Local debuts for White Sox

By Frank Neill

Newlands resident Emma Francis made her international Softball debut when she played for the White Sox against Czechoslovakia on 18 July.

Not only did she debut, Emma earned a special visit and compliment from the match umpire at the after game function.

That happened because of her outstanding catching performance, and Emma added a single in her turn at bat.

Emma has also been a member of the White Sox team in Group C at the WBSC Softball World Cup group stage.

That tournament was held in Castions di Straded and Buttrio, Italy, from 22 to 26 July.

The top two teams from each group, plus two wild cards, will advance to the XVII Women’s Softball World Cup Finals, to be played in Italy in 2024.

Emma has been playing the game with the Johnsonville

Softball Club since she was a young child.

A former student at Newlands College, she now works in childcare.