Softball: 5-0 but still pulling their Black Sox up

By JULIE ASH

Despite a clean sweep in the softball series against Japan, the world champion Black Sox hope to tighten their pitching with an eye to defending their title in 2004.

New Zealand beat Japan, ranked second in the world, 5-0 in the series that finished in Auckland on Sunday, and national coach Don Tricker is thrilled.

"We were expecting Japan to be a formidable test," he said.

"Maybe their pitching didn't hold up as much as we initially thought. It's always been their style to throw in all of their pitchers so we don't get a good look at any of them.

"But after five games in the series we had a good idea of what to expect."

The Black Sox won 9-1 in Nelson, 10-2 in Lower Hutt, 9-5 and 5-4 in Albany and 8-4 in Auckland.

Tricker said that though the series was one-sided, his players found it beneficial as they built towards the 2004 World Series in Christchurch.

"One of the first things is to take a step back and take a look at ourselves and see if we are on track for 2004.

"I think we are but we need to improve our defence, which starts with our pitchers. Japan scored runs in every game."

Auckland's Patrick Shannon was named player of the series, with Fabian Makea of Wellington the top batter and Marty Grant of Nelson the top pitcher.

Each coach also named an MVP for the series, Tricker giving his award to Stacy McLean, who played for just five minutes of the first game before falling over the outfield fence and breaking an arm.

"The reason we picked Stacy is because we recognise there is not just one player in the team.

"Stacy typified that - we are prepared to run over fences for each other."

The Black Sox tour North America in July. Tricker said with a few players unavailable because of their jobs or commitments to US clubs, the side would include "some of our exciting young talent".