New Zealand men's national softball team

"Black Socks" redirects here. For other uses, see Black Sox (disambiguation).

The New Zealand men's national softball team (nicknamed the Black Sox/Black Socks) is the national softball team for New Zealand.^[2] They have won the ISF Men's World Championship seven times, becoming World Champions in 1976 (1st = with US and Canada), 1984, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2013 and 2017.^[3] They also won the inaugural Commonwealth Championships (a round robin tournament between New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, South Africa and Botswana) in 2006.^[4] The "Black Sox" name is one of many national team nicknames related to the All Blacks as well as to famous "Sox" baseball teams. The female team is known as the White Sox

New Zealand national softball team
Information
Country	New Zealand
Federation	Softball New Zealand
Confederation	WBSC Oceania
Manager	Thomas Makea
WBSC World Rank	7 (26 April 2023)^[1]
Men's Softball World Championship
Appearances	17 (First in 1966)
Best result	1st (7 times, most recent in 2017)

On 16 July 2017, New Zealand (Black Sox) defeated Australia (Aussie Steelers), six runs to four in the final of the 2017 ISF Men's World Championship held in Canada.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2022

2022 International Invitational Tournament	18 November	New Zealand	Rainout	Canada	Colquhoun Park, New Zealand
	19:30 NZDT		Boxscore

2022 International Invitational Tournament	19 November	New Zealand	2–4	Canada	Colquhoun Park, New Zealand
	09:00 NZDT		Boxscore

2022 International Invitational Tournament	19 November	New Zealand	0–6	Japan	Colquhoun Park, New Zealand
	12:00 NZDT		Boxscore

2022 International Invitational Tournament	19 November	New Zealand	3–2	Argentina	Colquhoun Park, New Zealand
	19:30 NZDT		Boxscore

2022 International Invitational Tournament	20 November	New Zealand	6–5	Australia	Colquhoun Park, New Zealand
	12:00 NZDT		Boxscore

2022 International Invitational Tournament	20 November	New Zealand	2–3	Czech Republic	Colquhoun Park, New Zealand
	14:30 NZDT		Boxscore

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	26 November	New Zealand	3–1	Czech Republic	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	13:30 NZDT	WP: Daniel Chapman (1-0) HR: Benjamin Enoka (1)	Boxscore	LP: Jakub Osička (0-1)	Attendance: 1,100

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	27 November	United States	7–0	New Zealand	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	15:00 NZDT	WP: Bradley Kilpatrick (1-0) HR: Blaine Milheim (1) Erick Ochoa (1)	Boxscore	LP: Josh Pettett (0-1)	Attendance: 1,000

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	28 November	Argentina	11–5 (F/9)	New Zealand	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	19:30 NZDT	WP: Huemul Mata (2-0) HR: Alan Peker (2) Santiago Carril (1)	Boxscore	LP: Pita Rona (0-1) HR: Cole Evans (1), Thomas Enoka (2)	Attendance: 1,050

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	29 November	Philippines	1–8 (F/5)	New Zealand	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	19:30 NZDT	LP: Juliuz Dela Cruz (0-2)	Boxscore	WP: Pita Rina (1-1) HR: Reilly Makea (1)

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	30 November	New Zealand	0–1 (F/9)	Cuba	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	19:30 NZDT	LP: Daniel Chapman (1-1)	Boxscore	WP: Alain Román (3-2)	Attendance: 980

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	1 December	South Africa	0–7 (F/5)	New Zealand	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	19:30 NZDT	LP: Grant Olivier (1-1)	Boxscore	WP: Joshua Pettett (1-1) HR: Jerome Raemaki (1)	Attendance: 900

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	2 December	Japan	7–4	New Zealand	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	19:30 NZDT	WP: Hikaru Matsuda (2-1) HR: Hikaru Matsuda (2)	Boxscore	LP: Daniel Chapman (1-2) HR: Reilly Makea (2), Joel Evans (1), Pita Rona (1)	Attendance: 1,102

2022 Men's Softball World Championship	3 December	Denmark	1–2	New Zealand	Rosedale Park, New Zealand
	16:30 NZDT	LP: Kim Hansen (0-6)	Boxscore	WP: Joshua Pettett (2-1)	Attendance: 380

2023

2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship	9 November 2023 (2023-11-09)	Australia	3–9	New Zealand	Tony Solaita Field, Tafuna
	15:00	LP: Mark Harris (0–1) HR: Matt Wickham (1), Scott Patterson (1)	Boxscore	WP: Eruera Drage (1–0) HR: Wayne Laulu (1)	Umpires: Mark Porteous (HP), Andrew McManus (1B), James English (2B), Trevor Murphy (3B)

2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship	9 November 2023 (2023-11-09)	American Samoa	0–15 (F/3)	New Zealand	Tony Solaita Field, Tafuna
	19:00	LP: Tyrese Leutele (0–1)	Boxscore	WP: Liam Potts (1–0) HR: Hohepa Monk (1), Cameron Watts (1)	Umpires: James English (HP), Trevor Murphy (1B), Andrew McManus (2B), Mark Porteous (3B)

2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship	10 November 2023 (2023-11-10)	New Zealand	4–11 (F/5)	Australia	Tony Solaita Field, Tafuna
	12:00	WP: Eruera Drage (1–1) HR: Hohepa Monk (2), Te Kirika Cooper-Nicola (1)	Boxscore	WP: Jarryd Farrell (1–0) HR: Scott Patterson (2)	Umpires: Trevor Murphy (HP), James English (1B), Mark Porteous (3B)

2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship	10 November 2023 (2023-11-10)	New Zealand	15–0 (F/3)	American Samoa	Tony Solaita Field, Tafuna
	15:00	WP: Floyd Nola (1–0) HR: Hohepa Monk (3)	Boxscore	LP: Richard Nomura (0–2)	Umpires: Andrew McManus (HP), Mark Porteous (1B), Trevor Murphy (3B)

2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship	11 November 2023 (2023-11-11)	New Zealand	0–7 (F/5)	Australia	Tony Solaita Field, Tafuna
	12:00	LP: Pita Rona (0–1)	Boxscore	WP: Jarryd Farrell (2–0) HR: Mark Harris (1), Matthew Harrow (1)	Umpires: Andrew McManus (HP), James English (1B), Mark Porteous (2B), Trevor Murphy (3B)

2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship	11 November 2023 (2023-11-11)	American Samoa	0–13 (F/4)	New Zealand	Tony Solaita Field, Tafuna
	18:00	LP: Aifili Solaita (0–2)	Boxscore	WP: Liam Potts (2–0) HR: Zachary Boyd (1, 2)	Umpires: Trevor Murphy (HP), James English (1B), Mark Porteous (3B)

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship in American Samoa for the 2025 Softball World Cup.^[5][6]

2023 Men's Softball Oceania Championship –   New Zealand roster
Players				Coaches
Pitchers 12 Floyd Nola 73 Eruera Drage		Catchers 6 Jayden Stratford-Long 7 Cameron Watts Infielders 18 Pita Rona 27 Tane Mumu 33 Liam Potts 47 Cole Evans (captain) Outfielders 10 Te Kirika Cooper-Nicola 24 Jackson Watt 99 Reilly Makea Utility 5 Callum Bishop 9 Hohepa Monk 20 Zachary Boyd 29 Wayne Laulu		Manager Thomas Makea Coaches Steven Deans (Coach)

Recent callups

The following players were called up for the 2022 Men's Softball World Championship in New Zealand.^[7][8]

2022 Men's Softball World Championship –   New Zealand roster
Players				Coaches
Pitchers 10 Daniel Chapman 5 Josh Pettett 24 Pita Rona		Catchers 17 Te Wera Bishop 7 Cam Watts Infielders 20 Thomas Enoka 47 Cole Evans 3 Joel Evans 27 Rhys Evans 72 Dante Makea-Matakatea 22 Tane Mumu 6 Jerome Raemaki Outfielders 68 Bradley Bennett 89 Ben Enoka 99 Reilly Makea 23 Connor Peden		Manager 2 Mark Sorenson Coaches 14 Darryl Marino (Assistant coach) 42 Casey Eden (Manager) 1 Patrick Shannon (Battery) 77 Paul Aitu (Medical) 91 Guy Mothersole (Strength & Conditioning) 60 Jamie Frisby (Video Analyst) 55 Ian Ditfort (Statician)

Competitive Record

Men's Softball World Cup

Men's Softball World Cup record
Year	Host	Round	Pos	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	Squad
1966	Mexico	Third place	3rd	13	10	3
1968	United States	Round robin	5th	9	5	4
1972	Philippines	Third place	3rd	13	7	6
1976	New Zealand	Champions	3rd	13	10	3
1980	United States	Fourth place	4th	9	6	3
1984	United States	Champions	1st	10	9	1
1988	Canada	Runners-up	2nd	17	14	3
1992	Philippines	Runners-up	2nd	15	11	4
1996	United States	Champions	1st	14	14	0
2000	South Africa	Champions	1st	15	14	1
2004	New Zealand	Champions	1st	10	9	1
2009	Canada	Runners-up	2nd	11	9	2	106	26
2013	New Zealand	Champions	1st	10	9	1	54	17
2015	Canada	Runners-up	2nd	10	7	3	70	25
2017	Canada	Champions	1st	10	9	1	79	13
2019	Czech Republic	Fourth place	4th	10	5	5	51	24
2022	New Zealand	Placement round	8th	8	4	4	29	28	Squad
2025	Qualified
Total		7 titles	17/17	196	152	45	389	133	—

Men's Softball Oceania Championship

Men's Softball Oceania Championship record
Year	Host	Round	Pos	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	Squad
2023	American Samoa	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	2	56	21	Squad
Total		Runners-up	1/1	6	4	2	56	21	—

Honours

• Men's Softball World Cup
  • Champions (7): 1976, 1984, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2013, 2017
  • Runners-up (4): 1988, 1992, 2009, 2015
  • Third place (2): 1966, 1972

• Men's Softball Oceania Championship
  • Runners-up (1): 2023

References

1. "The WBSC Men's Softball World Ranking". WBSC. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
2. "Sox Nation". Softball New Zealand. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
3. Andrea Blackshaw (9 February 2004). . International Softball Federation. Archived from the original on 25 October 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
4. . International Softball Federation. 30 January 2006. Archived from the original on 25 October 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
5. "NEW ZEALAND BLACK SOX TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT". Softball New Zealand. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
6. "New coach Thomas Makea names Black Sox softball squad for World Cup qualifier". Stuff. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
7. "Seven-time world champs New Zealand unveil roster for WBSC Men's Softball World Cup on home soil". WBSC. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
8. "Introducing your Golden Homes New Zealand Black Sox Team to compete at the upcoming Tradestaff WBSC Men's Softball World Cup". Softball New Zealand Facebook. Retrieved 30 October 2022.

External links

• Softball New Zealand