The New Zealand Black Sox. Photo / WBSC
The New Zealand men’s softball team will return home with a silver medal after a tough final match against Venezuela.
The Black Sox were chasing their eighth world championship title but were held scoreless in a 3-0 loss, settling for second place - a strong comeback from their eighth-place finish in 2022.
This year’s campaign marked a powerful return to form for the most decorated team in men’s softball history, with seven world titles already to their name, won in 1976, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2013, and 2017.
The side hadn’t won a medal since their last win in 2017.
This year’s final was also Aotearoa, New Zealand’s 10th appearance in a World Championship final, finishing runners-up in four competitions (1988, 1992, 2009, and 2015).
In 1976, they shared the gold medal with Canada and USA, as the play-offs couldn’t be completed due to poor weather.
Head coach Thomas Makea (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Marama, Ngāti Makea ki Rarotonga), who took over in 2023, said the team set out to rebuild after a challenging few years.
He said their harenga (journey) to the final was fuelled by the team’s connection and a sense of whanaungatanga both on and off the diamond.
The Black Sox reached the final after an 8-3 victory over Japan in the Super Round, where they needed a five-run win to qualify on Team Quality Balance.
The only side in the competition to beat New Zealand was Venezuela, who earlier defeated the Black Sox 7-2 in group play.
The Black Sox opened the gold medal match with a chilling haka, laying down a wero (challenge) to Venezuela in a rematch of the 2013 World Cup final.
New Zealand threatened early, putting runners on base in the first inning but couldn’t convert runs.
Lead-off hitter Ben Enoka picked a walk, and Cole Evans pushed him to third with a line drive, but the side couldn’t capitalise.
Young Canterbury pitcher Liam Potts, 21, started strong on the mound for New Zealand, retiring the first three Venezuelan batters, including a strikeout to close the first.
The scoreboard remained scoreless until the bottom of the third, when Pedro Flores broke the deadlock, smashing a solo homer over centrefield to put Venezuela on the board.
Despite solid contact and disciplined at-bats, the Black Sox couldn’t find a breakthrough through the next two innings, with both sides allowing no runs to concede.
Venezuela’s starting pitcher Maiker Pimentel battled through an ankle injury, but had to leave the game in the top of the fifth after reaggravating it.
Luis Miguel Colombo Perez came on but didn’t last long, leaving the mound after Rhys Evans drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball.
Ben Enoka was then hit by a pitch, putting two on with two outs.
But despite the opportunity, Jerome Raemaki struck out on a drop ball by new pitcher Eudomar Toyo, leaving the two runners stranded on base.
Pita Rona took over on the mound for the Black Sox in the bottom of the fifth, replacing Potts after a solid start.
He walked his first batter, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
But the Black Sox defence stepped up to the plate, Rhys Evans fielded a grounder and made the force out at third, followed by a diving catch in foul territory by Te Kirika Cooper-Nicola in left field to end the inning and keep Venezuela from extending their lead.
In the top of the sixth, top batters, Cole Evans and Reilly Makea both struck out swinging on drop balls from Toyo, who continued to cause problems for the Black Sox.
But Thomas Enoka broke the silence with a sharp line drive up the middle, followed by Seth Gibson who kept his hot bat alive with a stand-up double that pushed Enoka to third.
With two on and two out, Venezuela made a tactical move, bringing injured starter Maiker Pimentel back onto the mound - disrupting New Zealand’s momentum.
This worked for the South-Americans, as second basemen Tane Mumu popped up for the third out retiring the inning and leaving New Zealand scoreless.
In the bottom of the sixth with a runner on one after picking a walk, Venezuelans Jesus Kleiver Barreto Rodriguez hit a two-run shot - his third home run of the tournament - bringing the score to 3-0.
In the final inning, the Black Sox were unable to close the gap. Te Wera Bishop connected with a hard line drive, but Venezuela’s third baseman leapt high to make a crucial catch, robbing what could’ve been a double.
Hohepa Monk, pinch-hitting for Rhys Evans, struck out swinging, and Ben Enoka, the veteran lead-off, went down on a final swing and a miss.
Venezuela sealed a 3-0 win, denying New Zealand their eighth world title.
In the Bronze medal match, team USA had the upper hand over Japan, taking the win 10-1.
The Black Sox will return home to their whānau with a silver medal, and while it’s not gold, the team did what they set out to do: make the podium and bring home a medal.