26/11/2022 - 04/12/2022

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XVII Men's Softball World Cup 2022 - Official Payoff

Hosts New Zealand close World Cup campaign with 2-1 victory over Denmark

Hosts New Zealand close World Cup campaign with 2-1 victory over Denmark
03/12/2022
The New Zealand Black Sox scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh after an defensive error by the Danish defense.

New Zealand finished their participation in the XVII WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup with a narrow 2-1 win over Denmark, in a pitching duel that was decided in the bottom of the seventh, when the Black Sox scored the game-winning run after an defensive error by the Danish defense.

Both pitchers did very well during the game at Rosedale Park. New Zealand’s Josh Pettett struckout 12 in seven innings of work, giving up five hits and one run. On the other hand, Kim Hansen also had a quality start, tossing 6.1 innings while giving up two runs (only one earned) and five hits, with eight strikeouts.

New Zealand scored the first run in the bottom of the first, with a sacrifice fly by Cole Evans. Denmark tied the game with an RBI single by Valdemar Terkelsen, and the game remained deadlocked until the last inning.

Bradley Bennett drew a leadoff walk, and then went from first to third on a Rhys Evans single to left field. A bad throw from the outfield allowed Bennett to score on the same play, to finish the match. 

Before the game, the home crowd pay homage to the 2013 World Championship New Zealand Team, who was introduced on the field. Then both the 2013 and the 2022 squads performed together a very emotive haka as a showing of mutual respect and recognition.

Quotes - New Zealand Coach Mark Sorenson

"There are some quality teams as we have seen all tournament-long. We have come up against teams that have wanted to come down here – they know how passionate New Zealand softball fans are. They know the success we have had here. Wearing this jersey carries a lot of weight of expectation and they want come down and reign on our parade. It was a big test for our guys to stand up to.

"The standard of men’s softball is fantastic. Not so much on our part – we have allowed other countries to catch up and overtake."