Softball: Team go 3-0 up in series

New Zealand's world champion men's softball team beat Australia 6-3 at Wellington's Hataitai Ballpark last night to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five World Champion series.

But Australia did enough to suggest they will not be a walkover for New Zealand in the remaining two tests, in Albany tomorrow and Mangere on Sunday.

The Black Sox led 6-1 going into the top of the seventh innings, when Australia rallied by stringing three hits together off the relief pitcher, Marty Grant, to score two runs and bring the margin back to a respective three-run loss.

The Black Sox were on the scoreboard almost immediately with United States-based Dean Jordan hitting a home run in their first turn at bat.

Jarrad Martin was then walked and joined on base by Thomas Makea on a fielder's choice.

Both runners scored as Taifau Matai drove the ball to right field.

An automatic home run by Martin in the bottom of the third innings made it 4-0.

In the fifth innings Martin again hit safely and was batted in by captain Mark Sorensen, who in turn came home on Matai's second hit of the game.

After scoring just one run in the first six innings, Australia came to life in the seventh, with Dean Maringoni and Scott Sunley both producing safe hits.

Maringoni scored on a Jason Nathan right-field drive and Sunley was batted in by Paul Maisey.

But Grant had the last word, coming back with the third out to leave two runners stranded.

The best of the New Zealand batters were Martin, Sorensen and Matai, with two hits apiece, while for Australia, their seven hits were shared around.

Paul Algar pitched the first five innings for New Zealand, taking nine strikeouts and giving up just one hit.

Grant came in for the last two innings and gave up six hits and took two strikeouts.

For Australia, Adam Humble pitched the first five innings and gave up eight hits, taking two strikeouts, with expatriate Kiwi Dave McKenzie coming in for the sixth innings and giving up one hit.

The Black Sox' win was a fitting farewell to short-stop Kere Johanson, who was playing his last game for New Zealand.

- NZPA