Editor’s note: These games were played last weekend; we are posting as we thought you would still enjoy a bit of information about the “Clash of Titans”, New Zealand and the Czech Republic. The latter will host the WBSC World Cup Championship in Prague in 2019.
Information courtesy of Softball New Zealand:
The top players in the country will have an opportunity to impress this weekend when they come together for the Golden Homes Black Sox trial series.
The six game series will be made up of three teams and played over Saturday and Sunday at AWF Stadium in Albany. Head Coach
Mark Sorenson has named his teams out of respect for two former Black Sox greats, Dean Rice and Steve Jackson. Team Rice and Team Jackson will not only battle against themselves but will be up against world number 7 the Czech Republic.
“Whilst as a group we are disappointed to not win the Halberg Team of the Year Award, it doesn’t define us or change the great result that we achieved last year in Whitehorse. It’s business as usual and nothing will change for us, we just have to keep knocking at the door… eventually someone will answer it”, says WBSC 2017 Coach of the Year Mark Sorenson.
The Czech Republic who were already competing in a number of tournaments and exhibition games in Auckland accepted the offer from Softball New Zealand to partake in the trial.
The Czech’s who have won the last three European Championships and widely regarded as the powerhouse of men’s softball in the northern continent have returned to New Zealand after competing in last year’s TAB Challenge Cup. “We came here to learn from the best in the world. Our goal is to collect as much experience as possible, and build on that experience hopefully at the 2019 Worlds. We’d like to play our best ball in as many games as possible and be a strong opponent for any team we face” says Head Coach Tomáš Kusý.
All games will be livestreamed and accessible through the Softball NZ Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/SoftballNZ/
Golden Homes Black Sox Trial Teams.
Team Rice
Nik Hayes, Eru Drage, Kallan Compain, Cory Timu, Conner Peden, Nathan Nukunuku, Joe Ferriso, Tyron Bartorillo, Dante Matakatea , Zac Boyd, Callum Bishop, Pita Rona, Ben Enoka, Bradley Bennett, Alfons Ovenokovas, Hohepa Monk
Coaching Staff: Carl Franklin, Steve Deans
Team Jackson
Campbell Gibson, Daniel Chapman, Zan van Leishout, Harrison Valk, Cole Evans, Isaac Fletcher, Rhys Evans, Josh Harbrow, Joel Evans, Jerome Raemaki, Campbell Enoka, Reilly Makea, Thomas Enoka, Jackson Watt, Wayne Laulu
Coaching Staff: Darryl Marino, Kurtis Tomkins
Czech Republic
Michael Bala, Jakub Pet?ík, Michal Holobrádek, Petr Frejlach, Marek Malý, Lukáš Fiala, Marek Volf, Jakub Holobrádek, Ji?í Kor?ák, Daniel ?erný, MatoušKasal, Mikuláš Klas, Petr Vácha, PatrikKope?ný, Michal Kol?ch
Coaching Staff:
TomášKusý, Jaroslav Kor?ák, Stanislav Havel, Miroslav Kout, Jakub Kop?iva
In the event games are unplayable due to inclement weather the series will be relocated to Starling and Warren Freer parks.
Saturday Games – Wet weather ground – Starling Park
4pm – Team Rice vs Czech Republic
6pm – Team Jackson vs Czech Republic
8pm – Team Rice vs Team Jackson
Sunday Games – Wet weather ground – Warren Freer
10am – Team Rice vs Czech Republic
12pm – Team Jackson vs Rice
2pm – Team Jackson vs Czech Republic
Best,
Glen Roff – Softball Manager
Softball New Zealand