Softball: Saints in historic march

Jacob Zurcher (left) and Adam Woon are the latest Hawke's Bay softballers to gain Junior Black Sox selection. Photo / Paul Taylor

Talk double whammy celebrations and Hawke's Bay softballer Adam Woon reckoned he had one of the best yesterday.

Woon and his Saints teammate Jacob Zurcher learnt of their selection in the Junior Black Sox team for the July Junior World Series in Michigan on the same day Woon, 17, found out he had secured an apprenticeship with Toop Aluminium Ltd.

"There won't be a problem getting time off ... my boss is a big softball fan," Woon said referring to Saints stalwart and his premier men's team's assistant coach Ken Price.

"Now I've made the last 17 the goal now is to make the top nine and be the No 1 pitcher. Any one of the other pitchers in the team could be the first string pitcher and that's a reflection of the depth in the squad," Woon said.

Woon believed there is sufficient depth in the squad for the Kiwis to improve on their second placing recorded at the last World Series in 2014.

"When I was in Canada I saw a lot of the players we will be up against," Woon added referring to his six-month stint overseas last year with the Shakespeare Falcons which included a 15th placing at the International Softball Congress tournament which is considered the world's toughest interclub tournament.

Zurcher, 18, and Woon will become the first Saints male players to take the diamond at World Series level.

"It feels good ... all the work has paid off. I believe my selection in the tournament team at last month's national under-19 tournament ignited this latest selection," Zurcher said.

While the powerful batter is likely to be used as a designated player or first baseman his ability to play catcher should see him get plenty of game time.

Like Woon, Zurcher said he is fortunate to have good bosses at Phoenix Contracting Ltd who support his softball career.

"Now I've got the nod my big work-on is fitness ... fortunately I've got time on my side and I had a pretty lean and mean festive season," Zurcher added.

"Team players have been in good shape throughout the national age grade representative tournaments, furthermore they have stepped up and out-performed in some of the country's top men's club tournaments. The progression thus far leads nicely into the requirements of playing at the world championship level," head coach Thomas Makea said.

The team is showing strong signs in all key areas of the game including "softball smarts" which is pleasing for the four time men's world champion.

"As a team we need to be ready for whatever is thrown at us. We are expecting another strong showing from current world champions Argentina and also hosts USA who have seven returning from their last campaign," four-time world champion Makea added.

Two sons of Canterbury-based former Hawke's Bay rep Makea, Reilly Makea and Dante Matakatea, have made the team.

This means three of his father's - Tom Makea Snr - sons have played at World Series level and by the end of this July three of his grandchildren would have repeated the feat.

There will be no risk of the team arriving in Michigan under done. Before the World Series the Junior Black Sox would have played in the February 26-28 Dean Schick tournament in North Harbour, the Easter Weekend Southern Cross Challenge in Christchurch, completed a May 20-22 final training camp in Waiouru and a four-day build-up tour of Ashland, Ohio from July 9.

Junior Black Sox team: Daniel Chapman, Joseph Kohlhase, Jarome McKenzie, Jordan Tahana, Harrison Valk (all Auckland), Callum Bishop, Bailey Hamilton, Reilly Makea, Jackson Watt (all Canterbury), Adam Woon, Jacob Zurcher (both Hawke's Bay), Kaleb Rona (North Harbour), Zachary Boyd, Alex Lundon, Samuel Marley, Dante Matakatea, Jayden Stratford (all Wellington).