From the Official WBSC Men’s World Cup Website:
Japan top standings as New Zealand walk off USA ahead of final Super Round day
With only one day to go in the Super Round at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Finals 2025 in Prince Albert, Canada Japan lead the standings with a 2-0 mark, while Venezuela (1-1) dropped to second place along with New Zealand. USA (0-2) are in fourth place.
Koki Sato homered and Hiroki Ikeda pitched five quality innings for Japan leading the Asian champions to a key 5-1 win against Venezuela in their first Super Round game.
In addition, New Zealand recovered from a 4-1 deficit to clinch a dramatic 5-4 win in spectacular fashion. Trailing 4-2 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jerome Raemaki crushed a three-run no-doubter over the left field fence to walk it off. Raemaki‘s home run provided the most dramatic moment of the 2025 Men’s World Cup.
With defending champions Australia not featuring in the Super Round, this tournament will crown a new men’s softball king. The last time a team could repeat as Men’s Softball World Champion was New Zealand in 2004, completing a historic three-peat (1996, 2000, 2004). Since then, four teams have won this competition: Australia (2009 and 2022), New Zealand (2013 and 2017), Canada (2015) and Argentina (2019).
Japan aim to win their third medal in this competition, and first ever World Championship. The Asian super power has reached the World Championship Final twice, in 2000 in South Africa and 2019 in Czechia, losing both times against New Zealand and Argentina respectively. In 1996, they won the bronze medal in Midland, USA.
Owners of seven, world championships, New Zealand are the most decorated team in the history of this competition. They won this event in 1976, 1984, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2013 and 2017. additionally, they have four silver medals and two bronzes for a total of 13 podiums. However, they failed to medal in the last two editions in 2019 (fourth place) and 2022 (eighth place).
USA own five world titles, second only to New Zealand. However, they lifted the trophy for the last time in 1988. In 2022, they finished in third place after a 22-year drought. They won the title in 1966, 1968, 1976, 1980 and 1988. Adding one silver and four bronzes, they total 10 medals in this event.
Venezuela is a two-time medal winner in this event, counting a silver medal in 2013 in New Zealand, losing the final against the host team, and a bronze medal in 2013 in Saskatoon. They also are looking for their first world title.
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Japan and New Zealand collide today, in the penultimate day of the tournament, with medal round games on Sunday. Meanwhile, the two Super Round teams with losses on Friday, the USA (0-2) and Venezuela (1-1) will square off in the other Saturday matchup.
In placement round games, Australia held on to beat Argentina, while Canada edged the Dominican Republic. The placement round teams trade opponents in the first two games of the day on Saturday, with the Dominican Republic facing Argentina, while the winner’s of Friday’s games, Australia and Canada will square off in the other.