FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   21 July 2014

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-- Argentina defends its title and secures only the second softball world championship for South America   

WHITEHORSE, YK, Canada -- Argentina has defended its title at the ten-nation U-19 Men's Youth Softball World Championship, defeating New Zealand, 9-0, in the gold medal final, after 10 days of world-class softball. (See photos 1, 2, and 3.)  

With the victory, Argentina brings only the second softball world championship title to South America, after winning the first title at the 2012 U-19 Men's Softball World Championship in front of the home crowd in Argentina.

The New Zealand "Black Sox" will take the silver medal back to Oceania, while Japan -- who fell to Argentina in the semifinals, in a battle that went into extra-innings -- will take home the bronze. (*See final standings below.)

For New Zealand, it was the first time since 1997 that the Black Sox had advanced all the way to the championship final, after having defeated neighbour Australia in the semifinal.

"Congratulations to Argentina on retaining the world title and congratulations to the city of Whitehorse for delivering a very successful world championship," said WBSC Executive Vice President Dale McMann. "This special event not only highlights the depth of WBSC's sport disciplines to engage and promote young athletes, but also shows the growing global presence of our sport, especially with countries like Argentina now firmly solidifying South America, and Australia and New Zealand in Oceania competing at world-class levels."

The U-19 Men's Softball World Championship is celebrated every two years, and the next edition will be hosted by Midland, Michigan, USA.

The U-19 world championship event was the showpiece National Team competition in baseball and softball, which concluded this past weekend and featured a total of 54 games. 

At the continental level, world baseball No. 18 Nicaragua was crowned the Under-12 Boy's Pan-American Baseball Champion with a victory over No. 1 USA in Mazatlán, Mexico. In Europe, host Czech Republic defeated Denmark in the final of the European Men's Softball Championship, and the U-19 Girl's Softball European Championship opens up today in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.

The WBSC's 2014 world championship calendar continues with the elite U-15 Baseball World Cup, which will bring together eighteen nations to Sinaloa, Mexico, followed by the Women's Softball World Championship in Haarlem, Netherlands beginning August 15.

 

*U-19 Men's World Championship Final Standings

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About the World Baseball Softball Confederation:

Headquartered in the Olympic Capital city of Lausanne, Switzerland, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) was established in April 2013 and granted recognition as the sole competent authority in baseball and softball by the International Olympic Committee at the 125th IOC Session in September 2013. The WBSC represents a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes worldwide.

The WBSC governs all international competitions involving any of the National Teams of its 141 National Federation members.  

The WBSC also oversees the Baseball World Cups and Softball World Championships and is the only sports organisation in the world that oversees a U-12 youth national team world championship.

The WBSC currently has National Federation members in 141 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas (Caribbean, Central-, North- and South-America), Europe and Oceania. 

For further information, please go to www.WBSC.co.

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