An inspirational pitching change and clutch hitting have catapulted Australia into the Softball World Cup final after a 2-0 tiebreaker win over champions Argentina.
Australia Steelers coach Laing Harrow hailed the fight in his side after Hayden Mathews singled in the top of the eighth to score Scott Paterson and Nick Shailes for the winning runs in a tense game in Auckland on Saturday night.
Australia needed to win by two runs to edge out Argentina on runs differential for a place in the final, hence they were swinging away in the tiebreaker.
They will now meet Canada in the Sunday afternoon final at Whakaata Māori Stadium.
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Harrow’s masterstroke was a sixth inning pitching change, with teenage relief pitcherJack Besgrove coming in for starter Marshall Kronk.
The New South Wales southpaw doesn’t turn 19 for a fortnight and is at his first senior world championships but left-handed pitchers tend to thrive against leftie-stacked hitting lineups like Argentina’s, and Besgrove displayed the poise of a veteran to strike out six consecutive batters – and eight in total.
“He came in and it was lights out, it didn’t matter if they were on the right side or the left side, he was in full command out there, it was great to see,’’ Harrow said.
“He was just mowing them down and was in a pretty good place and Josh [McGovern] did a good job of calling the game today.’’
Argentina were left to rue their lack of delivery at the plate, with 16 strikeouts tallied, including eight against Kronk.
Harrow said the Steelers “knew it was going to be a battle, but the key was we had to score two runs, we couldn’t win one-nil.
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Australia’s teenage pitcher Jack Besgrove, pictured in an earlier game, hurled the Steelers into the World Cup final.
“We had to put on two runs and get a W. I don’t know, the softball gods were smiling on us.
“That was one of the great all-time ball games. It was nil-all, both teams slugging it out and going at it.”
Australia took five safe hits from Argentine’s starting pitcher Humeul Mata and reliever Roman Godoy, who tallied 12 strikeouts. Steelers second baseman Brendon O’Byrne batted two from three.
Shortstop Ladislao Malarczuk and catcher Juan Zara got Argentina’s two hits.
Australia now have a shot at winning their second title, with Shailes and veteran pitcher Adam Folkard remaining from the 2009 team that beat the New Zealand Black Sox in the gold medal game at Saskatoon.
Stuff
An Argentina batter swings and misses at an Australian pitcher with catcher Josh McGovern about to clutch the ball.
While the exuberant Australian supporters group celebrated loudly in the stands, it was impossible not to feel sorry for Argentina.
This was their first defeat in eight games, yet they are now consigned to Sunday’s bronze medal game against the United States.
Format questioned
The format came under fire from Canada coach John Stuart after his team’s 2-0 win over Cuba cemented them a place in their 10th world final.
While Canada now has a shot at a fifth world title – and a first since the epic 10-5 comeback win over New Zealand in 2015 – Stuart isn’t happy with the current format which has had the finalists settled on the penultimate day.
“I don’t like the format, personally,’’ he said. “I don’t like how you can have one loss and you don’t even get in the gold medal game. It happened to us in Prague in 2019. We had one loss the whole tournament and it cost us a shot at the gold medal.’’
“There’s got to be a better way. No team here likes the format, that’s out of our control. But if you ask any team here they’d say the format needs to be tweaked to give every team a fairer opportunity.’’
Softball NZ/Whakaata Māori
The Black Sox will host 11 international rivals at the men’s Softball World Cup in Albany from November 26 to December 4.
Stuart prefers the traditional page system where “you have crossover, and maybe the top two division winners get a bye… When you come to the playoffs if you’ve got a double life, you should deserve a double life.’’
In Prague, there were knockout quarterfinals after pool play, followed by a sudden-death semifinal.’
That system was changed for Auckland, with 12 teams split into two pools for five games, followed by a six-team Super Round where sides carried their points through from their games against fellow pool qualifiers.
The new format was confusing for fans and meant the third seeds from each pool had almost no chance of making the final despite their second phase results.
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Canada players celebrate beating Cuba to make the Softball World Cup final.
World Baseball Softball Confederation softball division chairman Craig Cress said the organisers were “still trying to get used to the format’’ but he thinks it “will be a fair format, as we move forward’’.
“I think so far it’s shown that it gives the opportunities to teams to play. It’s not the page format we’re all used to, but I think it’s going to take some time to get used to.’’
Cress hailed the competitiveness of the tournament. “We came into this event knowing that men’s fastpitch is the most competitive event with the most parity that we have in our game now.
“We came here and nine countries probably had a chance to medal so from that standpoint the quality is great, and the quality of ball has been good.’’
Cress, who is USA Softball’s chief executive, said he “can’t say enough about what the local organising committee had done’’ despite some challenging spring weather. He praised the work of the ground crew, “especially early on in the event, when we were starting games, stopping games, starting games. They just did a great job making sure we were able to play the games in the conditions we need to play them in.’
Canada’s win
Meanwhile, Stuart hailed his battery for the win over Cuba
“Sean Cleary pitched a hell of a game and Ryan Boland caught a hell of game, and that was the key to us winning.
“We definitely didn’t hit the ball, that was not our best game, but good teams find a way to win, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Shane Boland scored in the first inning after a fielding error, a hit-pitch, a walk and then a bases-loaded walk by Cuba’s canny left-handed starting pitcher Guber Plutin.
Pinch hitter Jason Hill drew a walk, advanced on a fielder’s choice and went to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Shane Boland’s sacrifice fly.
Canada had just one hit off Plutin, a single up the middle by the in-form Bryan Abrey in the third inning.
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ACuban infielder is airborne as he takes out a Canadian runner at second base and tries for a double play.
Cleary, who nabbed 15 strikeouts, was heading towards a perfect game until Hector Castillo picked a walk in the top of the seventh and Yurisamade Ramos spoiled his no-hitter when he smashed a single into the veteran pitcher
Softball World Cup finals day
Sunday at Whakaata Māori Stadium, Albany, Auckland.
Bronze medal game, 1pm: Argentina v United States.
Gold medal game, 4pm: Canada v Australia.
Games live on Whakaata Māori TV.
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