The Black Sox are heading to the semi-finals of this year's Intercontinental Cup on a high after a convincing 7-0 win over the Czech Republic today.
The New Zealand men's softball team required a win to earn the No.1 seed heading into the playoff stage of the tournament after losing to Argentina earlier this week and got off to the perfect start when 2017 World Championships hero Joel Evans stole home on a wild pitch.
The digger operator from Wellington says he will be back at his usual job this time next week.
Catcher Zane van Lieshout then came to the party in the second innings, bringing home Cole Evans with an RBI single hit into right field.
The Kiwis were denied in the third by pitcher Jonas Mach but when the Czechs made a pitching change in the fourth innings, Michael Bala was given a rough welcome thanks to a two-run home run by captain Ben Enoka.
Things got worse for Bala in the fifth, with in-form slugger Jerome Raemaki collecting his second home run of the tournament with a solo shot.
With Campbell Enoka and Jackson Watt collecting RBI singles as well, the New Zealand side enforced the mercy rule to take the 7-0 win.
On the other side, young pitcher Daniel Chapman delivered a sound performance on the mound in Prague.
Chapman pitched five innings in the win, taking seven strikeouts from the 19 batters he faced. He gave up three walks, a hit and hit a batter but fine defence didn't allow any runners to score.
The Black Sox will play the Czech Republic again tomorrow morning in the first semi-final, with the victor facing off against the winner of the other semi between Japan and Argentina in the final later in the day.
SHARE ME