Black Sox beat Japan to lift Euro title
Back-to-back home runs by outfielders Campbell Enoka and Reilly Makea helped the Black Sox win the Intercontinental Cup crown on their first tour of Europe.
It was a dream debut tournament for Makea, 18, who got two safe hits in the 5-1 final victory over Japan in Prague yesterday.
The seven-time world champion Black Sox prospered again behind the pitching of their hot hand, Nik Hayes, who held the Japanese to two safe hits.
But the Black Sox had trailed 1-0 after the third inning before captain Ben Enoka and Joel Evans edged them ahead 2-1.in the fifth frame.
But they needed the back-toback blasts in the sixth inning to put the game beyond Japan at Svoboda Park.
Makea said it was ‘‘great to win the tournament, especially considering it was the first edition’’.
‘‘We’ve been training for a couple of months now towards the campaign and we pulled through the innings and that’s good.’’
Campbell
Enoka started the hitting procession in the bottom of the sixth inning with a home run over leftfield to score his older brother Thomas.
Makea, who had rapped an infield single in the fifth, followed Enoka with a home run down the leftfield line.
Pinch hitter Kallan Compain followed with a two-base hit for good measure.
It has been a successful time for Makea, who pitched for the New Zealand Junior Black Sox team – coached by his father – that earned the bronze medal at the world under-19 championships in Canada in July.
The tournament proved a triumph for acting Black Sox head coach Darryl Marino, standing in for Mark Sorenson, who took a break from touring, along with regular captain Nathan Nukunuku.
Marino was able to blood six new caps in Prague, including Makea, Ferriso, Jackson Watt and pitcher Campbell Gibson, who all had their standout moments.
Hayes – one of the more experienced Black Sox players – ended the series the way he started, in dominant form.
The Hutt Valley hurler, who has now moved to Australia, allowed only two safe hits and fanned eight batters to take his tournament strikeout tally to 35 in three games.
The Black Sox end their tour with a first-ever game against Team Europe near Prague today.