Softball: Black Sox rout Australia at Challenge Cup

Wayne Laulu in action for the Black Sox. Photosport

The Black Sox bounced back from their defeat to Japan at the Challenge Cup in Auckland with a 13-4 win over Australia yesterday.

The seven time world champions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning with RBI's via a Wayne Laulu double and a Jackson Watt single.

The Australians, currently ranked fourth in the world, manufactured a run to grab one back in the bottom of the second.

The Black Sox bats tagged on three in the third through veterans Nathan Nukunuku and Laulu. Nukunuku drove in short stop Cole Evans with a double before the big man Laulu stuck one out of the park with Campbell Enoka on third base.

Brendon O'Byrne hit a sole shot to peg one back for Australia in the bottom of the third to take the score to 5-2.

The Black Sox moved into top gear in the sixth inning with eight runs and in effect bringing the international run rule into play. A three-run long ball over the leftfield fence by Zane Van Leishout blew the lead out to 8-2.

Joe Ferriso followed suit for back to back home runs.

A string of hits and four more runs and it was all but lights out for the Australians.

Australia showed some fight with two runs in the bottom of the sixth but it wasn't enough to force the game into a seventh inning.

Black Sox pitcher Daniel Chapman got the win.