Enoka brothers lift New Zealand over Botswana. Venezuela remains unbeaten with easy win over Botswana
Ben Enoka hit a two-run homer, and his brother Ben produced the first two runs of the day at Svoboda Park to guide New Zealand to its third win of the tournament. Venezuela scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth to remain undefeated in the Men’s Softball World Championship, after four games.
Ben Enoka hit a two-run homer, and his brother Thomas produced the first two runs of the day at Svoboda Park to guide New Zealand to its third win of the tournament. Today the world champions defeated Botswana 7-0 in five innings to recover from last night’s loss against Mexico.
Ben Enoka and Nathan Nukunuku walked and set the table for Thomas Enoka to hit a 2-RBI double to right field off Kagiso Mogale, who started for Botswana and pitched all the game. Thomas Enoka scored later on a rundown play between first and second.
Daniel Chapman went the distance for New Zealand and allowed only one hit in the fourth inning, a single by Thabiso Radithobane. The right-hander fanned 12 and only issued 1 walk in five innings of play.
The Black Sox opened their fourth inning with back to back extra base hits. Wayne Laulu doubled and scored on a triple by Cole Evans, who crossed the plate with a throwing error by right fielder Tshepho Ditiro. Two outs later Tyron Bartorillo singled and Ben Enoka sent a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence, to make it 7-0.
With this score, New Zealand’s record moves to 3-1, while Botswana drops to 1-3.
Venezuela uses 6-run inning to top the Netherlands, remain unbeaten
Venezuela scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth to remain undefeated in the Men’s Softball World Championship, after four games.
John Zambrano plated the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Jorge Lima in the second inning. However, in the top of the third, the Netherlands tied the game with three consecutive hits, a double by Danny Rombley, and back to back singles by Dyron Juaquin and Jefferson Delfina.
In the bottom of the third Jeffry Visser retired the first two outs quickly, but then Venezuela retook the lead. Rafael Flores walked and Lima and Carlos Carreño doubled, the latter to produce two runs and make it 3-1.
And one inning later Venezuela used six hits, including a 3-run blast by Engelbert Herrera, to score six and take a decisive 9-1 lead.
Carlos Ucero won the game in 1.2 innings of work with 1 hit and 1 K. Maiker Pimentel pitched 3.1 innings in relief with 3 strikeouts and 5 hits.
Two big innings lifted Japan past the Philippines, 10-0, to remain unbeaten and on top of Group A. They scored five runs in the second inning, including a 2-RBI triple by Hikaru Matsuda; and five more in the third, highlighted by a 2-run home run off the bat of Seii Kuroiwa and a bases-clearing double by Daishi Uramoto.
