The New Zealand Black Sox have dropped their three-game softball series to Australia in Canberra.
With preparations underway for the WBSC Softball World Cup Finals next year in Canada, a developmental Black Sox squad fell 2-1 on Monday, with a victory in Game 2, before being blown out in the series decider.
LATEST HEADLINES:
The current world champion Steelers took the rubber game at the Hawker International Softball Complex 11-1 in five innings.
Game 1 was a thriller as both teams strung together three consecutive three-run innings to start the game, making it 9-9 after three. However, a two-out passed ball in the top of the sixth allowed Australia to score the game-winning run, en route to a 10-9 win.
In Game 2, New Zealand recovered from an early 2-0 deficit to clinch an 8-5 win over the hosts.
Australia loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, putting the potential game-winning run at the batter's box, but left-handed pitcher Liam Potts struck out Jarrod Bradbury to end the game.
The series decider was a one-sided affair, with the Steelers scoring seven runs in the bottom of the fourth and Jack Besgrove pitching a complete game. New Zealand's only run was a solo home-run by Dante Makea Matakatea in the top of the fourth.
New Zealand and Australia will be joined at the 2025 WBSC Softball World Cup in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, to be played July 8-13, by world No 1 Argentina, hosts Canada, Japan, Venezuela, USA and Dominican Republic.
In the under-23 series, also played on Monday, New Zealand swept Australia with 3-1, 12-3 and 3-2 wins.