Beginning tomorrow in Sendai, Japan, four of the
top six men’s national softball teams will be competing in a four-day event. The Japan Softball
Association is hosting the 2006 Pacific International Men’s Softball Series, an event sanctioned by the International Softball Federation (ISF).

Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa will join the host country in competing during the tournament that will end on Saturday (May 6).

New Zealand won the ISF’s XI Men’s World Championship in early 2004, with Australia finishing third, Japan coming in fifth, and Samoa finishing sixth.

In addition, New Zealand defeated Australia just over three months ago in the 1st Men’s Commonwealth Softball Championship, at which Samoa finished third.

Looking to successfully defend their titles, the Black Sox have already been playing some warm-up games. Arriving in Japan last Friday, New Zealand went right to work on Saturday, defeating the Japan under-23 team, 9-1. They got even busier on their second full day in the Asian country, winning three times on Sunday. First they defeated the Japan under-23 team again, 8-1. Then the Black Sox shut out a local team from Fukushima, where the warm-up games were being played. Jeremy Manley pitched a complete game, striking out 15 batters and giving up just three hits in a 6-0 victory. In the final game they took on the Japan under-23 team again, this time winning by a score of 8-3.

Later this year in Japan (November 2-5 in Kita-Kyushu), the 8th Asian Men’s Softball Championship will take place. That tournament is a qualifier for the ISF’s XII Men’s World Championship, which will take place in 2009. From September 29 to October 9 another Men’s World Championship qualifying event will take place. The VII Pan American Softball Championship for Men will take place in Hermosillo, Mexico.