Are we seeing the end of an era for New Zealand softball at Rosedale Park? Gone are the days of world domination for the Black Sox which came to a screeching halt in 2009, when Australia's Steelers took over as world champion.
The place of softball as a popular sport in New Zealand also seems under threat, with professional baseball wooing some of the top softball players to switch pitching style and ball size in order to make a living and become Olympians.
Can the team with the home advantage make it a fairytale as the future of softball in New Zealand looks fragile?The home team didn't come into the tournament as favourite, following a loss against an Auckland United All-Stars team earlier this year, and it has had a tough time of it in its pool against Mexico, Columbia, Japan, Canada, Argentina and the Philippines. So far, it is hanging on by the skin of its teeth for the play-offs.
In the other pool, title-holder Australia looks formidable, as does four-time champion the United States.
But if there is any story Kiwis love, it is that of the underdog and the battler. Black Sox pitcher Heinie Shannon was hailed a hero as he hobbled through the game against Argentina with an injured calf. Donny Hale scored with the help of Ben Enoka, and Wayne Laulu and Thomas Makea smashed a home run to avenge the loss against Canada.
There is a lot of self-sacrifice in the game of softball for the betterment of the team, and the win against Argentina epitomised this.
As a whole, the sport of softball is willing to make sacrifices in order for at least one of the games played on a diamond to be considered for the 2020 Olympics.
The newly formed World Baseball Softball Confederation has presented a joint bid for a return to the Games by suggesting men's baseball and women's softball tick all the boxes required for an Olympic sport, particularly when it comes to global participation and gender equity.
Softball is played, at some level, in more than 100 countries around the world and, along with baseball, will be competing for a place in the 2020 Games alongside karate, rollersports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding, wushu and the recently dropped wrestling.
Until then, baseball/softball officials and participants wait to see what the IOC decides in September this year.
Unfortunately for the New Zealand men's softball team, the decision on whether softball/baseball is included in the Olympics will probably have a detrimental effect on men's softball generally and the Black Sox specifically, because only women's softball will be included in this marriage of two sports for Olympic consideration.
If the decision goes in favour of baseball/softball, surely many of the top male players in softball will consider transitioning to baseball for good.
The lure of the Olympics is strong and, already in women's rugby, a shift in emphasis from the 15s game to the sevens game is evident, with many players choosing sevens over 15s because of its Olympic shine, and limited funds being directed at the shorter, sharper and sexier version of the game.
Many provincial unions want to do away with women's 15s in favour of a sevens team, because it isn't so draining on their already limited resources and, as a result, women's 15s at the provincial level may experience a slow and painful death over the next few years.
I wouldn't wish that fate on men's softball in New Zealand. But that decision, regarding Olympic inclusion is months away and the last thing the Black Sox need as they enter the latter stages of the tournament is distraction.
This world championship is so humble and real and far removed from the hype and drama surrounding professional baseball or the Olympics.
It really does feel like a swansong for the sport of softball as we know it, and wouldn't it be great if the Black Sox could steal that world title off the Aussie Steelers to make it a happy ending? Now there is a bit of drama I'd love to see.
