Day 4

Argentina 11 vs. Netherlands 1

Argentina made it three wins from four games when they toppled the Netherlands 11-1 this morning. That win has the side on course to finish third in their section which also includes the Black Sox who they play tomorrow. The chief destroyer for Argentina was its lead-off batter Fernando Petric D’Agostino, who batted in two runs. Also picking up two rbi’s were Bruno Motroni and Francisco Sabate.

Great Britain 10 vs. Indonesia 0

Great Britain collected their first win of the 2013 tournament when they toppled Indonesia 10-0 in three innings. For the Great Britain side, Ryan Martin and Richard Haldane had key roles. The two both picked up a brace of hits – Haldane batting a 1000 in the game. Haldane could especially feel pleased with his efforts on the Freeman Field with the pitcher facing 15 Indonesian batters and giving up just three hits.

United States 10 vs. Czech Republic 7

It was a case of fourth game lucky for the United States team at the 2013 Tradestaff World Softball Championships which are being played at Rosedale Park in Auckland.
The side beat the Czech Republic 10-7, but not before the team had a few anxious moments. Ahead 6-0 after the first inning and 7-0 after two, the USA let their opponents back into the game as that side collected six runs in their third turn at bat.
“When I am in a game like that it makes me not want to be a coach,” USA coach Peter Turner said
“It just sucks the life out of you. It is difficult because you know every innings is going to be you are not go to get a one, two, three inning and I have been in enough of them to know you just find a way to struggle through and win it.
Turner’s players are well aware of the situation they are faced with if they are to make the top four and be involved in the play-offs which begin on Friday. The side has games against Indonesia, who have yet to win a game, Venezuela, who have two wins from their three games, and Great Britain.
“The team does have a sense of urgency about they know we have to get some things done. We cannot look too far ahead and we really have to concentrate on what we have to do and that is win.”

Mexico 8 vs. Philippines 6

Gustavo Prishkar was the hero for the Mexican team as they secured their first win of the tournament and kept Indonesia searching for their first. His three hits contributed to four of the side’s runs in their 8-6 win..
In the third inning the third baseman hoisted the ball over the centre field fence to gain an easy trip around the bases and with Jesus Cardona already on base that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 advantage.
Prishker was given the intentional walk in his next turn at bat and then in the seventh inning he picked up his second hit of the game and later came home on a Edgar Lopez blow. However, it was perhaps his hit in the eighth inning that had the biggest part to play in the final outcome – that blow scored Cardona for what turned out to be the game decider.

Japan 9 vs. Colombia 2

Japan got their 2013 campaign back on a winning path with the side but not without some drama. Down 2-1 after one innings, the Japanese team scored three runs in the fifth and four in the six to sink the hopes of Japan.

Australia 9 South Africa 1

Australia may have conceded their first run of the tournament, but there was no reaching for the panic button by the defending champions as they scored eight themselves and needed just five innings to pick up their fourth win..
Standouts for Australia were its pitchers Andrew Kirkpatrick, who started the game, and took six strikeouts, conceding one hit in the four innings he was on the mound for. He was replaced in the fifth by Adam Humble, who faced just three batters and struck out two.
Among the batters who impressed were Joel Southam and James Todhunter. Southam picking up two hits from three bats and batted in two runs while Todhunter scored two run including a automatic.
“We are happy, but we cannot get complacent with the pool we are in,” Australia coach Bob Harrow said.
“We have played well, but we know that the top teams in the other pool are going to be prepared.”

Venezuela 4 vs. Samoa 3

Three runs in the first inning was a good enough start for the Venezuela team to maintain their perfect run at the tournament.
Arturo Acacio, Iran Paez and Rafael Flores punished some wayward pitching and fielding errors by the Samoans and had their opponents on the backfoot from the opening innings.
It was not until the fourth when Thomas Enoka scored the first of his two runs that Samoa opened their account. The pitcher then scored his second run of the game with an automatic blow over the left field fence in the sixth inning. In the fifth Joshua Niu had also picked up an automatic.

Canada 9 vs. New Zealand 7

Home town man Brad Rona in tandem with Donny Hale went ever so close to making it a perfect four for the Black Sox.
Rona hit two automatics and Hale one but the blows went without reward as Canada came from behind to maintain their perfect record.
Rona’s first blow got the Black Sox off to a dream start in the first inning which saw the home team, in front of a vocal crowd, jump out to a 3-0 lead. His second stretched that advantage to 4-1.
However, as so often with the Canadians that side too can hit and in their fifth turn at bat Ryan Boland hoisted the ball into the trees over the right field fence for his side to score three runs and tie the game up.
A further two runs – one a piece – in the sixth and seventh innings gave Canada a 6-4 advantage and needing just three outs for the game.
Then with two of those outs made and Nathan Nukunuku on second into the batter’s box stepped Donny Hale, who had had a quite night – three visits to the box without a hit – he made sure his fourth was his best. High into the outfield stand and the game was forced into an extra inning. Canada scored twice and the Black Sox once.
“The old saying I was overdue for the team and it was good to do my part to get us back in there,” Hale said.
“It was a credit to us 17 hits to nine they could have actually blown us away but we kept in the game.”
For the Black Sox, four pitchers were called upon – Pense Iosefo started the game and was replaced in the first inning. He returned in the sixth – and Jarrad Martin finished. In between both Nik Hayes and Jeremy Manley were in the middle trying to thwart the Canadian hitters. In all the quartet conceded 17 hits.
“Right from the beginning of the tournament we said if it took all five pitchers to win a game then that is what we would do,” pitching coach Chubb Tangaroa said.
Canada too used four pitchers, but the Black Sox only managed nine hits off them.

Day 4 previews

Black Sox on the stats board

A number of Black Sox players are making their presence felt on the statistic board at the 2013 Tradestaff world softball championships.
With a home run each Nathan Nukunuku, Jarrad Martin, Brad Rona and Patrick Shannon are among a number of players on that sheet. Nukunuku, with three, is fourth on the runs batted in list, while Tyson Byrne is fifth on the batting statistics with the shortstop batting .500. He is also, with one, featuring on the stolen base list. Thomas Makea is also on that list as is Tyron Bartorillo.


Argentina v Netherlands
The South Americans will be looking to add to their winning record and have a good win before they face the Black Sox on Tuesday.
 
The Netherlands are still in contention of making the top four, but they will need to be careful if they are to. The side suffered what could be considered a surprise downing at the hands of Columbia on Sunday so will want to bounce back from that.
 
Great Britain v Indonesia
Both sides are searching for their first win of the tournament and the question is can Indonesia bounce back from what could only be called a heartbreaker on Sunday. That side was all but gone against Samoa – it was the bottom of the seventh inning and with two down and nine runs in arrears they suddenly came to life and scored the runs to force the tiebreaker only for Samoa to break their hearts and score their runner in the ninth inning and for them to not be able to reply. Great Britain, who were well beaten by defending champions Australia in their third game of the tournament –
 
Czech Republic v United States
The United States team will be hungry for this win after what can only be described as a disappointing world championship for them.
Black Sox coach Eddie Kohlhase when asked about his thoughts on the demise of the US team replied with: “It is quite sad. “
Sad it is but the US will want to get back on the winning round and quick.. If it can win their remaining three pool games after this one and hope that results go in their favour the best they can do is become the fourth qualifier from the section.
However, the Czech Republic is also vying for that spot so will be no easy beats. A win today could again see the boys given a leave pass to go to the beach from their hitting coach former Wellingtonian Lawrence Allen while a loss will see them perhaps been given additional batting practise.
 
Mexico v Philippines
The Philippines will be wanting to show that they can win a game after their near miss against Samoa yesterday. Mexico meanwhile will be on the hunt for a win after they were beaten by Canada.
 
Japan v Columbia
Japan will be desperate to gets its campaign on the winning path and Columbia will be on a high after their win against the Netherlands.
 For the Japanese side they must find their winning form. The side have won only one of their three games at the tournament – that was on day one and against the Netherlands – since then they have been beaten by Argentina and the Black Sox. Columbia on the other hand have had two wins – the latest was yesterday against the Netherlands.
 
South Africa v Australia
Can the South Africans make it two upset victories in a row after they toppled the United States team on day three. To do so they will need a huge performance against this tough Australian side who have yet to have a run conceded against them.
 
Venezuela v Samoa
Samoa will have learn't a lot about themselves after that performance yesterday and Venezuela will be out to make sure that their win over the Czech Republic last night was no fluke.
 
Black Sox v Canada
This will be the big one. A win here for the Black Sox will be a huge confidence boost and after the side’s performance against Japan on Sunday they will be tough to topple.