AUSTRALIA WINS MEN’S EVENT
2007-12-12

This past weekend in Canberra, the Australia “Green” defeated the New Zealand Black Sox, 3-2, for the Pacific International Men’s Softball Series title. The third edition of the annual event also featured Australia “Gold” and Japan.

New Zealand, who had won the event in 2006 & 2005, has had Australia’s number for many years now in men’s international softball. However, they finally ran out of offense in the grand final this past Saturday.

After having failed to convert a no out, bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom of the second inning, the Black Sox took a 1-0 lead on a home run by Donny Hale in the bottom of the fourth. However, the Aussies came right back in the top of the fifth with three runs, including home runs by James Darby and Michael Tanner.

Australia clung to their 3-1 lead as the game entered the final half-inning, when New Zealand’s Patrick Shannon hit the game’s fourth home run to cut the margin to one. Australia Green closed out the Kiwis, however, and put the defending ISF Men’s World Champions on notice for 2009. (The ISF XII Men’s World Championship will be held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from July 17-26, 2009.)

Australia Green had earlier handed New Zealand their only loss during round robin play, 5-3.

The eventual 2007 Pacific International Men’s Softball Series champs had advanced to the grand final with a bottom of the seventh, 7-6, victory over Australia Gold, who finished third. Japan finished fourth, having gone just 1-5 in round robin play.

Information for this report from Softball Australia