Pitcher Adam Folkard is an up-and-coming star in Australia's men's program who will play in next week's Pacific Series. (Photo by On-Site Images)

AUSTRALIA SET TO HOST MEN’S EVENT
2007-11-28

One week from today (on December 5) the 2007 Pacific International Men’s Softball Series gets underway at the Hawker International Softball Centre in Canberra, Australia. The third annual tournament wraps up on Saturday, December 8.

Thirty members of the Australian men's squad will compete as the host country will field two teams to take on Japan and current men’s world champion New Zealand.

The Pacific Series was initiated to provide an international men's softball event for countries in the Pacific region on annual basis in the lead-up to the 2009 ISF Men's World Championship.  This will be the first on Australian soil after New Zealand hosted the inaugural event in 2005 and Japan hosted last year's tourney.

The New Zealand Black Sox will be looking to defend their Pacific Series title after winning the previous two series. Japan, also highly regarded in men's fast pitch, will provide strong competition after reaching the final of the event last year before going down to New Zealand, 5-2.

Australia, however, will have the home field advantage, and will look to make the most of this by playing two teams in the series, with 30 players in the current squad to be split across Australia Green and Australia Gold. The series will also provide an opportunity for Aussie squad members to impress selectors looking ahead to the World Championship in 2009, to be played in Canada.

The schedule for the series is as follows:

Wednesday, December 5
12.30pm   New Zealand vs. Japan
2.30pm   Australia Green vs. Australia Gold
4.30pm   Australia Green vs. Japan
6.30pm   Opening Ceremony
7.30pm   Australia Gold vs. New Zealand

Thursday, December 6
1.30pm   New Zealand vs. Australia Green
3.30pm   New Zealand vs. Australia Gold
5.30pm   Japan vs. Australia Gold
7.30pm   Japan vs. Australia Green

Friday, December 7
1.30pm   Australia Gold vs. Japan
3.30pm   Australia Green vs. New Zealand
5.30pm   Japan vs. New Zealand
7.30pm   Australia Green vs. Australia Gold

Saturday, December 8
10.00am   Second vs. Third
2.00pm   First vs. winner of 10am game

Information for this report from Softball Australia