26/11/2022 - 04/12/2022

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XVII Men's Softball World Cup 2022 - Official Payoff

Blaine Milheim, Erick Ochoa homer as USA beat New Zealand 7-0

Blaine Milheim, Erick Ochoa homer as USA beat New Zealand 7-0
27/11/2022
It’s the first USA win over New Zealand since the world championship final at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 1988 in Saskatoon, Canada, when the North Americans won their fifth and last world title. It's also USA's biggest win ever over New Zealand.

A 10-hit offensive display, led by Blaine Milheim, Erick Ochoa and Matt Palazzo, powered USA past New Zealand, 7-0, on Day 2 of the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in Auckland. USA got their second win in the tournament and remain undefeated in Group A.

It’s the first USA win over New Zealand since the world championship final at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 1988 in Saskatoon, Canada where USA’s Peter Meredith shutout New Zealand, 4-0, allowing only three hits while striking out 12, to give the North Americans their fifth and last world title. It's also USA's biggest win ever over New Zealand.

Since 1988 the Black Sox have been on a 8-0 win-loss run against the US (1992 - 4-1 in bronze medal game; 1996 3-2 and 3-0 in Playoff Finals; 2000 win in pool play and 3-1 in Finals; 2004 9-0 in playoffs; 2009 win in pool play and 7-3 in the finals).

Overall the win-loss record is now 10-9 in favour of USA after their sensational win on Sunday moving them ahead in the ledger.

The world No. 7, after scoring one run in the second inning with an RBI single by Zac Shaw, exploded with four runs in the top of the third with a two-run homer by Milheim and a solo shot off the bat of Ochoa. Palazzo capped off USA’s offensive showcase with a two-run single up the middle.

Pitchers Jon Gwizdala, Javier Caballero, Brad Kilpatrick and an outstanding defense limited New Zealand to six hits and no runs. Lefty Kilpatrick was the winner, pitching five innings in relief giving up two hits and two walks against six strikeouts.

Quotes: USA's Blaine Milheim

That game was absolutely huge. We came in here to make a statement that we belong here and that was a big one, especially with them being at home and have all their fans here. We were out-numbered but we came out and did what we were supposed to do.

I understand it has been a long time since we have beaten them. We have a good balance of veterans and new guys who came together. We are a good team – a very good team and chemistry-wise a very good team.

The key was playing together, picking each other up and bringing energy.

The conditions were just something you had to deal with just as they had to deal with it. It is what it is.

The hit felt great, really great. It was tough conditions to fly the ball but I caught it pretty good.

New Zealand Coach Mark Sorenson

It was below average and not the ideal performance we want to put out the first time we roll out the  black jerseys.

We are still giving up lead-off walks and I think three lead-off walks scored. That’s not helping putting pressure on our defence like that. It is pretty hard to win a game if you can’t score runs. It is not often we get seven hits and done score one run.

The US played some pretty solid defence – Schiller at short-stop made some really nice plays – and we hit the ball hard in those situations.

It is about regrouping now. It’s a long week, a game a day. It was not too taxing – the conditions were the same for everyone.

A couple of two-run home runs really gave them a leg-up in that third inning.

I thought Pita (Rona) did a nice job coming in. he got into a nice groove in the middle stages.

But the last couple of runs they scored really took the last bit of fight out of us