Black Sox humbled by US
The Black Sox suffered their first loss at the Softball World Cup after being pounded for two big home runs by the United States.
Starting pitcher Josh Pettett dished up two-RBI dingers to both Blaine Milheim and Erick Ochoca in a fateful third inning as the Americans celebrated a 7-0 shutout win in Auckland last night.
Stung by the comprehensive defeat to the Americans – who they had traditionally dominated for the last 30 years – the Black Sox must now regroup before tonight’s clash with world champions Argentina.
There will probably be some rueful reflection by head coach Mark Sorenson about the timing of his pitching changes while the American hitters were running amok.
There was certainly a sense that the stable door was belatedly locked after the horse had bolted with the pitching switch only made with the Americans holding a 5-0 lead.
It was also disconcerting that the Black Sox were shut out and were rarely able to put a decent rally together.
USA starter Jon Gwizdala and Australian-born reliever Brad Kilpatrick scattered seven hits while their batters took 10 off the Kiwi hurlers.
The Black Sox – who now have a one-win one-loss record – started well with Pettett snaring three strikeouts in the top of the first inning.
They also got back-to-back singles from Ben Enoka and Reilly Makea in the bottom of the first, but could not score.
But they fell behind in the second inning after Matt Palazzo drew a walk and advanced on lefthanded hitter Jonathan Lynch’s opposite field single to leftfield.
Pettett struck out Tyler Bouley, but, with two-down, Zachary Shaw singled to centrefield to score Palazzo.
After a 30-minute rain delay, the Americans came out firing in the top of the third.
Milheim smashed it over the centrefield fence with Nick Mullins on base and Ochoa stuck the ball over the right field barrier with Cameron Schiller aboard.
The Black Sox belatedly made a pitching change, yanking Pettett and bringing on Pita Rona for his first inning on the mound at a World Cup.
He instantly conceded a single to Palazzo, but got out of the inning after catcher Te Wera Bishop’s laser arm threw out Palazzo at second base and Rona struck out the next batter.
But the 5-0 deficit left the Black Sox with an ultimately unscaleable mountain to climb.
Bishop’s two radar gun outs at second base were the main highlights for the Black Sox, although Rona toiled hard on the mound, taking nine strikeouts for five hits and two earned runs.
Pettett had conceded five hits and five earned runs and two walks while taking six strikeouts.
Kilpatrick, the 22-year-old lefthander from Sydney, fanned three Black Sox to end the game, leaving the home side with loaded bases.
The Black Sox-USA game started 90 minutes late after rain delayed the finish of the earlier Canada-Denmark game.
Canada helped make up some lost time by blanking the Danes 10-0 in four innings after three home runs – to Quinten Bruce, Bryan Abrey and Colin Walsh – in the bottom of the fourth.
Cuba – who had pushed champions Argentina hard in a 3-1 opening round defeat – inflicted the Czech Republic’s second loss with a 7-0 rain-interrupted whitewash. Miguel Savigne smashed a home run and a double for the Cubans and Osvaldo Perez clouted a triple.
Edinson Marrero homered and Carlos Villegas tripled as Venezuela beat South Africa 12-1 in four innings.