There is something stirring in New Zealand softball right now. It is not loud, not brash, and not built on a single tournament result. It is something more considered than that, something that looks like a programme intentionally laying bricks, one age group at a time, on a foundation that has always been there but has spent a few years finding its footing again. In the space of just over a week at the end of April and into early May, Softball New Zealand's men's pathway sent two separate signals to the world. The Under 23 Black Sox went to Sincelejo, Colombia and finished fourth at the WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup 2026, reaching the bronze medal game in only their second appearance at this age-group championship and doing so in a way that felt like more than a result. And while they were doing that, back home in Palmerston North, the Under 18 Black Sox went through the WBSC Oceania U-18 Men's Softball Qualifier without dropping a single game, beating Australia in the final to earn their berth to the 2027 Under 18 World Cup. Two tournaments. Two nations represented with pride. And a very clear message that the rebuild is not just real, it is accelerating.
Start in Colombia, where the U23 World Cup was held in Sincelejo across nine days of softball that shattered records in almost every direction. The tournament, only the second edition of this championship, drew approximately 100,000 spectators across the two venues, including 10,000 fans on opening day alone at Estadio 20 de Enero, a crowd that set a new single-game record. The atmosphere was relentless and joyful and loud in that particularly South American way, and for a group of young New Zealanders wearing the black jersey on an international stage, it was as complete a test of character as they could have asked for.
New Zealand finished Group A tied with Japan at four wins and one loss, then carried that momentum into the Super Round, where they went three and two to finish third in that phase and set up a bronze medal contest against Mexico. Japan were crowned world champions after beating Australia 2-0 in the final, a result that carried particular weight as it reversed the outcome of the 2023 inaugural edition, where Australia had beaten Japan 1-0 for that first title. The Australians were dominant across the whole tournament, going unbeaten until the final, while New Zealand's run was defined not by dominance but by the kind of competitive edge that breeds belief.
At the centre of it all was Tane Mumu, captain of the Under 23 side and one of the most compelling figures in New Zealand softball's current generation. Mumu plays shortstop and carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who has absorbed what it means to wear black from an early age. He grew up in a system shaped by legends, talked openly about how much the guidance of Mark Sorenson meant to his development, and approaches the captaincy role as a kind of bridge, translating the standards of those who came before him into the players still finding their feet. His tournament in Colombia was not just good. It was record-breaking. Mumu set new all-time marks at the U-23 World Cup for stolen bases, recording seven across the tournament to surpass the previous record of six. He also set new records for walks drawn, reaching base on balls ten times, and finished with an on-base percentage of .667, both tournament bests. They are the kinds of numbers that tell a story about a player who does not just try to do damage with the bat but understands the game at a deeper level, using every tool available to impact an innings. For a country that has historically produced some of the most technically complete softball players on the planet, Mumu fits the mould.
The bronze medal game itself was a tough afternoon. Mexico came in sharp and took control, winning 11-5 to claim third place and leave the New Zealand side to reflect on what had been an outstanding tournament that ultimately fell just short of a podium finish. There was heartbreak in that, as Mumu himself acknowledged, but there was also something to hold onto. New Zealand finished sixth in the inaugural 2023 edition. Two years later they were one game away from a medal, playing in the most vibrant atmosphere this age-group event has ever produced. That is not a coincidence. That is a programme doing the work.
The wider context matters here too. Mumu spoke before the bronze medal game about the 2022 Men's Softball World Cup on home soil, where the senior Black Sox failed to advance past the opening phase. That experience was described as a turning point, a moment that forced honest reflection about what had drifted and what needed to be rebuilt. What followed was gradual and sometimes difficult, including a near-miss in the 2025 World Cup Finals. But the trajectory has been consistently upward, and the Under 23 programme sits right at the intersection of that journey. Most of the players in this group, as Mumu put it, are right on the fringe of senior selection. The experience gained in Colombia, playing deep into a major international tournament against nations like Japan, Australia, Mexico and Venezuela, is invaluable preparation for what comes next.
Then there is what happened in Palmerston North, running concurrently with the Colombia tournament, which in some ways was just as significant a story for the future of the sport in this country. The Under 18 Black Sox hosted the WBSC Oceania U-18 Men's Softball Qualifier across three days, with New Zealand, Australia and American Samoa all competing for the Oceania berth to the 2027 Under 18 World Cup. New Zealand were not just good. They were clinical. They won every game of the round-robin phase, including a 10-4 result over Australia and an 11-1 win over American Samoa, to finish top of the standings and advance directly to the final. Australia placed second after also defeating American Samoa, setting up a rematch of the round-robin encounter for the qualifier.
The final itself told a layered story. Australia drew first blood in the third inning, with Flynn Edards doubling to left field to bring in Cameron Parker, followed by an additional run as the lead grew to two. New Zealand, at home, in front of their own people, responded in the same inning. Mikaera Kingi-Hicks scored on a fielding error. Boston Allan crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Two-all. Then came the fourth inning, and the moment the game truly turned. Rico Ratu hit a two-run home run to centre field, bringing in Jackson Gerbes and putting New Zealand ahead at four runs to two. From that point the game had the feel of a settled contest. Boston Allan added another run in the fifth. Ratu was involved again in the sixth. The final score of 7-2 was a reflection of how composed this group of Under 18s had been across the whole tournament, not reckless or showy, just precise and purposeful.
The significance of qualifying for the 2027 Under 18 World Cup cannot be overstated. It is not simply about the immediate result. It is about the experience these players will gain at a world-level event, the standard they will be measured against, and the pathway they will walk from that point toward senior representation. The U18 programme feeds the U23 programme. The U23 programme feeds the senior Black Sox. That pipeline has produced some of the most decorated men's softball players in history, and getting the next generation into world competition as early as possible is how you keep the whole system moving forward.
Taken together, the two tournaments tell a story that any Softball New Zealand supporter will want to sit with for a moment. The Under 23s went to Colombia and played in a bronze medal game at a world championship. The Under 18s stayed home and won their way to the next world cup. Both groups wore the black jersey with the kind of pride and composure that the programme has always demanded. And both groups leave their respective tournaments with more than just results. They leave with experience, with confidence, and with a clearer sense of where the Black Sox are heading.
The rebuild that began after 2022 is not finished. The senior team still has work to do. The goal has always been to win world titles, and New Zealand has not lifted the Men's Softball World Cup since 2017. But the signs from the younger age groups over the last two weeks are as encouraging as they have been in a long time. The talent is here. The culture is intact. And somewhere in the young men who played in Palmerston North this past weekend, the next generation of players to lead New Zealand back to the very top of the sport is already beginning to take shape.
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