Day 9

Australia Vs Japan

Australia are still in contention of making it back-to-back world softball crowns with the side bouncing back from their heartbreaking defeat to the Black Sox last night to end Japan’s hopes of staying in the 2013 Tradestaff world championship.
Australia from the first inning showed that they meant business, needing just 14 pitchers to have three runs on the board. Michael Tanner scored the first run off a Joel Southam two-base hit. Southam then capitalised on an error to score his run and then Zenon Winters added a third also capitalising on an infield error.
It was then Jeff Goolagong, the man who had two out of the park hits against the Black Sox the previous night, got his third in two games.  His blow giving the Australian Steelers a 4-0 advantage and with Andrew Kirkpatrick to the fore on the mound Japan were always struggling.
Still hurting from their loss to the Black Sox last night Kirkpatrick made sure his team had something to celebrate on the Freeman Field. The big man threw a no-hitter and the only blemish he had was the two walks he conceded.
The side now faces the winner of the Argentina v Canada game in the late game tonight to decide who will play the first game tomorrow.
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Australia
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
4
7
0
Japan
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
 

Black Sox Vs Venezuela

Black Sox hurler Jeremy Manley came of age as he sent his side into the final of the 2013 Tradestaff world softball championship at Rosedale Park in Auckland.
Manley was on the mound for the full seven innings against Venezuela. His performance, and the first time the Black Sox coaching staff did not go to their bench for another pitcher, helped the Black Sox to a 2-0 win and booked their place in tomorrow’s final.
For the Black Sox Donny Hale in the second inning capitalised on a series of errors by the Venezuelan fielders to score the opening run and then in the sixth captain Rhys Casley picked up a double to the centrefield fence and that was enough for Daniel Milne, running for Hale, to score am insurance run.
The Black Sox will not know who their opponent for the final is until after the sudden death game tomorrow morning which will be between Venezuela and the winner of the Australia v Argentina game.
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Venezuela
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
3
Black Sox
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
2
6
0