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Lara Andrews, at bat for the NZ White Sox women’s softball team in 2020, captained the team at the 2023 World Cup qualifying tournament in Italy.
Another New Zealand women’s sports team has lost to the Philippines to dash their World Cup dream.
Just hours after the Football Ferns’ 1-0 defeat to the Philippines in a FIFA Women’s World Cup match in Wellington, the White Sox lost to their Filipino rivals at the women’s Softball World Cup qualifying tournament in Italy.
The Philippines beat the New Zealanders 5-3 on Wednesday (NZ time) and went on to upset Italy to clinch the final place in the tournament playoffs at Buttrio and Castions di Strada in north-east Italy.
New Zealand could potentially have advanced to the final-four if they had beaten the Filipinos, who, in turn, edged out Venezuela by virtue of their 6-5 win over world No 8 Italy. The Philippines scored twice in the final inning to seal victory in a game completed from the fourth innning on Wednesday after an overnight rain delay.
The White Sox – coached by three-time former Black Sox world champion Donny Hale – ended the Group C qualifying round-robin play with one win and four losses and were to play off for fifth and sixth place with Venezuela late Wednesday (NZ time).
World Baseball Softball Confederation
New Zealand White Sox softball coach Donny Hale (R) with his fellow coaches before the World Cup qualifier in Italy.
They opened with a 16-2 loss to world No 2 Japan, with outfielder Nerissa McDowell batting in both runs, and were then beaten 9-0 by Italy after conceding 10 safe hits overall, and seven runs in the final inning.
Veteran infielder Katrina Nukunuku – at her fifth world tournament – sparked a comeback 4-3 win over Venezuela, driving in two runs to tie at 3-3 before forcing an error for the winning run in the seventh inning.
The White Sox lost to Canada 4-0, recording three safe hits to Mikayla Werahiko, McDowell and catcher Otila Tavite. Canada had eight hits, including a solo homerun to Kianna Jones.
New Zealand went into the Philippines game knowing a win could potentially cement a playoffs place.
The Philippines Blue Girls opened the top of the first inning with a two-run home run by Nicole Hammoude, but Rebecca Bromhead singled for the White Sox in the bottom of the first to score Werahiko and pinch runner Brooke Whiteman.
The Blue Girls jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the third inning after Angelu Gabriel doubled to drive in two runs, but Bromhead drew a bases-loaded walk to score the White Sox’s third run in the fourth frame.
Gabriel batted in Alaiza Talisk for the Philippines’ insurance run in the top of the seventh.
Bromhead and Gabriel both had three RBIs, while the Philippines outbatted the Kiwis nine hits to six. Werahiko, Bromhead, captain Lara Andrews, Emma Francis, Erin Blackmore and Meeki Cooper-Nicola had hits for the White Sox.
Shortstop Werahiko was the White Sox’s top batter across the five round-robin games, with a .333 average (five safe hits from 15 at-bats), followed by Andrews, McDowell and Blackmore on .300 (3 from 10).
The White Sox scored nine runs across their first five games and conceded 37, with their four pitchers giving up 46 safe hits and combining for a 7.23 ERA (earned runs average).
The Italy venture was the White Sox’s first international softball in three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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