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Cole Evans joins The Global Game podcast

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April 22, 2022

Black Sox keep adapting to Covid curveballs before World Cup

Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson has had to channel his message of "adaptation" early in his side's build-up to this year's softball world championships with Covid again interfering with his plans.Sorenson last week named a 20-man training squad for the winter in preparation for the November tournament in Auckland having previously trialled 90 softballers from around New Zealand. The original plan was to go on and watch those athletes at the National Fastpitch Championships and Men's Open Club...

March 9, 2022

Black Sox name training squad for men's softball World Cup in Auckland

Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson insists the door is still open for players omitted from his 20-man squad to prepare for the men's softball World Cup in Auckland in November. The training squad was announced on Tuesday, but does not include four Australia-based players, two-time world champion pitcher Nik Hayes, 2017 gold medallist catcher Zane van Lieshout, Ryschan Thompson and Dante Matakatea.Sorenson said the Australian quartet could not be considered for the training squad because they would no...

March 3, 2022

Men’s Softball World Cup Africa qualifiers set to open in Pretoria, South Africa

The Men's and U-23 World Cup qualifiers for the African continent will both take place in Pretoria. Host South Africa and Kenya will open tomorrow (8 February) a five-game series in Pretoria for the honour of being the first qualified nation for the WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup, which is scheduled for 22-30 October in Parana, Argentina. The series will also crown the first-ever U-23 Men’s Softball African champion.Kenya and South Africa will open the continental championship/World Cup ...

February 9, 2022

'Redemption' on minds of Black Sox ahead of World Cup

The Black Sox haven't played a competitive match since the last World Cup in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and have even had domestic opportunities go begging with lockdowns and other restrictions. As such, with the opportunity to host the next World Cup in November, the seven-time world champions are now cramming every opportunity they can to get out on the diamond. Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson told 1News even he’s had to dust off a few cobwebs before his first trial in Wellington last w...

January 26, 2022

Mark Sorensen: Three years since the Black Sox last played and a World Cup is looming

Head Coach for the Black Sox, Mark Sorensen, discusses the how difficult the past few years have been for the National Softball team....

January 26, 2022

Black Sox seek 'X factor' at trials before World Cup at home

Just who will be in that squad looking to reclaim softball's top prize remains to be seen, but the journey begins Friday in Wellington. Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson earlier this week named 90 athletes looking to push their case for selection in 2022, broken down into 30 players each from the south, central and northern regions of the country. The three groups, filled with current and former New Zealand representatives, will play four games each under Sorenson's eye over the next three...

January 26, 2022

Africa: WBSC Men’s, U-23 Softball World Cup qualifiers confirmed for February

African nations will compete for one spot in the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup, to be played in Auckland, New Zealand, and the inaugural WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup, slated to be played in Argentina. Both qualifiers will be hosted in Pretoria, South Africa. WBSC Africa has announced the dates of the African Qualifiers for the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup and the WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup. Both events will be held in South Africa.The African continental qualifier for...

January 13, 2022

Black Sox Trials

Take your place!A call to arms for the top 90 softballers across the country to trial for the 7x world champion Black Sox.Registrations start now!Register for selection by clicking this link...

December 17, 2021

Black Sox softball coach says Covid has 'widened the gap' between NZ's pro and amateur sports

Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson - an international softballer since 1984 - says the gap between New Zealand's professional sports and amateur codes has never been wider due to challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.Sorenson is hopeful that the Black Sox will play a series against Australia in Queensland next May, which would be their first games in almost three years - since the June 2019 world championships in the Czech Republic.Chief executive Tony Giles said the Softball New Zealand and Aust...

December 17, 2021

Mark Sorenson to get the Black Sox batting again after three-year time-out

Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson is plotting to get the New Zealand men's softball team some vital diamond time before they host the World Cup in Auckland next November.The global Covid-19 pandemic has seen Sorenson's squad sidelined since a fourth-place finish at the June 2019 world championships in Prague.A New Zealand Sports Hall of Famer, Sorenson is striving to return the Black Sox to the winners circle, but he took time out to look back at his own career - which has featured six world champio...

December 17, 2021

With 1 year to go, promo video released for WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022 in New Zealand

The WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup hosting committee has released a promotional video and a volunteer-recruitment campaign for the event through their own website. The tournament will be played in Auckland, New Zealand, from 26 November to 4 December 2022. Today marks one year before the top men’s softball competition in the world, the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup, which will be played in Auckland, New Zealand, from 26 November to 4 December 2022. To celebrate this milestone, the Loca...

November 26, 2021

New Zealand adds 2x world champion Patrick Shannon to coaching staff for WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022

The former catcher will join Mark Sorenson’s staff as Black Sox battery coach and will take charge of the team’s pitchers and catchers through to the next World Cup. Former catcher Patrick Shannon has been appointed as the battery coach of New Zealand's Men’s National Softball Team, the Black Sox. Shannon will join Mark Sorenson’s staff for the next WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup, which will be be held in Auckland, New Zealand in February 2022.Shannon replaces his former Black Sox ...

January 13, 2021

Africa: Dates, location announced for WBSC Men’s, U-23 Softball World Cup qualifiers

The WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Africa qualifier will take place in August following the qualifier for the inaugural U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup in June. The African Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA) has announced the dates of the African Qualifiers for the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup and the WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup. Both events will be held in South Africa. The dates were confirmed by ABSA President Saber Jlajla, who sent an invitation letter ...

January 12, 2021

New Zealand names preliminary roster for 2022 WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup on home soil

The New Zealand Black Sox will start tuning-up for the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022 in Auckland.The New Zealand National Men’s Softball Team are starting with a 35-man roster to begin a training camp at College Rifles in Auckland in January 2021, as part of the first phase of preparation for the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022 on home soil in Auckland. The New Zealand National Team is coming off a disappointing fourth place at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Champio...

November 16, 2020

Argentina's Montero, Motroni back on field, look to defend title at 2022 WBSC Men's Softball World Cup

Softball Argentina's biggest names are back on the field and setting their sights on the 2022 WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand. Mariano Montero and Bruno Motroni were two of the top players on the Argentinian National Team that won the 2019 WBSC Men's Softball World Championship. However, they were not only standouts on the field, but also off the field, taking a leading role on a team that won it all in 2019.Parana City Sports interviewed Montero and Motroni on the Nafal...

October 19, 2020

Jeff Ellsworth named Canada men’s softball national team assistant coach

The former outfielder was the head coach of the Canadian junior teams in the last three WBSC World Cups: Midland 2016; Prince Albert 2018; and Palmerston North 2020. Softball Canada announced that long-time outfielder Jeff Ellsworth has been named assistant coach of the Canadian national team, joining head coach John Stuart and assistant coaches Doug Allin, John Hill and Les Howey. The Prince Edward Island native took over as Canada junior national team head coach shortly before the beginni...

August 18, 2020

Softball Europe unveils 2021 international calendar with five WBSC World Cup qualifiers

European nations will battle next year for spots in the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cups (Senior, U-23 and U-18), the U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup and the U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup. Softball Europe has announced its 2021-2023 continental events calendar, including eight European Championships in 2021. Five of these events will serve as WBSC World Cup qualifiers in different age-categories. The 2021 Men’s European Softball Championship in Ledenice, the Cze...

July 8, 2020

Cole Evans named New Zealand Black Sox captain

In 2022, the young shortstop will become the 11th New Zealand captain to lead the team at a world championship. Cole Evans has been named captain of the New Zealand Black Sox, the country’s men’s softball national team. The 22-year old infielder will lead the team at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022, to be played on home soil in Auckland. Evans succeeds Black Sox legend Nathan Nukunuku as the team captain after the four-time world champion announced his retirement last year...

June 13, 2020

Australia v Japan, U18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2020, World Championship Final

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March 1, 2020

Czech Republic v Argentina, U18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2020, Bronze Medal

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March 1, 2020

New Zealand vs Australia U18 Men's Softball World Cup 2020, Super Round

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