// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy was the NZ team pitch perfect? They had a ball.
| New Zealand national softball team | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Federation | Softball New Zealand |
| Confederation | WBSC Oceania |
| Manager | Thomas Makea |
| WBSC World Rank | 7  (14 May 2026)[1] |
| Men's Softball World Cup | |
| Appearances | 17 (First in 1966) |
| Best result |  1st (7 times, most recent in 2017) |
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
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
[edit]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
2024
[edit]| 2025 WC Group B | 10 July 2024 | Singapore  |
0–2 | New Zealand |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert |
| 16:00 | LP: Raynard Heng |
Boxscore | WP: Liam Potts HR: Ben Enoka |
Attendance: 350 |
| 2025 WC Group B | 11 July 2024 | New Zealand |
10–0 (F/4) |  Israel |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert |
| 10:00 | WP: Thomas Enoka HR: Hohepa Monk, Cole Evans, Pita Rona |
Boxscore | LP: Seth Ross |
Attendance: 200 |
| 2025 WC Group B | 12 July 2024 | New Zealand |
5–1 |  Canada |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert |
| 21:00 | WP: Pita Rona HR: Tyron Bartorillo, Beau Bishop, Cole Evans |
Boxscore | LP: Ty Sebastian |
Attendance: 2,000 |
| 2025 WC Group B | 13 July 2024 | Argentina  |
4–1 | New Zealand |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert |
| 13:00 | WP: Martín Gonzalez HR: Manuel Godoy |
Boxscore | LP: Liam Potts HR: Cole Evans |
Attendance: 650 |
| 2025 WC Group B | 13 July 2024 | Hong Kong  |
0–12 (F/4) | New Zealand |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert |
| 18:00 | LP: Hok Wong |
Boxscore | WP: Daniel Champman HR: Reilly Makea 2, Beau Bishop, Cameron Watts |
Attendance: 180 |
| 2025 WC Group B Final | 14 July 2024 | New Zealand |
5–6 | Argentina |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert |
| 16:00 | LP: Daniel Chapman HR: Beau Bishop |
Boxscore | WP: Pablo Migliavacca Skladny Sv: Martín Gonzalez HR: Lucio Retamar |
Attendance: 1,000 |
| 2025 WC Group B Repechage | 14 July 2024 | Canada |
1–4 | New Zealand |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert |
| 19:00 | LP: Ty Sebastian HR: Mathieu Roy |
Boxscore | WP: Pita Rona HR: Ben Enoka |
Attendance: 950 |
| Friendly | 2 December 2024 | New Zealand |
9–10 |  Australia |
Hawker Softball Centre, Canberra |
| 13:00 | Boxscore |
| Friendly | 2 December 2024 | New Zealand |
8–5 | Australia |
Hawker Softball Centre, Canberra |
| 15:00 | Boxscore |
| Friendly | 2 December 2024 | New Zealand |
1–11 (F/5) | Australia |
Hawker Softball Centre, Canberra |
| 19:00 | Boxscore |
2025
[edit]| 2025 WC Finals | 8 July 2025 | New Zealand |
Canada |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert | |
| 20:30 |
| 2025 WC Finals | 9 July 2025 | New Zealand |
Argentina |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert | |
| 20:30 |
| 2025 WC Finals | 10 July 2025 | Venezuela  |
New Zealand |
Prime Ministers' Park, Prince Albert | |
| 14:30 |
Players
[edit]Current squad
[edit]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
|
Catchers Infielders
Outfielders Utility
|
Manager Coaches
| ||
Competitive record
[edit]Men's Softball World Cup
[edit]| 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
[edit]| 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
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "The WBSC Men's Softball World Ranking". WBSC. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
- ↑ "Sox Nation". Softball New Zealand. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ↑ Andrea Blackshaw (9 February 2004). "New Zealand Three-peats at Men's World Championships". International Softball Federation. Archived from the original on 25 October 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
- ↑ "New Zealand downs Aussies for Commonwealth title". International Softball Federation. 30 January 2006. Archived from the original on 25 October 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
- ↑ "NEW ZEALAND BLACK SOX TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT". Softball New Zealand. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ↑ "New coach Thomas Makea names Black Sox softball squad for World Cup qualifier". Stuff. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
External links
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