Compain hits homer as Black Sox make final

Rookie catcher Kallan Compain smashed the most important home run of his career to inspire the New Zealand Black Sox to their 10th consecutive world softball championships final after a dramatic comeback against champions Canada.

The Black Sox - now assured of at least a silver medal - won 12-11 after trailing 9-2 in a rain-marred match at Whitehorse in Canada yesterday.

The comeback - arguably the greatest in Black Sox history - meant New Zealand automatically

advanced to today’s final. They will have to wait to see who they will play with Canada set to meet the winner of the ArgentinaAustralia clash to decide the second finalist.

One of the worst innings in New Zealand’s 51-year world series involvement was followed by one of the best as coach Mark Sorenson’s team marched to their 10th final on the bounce since Sorenson won his first gold medal as a 16-year-old in 1984.

The nature of the Black Sox’s victory was reminiscent of Canada’s comeback in the 2015 world championships final when they fought back from 5-0 down against New Zealand to win 10-5 in Saskatoon.

Canada chose not to expose number one pitcher Sean Cleary to the Kiwis and his understudies had a tough day on the mound.

So too, in the early stages, did the Black Sox. They could barely throw a strike as they conceded seven runs in the bottom of the third framewith Canada sending 12 batters to the plate for six hits. Two runners got free bases after being hit by a pitch with Sorenson using three pitchers - starter Josh Pettett, left-hander Karl Gollan and Nik Hayes.

But when play resumed after a rain delay, the Canadians suffered an even worse implosion with the Kiwis striking back in the top of the fourth with eight runs from 13 batters after six walks and four hits.

Compain led the Kiwi hit parade with a bases-loaded grand slam home run - his fourth homer of the week at his first world championships.

The 27-year-old had watched his cousins, Thomas and Campbell Enoka, take centre stage in the last couple of games

but Compain created headlines of his own against the world champions.

He stepped to the plate in the fourth with New Zealand needing some batting magic to restore morale. He duly delivered it - cracking the ball over the leftcentrefield fence to also bring home cousin Thomas, Cole Evans and Wayne Laulu and start a Black Sox revival.