Missed chances mar NZ display | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

Hawke's Bay's Junior White Sox softball team assistant coach Kevin Gettins was a man of mixed emotions after the Junior Women's World Series ended in Cape Town yesterday.

While thrilled the Junior White Sox recorded a top-six finish for the first time since 1991 and improved on their 11th placing at the last World Series in 2007, Gettins was also rueful about the side's inability to capitalise on opportunities in their 7-0 quarter-final loss to Australia.

"We had opportunities to score in the second, third, fourth and sixth innings but couldn't convert them to runs," Gettins said.

Australia led 1-0 until the fourth inning when they scored their second run. The Aussies then scored three runs in the fifth inning and another two in the sixth to finish the game.

Bay pitcher and Junior White Sox captain Rita Hokianga pitched the entire game and collected four strikeouts while conceding 10 hits and three walks. Australia out hit the Kiwis 10-7.

The Aussies went on to finish fourth behind title winners United States, runners-up Japan and bronze medallists Chinese Taipei. Canada were fifth.

A grand slam home run (a homer with bases loaded) saw the United States beat Japan 4-1 in the gold medal match. The United States had earlier lost 8-0 in five innings to Japan in the major semifinal and beat Chinese Taipei 12-1 to secure their final berth.

Chinese Taipei beat Australia 2-1 in the bronze medal match.

Keith Dare was the team's scorer and Mike Bills the team's head of delegation. Auckland-based former Bay age-group team coach Israel Nukunuku was the Junior White Sox technical adviser. Shane Hurndell