The Junior White Sox ended their WBSC U-18 World Cup campaign in São Paulo, Brazil on Sunday 28th July, following a valiant effort that saw the team make the final against Chinese Taipei, and the repecharge against Czechia. 

While the final results was not what we hoped, the talented young JWSX athletes put everything they had into achieving 3rd Place - narrowly missing punching a Group A ticket to the 2025 World Cup. Regardless of their results, we are incredibly proud of the team, the resilience each player has shown, and the passion each girl had throughout the tournament and while wearing the New Zealand jersey.

A facebook post by New Zealand great, Naomi Shaw, encapsulates the the feelings held by our supporters and Softball NZ staff - who have seen the talented young athletes far exceed expectations and put on tremendous performances against national teams that rank far higher than New Zealand. 

Post shared by White Sox legend, Naomi Shaw to the JWSX athletes and staff

While streaming of the WBSX Under 18 Women's world cup was through paid provider GameTime, photos and highlight reels from the event can be found free of charge for those interested in following their journey.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS for each of the games can be found on the WBSC YouTube Channel, or by following the links below which take you to those featuring the New Zealand Junior White Sox. 

• Game 1: JWSX vs Chinese Taipei
• Game 2: JWSX vs Czechia
• Game 3: JWSX vs Brazil
• Game 4: JWSX vs Great Britain
• Game 5: JWSX vs Columbia
• Final: JWSX vs Chinese Taipei 
• Repecharge: JWSX vs Czechia

PHOTOS from the event can be found on the WBSC Flikr. 
 

---> GAME SUMMARIES <---
Below are summaries from each of the games played by our U18 national team. 

GAME 1 - JWSX vs CHINESE TAIPEI

Chinese Taipei exhibited their offensive strength at the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group A opener, securing an 8-4 victory over New Zealand at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi. Despite both teams struggling defensively, with a combined seven errors, Chinese Taipei's consistent scoring sealed the win. 
 

Yi-Ting Chou delivered an impressive performance, pitching 4.1 innings of one-hit ball, recording three strikeouts, and allowing just one walk. The top four hitters in Chinese Taipei’s lineup each contributed with two hits, while Yu-Ling Wu scored three times and Jia-Jhen Cheng drove in two runs.

New Zealand’s McKenzie Bailey-McDowell took the loss, conceding eight hits, six runs, and two walks, while striking out two.

Chinese Taipei struck first in the opening inning with a Yu-Ling Wu single followed by a Yu-Lan Wang RBI double. They added another run in the second with Chen-Hsuan Chang’s triple and Wei-Chi Lin’s RBI single. A three-run rally in the third, bolstered by singles from Cheng and Yen-Ting Chiu, extended their lead to 5-0.

New Zealand finally got on the board in the fourth with Kaiyah Ratu’s hit, but their momentum was halted by a double play. Chinese Taipei capitalised on a defensive error in the fourth to make it 6-0. New Zealand rallied in the sixth, scoring four runs, but Chinese Taipei answered back with two more in their half, sealing the 8-4 victory.

The Junior White Sox squad and management, line up for the national anthem

GAME 2 - JWSX vs CZECHIA

Maiarangi Waipara homered in the fifth inning and Kaiyah Ratu tallied four RBIs in New Zealand's 8-3 win over Czechia, closing Day 2 of the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group A at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
 

McKenzie Bailey-McDowell earned the win for New Zealand, allowing seven hits and three unearned runs while striking out four. She lowered her ERA to 3.11 for the tournament. For Czechia, Nikola Skardova took the loss, surrendering four hits and four runs in three innings.

Czechia took an early lead in the top of the third inning when Amalie Kalcevova reached on a fielding error by third baseman Maysen Kurene-Iwikau. Kristyna El Ghannam then hit a line drive to centre field, scoring Kalcevova and giving Czechia a 1-0 lead.

New Zealand responded immediately in the bottom of the third. With one out, Bailey-McDowell and Poppy Priddle singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Ratu then hit a clutch two-run go-ahead triple, putting New Zealand ahead. Maysen Kurene-Iwikau walked and Waipara added two more runs with a single to right field, extending the lead to 4-1.

In the top of the fourth, Czechia scored another run as New Zealand struggled on defence. Iva Strakova walked and scored on three consecutive throwing errors, making it 4-2.

New Zealand answered back in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run rally. Siobhan Bolger's run-scoring single and Ratu's two-RBI single extended their lead to 7-2. Waipara sealed the win in the fifth inning with a no-doubt homer, making it 8-2.

Despite Czechia's effort to rally in the fifth, New Zealand’s defence held firm, allowing just one more unearned run and securing the 8-3 victory.

The team celebrate the homerun by Maiarangi Waipara

GAME 3 - JWSX vs BRAZIL

Brazil outlasted New Zealand 8-6 on Thursday in Game 11 of the tournament to claim their second win in the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group A at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

Ana Luiza Saito went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, earning her the Player of the Day title. Amanda Handa also had a multi-hit game from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored. Handa also pitched the complete game for Brazil, allowing eight hits, six runs and four walks, with six strikeouts.

Brazil took an early lead in the first inning. Saito and Maria Julia Pedroso singled with one out, moved to second on a sac bunt, and then scored easily with a long two-run single by Beatriz Nakamura, putting Brazil ahead 2-0.

A pair of RBI singles by Saito and Handa, along with two defensive errors, allowed Brazil to score three more runs in the top of the second, extending their lead to 5-0.

New Zealand answered back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Siobhan Bolger hit a two-out, two-RBI triple, and then scored on a Kaiyah Ratu double to centre field, making it 5-3 for Brazil.

In the fourth inning, Saito drove in Bruna Notoya with a grounder to shortstop, extending Brazil's lead to 6-3. Maya Mune later scored on a Notoya double down the left field line, followed by Notoya scoring on a single by Handa, making it 8-3 for Brazil.

New Zealand mounted a late comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs, but their efforts fell short. Brazil held on for an 8-6 victory.

Hutt Valley pitcher, Angela Harrison, takes the mound against Brazil.

GAME 4 - JWSX vs GREAT BRITAIN
New Zealand JWSX secured their spot in Saturday's Play-Offs after winning a roller-coaster game against Great Britain 13-11 on Friday in the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group A at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

The game started with a big inning for New Zealand, scoring four runs in the top of the first. A single and back-to-back hit-by-pitches loaded the bases for Maiarangi Waipara, who hit a double off the centre field wall to plate two. A pair of bases-loaded hit-by-pitches scored two more runs, giving New Zealand a 4-0 lead. Great Britain responded with two runs in the bottom half, making it 4-2.

In the top of the second, New Zealand added two more runs with a triple by Kaiyah Ratu and a double by Maysen Kurene-Iwikau, extending their lead to 6-2. However, Great Britain mounted a six-run rally in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a leadoff homer by Mia Krueger and a two-run single by Jenna Thompson, to take an 8-6 lead.

New Zealand tied the game in the fourth inning with an RBI single by McKenzie Bailey-McDowell. In the top of the sixth, New Zealand mounted a four-run rally to take a three-run lead. With two outs and bases loaded, Savannah Farrar hit a single down the left field line, misplayed by the left fielder, allowing the Junior Black Sox to take an 11-8 lead.

In the top of the seventh, Clover Alapaki hit an RBI single and Starr scored on a grounder to second base, extending New Zealand's lead to 13-8. Great Britain made a late push, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but New Zealand held on for the 13-11 victory.

The Junior White Sox stand for the anthem alongside Great Britain.

GAME 5 - JWSX vs COLUMBIA

New Zealand secured an 11-9 comeback victory over Colombia to clinch their spot in the Play-Offs of the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group A at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Building on her momentum from the first game, Penny Starr's performance was pivotal in New Zealand's victory. New Zealand took an early lead with Maysen Kurene-Iwikau's run-producing double in the first inning and a two-RBI single by Starr in the second. Colombia tied the game in the bottom of the second, capitalising on defensive errors and a two-RBI single by Sophia Loreto, making it 3-3.

New Zealand regained the lead in the third inning with a triple by Kaiyah Ratu, an RBI single by Kurene-Iwikau, and a run-scoring double by Maiarangi Waipara, making it 5-3. They extended their lead to 7-3 by the fourth inning, with Caitlin Henderson scoring on a squeeze play and Ratu driving in Starr with a single.

Colombia fought back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, with an Audrey Lum two-run single and an RBI single by Brooke Zuluaga, closing the gap to 7-6. Colombia then took the lead in the fifth with a double by Jazmin Mejia and a triple by Loreto, making it 9-7.

In the top of the seventh, down to their last out, New Zealand mounted a comeback. Clover Alapaki's single and a fielding error by Zuluaga tied the game. Starr then drove in two more runs, bringing her total to four RBIs for the game, and giving New Zealand the final 11-9 advantage. Angela Harrison pitched 4.1 innings in relief, earning the win.

JWSX players Siobhan Bolger and Jayda Walters-Rangitihi cheer from the dugout.

FINAL - JWSX vs CHINESE TAIPEI

Chinese Taipei secured the first Finals 2025 ticket in the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group A with a 9-1 victory in five innings, completing their undefeated campaign with a walk-off home run by Jin-Lin Juang at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Saturday.

Pitcher Yi-Ting Chou was stellar in the circle, striking out six in five innings, giving up only two hits and one run. She finished the tournament as the leader in ERA, boasting an impressive 0.51 in 13.1 innings pitched.

Chinese Taipei struck first with one run in their first at-bat. Yu-Ching Lo singled down the left field line and moved to third after a stolen base and a sac bunt. With two outs and runners on the corners, she scored on a steal play at second base. Chinese Taipei led 1-0.

Wei-Chi Lin hit a two-out triple to centre field in the second inning and scored four pitches later on a throwing error by shortstop Poppy Starr. Chinese Taipei extended their lead to 2-0.

With two outs in the third inning, Yu-Ling Wu walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. She scored on an RBI single by Yu-Lan Wang. Chinese Taipei now led 3-0.

Poppy Priddle singled and Kaiyah Ratu doubled to put two runners in scoring position in the fourth inning. Priddle then scored on a sac fly to centre field by Maysen Kurene-Iwikau.

Chinese Taipei used six hits, including a two-run walk-off homer by pinch hitter Jin-Lin Juang, to score six runs and finish the game in the bottom of the fifth. Chinese Taipei won 9-1.

The Junior White Sox performing their haka before the final against Chinese Taipei

REPECHARGE - JWSX vs CZECHIA

Nikola Skardova's second dominant performance, featuring 10 strikeouts, lifted Czechia to a 7-1 win against New Zealand in the Repechage game of the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group A on Saturday at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi in Sao Paulo, Brazil, securing their ticket to the Finals 2025.

Skardova allowed only three hits and one run in seven innings of work. Kristyna El Ghannam drove in Amalie Kalcevova in the top of the first for the first run of the game, and Denisa Sustrova plated two with a single to make it 3-0. New Zealand's only run of the game was an inside-the-park home run by Poppy Priddle in the bottom of the first.

After five innings, Skardova had pitched a gem. She collected eight strikeouts while giving up only one run on three hits. The game remained 3-1 in favour of the European champions.

Czechia broke open the game in the top of the seventh with a four-run rally, capped by back-to-back RBI singles by Iva Strakova and Sara Rolfesova, extending their lead to 7-1.

Czechia join Chinese Taipei and hosts USA as the three teams with a secured spot in the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2025, to be played in Dallas.

Article added: Monday 29 July 2024