performance over the campaign was a massive improvement from their last international outing. And the key to the team's success this year? Whānau . Black Sox team captain Cole Evans celebrates with head coach Thomas Makea after powering a ball over centre-field fence. Photo: WBSC A name well-known in global softball circles, Head coach Thomas Makea (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Marama, Ngāti Makea ki Rarotonga), said the team's growth over the past two years had been huge. "To go from eight to number two in the world in two years, that's awesome. "I believed in what we had when I took over the job a couple years ago now. So, I believe we had the talent," he said. "We had the talent, we had the players, we just had to grow them." Part of that growth had come from the strong sense of whānau within the team. This year's squad included four sets of brothers: Ben and Thomas Enoka , Cole and Rhys Evans, Reilly Makea and Dante Makea-Matakatea, and Otago natives Cameron and Ben Watts. That legacy of whakapapa also extended to the coaching staff. Former Black Sox and World Champion Bevan Matene (Te Ātiawa) toured with the team as a kaitiaki (leader). He said despite the final loss, he was extremely proud of the team's achievements. "Kaore i haere ki te tihi o te maunga teitei, te tuarua, te hiriwa kaore te koura. We didn't make it to the top of the mountain, we got silver rather than gold. "He tino pai rawa atu te tīma o te Tōkena Pango i tēnei rā. But we played really well today." The New Zealand Black Sox 2004 World Title team - including Head Coach Thomas Makea and delegation leader Bevan Matene. Photo: Kevin Clarke Photography / Supplied: Softball New Zealand Matene paid tribute to Makea for his mahi and the captain Cole Evans. "He tino pouri, he mamae taku manawa mō te tīma, apōpō ka whiti mai te rā. I'm feeling quite sad, my heart aches for the team, but tomorrow the sun will rise again. "Te mana o te Tōkena Pango ka haere ki te tihi o te maunga teitei. The mana of the Black Sox will go on and we'll reach the top one day." Alongside Matene was legendary Black Sox pitcher "Chubb" Tangaroa, who returned as the team's pitching coach. Tangaroa (Ngāti Kahungunu) helped pave the way for New Zealand pitchers on the international stage in the 1980s and 90s. He earned Hall of Fame honours in both Aotearoa and the world game. As a player, he was known for his sharp rise ball and helped lead the Black Sox to gold in 1996 and silver in 1988 and 1992. With leadership and experience like this at the helm, the players had a wealth of mātauranga (knowledge) at their fingertips. The New Zealand Black Sox came second at the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup after taking the loss 3-0 against Venezuela in the Gold Medal match. Photo: WBSC Makea said the Black Sox truly felt the aroha from the supporters on the sideline and back home in Aotearoa. "We really felt the love, felt the mana coming through. And I'm not gonna apologise for us not getting there, getting the job done today because I've seen massive growth in this team." He said the journey to the podium had been awesome. "[It's been an] awesome couple of weeks with these guys and they've made steps for the future of the programme." Cole Evans said the Black Sox put on a stellar performance all week, playing some quality ball against quality teams. "The team really grew in confidence and I thought we [had] a real chance today," the captain said. "Just came up a bit short." Evans said by moving up the world ranking ladder, their campaign performance put them back "where the programme belongs". "There's a great programme back home, some quality young kids coming through, and obviously some guys that have been around a long time are really quality, so, future looks pretty bright."
NZ Herald
12 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Black Sox: Kiwis grab silver in Softball World Cup final
The New Zealand men's softball team found redemption at the 2025 WBSC World Cup Finals, which took place in Prince Albert, Canada. Photo / WBSC This year's final was also Aotearoa, NZ's 10th appearance in a World Championship final, finishing runners-up in four competitions (1988, 1992, 2009, and 2015). In 1976, they shared the gold medal with Canada and USA, as the play-offs couldn't be completed because of poor weather. Head coach Thomas Makea (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Marama, Ngāti Makea ki Rarotonga), who took over in 2023, said the team set out to rebuild after a challenging few years. He said their haerenga (journey) to the final was fuelled by the team's connection and a sense of whanaungatanga. The Black Sox reached the final after an 8-3 victory over Japan in the Super Round, where they needed a five-run win to qualify on Team Quality Balance. The only side in the competition to beat NZ was Venezuela, who earlier defeated the Black Sox 7-2 in group play. The New Zealand Black Sox at the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup 2025. Photo / WBSC Game replay The Black Sox opened the gold medal match with a chilling haka, laying down a wero (challenge) to Venezuela in a rematch of the 2013 World Cup final. They threatened early, putting runners on base in the first inning but couldn't convert runs. Lead-off hitter Ben Enoka picked a walk, and Cole Evans pushed him to third with a line drive, but the side couldn't capitalise. Young Canterbury pitcher Liam Potts, 21, started strong on the mound for NZ, retiring the first three Venezuelan batters, including a strikeout to close the first. Black Sox pitcher Liam Potts pitched the side to its second win of the WBSC World Cup, holding the world's number one ranked side, Argentina, to only one run. Photo / WBSC The scoreboard remained scoreless until the bottom of the third, when Pedro Flores broke the deadlock, smashing a solo homer over centrefield to put Venezuela on the board. Despite solid contact and disciplined at-bats, the Black Sox couldn't find a breakthrough through the next two innings, with both sides allowing no runs to concede. Venezuela's starting pitcher Maiker Pimentel battled through an ankle injury, but had to leave the game in the top of the fifth after re-aggravating it. Luis Miguel Colombo Perez came on but didn't last long, leaving the mound after Rhys Evans drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Ben Enoka was then hit by a pitch, putting two on with two outs. But despite the opportunity, Jerome Raemaki struck out on a drop ball by new pitcher Eudomar Toyo, leaving the two runners stranded on base. Pita Rona took over on the mound for the Black Sox in the bottom of the fifth, replacing Potts after a solid start. He walked his first batter, putting runners on first and second with no outs. But the Black Sox defence stepped up to the plate, Rhys Evans fielded a grounder and made the force out at third, followed by a diving catch in foul territory by Te Kirika Cooper-Nicola in left field to end the inning and keep Venezuela from extending their lead. In the top of the sixth, top batters, Cole Evans and Reilly Makea both struck out swinging on drop balls from Toyo, who continued to cause problems for the Black Sox. Black Sox first-basemen and power-hitter Seth Gibson clutched two impressive home-runs against Japan to help secure their spot in the final. Photo / WBSC But Thomas Enoka broke the silence with a sharp line drive up the middle, followed by Seth Gibson who kept his hot bat alive with a stand-up double that pushed Enoka to third. With two on and two out, Venezuela made a tactical move, bringing injured starter Maiker Pimentel back on to the mound – disrupting NZ's momentum. This worked for the South-Americans, as second baseman Tane Mumu popped up for the third out retiring the inning and leaving NZ scoreless. In the bottom of the sixth with a runner on one after picking a walk, Venezuelans Jesus Kleiver Barreto Rodriguez hit a two-run shot – his third home run of the tournament – bringing the score to 3-0. Venezuela's starting pitcher Maiker Pimentel battled through an ankle injury, pitching his team to a 3-0 victory over New Zealand. Photo / WBSC In the final inning, the Black Sox were unable to close the gap. Te Wera Bishop connected with a hard line drive, but Venezuela's third baseman leapt high to make a crucial catch, robbing what could've been a double. Hohepa Monk, pinch-hitting for Rhys Evans, struck out swinging, and Ben Enoka, the veteran lead-off, went down on a final swing and a miss. Venezuela sealed a 3-0 win, denying NZ their eighth world title. In the bronze medal match, team USA had the upper hand over Japan, taking the win 10-1. – RNZ
