AFC Finals Review - 14/03/08

   After 12 years, another double, as Mt Albert Ramblers celebrated deep into the night after the men and women, along with the reserves and some other senior sides, won titles on the last day of the season.

   But it could have been quite different but for some top batting performances which took both sides out of trouble.

   For the men it was a reward for another outstanding local season when it won 19 of the 20 Auckland Fastpitch Championship games (including finals’ day).

   For the women it was the first season back since it won the title in 95-96 season when the men also won. Ramblers has three doubles, 1982-83, 1993-94 and 1995-96 before this year. But 1996 was the last time the women were in top action so this revival has had a fairy tale finish.

   Congratulations to player-coach Venita Hokai, still a force at 45 years of age, featuring for her side in the onerous catching position. Her determination, plus the knowledge gained playing at top level here and overseas, has taken this team of youngsters a long way. The influence of former internationals Tuhi Cooper and Michelle Kingi has been a huge boost.

   For the men it was another triumph for player-coach Donny Hale even if his bat was not dominating play as it usually does. These days he gets only a few seconds in the batting box before he gets the deliberate walk but he has coached the others to get the crucial hits.

   Hale and assistant Nathan Nukunuku have created a side capable of taking the nationals again and creating an Auckland record of successive national men’s titles, as he has in the national league.

   However he and the team will hope that Thomas Cameron hits top form with the ball as well as bat.

   Three of the final four were from Mt Albert, with Metro a short cycle ride away from the other two sides.

 

Semi-final One (1 v 4)

Metro (4)                    0          6          0          0          0          3          0 =  9

Ramblers        2          1          0          8          1          0          x = 12

   Riki Tourangi, Les Haslam and BJ Kairau umpired, with Frances Harlick the official scorer.

   This was an extra-ordinary match with two huge innings. But the first drama came off field with the news that Metro pitcher Steve Tau, plagued by a knee injury most of the season, could barely walk. He was not to take part in the game, even though his name had been entered on the team sheet. That may have been a ploy by Metro player-coach Dion Nukunuku.

   Up stepped young Dane Valdemar Terkelsen who walked right into a mess with Michael Cameron and Aaron Thompson both hitting to start the inning. It was classic ambush play by Ramblers and things looked bad. Thompson had hit Cameron home. Then Nathan Nukunuku walked, Hale was hit by a pitch, Scott O’Neale was given a walk and Bernard Hale walked. That scored Thompson and Metro scrambled to get the outs.

   Thomas Cameron led off with a right field hit in the second but went out at second when Mike Gibbs gained base. Mike Cameron hit him home and it seemed like the classic run creep, bit by bit to demolition.

   Not so. Garth Pollard, who was to play a big part in the match, hit the first of his three shots to lead off, went on a wild pitch and two separate errors as Ramblers suddenly looked vulnerable. Josh Niu was on base on one, then Terkelsen hit. Rod Caddy, always able to produce it seems, and an error, scored Terkelsen.

   Ramblers tried to get Caddy at third but failed and Dion Nukunuku propelled a homer over centre field for a classic example of pressure batting. 6-3. The large crowd was stunned. So, it seemed, was Ramblers.

   The shock lasted until the fourth when Thomas Cameron doubled on to base to lead off. Two passed balls later and he was home. Brother Mike was walked, as was Thompson, and on came Caddy to pitch. It was a brave decision, and a big shock (to Caddy as well). He started with the decision to allow Hale first base. Then Hale played his ace, pulling Bobbie King off the bench to pinch hit.

   Three pitches later Ramblers hit the lead when King thumped a grand slam.

   It changed the attitude of the game. Metro’s lead evaporated and so did a measure of confidence. An error allowed Bernard Hale on board, Lawrence Naera doubled and up stepped Thomas Cameron for his second hit of the turn. A home run, a beauty at that, sailed over left field and the inning had piled on enough runs to win two games.

  In the meantime Pollard had taken two more hits, with no assistance, and Gabriel had his second hit. Metro could not catch up.

   Then Mike Cameron started the fifth with a home run and made it worse so Metro went into the sixth wanting a miracle, or two. Patrick Langlois made a little of it come true by gaining a walk. So did Caddy and then it was Gabriel with a home run, his third hit from four. 12-9 but two down. Another miracle? No.

   Metro had out-hit the champion side 11-8 but lost 12-9. Ramblers made two errors which cost runs and Metro one. Cameron conceded ten hits, Terkelsen four and Caddy four, but Ramblers received eight walks to five.

   It was a game taken by King’s big hit and the Thomas barrage. The brothers hit three each from four, with Mike getting a walk as well. Caddy was 1/2 with two walks, Gabriel 2/3, Pollard 3/4 with Niu 2/4 as well as forcing an error with a crisp shot.

 

   On the other diamond there was another less active drama going on as United pressed to get one more win against a Northcote side it had downed twice in championship play. The usual names were involved.

Semi-final Two. (2 v 3)

United             0          0          3          0          1          0          0          2 = 6

Northcote(2)   2          0          0          0          0          0          2          0 = 4

   Jeff Weber, Lance Type and Anthony “Bunchy” Te Whero umpired with Harriet Tomlin the official scorer.

   Dean Wallace, soon to be a dad again, dropped a perfect surprise bunt to lead off, stole two bases, aided by Leon Lambert’s sacrifice, and Brad Rona followed up with one of his special home runs. Great start and real encouragement for Northcote’s off –field management pairing of manager Dave Boswell and scorer Brian Beales.

   Isaac Fletcher was hit by a pitch but Jarrad Martin then struck out three and then four in the next inning when one was dropped and made first. Heinie Shannon was also taking care of the Northcote batters.

   Then Fletcher livened up proceedings with a double, advancing on a wild pitch and scoring after a double from Kurt Allan, one of the other stars of the season. Thomas Enoka tripled to score Allan and Shannon, who had been put on base, and that was the end of Northcote’s lead.

   Rona was allowed first base in the fourth and Martin followed with a sacrifice but Rona was stranded on third. He had another hit in the sixth.

   Allan strikes like a cobra and he was at it again in the fifth, hitting such a long centre field home run that centerfielder Michael Boaler just stood there watching it like a plane going over. There was no point running to the fence, unless to see if it landed in the rough by the sea front.

   Then Northcote hit back, just as it seemed all over for the season. Jason Gerbes, that most enthusiastic of bat swingers, hit to left. Boaler did the same and Gerbes was sprinting past three, going home on an error when Murray Hawke caused confusion. Two scored in the flurry and it was all even.

   There was the immediate tiebreaker and United had Allan on base. It was fitting that Shannon hit him home and then scored on a centre field shot from Kallan Campain, the new youth international. Northcote did not answer, but Shannon waved Rona on to first base and another error allowed Martin and Rona to advance, but that was it. All that was left of the season was a match between two clubs separated by only a short walk.

 

The final:

United             0          0          0          0          1          0          1 = 2

Ramblers        0          0          2          1          0          2          x = 5

   Joe Forsyth’s dream of taking United to the top was close to coming true, and closer than the final score indicated. The hits came but the runs did not follow even though eight of the side made base in the game.

   Fletcher’s form continued with a lead-off hit to left but Allan’s shot was well caught by Bernie Hale before Shannon’s right field hit took  Fletcher to second. Ben Enoka sacrificed but Fletcher was left on third.

   Mike Cameron has had a brilliant season in every way and leads the league in silence as well (along with Heinie Shannon). He led off with a smart shot to left and was speeding to second on it when Ben Enoka scooped up the ball and whipped it to Brock Williams for a wonderful out. What a way to start the game for United.

   United’s second scoring chance came in the second when, with two out, Haydn Wildbore walked and Reece Gasson hit. Gasson was another of United’s quiet heroes of the season as he improved week after week.

   With Fletcher at bat there was the big chance but a catch in left field ended hopes again.

   United’s third featured a fierce drive by Allan but it was met with a brilliant Nathan Nukunuku out from shortstop.

   Ramblers struck in the third. Once again it was Thomas Cameron who made the break with a single to right but his brother put him out on a fielder’s choice. Aaron Thompson singled, followed by another from Nukunuku and Cameron minor scored. Hale forced an error at shortstop and Thompson scored but Nukunuku was tagged at third on the play.

   With two out in the fourth, Nick McGregor hit to centre and Wildbore followed with another, pushing the speeding McGregor to third but it all faded.

   Bernie Hale walked in the fourth and was out on King’s fielder’s choice before King was caught leaving too soon. Then Ramblers’ had another hero when Lawrence Naera pounded a right field shot which hit the top pipe rail of the fence and bounced over.

   It was a crucial shot as Fletcher then belted his own home run over the same fence. Allan hit on base for his third dangerous shot of the game and made second when  Shannon was out on the fielder’s choice.

   Ben Enoka was given first base but the rally faded and another chance was gone.

   Wildbore lifted United’s hopes with his second hit but a double play rescued a situation where Gasson had forced an error and another hope crashed.

   Once again it was King who made the game safe for the reigning champion. Nunukunu had his second shot to centre field, Bernie Hale was taken out by a superb Williams’ catch but King hit over the fence to make it 5-1. It was the buffer that Ramblers needed, especially when Allan forced a seventh-inning error, once again at third base.

   He charged on to second and, with two out, scored on a Thomas Enoka hit but then Enoka went out at second on a fielder’s choice and the game was over. The four-run gap was just too far for a United side which had taken nine hits to Ramblers’ eight.

   Shannon threw to 25 batters in six innings while Cameron pitched to 33 with just one strikeout each. Cameron walked two, on deliberate, with Shannon one.

   Fletcher was 2/4, Wildbore 2/2 with a walk with five others getting one each. Thompson, following his season form, hit in important games at 2/3 along with Nukunuku with four getting one hit each.

   The United management team of Forsyth, Mark Fletcher, Duncan Enoka and scorer-manager Harry Wooding certainly poured the time into this squad and it was a great United year. The club is back in a big way.

   The umpires were Lance Type, Riki Tourangi and Andrew Laird with Francis Harlick the official scorer.

 

   The crowd, which was by far the biggest of the season, grew even larger for the women’s final as Ramblers’ premiers and reserves, winners of their grades, gathered up with other club supporters to make it the best day of all.

   The underdogs, Ramblers and Waitakere Bears, were centre stage and the conditions were even more perfect than they had been all day. The sun and lack of wind made it a hot place to be.

 

Ramblers        0          0          0          0          0          1          1          4 = 2

Bears              1          0          0          0          0          0          1          0 = 6

   Don’t be fooled by the final score look at the innings scores with Bears in the lead almost all game. Then the “incident report” of the game which shows that Ramblers assembled 11 hits, two walks and two deliberate walks and had five struck out against Joyce De Witz. Bears took only four hits against Michelle Kingi and had exactly the same walks as Ramblers, with eleven struck out.

   There were five scoring chances for Ramblers in the first six innings but, strangely, Bears always seemed in control as the fielders rescued each situation.

   Umpires were Les Haslam, Andrew Laird and Ricki Tourangi. Official scorer was Tania Irving.

   Ramblers’ first featured a two-out triple by pitcher Kingi who was really stretched, but then had to stand there and wait in vain.

   For Bears it was the old story. Get the lead-off batter on base, particularly with a walk, and you will get the potential winning run. Kyla Bromhead, the shortstop with the most powerful throw in the Auckland women’s game (and she could out-perform many men), won the walk, took two passed balls and a triple by sister Tegan to score. But Tegan was stranded on third as well. It was a crucial at-bat for Bears.

   Tuhi Cooper, who has done so much for this rookie team all season, led off with a second inning hit but also waited on third in hope.   

   DP Karina Anderson hit to centre but was left off base when a catch set up a double play to end that threat.

   Player-coach Venita Hokai has dragged and coerced this group of younger players along all season and was featuring behind the plate as the catcher who can get the best out of the talented Kingi by using her mixture of charm and relentless pressure. She was playing beyond her years.

  Hokai was on base with her first hit in the fourth and advanced on a wild pitch. Jarrah Tuoro was put on base with a walk but that was the end of that chance before Bears had a real chance to clinch the game in the fifth when there were hits to Simone Edwards, Michelle Venemore and a triple to Kyla Bromhead, but no run. The reason was that one was out on an attempted steal, cut down by Hokai’s throw, and the other by leaving too soon. It was a giant opportunity throw away.

   With Kingi on with a walk in the sixth, Hokai singled. Two outs later Carmonita Roebeck did too and Kingi scored, just when it seemed that Bears had a title all tied up. But the Bears’ batters faded away and Ramblers started to realise that the game was swinging.

   The tiebreakers saw plenty of action. Bears started with a sacrifice by Cooper and Jarrah Tuoro forced an uncharacteristic error at shortstop to score one run. Then came a fine double play to take out Tuoro and Whitney Brown with Bears’ brilliant catcher Mereana Joseph in the middle. It was a game-saving move.

   Then Bears tied it again with a stolen base followed by a wild pitch with Kyla Bromhead’s double a bonus wasted.

   Ramblers’ ninth saw Whitney Brown on second base as the runner and Karina Anderson was given a walk. Emma Scowcroft, who had sneaked a hit in the fifth, sacrificed with a bunt to first base and Hokai pulled off a master stroke in using pinch hitter Janice Anderson who rifled a shot into left field to score Karina and Brown.

   Kingi was also gifted first base and Hokai made it on a fielder’s choice. Cooper’s experience, contrasted with Janice Anderson’s rookie poise, saw another hit to left and two more scored, setting Bears too big a tally to catch and Kingi took out the last three threats.

   It had been a long battle but Kingi had been the difference.

   Umpire Haslam’s calls had the catchers a little perplexed as well as the batters and the pitchers had to struggle but Bears had the chance after fine fielding almost all the way.

   So Ramblers clinched the double, the Awards’ Night was sure to be a success for them and they celebrated at the clubrooms later as well. The club’s annual prize night, if more successes await at the club nationals, could be the event of the season.

   (Former top pitcher Tom Kingi, father of Michelle, was coaching on base but making the most of his time without crutches as he waits for his leg to heal. He did not have to avoid any fierce foul balls, and just as well).

  

   The Ramblers’ squad was: Coach Donny Hale with assistant Nathan Nukunuku. Thomas Cameron, Aaron Thompson, Scott O’Neale, Michael Cameron, Lawrence Naera, Nathan Nukunuku, Donny Hale, Bernard Hale, Michael Gibbs, Bobbie King, Lyndon Andrew, John Hireme, Adam Carter, Luke Johnson, Tipene Paul and Dwayne McCall, with team scorer Deanna Callaghan. The women: Player-coach Venita Hokai, Michelle Kingi, Jarrah Tuoro, Janelle Mase, Emma Scowcroft, Tuhi Cooper, Carmonita Roebeck, Whitney Brown,  Karina Anderson, Janice Anderson, Gillian Wills, Andi Griffiths, Jonah Tipene, manager Maea Petherick, scorer Debbie Townley, assistant coach Tom Kingi.

.

 

   So ended the domestic season. It was a triumph for the three Mt Albert clubs, with Bears’ men and women having their joy also, and the usual glimmer of hope for Northcote, the side which is always there, or very close.

   A very entertaining battle all the way between the five clubs chasing Ramblers. They were so even they knocked each other over all the way.

   For next season there is the 70^th celebration of Auckland softball, United’s 60^th and the hope that both United and Papatoetoe will enter women’s teams. It seems from the finals’ days at Norana that there is huge talent in the west with Bears and Magpies, as well as the east with Howick. Things are looking bright in the game due to the hard work of the loyal bands of club people all over the city.

   The situation around the possible sale of the ballpark is still revolving around drainage issues but the condition of the whole site is a worry for the ASA and the clubs. Watch this space.

  

 

 

 

AFC Review - 7, 8, 9 March 2008

Women’s semi-finals. 2008. Top sides tipped out of championship final.

   When you don’t bat at the right time, things can go wrong and a whole season went down the drain for minor champion Marist and co-leader Northcote at Norana on Saturday.

   Despite the season-long dominance of the two teams, the Auckland Fastpitch final will be between rookie club Ramblers, back in the top grade for the first time in ten years, and the torn-apart Waitakere Bears. Rookie club Metro, a national champion group like Ramblers, came into being when some of the Bears’ top players switched over.

   So it is a tale of triumph of the little people, or a tragedy when the system lets top sides down. It is possible to lose just one game in a season and not make the final, although Marist and Northcote did have some losses.

Ramblers        0          2          1          0          0          0          0 = 3

Northcote       0          0          0          0          1          0          0 = 1

   It was Michal Tangaroa for Northcote versus Michelle Kingi, two of the current great New Zealand pitchers. Kingi allowed four hits from 28 batters, struck out 14 in a great display and conceded two walks, one intentional.

   Tangaroa also struck out 14 to show her class, but conceded nine hits and no walks from 30 batters.

   The main damage came in the second when player-coach Venita Hokai, always keen and determined, despite the many years of playing and coaching, led off with a single to centre and advanced on a passed ball. Jarrah Tuoro came up with the double to score the DR and then came home on a passed ball.

   Young Emma Scowcroft, still at Westlake Girls, in the national under-17 squad and just 16, hit to right in the third, stole a base and scored on Kingi’s left field shot. The damage was done.

   Tuoro had other hits in the fourth and the sixth. Hokai had a hit in the sixth too, along with Tuhi Cooper, but Northcote survived that pressure. Janelle Mase had the only other Ramblers’ hit.

   Northcote threatened briefly in the second when Katy Hetherington hit to right to lead off but Kingi cancelled out any chance. Tangaroa was on base in the fourth with a short hit but it was not until the sixth when Lisa Hau, with one out, forced an error and went two bases on a wild pitch, scoring on Aroha Haretuku’s short single.

   Victoria Reyland raised hopes again in the seventh with a lead off hit to right, stole a base and went to third on a sacrifice by Elissa Karlsen but that was it. The surprise had come, with Ramblers originally just delighted to be in third place.

   Umpires were Andrew Laird and Tony Irving, with Christine Nukunuku doing the official scorekeeping.

 

Marist 0          0          0          0          0          1          0 = 1

Bears  2          0          0          0          0          0          x = 2

   Bears took advantage of three consecutive walks in the first as Sheree Cartwright, another of the country’s top pitchers, allowed Rebecca Bromhead, sister Tegan and Mereana Joseph on base, with one out.

   The Bromheads scored, but not on hits. Passed balls, a wild pitch and a sacrifice by Kayla Clark was enough to seal the win, even if they did not believe it at the time.

   It was a no-hit inning, as were the next two, although Tegan was on base in the third, hit by a pitch. Cartwright hit to start the second but was out at second base and the rally faded. Bears’ Kyla Bromhead hit in the fourth but was left on second base.

   The pitchers dominated until the sixth when American Joyce De Witz, with two out, allowed Sina Hunkin a look at a pitch. It went into right field and Cartwright followed with her second hit, a double past second into the outfield and Hunkin sprinted around.

   But Marist, beaten by Northcote in last season’s final after startling Bears with some bunt plays in the semi, was the top team beaten by the fourth-ranked.

   Cartwright pitched to 23, struck out 7, walked 4 and allowed two hits. De Witz faced 28 with five K, 4 walks, one of them deliberate, and conceded three hits.

   It was a day of few hits, and of shocks. The winners will play off for the championship on Saturday afternoon.

   Tony Irving and Andrew Laird umpired, aided by official scorer Christine Nukunuku.

 

Men’s Plate: Howick 7 Eden Roskill 4.

Men’s play-offs:

   Sunday opened with a short match between Metro and United, to finish off the championship series after both sides had scored in the tiebreaker at Fowlds on Thursday night to leave it at 3-3 when light faded.

   When Steve Tau took out the three United batters with the tiebreaker runner unable to move off second it was a golden chance for Metro to keep moving on after the previous day’s elimination of Bears from second place contention.

   Up stepped youth international Ben Enoka and hit the first pitch into left field and it was all over.

   Then the discussion started as Metro, United and Northcote had the same number of points, with Bears and Marist already assured of quarter-final spots. United coach Joe Forsyth argued that as United had beaten Northcote twice it meant that United had the free pass to the semi-finals but the tied team formula determined that Northcote had the better runs for and against ratio and Northcote could go home for the day to leave the others to fight it out.

   So Marist was to play United and Metro faced Bears, the side it had beaten the day before.

Marist             0          1          0          1          0 = 2

United             1          1          3          4          x = 9

   Kurt Allan, once again, set the tone for the game with a powerful home run which still seemed to be going level over the fence. Marist had the chances in the first when Mike Niu won a walk from Heinie Shannon and Jonny Munden followed with a hit but Shannon closed down the attack.

   Jerome Haretuku, who has had a fine season, forced an error in the second, stole a base and went on to third when catcher Reece Gasson let fly with a throw to get Haretuku out at second. It misfired, hitting the crouching Shannon on the forehead.

   It was the second head shot for the talented Black Sox pitcher in seven days after the national league final when a batted ball hit his temple. Shannon went down as Haretuku went to third. Despite the fears of all players and fans, Shannon made it back on his feet but he was stunned.

   Later he said that he had lost focus after the incident. Anyone watching him pitch would not have noticed. He went on to cancel out all threats, but not before Taiki Apu punched a shot to shortstop to score the equalising run.

   Nick McGregor was walked in United’s third, advanced on an error as Kallan Compain bunted before scoring on Hadyn Wildbore’s hit.

   Niu led off with a hit in the third but was left on base.

   United’s third was a sign of things to come. With one out, Allan hit another home run over centre field in a masterly display of his season-long talents. With two down it was Ben Enoka with a single, McGregor with a double, followed by an error and United had the lead.

   Jerome Haretuku brightened Marist’s hopes with a fourth inning home run but in the fourth United attacked again, starting with a Gasson double. Brock Williams walked, Isaac Fletcher doubled to score two, Allan was hit with a pitch (which was as good a way to stop him hitting as most) and both scored on an Enoka double.

   Les Haslam was the sole umpire, with Harriet Tomlin the official scorer.

   Marist’s season, which has been an encouraging period of growth for the team under coach John Love, was over, apart from some plate engagements, if any.

   For United it was a Saturday semi-final date with Northcote, a team it had beaten twice in championship play.

 

   With a loss to Metro the previous day, Bears went into the match determined to make amends. Pitcher Jeff Farion had been in fine form since the holiday break and the fielders had done their worst in the loss.

   And the start was excellent for the Starling Park squad.

Metro             0          0          0          5          6 = 11

Bears  1          0          1          0          0 =  2

   Three Metro turns went by with no score but it was a false dawn for Bears. Even Rod Caddy and Duane Jerard, the destroyers the day before, had gone out. Bears’ lead-off batter Gordon Hooper had scored after a sharp shot back past pitcher Steve Tau. Travis Miller sacrificed, Pat Shannon had a painful pitch into his leg and Gerry Long sacrificed to the outfield for the score.

   Casey Eden started the third with a home run over left field and it took a double play to get Hooper, on with another hit, and Shannon, on with a deliberate walk, out at second when Long’s hit went right there, at speed.

   Caddy may not have started with his usual hit but he did in the fourth, right past Farion, at speed. Roman Gabriel had a brilliant drive to centre

   Dion Nukunuku doubled and charged on to third, forcing an error that allowed both to score. The lead was cancelled and the rest of the inning was bonus.

   Nukunuku was taken out in a run-down play but Jerard was deliberately walked and a wild pitch advanced him. It was a busy time for the scorers as Garth Pollard made base on a fielder’s choice, then two strikeouts were followed by hits from pitcher Tau, forced to bat because someone forgot to turn up, and also by Thai third baseman Mark Boonmahatanakorn. The game had swung away from Bears.

   Curtis Cosh had a single in the fourth but Metro swung into action again in the fifth. It  started with a neat bunt from Gabriel and a single from Nukunuku before Jerard took exception to being hit by a pitch. He thought it was in retaliation for the earlier shot on Shannon, and he could be right. However the rhubarb that it causes in baseball was averted by plate umpire Ricky Tourangi (much tinier than Jerard) and some calmer players.

   Flurries of action saw Pollard on base with a fielder’s choice and Josh Niu with a double. Josh Cooke’s shot drew an error and Tau hit again, scoring two and making his RBI total three. Boonmahatanakorn finished with a neat double and there were six runs scored. Two of the outs were run-downs, with Boonmahatanakorn being a little too excited about his chances.

   So two losses in two days, to Tau and his batters, will give Bears something to think about in the winter as the side can celebrate some good wins, but some simple losses.

   For Metro it is a date with Ramblers, a side which seems to thrive on Metro’s goods. It will be an interesting afternoon if the Metro batters can emulate the ten hits, plus pressure plays, it gathered in this encounter. Bears had only four hits.

   Farion struck out six earlier in the game. Tau fanned two.

   Gabriel was 2/3 as were Nukunuku, Tau and Boonmahatanakorn.

   Ricky Tourangi and Les Haslam umpired with Harriet Tomlin the official scorer.

 

   A day of action and some fine softball and so few turned up. They say that the crowd for the under-13 final next week will be three times that of any premier game. It would not be surprising. At least next Saturdays Awards’ Night is sold out. There is a lot to celebrate this season, notably the weather as well as the fine tussle between five sides to keep up with Ramblers and the unprecedented battle for the other automatic semi-final spot. It’s all over next week.

 

 

Saturday play.

Opinion.   Following the hectic mid-week catch up games, complicated by lighting failures at Rosedale and Norana Parks, there was the busy Saturday with the final five men’s round-robin games and the women’s semi-finals.

   I am not going to pretend that I have any liking for play-offs when the competition stretches over so many round-robin games. Marist and Northcote dominated the women’s competition and yet two other sides, Ramblers and Bears, sneak into the final. It has happened so often before.

   The minor champion is the champion, in my opinion. Ramblers, ten points ahead after dominating the season of 18 games, could slip up in just one game now. Raw justice that is.

   If there is to be a play-off it should be between the winners of each round, giving the incentive for excellence, not just to finish in the top six.

   In the first season this system was used, Auckland went from consistent losers at national level to national titles, breaking a 23 year losing sequence. That way only the winners of the rounds go to play-offs.

   I make no apologies to anyone over this statement. Ramblers and Bears need credit for making the women’s final but they know that they were not in the hunt all season.

 

One of the games of the year. From Trevor Rowse

   Waitakere Bears and Metro battled out one of the most interesting matches of the season in perfect conditions at Starling Park in a game which deserved to have thousands, well hundreds, watching (like the old days at Fowlds Park, believe it or not).

   Both sides were aiming for second place and the automatic elevation to the semi-finals on finals’ day, along with Ramblers, and at the start it was so even.

   Rod Caddy and Duane Jerard, with some able assistance from almost every batter, put an end to that, but it took right until the seventh inning for Metro to win 7-4 and face a 1pm game on the following day to complete the light-affected Thursday night match against United. That ended 3-3 with both teams scoring a run in the eighth inning tiebreaker.

   The winner was to go into second place.

Metro 1          0          1          1          0          1          3 = 7

Bears  0          2          0          0          1          1          1 = 4  

   It was that man again, Rod Caddy. Leading off he hit to shortstop in the first of many seemingly softer hit shots which caused umpire Jeff Weber to check the balls, which were hard.

   With two out came the first of some outfield confusion as two men went for Duane Jerard’s lofted shot to the fence but neither took it. It was a crucial play which could have set Bears in good shape.

   Bears’ coach Wayne Reeves, who started on first base, featured in a sharp play to cancel out Metro’s second inning effort and Gerard Long won a walk to begin Bears’ second. He stole to second and scored on a double to Gordon Hooper, who then scored on a single by Rueben Topia. A fine foul territory catch by Metro’s new youth international shortstop Josh Cooke kept the score from rising.

   Caddy came up in the third, with one out, and had another loopy hit to shortstop, stole two bases against Black Sox catcher Paddy Shannon before scoring on a fielder’s choice when Roman Gabriel hit to second base.

   Jerard showed his power with a long high home run over centre field and Metro had the initiative at 3-2 before Shannon came to life with one of his own in the fifth to tie the game up. The two catchers were in fine form behind the plate.

   Dion Nukunuku, the Metro player-coach, had his turn in the sixth with a single to centre, followed by a Jerard double which took Nukunuku all the way home.

   With the edge, Metro gained more confidence in the seventh when Valdermar Terkelsen hit a blooper into left field and Mark Boonmahatankorn singled to centre. Caddy startled everyone by bunting on and the others made the extra base as well. Gabriel’s shot to second base was whipped up by Hooper who made the instant passing tag on Caddy but in the flurry of action, two runs scored.

   Most watchers thought that umpire Weber had called Caddy out for interference but, as Weber pointed out, Hooper had claimed the tag and he had agreed. Another fielder’s choice for Gabriel set him up for Jerard’s fourth run-scoring shot as the big man showed his experience.

   It was too much for Bears to catch up, despite a hit by Corey Amai and two more from Travis Miller and Shannon, both Texas Leaguers just out of catching reach. But they were left on base and Metro carried on toward a possible second place. Only United, huge winner over Eden-Roskill, stood in the way.

   But Bears had proved itself once again and it took a massive Metro batting assault to break down the boys from the west.

   Kris Jury was the official scorer.

 

   It was an end-of-the-season affair which will not be dwelt upon for long. Eden, with nothing to play for, faded against the United batters and conceded a record total of runs in the second inning for a mercy rule finish which still took too long in coming.

Eden                2          0          2          =  3

United             9          14        x          = 23

   Les Haslam umpired this match and Rowena McKenzie had the hard job of keeping up with the batters and runners.

   To cut it short, Kurt Allan hit two home runs and a double from four turns. Isaac Fletcher had a home run, a single and a walk from four, Greg Anderson a home run and a double from three and Nick McGregor a homer and a single from three.

   Eden started in style with runs from Steffan Van Lieshart  and Nathan Thorp after each hit a double off Anderson’s pitching, followed by a hit from Marty Cannons. That beginning could not have given a clue about the demolition that followed.

   Eden will be back, stronger and better for all the experiences. No one said it was easy learning to play in the premiers. It just looks easier than it really is.

 

   Which Otahuhu team turned up? Not the A side anyway because when the team is in form no one is safe.

Otahuhu          1          0          0          0          0          0          0 = 1

Marist             0          0          0          2          0          0          x = 2

   With hopes of second place gone, Marist faded. With hopes of top six gone, so did Otahuhu. Marist created six hits off Matty Hicks and Otahuhu did the same off Taiki Apu, but Marist did slightly more with the tally.

   Kirby Roper led off with a single, stole, went to third on a FC and scored on Thomas Katene’s single. That was it. Jamie Matiu kept up his average with two from three, Katene 2/2.

   Despite back to back hits by Carlaus Te Kawa and Mike Niu, with two out, there was no score in the third.

   Jamie Love singled to start the fourth and scored on Dylan Tomlin’s double. Tomlin went on to score on two FC plays. Jonny Munden managed a hit in the fifth and David McKenzie a double in the sixth but Marist had done enough.

   Bill Hauraki (Otahuhu) umpired and Francis Harlick was the official scorer.

 

   Northcote, playing against the odds of taking second place after losing to the wrong teams in the second round, kept up the momentum anyway with a solid win over a Glenora side with the end of the season blues anyway.

Glenora           0          0          0          1          0 =  1

Northcote       5          2          0          4          x = 11

   Glenora took three hits off Jarrad Martin’s pitching, a double to Timothy Tuakana-Kapi, a single to Tony Niu and a home run from Corin Tauri. There were four walks, not utilised, and 10 strikeouts.

   Dean Wallace led off with a walk, Leon Lambert bunted safely, Brad Rona doubled to score two and came home on a home run by Grant Dean. Michael Boaler doubled and scored on a Murray Hawke hit.

   Wallace led off with a hit in the second and Rona, in great form, obliged with a home run. Boaler had the second of his three hits with a double in the third.

   With one out, Lambert won a walk in the fourth, Rona doubled him to third and he scored on a sacrifice, with Rona going home on an error. Dean doubled and Boaler hit a home run to end the scoring while Hawke racked up another hit but was tagged out on base.

   Fergus McAlpine and David Downs (both Northcote) umpired and Carolyn McQueen did the official scoring.

   Northcote now faced a quarter-final showdown in the attempt to take the title from Ramblers.

 

   Ramblers beat Howick 9-1 to complete a lop-sided day, apart from the showdown at Starling.

 

   Ramblers’ women charged on to the semi-finals with a 12-3 win over an Otahuhu side with nothing left to work for, bar pride. The Ramblers v Northcote match, which was abandoned after the lights failed at Rosedale, was deemed unnecessary and will not be played.

Otahuhu          0          0          0          0          3 =  3

Ramblers        3          3          6          0          x = 12

   Michelle Kingi, with a single, and doubles from Venita Hokai and Tuhi Cooper, plus an error, sparked the first innings’ runs. Hokai keeps on shrugging off the years and showing the gap there is between the youngsters and the experienced in women’s play.

   Whitney Brown and Jonelle Mase led off the second with singles and scored on Gillian Wills single. Kingi came up with a double to complete the job.

   Cooper bunted on in the third, followed by hits from Jarrah Tuoro, Brown and Mase, with Emma Scowcroft hitting in the infield. Wills walked and Kingi had her second double, and third hit, to score two, coming home on the error for a virtual home run.

   Cooper had her third hit in the fourth.

   It was a great warm up for the semi-final against Northcote. The team and management were just delighted to make the play-off, with little inkling of the drama ahead.

   J Edwin and T Cohen were the umpires, with Joanne Hockley the scorer.

 

   The Marist v Northcote game was the decider on which team was minor champion of the women’s grade, and which team played the 1 v 4. Marist took the honours, but both came to grief in the semis.

Marist             1          0          1          0          0          0          3 = 5

Northcote       0          1          0          1          1          0          0 = 3

   For the umpteenth time, the lead off batter walked. This time it was Tania Misa and Northcote paid the price when she advanced on a sacrifice and a hit by Kalala Gabriel.

   But Aroha Haretuku rapped out a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly.

   Pitcher Sheree Cartwright, Gabriel and Lydia Isaacs had consecutive singles and an error finally allowed the run home in the third.

   Katy Hetherington was walked to start the fourth for Northcote and scored on a combination of sacrifice, steal and a following error to keep the sides as even as they have been all summer.

   The playing-through champion sneaked ahead when former international star Jackie Smith bunted in the fifth and went on to score from first after a triple from Lisa Hau. Things looked even better in the fifth when Hetherington led off with a single, advanced on a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice, but was left on third. It was Northcote’s big chance to establish a lead.

   The seventh was Marist’s big inning. Misa led off with a single, Amelia Rika forced an error and Casey Roper bunted on. Gabriel sacrificed for the first run and Jade Wikaira’s single brought home Rika, with Roper taking advantage of a wild pitch just before the final strikeout. This time the two-run buffer was enough.

   Cartwright struck out seven, walked three and conceded seven hits. Northcote’s Michal Tangaroa struck out five, walked two and gave up eleven hits.

   Tony Irving and J Edwin did the umpiring with Skip the official scorer.

 

   Metro’s up and down campaign continued with a final 10-0 win over Howick and the hope of things to come next season.

Metro             0          3          0          3          0         0          4 = 10

Howick            0          0          0          0          0          0          0 =  0

   Sam Lyons, hero of Howick’s season, and Breanna Gibson, also a brave battler all year, shared the pitching against the international form of Australian Megan Farrell. Farrell allowed only one hit, to Tara-Lee Houkamau, in the sixth, and struck out nine, with one walk.

   Metro snapped up nine hits with Irene Marr 3/5, Lyle Norriss 2/4, along with Sally Bowden and Dominique Rangi with three walks from five. But with so many walks and only three errors, there were many other chances to score in a bitsy performance.

 

   The second game of Howick’s busy night was against season-long rival Otahuhu and this time there was success as the side put it all together against a team which also had little to play for in the dying days of the season.

Otahuhu          0          0          0          0          0 =  0

Howick            1          3          0          1          5 = 10

   Lyons pitched a five-hitter shut-out with three strikeouts and one walk. Selena Hoani, another battler all season long, started the pitching for Otahuhu with a nine-hitter with four strikeouts and no walks. She was relieved by her catcher Sharmayne Kairau in the final Howick turn when three walks and three hits took the score out by five.

   Nita Hickey sparked the Howick revival with a home run to lead off in the first inning. Heidi Leathart singled but did not advance.

   An error allowed Lyons on board, followed by a Jordan Wilson hit and another by Michelle Smith and all three scored, aided by hits from Hickey and Gibson, with another from Leathart.

   Smith doubled in the fourth and scored on a FC and PB.

   Rene Ezekiela, Houkamau, Wilson, Smith, Hickey and Gibson all made base in the final turn of the year, taking the game into the mercy rule regime.

   Chris Radford and Tony Irving umpired with Tania Irving the official scorer.

 

March 6. Premier Fastpitch softball comes to the crunch days.

   All season the Ramblers’ side has been in control of the men’s premier Fastpitch championship and much of the run-making has come down to the power of Aaron Thompson, one of the most under-rated players in the city.

   Last night, against arch-rival Northcote, Thompson was at it again after Northcote took advantage of Ramblers’ concerns about getting a full team for the 6pm start and took two runs off the first two batters. (Thompson has also been an important contributor to Auckland’s national league success, especially with his two home runs against key rival Canterbury in Auckland and was batting over .600 in the championship at one stage but was .464 in February).

Northcote       2          0          0          1          0          =  3

Ramblers        2          5          0          0          3          = 10

   Lead-off Dean Wallace, who was also the pitcher, started with a curling shot into right field and David Downs won a walk from Thomas Cameron. Brad Rona sacrificed to score Downs but wild pitches and had already allowed Wallace home and Jason Gerbes was also on base, hit by a pitch.

   Was it the start of a Northcote assault and a chance for the team to get to the vital second spot for an automatic appearance in the semi-finals?

   No, said Thompson, and he unleashed a shot which was clearing the left field fence as brave left fielder Callum Ryan tried to claw it back, falling over the fence in a tangle in the process. How he came up intact was a wonder.

   Nathan Nukunuku was almost into the act with a screamer which was cleverly fielded by first baseman Andrew Clark and the situation seemed to be saved.

   No, said twenty-year veteran Lyndon Andrew as he potted a centre field homer which disrupted the practice going on over the fence and it was even again.

   That was almost the end of the Northcote attack. Cameron settled into the job with nine strikeouts in the five innings, with only a walk to Brad Rona, a home run by Jason Gerbes with his usual fierce grunt and a mis-hit single which stopped right on the foul line while Cameron waited for it to roll foul.

   Ramblers meanwhile continued its usual Hummer style, crushing the opposition with a Mike Gibbs single to start the second, followed by a Bernard Hale double to score one run. Carl Jackson, in to fill the gap caused by late-arrival players coming after work, hit high to the outfield.

   It was Jackson’s first, and possibly last, appearance for the team and he showed that he could hit the ball. Donny Hale, as so often happens, waited out a walk after fouling off a few marginal balls. He is the best ball-watcher in the country and that loaded the bases. But brother Bernard was forced out at third when Michael Cameron hit the ball right to Downs’ glove but Ramblers, two down, was not out of the running.

   Thompson forced an error at shortstop with a fierce shot on the grassed infield and Donny scored.

   Nathan Nukunuku, always a clear and present danger, slammed another drive, this time into right field and not at the first baseman this time, but close enough for him to feel the wind and scored Cameron. As usual, Nukunuku stole and forced an error, allowing Thompson home before Andrew snapped his second hit for another RBI.

   Thomas Cameron, not to be left out, hit through shortstop but Gibbs hit to third base for another easy force out and the rally ended. So did the Northcote resistance.

   Bernard Hale was walked in the third but was caught stealing after a catch in centre field. He was too eager to speed on.

   Gerbes made a token resistance with the home run and Ramblers tried to take advantage of two mis-hits,  one from Nukunuku whose shot lobbed just out of reach in right field and Thomas Cameron whose swing sent the ball neatly between home and third, emulating a bunt. But no one scored.

   With the light fading, Lawrence Naera and Bobbie King each hit and Mike Cameron loaded the bases when Northcote tried for the out at third. Nukunuku crunched a shot into right field to score three and sprinted into third himself, showing his brilliance once again. He had fielded immaculately on the grass, despite the powerful drives from Wallace in the 3rd and 5th, and will be a loss to the Black Sox as he is not available for the series against Australia.

   The game ended there, with two down and Ramblers seven runs ahead and the light failing anyway. There had been 14 hits, with three from Nukunuku plus the shot which should have been one except it went right to first base. Andrew had two, along with Thompson and Thomas Cameron (including the soft one). Wallace conceded two walks and struck out two, including a very unhappy Thompson on a called strike.

   Umpiring was Andrew Laird with Deanna Callaghan doing the official scoring as well as her usual job for Ramblers.

   Ramblers faces a game against Marist tonight (Friday) and the final one versus Howick tomorrow. The side’s sole loss was a 6-0 beating by Waitakere Bears (but Ramblers has not shone in the three tournaments in Auckland since the holiday break).

Points’ tables for the Premiers. Men:

Ramblers 30 points (played 16). To play: Marist and Howick.

Metro 22 (16). To play: United and Bears.

Bears 22 (17). To play Metro.

Northcote 22 (17). To play: Glenora.

United 20 (16). To play: Metro and Eden.

Marist 18 (16). To play: Ramblers and Otahuhu.

Otahuhu 14 (17). To play: Marist.

Howick 10 (17). To play: Ramblers.

Glenora 4 (17). To play: Northcote.

Eden-Roskill 4 (17). To play: United.

 

Women: Results. Marist 5 Bears 1, Metro 10 Howick 0, Ramblers 12 Otahuhu 3, Howick 10 Otahuhu 0, Ramblers v Northcote (postponed).

Points: Marist 30 (18), Northcote 28 (17). To play: Ramblers, Ramblers 20 (17). To play: Northcote, Bears 20 (18), Metro 18 (18), Howick 6 (18), Otahuhu 2 (18). The postponed game means that first and second have not been decided and that affects the draw for the semis.

 

 

AFC Review - March 5

Waitakere Bears v Howick.

   The charge to the end goes on, with Waitakere Bears making sure of being there with another win to emphasise the team’s growth in the second half of the season.

   Just when it seems that the side would keep on self-destructing, winning one week and losing the next, the last months have seen the Schick and Guth going their way. At the Patrick it was a 10-0 loss to Metro which saw the side dip out in the semi-final.

Howick            0          0          0          0          0          = 0

Bears              0          1          3          1          3          = 8

   It was three up and three down in all Howick’s batting turns to make it a perfect part-game for Jeff Farion, who has been superb since Otahuhu beat the side just after the Guth triumph. He struck out nine batters.

   Cameron Smith allowed five hits and two walks, striking out two. Josh Kingi, in for the fifth inning, gave up two hits and two walks and the game ended with Bears having none down but reaching the mercy rule total when Travis Miller hit Gerard Long and Rueben Topia, who had walked, home with a double.

   Long had a great time with the bat. He singled to start the second and scored on a mixture of events. Farion walked to commence the third, moved two bases on Gordon Hooper’s double and went home on a sacrifice by Patrick Shannon, who was no doubt aiming for the left field fence.

   Then Long hit a home run to give a winning margin.

   With one down in the fourth it was Adam Morunga with a one-out home run over centre. Shannon also hit over centre in the final turn before Miller’s coup-de-grace shot.

   Les Hamlin umpired the match at Norana with scoring done by Harriet Tomlin.

   Otahuhu beat Glenora 8-0 in another match with Ramblers’ women keeping on track with a 6-5 win over Bears. Northcote beat Eden-Roskill 11-1.

   Northcote’s hopes are still high, despite the mauling from minor champion Ramblers at Freer Park in perfect conditions.

   Because of shorter days however the game was unlikely to go the distance, but the 10-3 margin, with two out in the bottom of the fifth, gave Ramblers the win under the seven-run mercy rule for this grade.

   The Metro v United game at Fowlds Park emphasised the evenness of the season when the teams were level at 3-3 in the 8^th and could not carry on. Coordinator Ricky Earley will decide Friday if this is to be completed, depending on results.

 

Points’ tables for the Premiers. Men:

Ramblers 30 points (played 16). To play: Marist and Howick.

Metro 22 (16). To play: United and Bears.

Northcote 22 (17). To play: Glenora.

Marist 20 (16). To play: Ramblers and Otahuhu.

United 20 (16). To play: Metro and Eden.

Bears 20 (17). To play Metro.

Otahuhu 14 (17). To play: Marist.

Howick 10 (17). To play: Ramblers.

Glenora 4 (17). To play: Northcote.

Eden-Roskill 4 (17). To play: United.

 

Women: Results. Marist 5 Bears 1, Metro 10 Howick 0 and Ramblers 12 Otahuhu 3. Two games at Rosedale still to come are Otahuhu v Howick and Ramblers v Northcote.

Marist 30 (18). To play: Completed.

Northcote 28 (17). To play: Ramblers.

Ramblers 20 (17). To play: Northcote.

Bears 20 (18). To play: Completed.

Metro 18 (18). To play: Completed

Howick 4 (16). To play: Otahuhu.

Otahuhu 2 (17). To play: Howick.

 

   On Saturday, women’s semis at Norana. On Sunday there are the men’s quarter-finals at Norana.

March 8 Draw. Auckland Fastpitch softball championship.

Saturday: Men: Final round robin series: Northcote v Glenora, Rosedale Park 4.00, Waitakere Bears v Metro, Starling Park 3.30pm, Ramblers v Howick, Warren Freer Park 3.30pm, Otahuhu v Marist, Sturges Park 3.30pm, Eden Roskill v United, May Road 3.30pm.

Women: Norana Park. Semi-finals 1 v 4 1.30pm and 2 v 3 3.30pm.

Sunday: Men: Norana Park. Quarter finals 3 v 6 1.30pm and 4 v 5 3.30pm.

   Women’s final and men’s semis, plus final, will be played at Norana Park on Saturday 15 March with Awards’ Night following.

 

 

Hail Heinie and Hale

   Donny Hale, player-coach of the Auckland Fastpitch softball side, has won his share of honours and now has three-parts of a double-double which could make him unique in Auckland coaches.

   And his long-term pitcher Heinie Shannon has become part of that story with an heroic display at the national finals in Wellington.

   Hale has player-coached the Auckland side to successive wins in the national league and needs only Ramblers to retain its title this month to make it two doubles.

   Eden’s American coach Barron Edwards won an Auckland plus club double back in 1951 and Ramblers’ Ricky Earley did it again in 2003, with Hale achieving it last season.

   Heinie, half of the twin brother Shannon attacking force with Paddy, the long-term Auckland batting champion (always in a battle with Hale and Lyndon Andrew), was the hero of yesterday’s final when he recovered from a fierce shot to the head by fellow Black Sox Stacy McLean.

   Expected to take no further part in the match, he recovered to do what he has done so well all season for his Auckland United team, hitting over the fence with two on base to show that Auckland had the goods to become champion.

   Going into the finals, Auckland was unbeaten and that record made sure that the side claimed the title when the wet Wellington weather wiped out the rest of the play with Auckland leading Wellington 6-3.

   However, with four home runs already in the game the result could have been different.

   Hutt Valley claimed the women’s title, despite a fine batting showing from Auckland as Hutt had also come through the previous rounds unbeaten. Auckland finished second with Kalala Gabriel and Sina Hunkin doing well with the bat.

   There are family connections in the men’s team with Donny and Bernard Hale, the Shannons and Thomas and Michael Cameron while Sina Hunkin is Donny’s fiancée. Kalala Gabriel is married to former Black Sox man Roman Gabriel while Nathan Nukunuku once formed the basis of the infield with fellow Black Sox brother Dion, the most decorated man in Auckland softball and now ASA Board member and organiser of the representative programmes for all Auckland teams.

   The Auckland men’s team comprises Player-coach Donny Hale, manager Nicky Woon, scorer Deanne Callaghan. Bernard Hale, Heinie and Paddy Shannon, Michael and Thomas Cameron, Timothy Tuakana-Kapi, Nathan Nukunuku, Lyndon Andrew, Gus Leger, Lawrence Naera, Ben Enoka, Aaron Thompson, Michael Gibbs. Nathan Nukunuku is the unofficial assistant coach.

   The women, who came second, had the following squad: Megan Farrell, Michal Tangaroa, Lisa Arkell, Rebecca Bromhead, Kalala Gabriel, Michelle Kingi, Casey Roper, Sina Hunkin (captain), Ngamoko Hiku, Lydia Isaacs, Sally Bowden, Tegan Bromhead, Kyla Bromhead, Coach: Wayne Roper, Asst. coach Venita Hokai, Scorer Jan Hutchings, Manager Colleen Callaghan.

 

 

 

 

AFC Review March 3

Northcote keeps up march toward title.

   This has been the year of the veterans with Rod Caddy, Kurt Allan, Gus Leger, Heinie Shannon, Brad Rona, Paddy Shannon, Donny Hale and Nathan Nukunuku heading my preferences, with Michael Cameron steaming along there too.

   One could say that Nukunuku is no veteran, except in years at the top, and Hale is a young man too.

   (The Black Sox are in great shape with an outfield containing Travis Wilson, Gareth Cook, Thomas Makea and co. and must be great if Leger is to miss out after his brilliantly consistent showings all season. He has been a revelation and a delight. The obvious loss of Samoa at international level sees Wayne Laulu and Heinie Shannon in the Sox, mirroring the rugby situation where the growth of the island nations is whittled away).

   However, as much as his Northcote team mates might moan, Dean Wallace is high on my list and he was at it again against Otahuhu when Northcote went on one of the side’s occasional sprees. It was rather like the dose that Otahuhu is capable of giving out to the odd team, but only now and again.

   Wallace hit a home run and two singles from four turns, scoring three runs and hitting six men home in the 12-2 demolition job.

Northcote         3          0          4          0          0         5          =  12

Otahuhu           0          1          0          0          0          1          =   2

   Ricky Tourangi umpired this game and it has been great to have his experience and calm style this season. The umpires have been the best for many, many years and Auckland is lucky to have such an experienced, hard-working crew (despite the fact that they do earn well).

   Lynnette Leathart was the official scorer and has been team scorer for the Otahuhu side this season, as well as being official statistician (and you should try that job if you want to know what to do with some of your hours of spare time).

   Ian Campbell, who has thrown some fine games this season, met a Northcote side which was ready to hit. He conceded ten hits, six walks and took eight strikeouts. Derek Mayson, who has been so valuable for Northcote this season, gave up four hits, no walks and took eight strikeouts.

   Lead-off Mayson did it again with a single in the first and Leon Lambert clawed his way on to base and Mayson scored when Otahuhu tried to snare Lambert at second. Then Wallace hit over centre field for two more runs.

   Andrew Clark hit for Northcote in the second. Thomas Katene, another Mr Reliable, led off Otahuhu’s second turn with a single and Mathew Hicks, having a good season, doubled with Katene scoring on a following error.

   Lambert led off the third with a walk and Brad Rona had one too with both scoring on a Wallace shot to centre field. Grant Dean had the first of two hits, skying the ball over right field for a home run.

   Raka Repia, perhaps the young player of the year after his outstanding showings since Christmas (and his elevation from nowhere into the Junior Black Sox), had his first hit in the third but was stranded on first.

   Northcote rammed home the runs in the sixth. Murray Hawke gained the important lead-off walk (no lectures about that this time) and Mayson singled to shortstop where the following error put Hawke on third where he scored on a wild pitch. Lambert, an expert at making first base, walked and Wallace’s centre field single scored another two. He came home on a combination of a single from Dean and a double from Michael Boaler which also scored Wallace.

   Repia, undeterred, rapped a centre field home run to lead off the sixth but had no real support and the game ended under the mercy rule.

   Northcote kept up the five-team chase for the important second place and the other four seedings. Wallace can take some of the credit this season.

 

 

 

 

Danny’s Dream Washed Away - Dean Schick Memorial Tournament

 

   Hutt City United, winner of the 2007 Dean Schick Memorial run by North Harbour’s Northcote club, bowed out after only one expensive match because of Auckland’s rain-soaked Friday and Saturday.

   The series was reduced to sudden death matches, leaving Waitakere United 5-0 winner over the classy Christchurch United side in the final.

   All the plans for the 15^th celebration of the input of US-born Dean Schick into Northcote and North Harbour softball were altered drastically, and not for the first time despite February’s reputation for good weather.

   Danny Frew has compiled a record of the combined Schick’s in the most comprehensive statistical record of all of softball here, and perhaps of any sport in the country. But the rain on Friday night and all day Saturday wiped out most of the games.

   The organisers had to compromise and so a sudden death series was implemented. Teams which came to play at least six or seven games ended up with one, two or three, for the finalists. Danny’s statistics will still be upgraded but will mean a little less.

   The eight teams were to be in groups: Northcote, Metro, Poneke and Christchurch Demons in one with Ramblers, Bears, Hutt City and Auckland United in the other. The new draw matched host Northcote with Bears, Poneke Kilbirnie with Metro, Christchurch against Auckland United and Ramblers with Hutt.

   National champion Mt Albert Ramblers edged ahead 3-2 over Hutt with Wellington’s Poneke Kilbirnie far too strong for Auckland Metro, winning 9-0. Bears beat host club Northcote 1-0 and Christchurch sneaked home 1-0 against Auckland United. Home after one game and it was like a normal Saturday for four sides.

Semi-finals:

PK                   0          1          3          0          0          0          0  =  4

Christchurch   1          0          3          0          0          1          x  =  5

   In the semi-final Christchurch scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat PK after Dave Metekingi again showed his outstanding batting form with a home run, matched by teammate Nick Shailes, with Black Sox man Stacey McLean hitting a triple.

   Gareth Cook, likely to be a star at next year’s world series, hit three runs home with a crisp double midway through the game.

   Brad Annandale was walked in the first for United’s first run, coming home on a Darren Davies shot to right centre but Metekingi hit over left field to tie it up.

   The third was a busy time for both teams. Brett Tibbitts (PK) walked before Stacey McLean moved him home with a triple, then scored when the ball hit him in a hot box play. Then Shailes chimed in with the home run.

   Stung, United had Annandale on with an error, Paul delatour singled, Daniel Milne dropped a perfect bunt and the bases were loaded. Cook, in top form, doubled and three scored. Scott Dale and Mike Sands rammed home the winner in the sixth. PK had two games and faced the long trip home.

 

Bears              1          0          2          0          0          0          0          TB2  =  5

Ramblers        1          0          0          0          0          1          2          TB1  =  4

   Zenon Winters, one of the stars of the Australian side at Christchurch, had the first of his two hits, doubling to right and Patrick Shannon, a danger throughout, hit him home. In the third it was Winters again with a single to centre. Passed balls and mishaps saw them both home.

   Ramblers trailed but looked nothing like national champion for five turns and it looked like a shut-out looming until Nathan Nukunuku showed his real form with a double to centre in the sixth. Lyndon Andrew, in a hitting streak, hit him home with the second of his three safe shots.

   With chances rapidly running out there was a surge of batting as Lawrence Naera walked, Mike Gibbs hit and Nukunuku again showed class under pressure with a great shot for a centre field double and two vital runs to tie the game.

   Winters was again in the spotlight as the runner in the tiebreaker. Shannon, in such form as to be a major threat, was given a free walk but a sacrifice by Travis Miller and a power drive from Gerry Long made it a two-run buffer and Ramblers could not answer, taking only one run and finishing its third tournament since the end of January without a title win.

   Jeff Farion and Marty Grant did the pitching for Bears with Farion coming back on to relieve a weary Grant as Ramblers looked likely. Farion’s left handed stuff was devastating and only four hits came to Ramblers, three of them to the ever-present Andrew, at his 15^th Schick, along with United’s Heinie Shannon, who should have been resting his groin and Northcote’s Dean Wallace.

   Thomas Cameron, still battling to get back to international form, was relieved by Penese Isosefo on the pitching mat.

 

Christchurch     0          0          0          0          0          0          0  =  0

Bears               2          0          1          2          0          0          x  =  5

   No one expected a shut-out against Farion, especially a six-hitter with four of them infield shots with any likely outfield shots being gathered up by guest player Gus Leger. Leger has played World Cup rugby for Tonga and Samoa, plus softball for New Zealand and Samoa, as well as some US professional baseball in a career which goes back further than some of his youthful teammates.

   As a guest player for Waitakere Bears, the Marist man showed the athleticism of a 20 year old as he covered most of the outfield from his centre field position to be player of the day in the final.  He took two fine catches as he sprinted toward the boundary, glancing over his shoulder both times, plus others which completely cancelled out United’s big hitters. He especially relieved his right fielder at a crucial time when the sun was threatening to wipe out the view of the ball.

   It was the showing of a top international player, up there with Travis Wilson in field coverage and authority. Whoever chose Gus for the day was in the genius class.

   The United batters created chances in three innings, each time failing to take advantage, especially when batters stood on the third strike or popped up catches with the bases loaded.

   In the second Darren Davies was on base with a walk and Scott Dale was out after his chopped swing was judged a foul bunt on the third strike, a call hotly disputed by the Christchurch side but backed up by first base umpire Mark Porteous.

   Mike Sands hit but the rally faded, even with only one out.

   The fourth saw bases loaded after a classic bunt from Gareth Cook, a Davies walk and a fielder’s choice play which did not net an out. But there was a pop fly (automatically out) and a called strikeout as the batter tried to out-guess umpire Glen Nalepa. Old hands could have told him what his job was all about… bat on ball.

   Cook was at it again, leading off the sixth but going out on a force with Davies safe on base, for the third time. Dave hit off the second base but two men stood on strikes in a poor tactical batting display.

   Even in the seventh Josh Thompson hit to centre but went out on a great combination play when going to second. His hit had gone to shallow centre and Thompson just kept going, which was an ideal tactic for a lead-off man in normal circumstances. However things were not normal out there in centre field where the speeding Leger out-smarted the runner, getting to the ball so quickly to get the ball to second base Gordon Hooper and a run-down play with Kyle Kouka had Thompson cold.

   It capped Leger’s incredible game and he was, without doubt, everyone’s man of the match. Cook too a Wilson-like catch in left field in the final and is itching to book his play in the Black Sox again.

   Mike Gaiger pitched for Christchurch and confined Bears to six hits, two of them infield shots and one, to Grant (batting!), was the result of a checked swing. But Black Sox men Shannon and Leger had two each while Gaiger’s side could not raise a batting gallop. There were many groans about the calls however.

   Assisting umpire Nalepa were Porteous, Dennis Smith (Wellington) and Richard Gale. Harriet Tomlin did the official scoring. Information was also gained from Ramblers’ scorer Deanna Callaghan and Christchurch’s scorer Marie Byrne.

   Casey Eden, with an arm broken when he played for Southern Pride in the national league, was coaching Bears for the day. He expects to be back in action by the club nationals.

   Unlike its Vic Guth win, Bears did not rely on a guest pitcher to dominate the final (but a guest outfielder certainly helped).

   Former world series’ pitchers Grant (Bears’ guest) and Gaiger showed patches of top form and are climbing back into contention for international spots, but do not look likely world championship winners. Cameron has a long way to go, as does Iosefo. Black  Sox coach Eddie Kohlhase, searching for a side capable of beating the Australians in April, will be pondering but Black Sox catcher  Shannon shone with the bat. Leger just shone.

   So Bears won its second big tournament in three weeks after taking the Vic Guth series last month. It was Ramblers’ third cash series in a row with little to show for them. Like Metro, the side will need a spark to succeed at the club nationals.

   So the 15^th Schick ended with a one-sided but interesting final to help Danny Frew get some cheerfulness back after a soggy weekend. The sun finally came out in the end.

 

Results

Dean Schick Memorial Fastpitch softball series. Rosedale Park.

Sudden death matches: Mt Albert Ramblers 3 Hutt City United 2, Poneke Kilbirnie 9 Metro 0, Christchurch PC United 2 Auckland United 1, Waitakere Bears 1 Northcote 0.

Semi-finals: Christchurch 5 PK 4, Bears 5 Ramblers 4 (tiebreaker). Final: Bears 5 Christchurch 0.

 

 

Auckland Fastpitch Championship. The points’ situation at 20 February

 

   Thanks to Lynnette Leathart, AFC statistician extraordinaire, here are the accurate points. Somehow my points and those in the website were a little off and Lynnette has kindly supplied the tables.

   The season is racing to an end and we now need to know where everyone is. In the men’s world there has never, in my long memory of Auckland championships, been such a tight race for the rest of the play-off spots. Five teams are in second place, with Metro and Northcote each having a game in hand.

   Ramblers, with one loss, has a four game lead and will not be touched, unless the whole team gets food poisoning every Friday night. (Don’t get any smart ideas about that Susie).

Ramblers 26 points (played 14). To play: Glenora, Howick, Marist and Northcote.

Metro 18 (14). To play: Eden-Roskill, Howick, United and Bears.

Northcote 18 (14). To play: Eden, Otahuhu, Glenora and Ramblers.

Marist 18 (15). To play: Otahuhu, Ramblers and Bears.

United 18 (15). To play: Eden, Howick and Metro.

Bears 18 (15). To play Howick, Marist and Metro.

Otahuhu 12 (15). To play: Glenora, Marist and Northcote.

Howick 10 (14). To play: Metro, Ramblers, United and Bears.

Glenora 4 (15). To play: Northcote, Otahuhu and Ramblers.

Eden-Roskill 4 (15). To play: Metro, Northcote and United.

   There are some key games yet.

 

Women: What a season-long battle between Northcote and Marist. Northcote won last season, with Marist beating Bears to go to the final.

Marist 26 (15). To play: Northcote, Otahuhu and Bears.

Northcote 26 (16). To play: Marist and Ramblers.

Bears 20 (16). To play: Marist and Ramblers.

Ramblers 16 (15). To play: Northcote, Otahuhu and Bears.

Metro 16 (17). To play: Howick.

Howick 4 (16). To play: Metro and Otahuhu.

Otahuhu 2 (15). To play: Howick, Marist and Ramblers.

 

   Key matches to watch out for are: 1 March Metro v United, Phyllis Street and Thursday 6 March Northcote v Ramblers at Warren Freer. On the last day before play-offs it is Ramblers v Howick, Metro v Bears, Northcote v Glenora, Marist v Otahuhu and Eden v United.

   For the women there is the catch-up match between Northcote and Marist, TBA, 23 February Bears v Marist at Starling Park. Ramblers v Northcote at Freer. 1 March Bears v Ramblers.

 

   Extra information: From the Doreen Hutchings Memorial event, run by Marist. Awards for women went to Melissa Upu (Te Aroha) top batter, Maleme Williams (Te Aroha) most home runs and RBIs and Amber Irving most stolen bases.

 

NB: Would someone from Otahuhu who is related to the former Crystal Langdon, a top NZ level player of years ago, please let me know her contact number. She is living in Papakura and is related to someone in the men’s team.

 

Mid-week match: Tuesday.

Otahuhu          0          0          0          0          0          0  = 0

Metro             0          1          0          2          0          4  = 7  

   Megan Farrell, the outstanding Aussie, celebrated her call up to the White Sox squad with a shut-out, two hitter with 15 strikeouts and only one walk. To complete her evening she hit three from three and scored three of the runs. Great going Megan.

   Metro managed 8 hits from Selena Hoani, the gallant Otahuhu hurler who struck out five and walked one.

   Selena had the first Otahuhu hit in the fourth and made to third with a wild pitch and a stolen base. Courtney Warren hit and stole second in the sixth while Alzeena Levi won the sole walk.

   Dominique Rangi walked in the first and Farrell doubled to start the second, advancing on a sacrifice from Kate Livingston and an error. In the fourth she hit with two out, stole second and scored from there on an error.

   Livingston, who was on base on that error, should have been taken stealing to second but an error allowed her the base. Anna Bowden hit her home.

   The four runs in the sixth started with some luck when Nikki Skinnon survived a foul catch attempt and then hit to centre, stole second and scored on a Sally Bowden hit, followed by Farrell again and Livingston. Otahuhu had wavered but recovered to end the rally. There were six Otahuhu errors.

   Andrew Laird and Les Haslam umpired the game at Norana, with Harriet Tomlin the official scorer.

   And who will win the athletic Farrell over? The Australian team want her and don’t want her playing for New Zealand.

 

 

Run it out!  20/02/08

   On Saturday I invited a young neighbour, keen to be a pitcher and a softballer, to watch Marist host United.

   He did not see the first couple of innings, which included a stop to get an umpiring interpretation in the first inning, so that was just as well.

   But four times in the game he wanted to know why the batter did not attempt to run to first base.

   What do you say to a young man? That it was a hopeless task? That the fielder was going to make the throw perfect?

   Of course not. The batter should make a genuine attempt to put pressure on the fielders at all times, even if only going through the motions sometimes.

   Perhaps it was as well they were not playing with the Chinese national team at the women’s world series in Auckland in 1985 when one of the batters ran half-heartedly part of the way to first.

   Time out was called and a substitution was made. A few instructions later saw the assistant coach get two bases, pace out the distance, set the task and take out the stopwatch.

    30 times the player was timed over the distance, sprinting each time. In the interest of the story for the Sunday News I was probably the only one in the crowd counting, but the whole squad, and the opposing team, kept an eye on the regime.

   There was no second runner who strolled to first, or to any other base. They got the message, and so did the crowd. If you were there at Liston Park you would remember it.

   Yes, I know that no one would put up with that unless they wanted to keep a place in a national side but should that make any difference?

   Harry was right. The batter should have sprinted, in the spirit of the game and to show that his side was serious and would run time and again. Maybe, just once every now and then, the throw will be spilled. There were too many other errors in Saturday’s game where the runners were forcing the issue.

   One of the first things I remember being told, once I worked out what was going on in the game, was that you should always try to stretch the hit to second base and be in the famous “scoring position”. It is remarkable how much chaos it creates, as it did three times on Saturday.

   So why not to first base too?

 

 

16 February results. Auckland Fastpitch Championship softball.

Men: Metro 2 Howick 1, Marist 6 United 4, Otahuhu 10 Eden-Roskill 2, Waitakere Bears 10 Glenora 1.

Women:  Ramblers 10 Howick 9, Metro v Otahuhu and Northcote v Marist both deferred.

 

Ramblers keeps gliding on while the others skid around behind.  

   What a season for erratic results with six men’s teams having no real form in the chase behind Mt Albert Ramblers, and the leader did not even play.

   (National league games were scheduled for Christchurch but flooding did not help get most of them completed).

   Take any one of these, Metro, Northcote, Bears, Marist, United or Otahuhu, and track the results. Up and down, winning one week, dropping all form the next, while even Ramblers nodded off for Bears to win 6-0 for the side’s only loss just before the Brother Patrick series. (Have not had a scoresheet for that game yet, nor one from yesterday), so sorry Bears’ guys.

   How can Otahuhu fall so far? Take this week’s game as an example.

 

Otahuhu          1          2          1          1          1          4          =          10

Eden Roskill   0          0          0          1          0          1          =          2

   Raka Repia, virtually unknown until this season and now a late selection in the under-19 Black Sox, hit 2/4 with a home run and a single. Jamie Matiu, a batting sensation all year, hit 3/4 with a home run and two singles and Thomas Katene, another Mr Reliable, had 3/3.

   Matty Hicks, a sensation since part-way through the season, had two home runs and 2/3 with fellow pitcher Ian Campbell 2/3 with a home run. Kere Hauraki was 1/3 with another home run.

   Hitting six home runs is not that far out of usual behaviour for Otahuhu and neither is the 14-hit total. Sometimes the runs pour in but leak out again, despite the efforts of the pitchers.

   But Otahuhu is seventh in the table, behind a cluster of five sides which have managed to beat each other, and themselves, all season, allowing Ramblers free reign. Otahuhu could be in the middle of that lot, with ease.

   OK, Eden is in its first season back at the top and the same thing happened 40 years ago when Pat Humphreys took the side from the Major B grade to the verge of winning the national title. In its first season back that side was thumped about by the cocky leaders of the time but had the last laugh a few years later. Marty Cannons and his boys will make it, if games like the Otahuhu dusting do not take the confidence right out of the squad.

   There were seven Eden hits. Marty Cannons and Jordyn Thorp put two together in the fourth to get one run while Nathan Thorp and Zane Van Lieshout did it in the fifth. Marty Le Roy, Paul Doolan and, Steffan Van Lieshout also hit singles. No extra base hits made it harder, but seven different hitters showed that something is due to happen.

   Ricky Tourangi did the sole umpire’s job with scoring assistance from Lynnette Leathart.

 

Marist             2          1          0          1          1          1          =  6

United             0          0          0          2          1          1          =  4

   The statistics are interesting, with David McKenzie on the pitching job for Marist. He pitched to 32 in six innings, allowing eleven hits, three walks and striking out three. United’s Greg Anderson pitched to 30 for seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts, showing that United had the chances to score and many opportunities to win.

   Umpires were Jeff Weber and Andrew Laird, the most experienced crew available.

   They were called into action right from the start when Marist started with the traditional hiss and roar. Lacking Gus Leger in the first inning did not matter to the home side at Simson as Aussie whiz kid Aaron Cockman slammed a fine shot past the pitcher into centre field.

   Mike Niu went out on an acrobatic catch in centre field by new youth international Kallan Compain, depending on who was watching. Some said it was on the hop. Umpire Laird was closest. There was some confusion, well a lot really.

   The designated runner was one of those confused. Plate umpire Weber appeared to call the out but the runner saw something different and stopped half way. There were yells to advise him to run one way and some the other, so he charged into second base.

   The ball was relayed to first base and United claimed the double play which would have saved the situation, and maybe the match.

   There was a consultation, much shouting and questioning and finally it was agreed that Niu was out on the catch. That left the runner. If it was a catch then the runner was stranded at second, but no. He was judged safe, which was probably justice for the situation he was put in jeopardy by lack of a clear call.

   However the reality is that he had left early and had not returned. The game seemed set to carry on, but the whole affair had aroused United head coach Joe Forsyth. He was furious, but totally under control as he made his points. What was the point of all the hard work his side was doing if they could not get justice? was the point of his comments, but they were absorbed and over-ruled.

   It was a case of neither umpire seeing the actual action, a common enough problem with a ball game.

   But Forsyth was right. The tone was set and United, without stars Heinie Shannon, Ben Enoka and Kurt Allan, tried to settle down.

   But then Jonny Munden terrorised Compain again with a rifle shot single and the runner sped home to make matters worse and Munden was on third after a muddled United fielding effort. Jamie Love, another of Marist’s new youth internationals, hit a left field shot which whistled past third base and it was 2-0. United remained stunned.

   United did not rise to the challenge in the first and Taiki Apu, with one out, singled in the second and stole a base, coming home on yet another Cockman shot to centre field.

   Then United had its first real chance to fight back when Nick McGregor’s single, a walk to Compain and a single to Alfons Oveinikovas loaded the bases with one out. But Hayden Wildbore’s shot went to pitcher McKenzie to catcher Munden and first base Cockman for a crisp double play.

   Isaac Fletcher doubled to the centre field fence with one out in the third but United did not build on the chance, although Reece Gasson startled McKenzie with a fiery shot the pitcher did well to catch.

   Jerome Haretuku, who was fielding well in centre, hit one over left to take Marist to 4-0 but Anderson took affairs in his own hands with a centre field home run and Compain gave Haretuku a taste of how it feels to be chasing bloopers when he and then Oveinikovas hit to centre. Wildbore loaded the bases with a short shot to right and Fletcher waited out a walk to score another.

   Then United wilted again. Cockman avoided one pitch and was hit by the next, prompting some rash words from United assistant coach Mark Fletcher. He moved around the bases on a walk to Niu and an error which allowed Munden on base before Love hit to centre field to allow the runner home.

   Gasson got in on the blooper market with a shot to centre and scored after an Anderson walk and a double from Oveinikovas, his third hit in a row. But United again did not build on it and had allowed Marist to keep ahead 5-3.

   Just when it seemed that United might have a chance as McKenzie was tiring, Apu singled to left and went right around to third on the errored throw to second, scoring on yet another error to give Marist the security of an unearned run.

   With time running out, United mounted another rally with one out. Fletcher had another double and scored on Gasson’s left field single. It was Gasson’s third good shot in a row. He went on to third on a Marist error which put McGregor on base but the rally faded, as had most of the others, and United surrendered, in effect, despite the fourteen runners on board in the game.

   There were four United errors and one from Marist with each side gaining a double play. Cockman was on base four times with two hits and a walks, as well as the error. Apu had 2/3. Fletcher was 2/3 with a walk, Gasson 2/4, Oveinikovas 3/3 and Compain 1/2.

   How much the first inning impacted on the team’s attitude is hard to say, but the two runs scored did. If Allan and Shannon had been there with their lethal batting then the attitude might have hardened. Shannon was handicapped by an undefined groin injury which has stalled the big man’s build-up for the nationals. He will get another opinion this week.

   Harriet Tomlin kept the busy scoresheets tidy and accurate, as usual. But it was not a satisfying game, even if full of action. The battle for second and third places kept up, but United lost a golden chance.

 

Howick            0          0          0          0          1          0          0  =  1

Metro             1          0          1          0          0          0          x  =  2

   There was nothing between the sides in this contest as Metro kept hold of second place while the pile-ups behind continued.

   Steve Tau pitched for Metro, against 28 with 4 K, 2 BB and three hits. Josh Kingi pitched well for Howick, facing 24, 2 K, 2 BB and five hits.

   Getting past the lead-off is the problem, especially if that man is Metro’s Duane Jerard, Monster to his friends. The big man, and he is in all ways, clobbered the first pitch over the centre field fence and that was the game, in effect. Josh Cooke and Dion Nukunuku also hit in the first but were taken out on base with good work from catcher Ryan Croawell, a young man who has done well for his team this season. It is not easy when your father has re-taken the coaching role.

   While Tau stifled Howick’s batters in the first four turns, allowing no one on base, Metro sneaked a run in the third when Thai batter Thanikul “Mark” Boonmahatanakorn had his shot errored at shortstop. Jerard, the nemesis of so many pitchers, bounced an automatic double over the fence and the winning margin was there. He had a 3/3 day with the bat and was the only Metro batter to collect a hit after the first inning. Well done Josh Kingi.

   With two out in the fifth, Kingi, the Howick player of the day, was walked. Todd Reynolds hit into a fielder’s choice and advanced on a right field shot from Adam Wallis, scoring on an error.

   In the sixth, with two out, Croawell singled to centre but died on third base. Yoshi Suzuki hit to the infield in the seventh but was stranded on second after a passed ball. Metro had done nothing in the final three turns at bat.

   Howick had the chances at the end but the big man had spoken and saved Metro’s place on the points’ table. The side missed Rod Caddy’s consistent batting and presence. Boonmahatanakorn was the Metro player of the day.

   Lance Type umpired with Rowena McKenzie the official scorer.

 

   What a battle of the women at Meadowlands with Ramblers coming with four runs in the final turn to win 10-9 against the gallant Howick side. A real run-fest for the spectators.

Ramblers        1          0          1          2          0          2          4  =  10

Howick            1          0          1          2          0          2          3  =   9

   Both sides kept equal pace through the game which was spoiled only by an injury break. Designated runner Howick’s Kirsten Long had three stitches in her knee but no further damage resulted.

   Sam Lyons pitched to 31, 4 K, 2 BB and 12 hits. Anana Kingi to 10 for 2 BB and three hits.

   For Ramblers, Samantha Roebeck to 24, 6 K, 4 BB and 6 hits with Janice Anderson taking over in the 6^th for 12 batters, 2 K, 1 BB and six hits.

   Ramblers Jonelle Mase and Jarrah Tuoro combined singles for the first run and Nita Hickey walked to set Breanna Gibson up for a fielder’s choice and mix up run for Howick.

   Tuhi Cooper, with one out, doubled, went further on Tuoro’s second single and scored on a Whitney Brown shot but Howick once again bounced back when Hickey singled and moved around the bases on a fielder’s choice, wild pitch and then an error.

   Gillian Wilk hit to shortstop to start the third and scored on a single from Mase, who then scored on Cooper’s second double.

   Not to out-done, again, Howick’s Kingi walked and came home on a home run from Tara Lee Houkamau. Ramblers had a real fight to get ahead in this match against one of the sides which has been battling for wins, and runs.

   In the bottom of the 4th with lead-off batter Nita Hickey at bat, she hit low towards first. As first base Jarrah Tuoro reached to catch it and the ball deflected off her glove into foul territory. Neither umpire called it foul as they believed that the ball was touched in fair territory. When the first base recovered the ball she sent it back to the pitcher, the batter was still in the box, so the pitcher returned the ball to first and the batter was called out.

   Jonah Tipene’s double in Ramblers’ fifth saw her taken out at third and the rally died before Mase hit a home run to brighten up Ramblers’ efforts. That was followed by Cooper’s third successive double, a wild pitch and another Tuoro single, her third and Anana Kingi came on to pitch as Howick faced another challenge.

   But the fans who expected the eastern girls to fade were livened by yet another response to bring joy to the heart of coach Robbie Cardwell, who needs the encouragement after this season’s battles.

   Janice Anderson came on to pitch and Sam Lyons, freed from the pitching, for a while, pounced on one and tripled, Houkamau walked and Gibson’s shot to right field tucked Lyons home and put Houkamau on third but she went on home while the fielders played for Gibson at second.

   So the injury-delayed game staggered into the last inning. Ramblers laid down a formidable challenge with Anderson starting with an infield hit and Jonah Tipene taking her second successive double to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and an error. Roebeck was walked, Emma Scowcroft forced an error and Mase was walked and up stepped Cooper for an incredible fourth consecutive double to score two and put Mase on third. But Howick recovered to leave two Ramblers on base and have a target of four runs to win.

   No, said even the most earnest supporters, it was beyond the team on this year’s showing. Perhaps, but not yesterday.

   Renee Ezekiela led off with a short single and Heidi Leathart hit her to second so Howick had two on base. DR Kirsten Long was on 2nd base for Renee Ezekiela and stole on the first pitch to Samantha. She was caught stealing at 3rd base by the catcher Tuhi Cooper. However in the slide she was cleated in the ankle. Play stopped at this point and an ambulance was called as the people attending to her initially thought they could see bone sticking out of the wound. Then Lyons did the job, again, with a right field single to score Leathart.

   Another out before Houkamau showed her class with a second extra base hit, racing to third and scoring two more to more to make it 10-9 but when she sprinted round 3rd base she was caught between the bases and tagged by the catcher.

   Ramblers had survived yet another tough test.

   For Howick Ezekiela had 3/4, Leathart 2/3 with a walk, Lyons 2/4 and Houkamau 2/3 with a walk.

   Ramblers’ Mase was 3/4 with a walk, Tuoro 3/5, Anderson 1/2 and Tipene 2/4.

   BJ Kairau umpired the busy game, aided by Lance Type, with Rowena McKenzie’s pens flashing, keeping up with the flow of hits and batters, all 77 of them, and 19 runs.

 

 

Great Ramblers double causes Freer Park celebration

Results

Brother Patrick Memorial Fastpitch series. Penrose.

Men: Marist 8 Otahuhu 1, Metro 13 Howick 0, Marist 4 Howick 3, Ramblers 5 Eden-Roskill 0, Otahuhu 7 United 5, Ramblers 7 United 6, Otahuhu 14 Eden-Roskill 1, Waitakere Bears 3 Metro 1, Ramblers 10 Otahuhu 3, Northcote 3 Eden-Roskill 2, United 5 Northcote 1, Marist 1 Bears 0, Metro 2 Marist 1, Ramblers 1 Northcote 1, United 16 Eden 0, Northcote 15 Otahuhu 1, Bears 8 Howick 1.

Playoff: Metro 10 Bears 0. Final: Ramblers 7 Metro 0.

Women: Doreen Hutchings Memorial series: Metro 3 Otahuhu 1, Ramblers 9 Howick 2, Bears 6 Ramblers 0, Metro 6 Te Aroha (Hutt Valley) 4, Bears 3 Marist 0, Ramblers 8 Otahuhu 1, Metro 6 Howick 4, Te Aroha 16 Otahuhu 2, Marist 10 Howick 7, Bears 7 Te Aroha 6, Marist 6 Metro 2, Ramblers 3 Te Aroha 2, Bears 5 Howick 2.

Final: Ramblers 7 Bears 0.

   The individual award winners are in the stories below. One of them has a batting average to make even Donny Hale stand back and salute.

 

   National champion Mt Albert Ramblers recovered from a dreadful start to win the final of the 50^th annual Brother Patrick Memorial series at Marist’s Simson Park ground, dominating Metro 7-0 in the final.

    The final hit was a Lyndon Andrew home run as the Ramblers’ captain celebrated his 20th season in the event, and in the premier grade.

   Ramblers’ women also won 7-0 in a final against high-flying Waitakere Bears.

   But in its first game on Friday night, Ramblers men seemed to be heading for its second big defeat in three days when arch rival United carved out a 6-0 lead which would have echoed Thursday’s championship clash against Waitakere Bears when the Auckland champion was surprised 6-0 for its first championship defeat of the season. Ramblers, given too much room, recovered to win 7-6.

   Outstanding batting then took Ramblers past all opponents while Metro needed a 10-0 play-off win against Bears to make the final.

   Ramblers’ women re-formed this season after ten years out of the grade and the team’s batting style was superior to all other sides, especially in the final.

   Former international pitcher Michelle Kingi was the inspiration, pitching eight strikeouts in confining Bears to one hit as well as scoring four of the runs, including two home runs, in a perfect batting performance.

   She was aided by player-coach Venita Hokai who set the pace along with former international Tuhi Cooper and Jarrah Tuoro who both hit the ball hard, especially compared with the timid Bears’ batters.

   Hutt Valley side Te Aroha had a dismal weekend with one win and three losses. The former national champion and three-time Marist winner in the past four years faded in every game with uncharacteristic errors.

   The big batting Otahuhu men, with four batters in the top of the averages, had some good wins and some heavy losses, with Marist and United showing variations of exciting play and lack-lustre effort.

   All three sides have the capacity to blossom into top teams which will make the Auckland area the hot-bed of the Fastpitch game. But consistency is the key, and some extra work on defensive skills.

   The double was the first by a club since the Doreen Hutchings Memorial was added in 2001 when the Australian Development team, coached by former Marist man Simon Roskvist, won the event.

   That was followed by three years of Te Aroha, then Northcote two years ago and Bears last season.

   Ramblers was the playing through men’s champion after Metro had won in style against all comers in the 05-06 season. Ramblers has dominated the Patrick with 17 wins, ahead of Marist’s 12. Metro has won only two and it took Marist many years to win for the first time but the side then dominated from 1990 to 2002, winning all but two.

   The trophy celebrates the support softball and Marist had from the late Brother Patrick at Sacred Heart College when it was the centre of the schoolboy softball world, and then in the forming of the Marist club. Although there is some doubt, it appears that many Marist brothers who served in Samoa were influenced by diamond sports in American Samoa and brought that interest back to New Zealand.

   Doreen Hutchings’ family has served the game for many years with Jan and Lynnette still very involved in scoring. Doreen served in many capacities after joining the club when Ellerslie Eagles folded in 1980 in favour of joining local club Marist. She was a life member of the Auckland Association and held a Distinguished Service Award from NZ Softball.

   Other Brother Patrick games: (not covered in the previous report)

   United 5 Northcote 1. For a change, Kurt Allan was second batter but it did not matter as he doubled to right and scored United’s first on two passed balls. In the second Thomas Enoka, the new youth international (along with brother Ben) doubled and scored on an error but David Downs and Grant Dean combined to get one back.

   Isaac Fletcher forced an error and scored an unearned run, Allan hit again, joined by Heinie Shannon with a walk before Thomas Enoka hit both home to support pitcher Greg Anderson who threw a two-hitter. Derek Mayson conceded six hits.

   Northcote 3 Eden-Roskill 2. Murray Hawke had a fine day for Northcote with 2/3 and the game was 2-2 going into the sixth after Eden took a 2-0 lead with a Nathan Thorpe single and a home run by Steffan Van Lieshout.

   Hawke, Callan Ryan and Mayson combined for two runs. Dean Wallace and Mayson combined to concede four hits while Marty Leroy threw a four-hitter.

   Marist 1 Bears 0. Valuable Australian import Aaron Cockman started the game off with a double and scored on two fielder’s choice plays. There were only two Marist hits from Jeff Farion and two off Marist’s David McKenzie. Farion had 2/3 as the only Bears’ hitter. Paddy Shannon hit once and was hit twice by pitches with Gordon Hooper getting the other shot.

   Metro 2 Marist 1. Another close scoring game with Rod Caddy walking in the first. Roman Gabriel did the job with a hit.

   Gus Leger doubled in the second, scoring on a shot from Jerome Haretuku. Gabriel walked and scored on two passed balls and a Dion Nukunuku hit. Leger was 1/1 with a walk. There were four hits a side against Taiki Apu and Metro’s Steve Tau.

   Northcote 1 Ramblers 1. Lead-off Derek Mayson started with a hit and scored, assisted by Brad Rona, partially recovered from his injury. Michael Cameron equalled with a hit, finally coming home on a Lyndon Andrew shot. Cameron, Mayson and Rona were 2/3 with Aaron Cockman 1/2 with a sacrifice as well. Mayson and Cameron conceded four hits each.

   Michael Cameron stole the most bases of the Bro Pat with five.

   United 16 Eden 0. Isaac Fletcher and Kurt Allan had dream games, with Fletcher 4/4 with three singles and a double. Allan was 3/3 with a single, double and triple. Heinie Shannon was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, Ben Enoka 1/1 with a walk and hit pitch and Brock Williams 1/1 with a sacrifice and a walk. There were 13 United hits but Thomas Enoka pitched a one hitter, with three walks and Nathan Thorp was the sole Eden hitter. Nine runs scored in the first, then 3, 0 and 4.

   Note this well. The top batter of the series was United’s Kurt Allan. He was also the MVP. His average, unbelievable but .900. He must be a contender for the Black Sox, regardless of past events, if Samoa is not going to have a team. His fielding is excellent and his throws are rifle shots.

   Northcote 15 Otahuhu 1. How does Otahuhu manage to be so good and so bad, all in one weekend? There were 14 hits and one marvellous feat. Mayson was lead-off three times, starting in the top of the first. Each time he hit a home run over centre field to end up leading the home run tally for the series. Three home runs in three turns.

   Jason Gerbes was in competition, hitting two home runs from three turns. Work harder Jason, the master is showing you the way.

   There were six hits in the first and five runs. Rona hit a home run in that frenzy as well, making the score 12-0 in two turns. Mayson was 4/4, David Down 2/3 and Dean Wallace 2/4. Mayson also pitched with 11 strikeouts, 2 hits and a walk. Talented fellow.

   Matty Hicks slammed a home run and Kirby Roper managed the other hit.

   Otahuhu batters Hicks, Jamie Matiu, Raka Repia, Kere Hauraki and Tom Katene were all high on the batting lists, with big bursts. The rest of the team needs to step up too.

   Mayson was home run king of the Patrick with three, all of them in this game. Mayson also topped the RBI table with six.

   Bears 8 Howick 1. Kengo Shimakura walked and was hit home by Robert Allison for the sole Howick run in the fourth but Bears started in the bottom of the first when Gordon Hooper hit home two, with Gerry Long and Curtis Cosh one each. Long, Vic Niu and Casey Eden, with a triple, did well in the third and Kyle Kouka, Hooper and Long did it again in the fourth. Long was 3/3, Hooper 2/3 as Bears snatched ten hits.

   Metro thumped Bears 10-0 to move into the final after a count up of points, complicated by two uneven series and some teams not playing each other. The system is a little complicated and too much for elderly reporters to spend much time on.

   Final: Ramblers 7 Metro 0. This was a great way for Ramblers’ captain Lyndon Andrew to celebrate twenty years since he made his debut for Papatoetoe back in the 1987-88 season. His glittering record was capped by a fifth inning home run with Scott O’Neale on base after a walk. Andrew has dozens of home runs to his credit and has been an asset to every team, and to softball itself.

   Instead of scoring all the runs in the first inning, Ramblers used second inning hits by Nathan Nukunuku, Donny Hale, his brother Bernard and Bobbie King to rattle up four runs. In the third it was Lawrence Naera’s turn to score before the coup de grace by Andrew. It was a 7-0 double for the men and women.

   Doreen Hutchings Memorial series:

   Marist 10 Howick 7. Marist did not look like the leading side in the Fastpitch series during the weekend but had some workouts. Youngster Te Reo Powhiri Matautia had another turn on the pitching mat but found life a little harder. She conceded five hits and was later relieved by Sheree Cartwright in a good move to allow her to pitch part-games. Marist had six hits.

   Top of the first, with one out, Sina Hunkin tripled, Casey Roper and Cartwright hit and Kalala Gabriel finished the rally with a double but Howick was not dismayed. Nita Hickey made first on a missed strikeout and Jordan Wilson doubled, both scoring on a hit from Tessa Houkamau.

   Marist’s Lisa Harkell and Tania Misa scored unearned runs in the second. Hunkin, Roper, Cartwright, Gabriel and Lydia Isaacs all hit and scored in the fourth.

   Howick rallied again with Tara-Lee Houkamau walking, followed by a single from Hickey, a double by Wilson and a single by Breanna Gibson, bringing Cartwright on to relieve.

   Bears 7 Te Aroha 6. Lead-off Amber Irving showed the way with a top of the first walk, Rebecca Bromhead made it on a fielder’s choice which did not work and Tegan Bromhead was there on an error, with Kayla Clark walking. Mereanna Joseph hit a home run for two RBIs.

   Te Aroha hit back with Maleme Williams getting the first of her three walks, as did Dinah Luke, while Shirley Povey and Yvonne Burgess backed up with hits. Burgess hit two home while Melissa Upu’s double scored two more for four runs.

   Against pitcher Okawa Priest, Tegan Bromhead and Clark scored, aided by Michelle Venemore who had 2/2 and Irving 2/3.

   Cindy Potae and Williams were on base on walks and scored on errors but it was not enough to catch up. Ani Ngaa conceded four hits with Priest five. Joyce De Witz threw a fine three hitter but walks allowed Te Aroha a chance. It was a lack-lustre weekend for the Hutt Valley side, under former ace coach Black Sox, and much more, coach Mike Walsh.

   Metro 6 Howick 4. It was a drab start for Howick with two errors in the top of the second. Megan Farrell and Williams benefitted with the assistance of a Kate Livingstone single to score one of the three runs. Farrell was there with a triple in the third, going on to score on an error to make it a home run.

   In the bottom of the third Tara-Lee Houkamau, Nora Gibson and Breanna Gibson combined to get two runs. Hickey and Nora Gibson used Renee Ezekiela’s double to score two more to come within one run.

   Sally Bowden stole the show in the fifth when she hit over the fence. Apparently someone promised her a bat like Paddy Shannon’s cannon if she managed it, so sometimes dreams do come true. Bowden conceded six hits and Farrell one, with Sam Lyons allowing five and Ariana Kingi three.

   Te Aroha 16 Otahuhu 2. It was one of the rare Te Aroha successes but Otahuhu scored first through Selena Hoani and Aloma Ngatokoura to get one.

   Six walks, home runs to Williams and Burgess, plus singles to Williams, Upu, Okawa, Priest and a double by Potae scored nine runs.

   Otahuhu burst out again with Corina Maaka home on hits by Roberta Leevard and Hoani.

   Upu’s double, a triple by Katrina Stockford and a single by Potae (2/3), aided by Nadia Mauriohoho and a double from Luke kept the Te Aroha score flowing. Luke had 2/2 and a walk, plus 2RBIs. Burgess, Upu (2/2 and 2 BB), Stockford (2/3 and one walk), plus Williams put Te Aroha into the four inning win. Nine in the first, then zero, four and three. Priest was 2/3 and Selena Hoani 2/3 for Otahuhu.

   Marist 6 Metro 2. This was Cartwright v Farrell, two of the great pitching talents. Cartwright allowed three hits and three walks, Farrell 5 and 5.

   Metro’s Dominique Rangi was hit home by Nikki Skinnon in the first but Cartwright and Wikaira came home after a flurry of passed balls etc, aided by Tania Misa’s hit. Sina Hunkin led off the third with a single and scored on a series of mishaps while Roper was there on an error and also profited from the same fielding woes.

   Skinnon produced a fine triple and scored on a fielder’s choice but Marist hit back with lead-off Hunkin managing another triple and Roper a walk, with both scoring. Hunkin was 2/3 and Skinnon 2/2.

   At the end of play it was Bears to take on Ramblers, the side which had gone into the series without real form, despite the driving and coaching of Hokai. A 6-0 loss to Bears was not a good sign. However only one side knew how to swing a bat and that was that.

Women’s final:

   Michelle Kingi, daughter of former Counties’ pitching star Tom, dominated the game, starting with her centre field drive with two down in the top of the first. Tuhi Cooper, another former international with Kingi, also hit to centre and Kingi sprinted home. She was to do a great deal of hard running, as well as top pitching, in the game.

   The Bears’ batters never looked likely to break through Kingi’s pitching and the only hit came in the sixth when Amber Irving singled to left field.

   In the third, with two out, player-coach Venita Hokai came to bat. Her experience includes coaching and playing for Ramblers when the side was top dog ten years ago or more, plus time in the USA. Although she does not have years on her side, she has determination and swung hard, so pitcher Joyce De Witz pitched around her and Hokai was walked. So was Kingi, then Cooper.

   Jarrah Tuoro made the most of the chance, lobbing a shot into centre field and there was an error to follow, allowing two runs home.

   With the bottom of the order batting as if they were in another team, Ramblers had to wait until the “aces” came up again in the fifth. This time Hokai’s shot was fierce and she sprinted to second. Perhaps others might have made it to third, but she was pumping.

   Kingi’s right field shot was also fierce, eluding the unfortunate fielder so Kingi, not in top physical shape, had a long sprint right around the bases, to great applause from the large crowd.

   Five runs up and with Bears flagging, the combination of top batters struck again in the seventh. Hokai’s drive was taken out from second base but Kingi once again tormented the right fielder and once again sprinted the four bases for the in-park homer. Once again applause, but even louder as the crowd recognised the ability and power.

  Cooper, not to be out-done, took her second hit, a triple to the beleaguered right fielder who must have felt she was being bullied at this stage. Tuoro obliged with a single to centre and that was the seven runs.

   Kingi did the honours with three strikeouts in the final Bears’ turn and the celebration began. She would have slept well, and happy, after such a dominating performance. All that practice paid off Tom. Now, when she really gets down to hard training, she could be the number one female hurler in the land.

   Maybe as dominating as Gina Weber.

 

   Those who contributed to the weekend, with apologies to any missed out: Umpires were: Lance Type, Antony “Bunchy” Te Whero (Bay of Plenty), Jeff Weber, Nicola Ogier (Canterbury), BJ Kairau, Tony Irving, Les Haslam, Mark Porteous, Mark McFarlane (Canterbury) under chief umpire Andrew Laird.

   Scorers: Chief: Frances Harlick with Lynnette Leathart and Harriet Tomlin doing statistics, Tania Irving, Jan Hutchings, Flo Wanoa, Rowena McKenzie, Kris Jury (ex Christchurch), Carolyn McQueen, Charla Edwin and Christine Nukunuku.

   Marist club stalwarts and assistants (and there were so many who rally to the cause each year, and many of them all season, in no particular order): Ellen Kohlhase, Stuart Rattenbury and the ground crew, Anita Mok, Marie O’Rourke, Steve Rudd, Anita Gabriel, John Giacon, Val Moriarty, Alison Strong, Monique Cooper, Natalie Cooper, Anna McLeod, Sherryl Cooper, Mary Utanga, Rori Mohi, Rachel Utanga, Trina Love, Shaun Singleton, Mark Wallace, Debbie Tepania, Paul Nevin, Rick Johnston, Section 4 ladies, Section 3 men, Section 4 men, Tom Heard, John Ball, Lisa Arkell, Sina Hunkin, Mike Niu, Carlaus Te Kawa and the ground announcers, Casey Roper, Jessica Chapple and the Westmere catering crew for Friday’s food, Ken Johnston, Craig Joynt, Ed Johnston, Darryn Johnston, Paul Freeman, president Frank Godinet (strapped arm and all) and all the players who came along to watch, and their parents.

   And let us not forget the Godfather, Eric Kohlhase, always on the lookout for the missed details after so many years of driving this event, along with Ellen.

   The Brother Patrick, coming so soon after the Vic Guth, showed that fans are prepared to go to the local grounds, particularly when able to picnic under the trees, or choose the sun.

   And, as happened at the Guth, other clubs came forward in a new spirit to cooperate. United offered the use of the outfield fence so there could be two enclosed diamonds and it was a great success. This is a long way from those sad days when the inter-club rivalry did not stay on the field. One of the Marist teams loaded the fence on to a truck.

   Great going everyone.

 

 

 

Eight Auckland players in the new Under-19 travelling squad.

    Congratulations to a big group of young Auckland Fastpitch men who have made it into the under-19 world series team to go to the Yukon.

   Let’s hope that they too find gold, as some young men did over 100 years ago, but without the terrible hardships of those times.

   The eight man input, by far the largest of any association, is an indication of the strength of game in Auckland.

   Raka Repia, Otahuhu’s first big-time representative, celebrated before selection day with his two huge home runs that helped stun Waitakere Bears at Sturges Park on Saturday and his local form justifies his surprise selection. He will be a big boost for the club which is starting to show the softball world that the game does not start and end in Mt Albert.

   But, as under-19 coach Paul Stockford stated, “Getting into the team is not the main aim but to win gold and then go on to play for the Black Sox.”

   Too few do, but the Auckland group is large and perhaps the intensity of the local competition will help.

   Marist youngsters David McKenzie (a young Howick star until just a few weeks ago) is one of the pitchers, along with Marist team mates Jamie Love and Dylan Tomlin. Tomlin has been in excellent form this season. His lively fielding and the ability to play anywhere in the infield will assist the coach and he can hit.

   Love’s pitching has been static this season but he has potential and his hitting has been excellent.

   McKenzie faced the hard facts of premier play against Metro on Saturday and will need to respond much more positively to hard calls and big batting opponents but he is a big man and could be the answer to Auckland’s pitching needs when the current players fade out.

   United provides three players, showing again the growth of the club in the past few years after the hard times when United seemed to be fading out of the game. Brothers Thomas and Ben Enoka will place a big burden on the family finances but will join Dion and Nathan Nukunuku as brothers who have made the under-19 team. They both went on to make big names as Black Sox players with plenty of world championship golds.

   There have been other brother combinations too, all talented, and the Enoka boys could be just as important in the senior game in the next few years.

   Kallan Campain is probably the outsider although he has done well at age tournaments. His impact on his premier side has been negligible and he will need to work hard in the coming months to make sure he gets game time.  

   Josh Cook has the family pedigree, right back to grandfathers Dick Cook and Graham Fenton. Dick was a top class softballer and league player. Father Michael Fenton played for Samoa at the 2004 world series and the pair played together in the Metro team last season.

   Josh is a lively player with confidence and will be an asset to the side in Canada.

   New Zealand will be looking for a win over Australia this time. The Aussies, relative newcomers to world softball, have won three times now, pointing to a time when the world championship might just slip away from the Black Sox.

   It was back in 1989 when New Zealand won last, after taking the title on our first trip, back in 1985. At that time the Black Sox had won in 1984, the White Sox in 1982, making us triple champions, with only the girls dropping out of contention. The girls have never even come close to winning, or getting a top three place.

   There is a great deal of work to be done at under-19 level to match the growth of overseas talent.

   (A huge number of talented youngsters have never played at this level because their ages were wrong, making under-19 selection a question of when your birthday falls. Lucky boys are those whose mothers held on until after New Year, making them the oldest in each team they play in, compared with those born in the few days before New Year who are always the junior members).

 

 

Mr Reliable Strikes Again. Mid-week AFC Review - 06/02/08

    Members of the Northcote team tease Dean Wallace about the label of Mr Reliable, and give me a nudge about using the term.

   What other is appropriate? Let me list some of Dean’s work yesterday at Rosedale, which is even more amazing when you consider that he has a new young family and has been playing in the premier grade longer than anyone apart from, perhaps, Lyndon Andrew.

   Jarrad Martin was not available for the weekend after spending some time in hospital with a blood infection and so that left Dean to take over to pitch the reserve grade game against Eden-Roskill and he did, taking the game and hitting a home run, at least.

   Then there was a clash with premier grade second-place rivals, Metro, a keenly matched side eager to use Northcote’s weekend failures to keep on climbing up the table.

   Metro had not had the advantage of a going-over by the back of player-coach Rona’s tongue and the extra-hard training session he put Northcote through. Metro also did not have Dean Wallace, Mr Reliable.

   So he fronted up again, the former premier league pitcher, later first baseman and outfielder when Marist was the power in the game and an Auckland rep player. He then pitched against Eden-Roskill premiers Here are some of the details of his busy day.

 

Northcote       0          5          0          0          0          1          1          = 7

Metro             0          0          0          1          0          0          0          = 1

   Rona was pitching when he twisted his knee and went off with manager Dave Boswell to a clinic for a check-up. He had thrown to four batters, allowing a hit to lead-off Rod Caddy and a hit to Duane Jerard but both went out on base with tag plays. Wallace was on the pitching mat again.

   He pitched to 24, struck out 6, walked 1 and conceded six hits, a low tally against the talent lined up against him. Caddy, who had four singles from four turns on Saturday against Marist, followed that with three in a row against Wallace before going out. Great batting.

   Jerard hit three from three to once again to keep proving that he is one of the batters of the decade. That was all the damage Metro did. Steven Tau’s record was 32, 5, 2 and 11.  

   Wallace went out in the first, which was unusual, but then grabbed three in a row, including a double in the seventh to score Lambert, who had walked. Add to that an RBI in the second.

   Boaler also did his bit.

   Northcote’s second was a repeat of the treatment Marist gave to Valdermar Terkelsen on Saturday. Boaler started with a double, Hawke had a clever bunt which was a hit, Collier hit over the fence and it was a dream start. Then the lead-off trio of Ryan, Lambert and Wallace chimed in with successive hits but the next two stood on strikes, with the team putting all nine batters in the box.

   The game settled down with Caddy doing his bit in the third, with no support as Wallace struck out two. Collier hit in the fourth and player-coach Dion Nukunuku forced an infield error to start off Metro’s fourth, scoring on a passed ball, a hit from Jerard and an error with Garth Pollard at bat.

   Wallace had his second hit in the fifth but was out on base. Caddy had his third hit but was left on second after stealing.

   Boaler increased the margin with a home run in the sixth, Jerard had his third single in the same inning and Lambert had one of the rare walks in the last turn, scoring on Wallace’s double.

   There was more Wallace to come. He should have been getting very tired at this stage.

 

Northcote       4          4          0          4          1          = 13

Eden-Roskill  0          0          0          2          0          =  2

   Wallace threw to 21, 8 K, 0 BB, 6 hits. Marty Leroy 31, 3, 0 and 13.

   The first three batters, Callum Ryan, Leon Lambert and Dean Wallace all hit. Wallace had three RBIs and Michael Boaler hit him home.

   Nathan Thorp had a double to start Eden’s second but three strikeouts took care of that and in the second, bottom batter Fergus McAlpine tripled to lead off, Ryan hit to third, Lambert singled and Wallace hit the ball over the left field fence. Three more RBIs.

   Eden’s Darryl Churchill started the third with a single, Joe Mouton sacrificed and Paul Doolan singled, followed by another from Jordyn Thorp but Wallace struck out Marty Cannons and that was the end of that threat.

   Glen Taylor had the solitary Northcote success in the third but got nowhere, tagged at second.

   Ryan led off again in the fourth, hit by a pitch. Lambert went out looking for his hat-trick of hits but Wallace succeeded, but it was not an RBI as Ryan had scored on an error. Andrew Clark hit the home run this time, followed by Boaler’s hit, with Murray Hawke and Aaron Collier also hitting singles.

   Eden had success in the fourth. Nathan Thorp doubled, Steffan Van Lieshout caused an error in centre field and had an in-park home run to his credit. Aaron Soper had a single but that was the end of the attacks on Wallace.

   Ryan had a double (hit by a pitch again) and Wallace hit him home, but with an errored shot, and Eden could not raise another run.

   Ryan was on four times and scored four. Lambert had two hits and Wallace three, scoring three.

   Dean Wallace, man of the day? Mr Reliable? Certainly.

   His batting tally for the premier games was four singles, a double and a home run from eight turns, plus three pitching stints for wins. Hope the children didn’t cry in the night, or perhaps he would not have heard them.

 

   Metro’s control of second place had gone with Metro’s two wins and the sides are equal in the chase after unbeaten national champion Ramblers, getting further and further ahead.

   Mark Porteous umpired both games and Carolyn McQueen was official score for both. Porteous is a member of the noted Huntly softball family. His father Seph played fore than 250 games for Waikato when that team had plenty of skilled players and his boys, Mark and Andrew, have spent their lives in the game. He also played for the North Island twice, and for Auckland in winning title teams, as well as for Eden when the club was at its peak in the 1940s. Seph is still recovering from a stroke which took him not long after his 80^th birthday.

   Martin is unlikely to play at the Brother Patrick, Rona will see if his knee is OK and the latest news is that Miramar will miss the Dean Schick Memorial, a tournament which has seen the Wellington club attend so many times. It will be poorer for it, but money is hard to find these days.

 

 

Ramblers and Bears men, plus Marist women, come out better off. 2/3 Feb 2008

   The semi-finals of the Vic Guth set up some rivalry for the key weekend games as Northcote was going to prove that it could beat a Waitakere Bears’ squad without Marty Grant and Thomas Makea and United was just going to prove that it could beat Northcote.

   On top of that, Bears was alight with the desire to keep on playing at top form.

   But Bears hit the wall on Saturday when Raka Repia hit two home runs to spark Otahuhu to a surprise win over the winner of last weekend’s prestigious Vic Guth series and slow Bears’ efforts to stay with the top four of the Auckland Fastpitch Championship.

   Repia was aided by intelligent batting from Tommy Katene and pitcher Matty Hicks while Hicks was unfazed by Bears’ eleven hits as he rose to the challenges from Bears’ batters Casey Eden, Adam Morunga, Travis Miller and Curtis Cosh.

   United maintained the form of last weekend to reverse the Guth semi result and beat Northcote 4-3. Isaac Fletcher showed what he can do when he bends his back and cancelled out ace national team batter Brad Rona. It is a hard job but Dean Wallace, Jason Gerbes and Derek Mayson did the batting for Northcote but give praise to United lead-off man Kurt Allan. The former international certainly knows how to get on base at the start of the game and his run was crucial.

   But don’t ignore the women’s result which would, in the old days before performance drugs, have been met with cries of “swab them” when Metro came from the depths of despair on Saturday to beat Ramblers 1-0 in a tiebreaker on Sunday. This was recovering from 19-1 hiding and a 7-0 forfeit after running out of players to a shut-out win.

    And Bears women did so well to take out reigning champion Northcote and really open up the series. The game imbalance may be cured soon as teams catch up.

  2 and February 2008 Results. Auckland Fastpitch Championship

Men: Otahuhu 5 Waitakere Bears 3, Metro 13 Glenora 4, Ramblers 8 Eden-Roskill 1, United 4 Northcote 3, United 7 Glenora 3, Bears 3 Northcote 1, Ramblers 11 Otahuhu 4, Metro 14 Marist 9, Howick 7 Eden Roskill 3, Marist 8 Howick 1.

Points: Ramblers 24 points (12 games), Metro 18 (13), United 16 (13), Northcote and Marist 14 (12), Bears 14 (13), Otahuhu 10 (13), Howick 8 (13), Eden-Roskill 4 (12), and Glenora 2 (13).

Women: Bears 4 Howick 0, Marist 19 Metro 2, Ramblers 4 Otahuhu 2, Marist 7 Metro 0, Marist 13 Howick 1, Bears 4 Northcote 1, Metro 1 Ramblers 0 (tiebreaker). Points: Northcote 26 (16), Marist 22 (12), Metro 16 (15), Ramblers 14 (11), Bears 14 (13), Howick 4 (14) and Otahuhu 2 (10).

 

Northcote       0          1          1          1          0          0          = 3

United             1          0          0          0          3          x          = 4

   Both sides were looking forward to this clash, the repeat of the Guth semi-final when Northcote home runs cracked the game open. This time there were no shots over the fence but Derek Mayson is a great lead off batter and hit to left field and Andrew Clark sacrificed to get him to second, where he languished in the sun.

   Kurt Allan is also a fine lead-off man (like team mate Dean Wallace, who was in the clean up spot for the day). Allan hit to right and skidded into third on an error on an Isaac Fletcher shot to first. Ben Enoka made the RBI single to give United the early edge.

   Jason Gerbes swings hard and often. His shot to right in the second equalled the score after a stolen base, a walk (Murray Hawke and Michael Boaler both walked) and scored on a wild pitch. (The weekend was full of them).

   Northcote sneaked into the lead after Mayson saw out a walk, stole second and was hit home by Wallace, just the man for the job.

   Another run in the fourth, again following a walk, to Callum Ryan, involved a stolen base and an error and United was looking shaky. But Fletcher dug deep and that was it for Northcote for the rest of the game although Wallace and Gerbes combined hits in the sixth but United held on.

   With one out in the fifth it was Haydn Wildbore with a double to right and Allan on with an error to score the run. Allan, who needs no advice or invitation, stole second, went to third on a fielder’s choice and scored when Brad Rona walked Heinie Shannon deliberately, and Ben Enoka, but Rona misjudged with more walks, to Reece Gasson and Garrick Gibbons, and Shannon walked home for what turned out to be the winner.

   It was an anti-climax to a battle as Northcote, with a loss then next day, slid out of top three placings and allowed Metro and United in.

   Fletcher to 25 batters, 4 K, 4 BB and 4 hits. Rona 25, 4 K, 4 BB (in a row) and 4 hits. You cannot get closer figures of course, so it was when the hits and walks occurred that mattered. (Roger Marshman had his name on the scoresheet to add an extra dimension to United’s team).

   Richard Gale and Joanna-Lee Edwin umpired with Carolyn McQueen the scorer, and one of the neatest on the job.

  

   No team is safe against Otahuhu, and the side sometimes cannot defend itself, but that is one of the blessings of the game.

   Bears out-hit Otahuhu but that did not matter in the end, especially when Raka Repia decided to out-do Jamie Matiu and Tommy Katene by getting a walk and two home runs for his greatest day. Tommy did manage two hits while Matty Hicks just kept on pitching and pitching, ignoring the talents he faced, and also managed two walks and a last inning hit to make it his big day also.

Otahuhu          2          0          0          1          1          0          1          = 5

Bears              0          1          0          2          0          0          0          = 3

   Hicks pitched to 32, struck out 3, walked only 1 and conceded 11 hits. Jeff Farion faced 27, had 5 strikeouts, 3 walks and gave up 8 hits.

   Kirby Roper had a fine game, showing off his missile-launcher arm from shortstop and covering the ground. His first inning slap shot which bounced high over third base set the scene for the game. Repia and Hicks walked to load the bases and Bears looked in trouble.

  But Matiu’s infield shot was snaffled by Farion, sent home and then to first for a double play to ease the threat. But a wild pitch changed the game and two scored as the ball was lost inside the backstop and then was missed at home when Hicks came in.

   Three up and down for Bears made Otahuhu liven up even more and Ian Campbell and Tommy Katene each hit, followed by a neat sacrifice bunt from Bailey Hoani before Farion worked hard to retire the others to leave the runners stranded.

   Two out and Curtis Cosh tried the surprise move, bunting on to base. He stole second, by millimeters, went to third on a passed ball and scored when Adam Morunga continued last weekend’s form with an RBI single. The Bears were hunting for hits.

   Four up, three down with only a Hicks walk was Otahuhu’s third effort but it was the same for Bears with catcher Casey Eden getting a hit.

   Tommy Katene made it to third when his single was let through in the fourth and Hoani obliged with another single to edge Otahuhu ahead even more.

   There was confusion all round in Bears’ fourth. With one out, Travis Miller continued his Guth form with the first of his three singles. Gordon Hooper followed with another and Cosh let them all go forward a base when he was struck out but the ball was dropped and he made first, it seemed.

   When Morunga hit to left two runs scored and there was no one left on the bases when it had seemed that they were full previously. However the penny dropped on the sideline when it was realized that Cosh was out immediately the third strike was dropped. (The rule prevents the catcher deliberately dropping the ball, standing on home plate and throwing for a double play at second and first. It was common in the very early days of baseball).

   So two runs had scored and Bears needed one more to catch up. Victory Niu’s shot was errored in right field but Otahuhu survived the inning when Hicks caught a fierce Farion drive.

   Then Repia struck his first big shot, over the left field fence and his side sneaked further ahead, adding to Bears’ frustrations as the players desperately tried to match last week’s energy levels.

   Eden started the fifth with a flourish, hitting to left past shortstop for his second hit, stealing second, going to third on a wild pitch and then heading home when Gerry Long’s drive rocketed to shortstop Roper. On a bouncer he would have been safe but the shot was so hard and the throw equalled it, leaving Eden stranded when faced with catcher Tommy Katene with the ball in his mitt.

   In the bottom of six, Cosh hit his second but was tagged at second. Again, only millimetres in it. Morunga walked, Niu hit and the following outfield error had runners on third and second. Danger time again but Hicks was unmoved, striking out one and getting a high outfield catch to end the threat, again.

   Repia was merciless. He lobbed a mortar bomb over the centre right field fence and moved Otahuhu ahead again. Bears’ Miller, with two out, cracked his third consecutive hit, but that was the end as a shot went to first baseman Matiu who gratefully stepped on his base and Otahuhu had another famous win. For Bears, it seemed that so many good things were done but they just did not all link together.

   Umpiring was Antony “Bunchy” Te Whero, with Francis Harlick scoring.

   (The Sturges Park arena, with two huge backstops, is a fine Fastpitch field and, with natural terracing and good shelter, a great place to play. What a shame that the locals have not found out about the attraction of this Otahuhu team, which is capable of heights and depths).

 

Ramblers        1          6          0          0          0          5          = 12

Otahuhu          0          3          0          0          1          0          =  4

   Hicks was in full action again the next day, coming in to pitch after Ramblers had piled up a typical six run haul in the second to lead 7-0. Three scoreless innings followed as the batters struggled to master his style before five hits and a walk ended the game.

   But Hicks also doubled and hit a home run to show his defiance of the champion side to take his weekend tally to 3 for 5, with two walks, plus the win over Bears. Player of the weekend perhaps.

   Bernard Hale was bumped up to lead-off and did his job with a walk, stole second and scored on brother Donny’s double. Aaron Thompson and Lawrence Naera also won walks from Kelvin Katene.

   It was typical Ramblers again (after the disasters of the Guth) when Adam Carter caused an error and stole second. Michael Gibbs and Hale singled to give Hale two RBIs and he scored on a combination of fielder’s choice, a sacrifice and passed ball.

   Otahuhu lost its way with a hit pitch for Donny, fielder’s choice for Bobbie King and a sacrifice by Thompson, setting the scene for a three run homer from Naera and on came Hicks.

   Some respectability followed when Hicks led off the second with a double and Tom Katene singled for one run. Bailey Hoani also singled of John Hireme to make it two before a sacrifice by Kelvin Katene and a single from the in-form Kirby Roper made it 7-3.

   Hicks kept it that way until the fifth when it was his home run, with two down, which made Otahuhu look a lot better.

   But the fateful sixth changed all that. Lead-off Bernard Hale had his second walk, to go with his two hits in a perfect afternoon for him, and big brother Donny had his home run. It is something that the large crowd of home fans has come to expect, like a home town Babe Ruth.

   King, Thompson, Hireme (with a double) and Carter all hit safely and five runs took the score out to 12-4 to dampen all Otahuhu hopes and the last two batters stood on strikes, facing a hopeless hurdle. (However standing there does not help). Roper had two for three, Kelvin Katene 1 for 2 as Hireme pitched an eight-hitter with 7 strikeouts and no walks.

   Katene threw to 15 for 1 strikeout, 3 walks and 4 hits, with one hit pitch. Hicks managed 19 batters for 1 K, 2 walks and six hits.

   Les Haslam umpired with Harriet Tomlin scoring.

 

Marist             0          2          0          0          2          1          3          = 8

Howick            0          0          0          0          0          0          1          = 1

   Marist had a fine start to the weekend with a win over Howick behind pitcher Taiki Apu who allowed only one hit, a home run in Howick’s last turn. Ryan Croawell had no earlier support and it was a lone effort, but did not spoil a perfect game as Kengo Shimakuta had walked in the first. Only 23 batters faced Apu who threw the one-hitter, with 7 strikeouts and one walk with five struck out.

   Cameron Smith had 34 batters to face, with Josh Kingi facing the last two. He struck out 5, gave 4 walks and 8 hits.

   Apu also managed a hit to start off the game in style but, after a slow start, Marist built up the runs in the last three turns, with top hitting from Max Maoate, Mike Niu, Dylan Tomlin, Aaron Cockman, Carlaus Te Kawa and Jerome Haretuku.

   Tomlin walked in the second and scored through Haretuku’s double. Tomlin did it again in the fourth but was stranded on third.

   Cockman hit to start the fifth and gained a run on two wild pitches and a catch. Niu and Te Kawa singled to score the other run.

   With one out in the sixth, David McKenzie was walked and scored on a passed ball, a stolen base and an error. Too many runs were gifts.

  The seventh saw Niu get his third and he too scored on a combination of unearned stuff, with a walk and a two base error which put Haretuku on base again. Maoate’s double moved him on and a sacrifice by Matt Sneddon finalised the last run.

   Jeff Weber umpired and Flo Wanoa added the touches with the scoring duties.

   Marist was on the charge for a top three place, with Metro the next day.

 

   On Sunday, against a Metro side which Marist needed to beat to make a real challenge for the top three, there was a great start with a 6-1 lead in the third inning which had Metro fans ready to head for home.

   But the impetus faded, some errors crept in and Metro piled up the runs…. eight in the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the last inning to win 14-9 in a match which should never have got away.

Metro 1          0          0          8          2          3          = 14

Marist 5          0          1          2          1          0          =  9

   Rod Caddy had a superb batting game (even if he could not get any of the runners out at second) but his frustration was shared by Marist catcher Carlaus Te Kawa. They are both total gentlemen along with their undoubted ability to play at any level.

   Their problem was that they had volunteer umpire Jason Langlois who had a very tight, perhaps very, very tight, strike zone and it was either a walk or an invitation to hit. The zone was completely consistent, and the same for both teams. On top of that he is a most competent umpire with great demeanour. So it was an impasse.

   Caddy started with a rifle shot single to right field, stole second (Carlaus was not having any luck with throws either so did that mean that everyone was leaving early?) and went to third on a Roman Gabriel sacrifice bunt.

   Valdermar Terkelsen was the pitcher and it was shooting fish in the barrel stuff as Gus Leger doubled into right, Mike Niu into left, followed by a left field single for Aaron Cockman and a three run shot over the fence by Te Kawa. Dylan Tomlin was walked and a wild pitch, followed by another left field shot, this time by Taiki Apu, made it 5-0. There were stirrings in the ranks of the Metro fans.

   At this stage Duane Jerard took over the pitching. The big man is clever with his pace and even warns the batters when one is coming their way, not that it changed the bruises.

   A Tomlin home run made it six and some contemplated going home to watch rugby but then Jerard started hitting the spots and Marist slowed.

   In the fourth it was Metro’s turn. Jerard started with a left field single and suddenly the two left fielders, Jackson Popata (Metro) and Haretuku, started feeling that things were working against them. There had been Marist left field shots and now they were raining on Marist’s outfield.

   Popata walked and Thai second baseman Mark Boonmahatankorn slammed another into left and scuttled to second on the fielder’s choice. Caddy and Gabriel also hit to left and there was a succession of three walks as pitcher David McKenzie lost heart at the calls.  Another left field shot from Garth Pollard almost had the exorcist out there working spells. There had been 15 hits up until then, ten of them to left field.

   Marist brought on Apu to calm things down and he took the batter with a strikeout. There had been 13 of them in the inning.

   Niu won a walk to start Marist’s fourth, advanced to third on Te Kawa’s shot to right and scored on the error following. Tomlin hit to centre to score the run.

   But Metro had not finished. Boonmahatankorn hit to right, Gabriel walked, as did Dion Nukunuku and a run walked home. Jerard hit to centre and a miracle did happen. There was a catch in left field. You could see the joy from home plate.

   Marist’s men were wilting but Max Maoate walked, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice by Matt Sneddon, who bunted, and scored on a Leger hit. It was the end of Marist’s scoring, but Haretuku did triple in the last turn.

   Before that Patrick Langlois, who was not pleased when Dad called him out on a third strike, had his second hit, to go with a hit pitch. Stole a base (didn’t everyone?), advanced on a passed ball and scored on another Boonmahatankorn hit, his third in a row. Popata, who had also walked, used Caddy’s fourth hit (from five) to score the last run.

   What a let down for Marist, especially as Northcote was crumbling and Metro was there for the taking.

   Flo Wanoa did the official scoresheet and deserves praise for keeping up.

   McKenzie threw to 24, struck out one, walked four and allowed 9 hits. Apu faced 16, for 1 K, 4 BB and five hits, a total of 14 hits. Terkelsen pitched to 10 for 1 K, 3 BB and 5 hits. Jerard to 24, 2 K, 3 BB and 5 hits. Both hit one batter.

 

Eden                1          0          0          2          0          0          = 3

Howick            0          0          7          0          0          0          = 7

   One huge batting inning was enough to bounce Howick to a win over Eden Roskill at Meadowlands on Sunday.

   Eden batted well to score the first run when Paul Doolan, a great club man, tripled and came home on a wild pitch but Howick waited until the third when Troy Pirie, taking the middle walk of his three from three turns, was advanced by a hit from Kengo Shimakura and scored on an error forced by Ian Gibson.

   A combination of walks to Josh Kingi, Stuart Reynolds and Pirie, plus hits from Stephen McKenzie and Yoshi Suzuki, brought up the seven runs.

   Eden scored two more runs but could not catch up, even if Howick had five scoreless turns from six. Zane Van Leishout hit to centre, advanced on a fielder’s choice which went wrong and allowed Mickey Jackson on base, then went on to third on a wild pitch and scored on a hit by Jordyn Thorp. Jackson had a gift run home with a wild pitch.  

   Despite the scoring discrepancy, each side had four hits and five walks. The difference was that Cameron Smith pitching cut down the Eden chances when it mattered. Marty Cannons had a walk and a hit and there were walks to Jordyn Thorp and Steffan Van Leishout. Smith pitched to 27 for one K, 4 BB and 4 hits. Eden’s Chris Turner threw to 21 for 1 K, 5 BB and 4 hits. Relief man Marty Leroy to 6 for no hits, walks or strikeouts.

   Ray Dale, the Howick stalwart, umpired and Christine Nukunuku, after the trek to get there from the west, scored the game.

 

   Just the result to get Bears out of Saturday’s funk. Then came a visit to Rosedale and two points against the always tough Northcote.

Northcote       0          0          0          0          0          0          1          = 1

Bears              0          1          2          0          0          0          x          = 3

   For a change, Northcote did not score in the first, against Jeff Farion. Dean Wallace collected his usual hit and Brad Rona was given first base rather than concede two runs.

   Paddy Shannon, just as devastating as Rona but out of form on the previous day, rattled one to left field and went on to second on the error, only to be left there.

   Jason Gerbes walked to start the second and was pushed to second by Michael Boaler, going out trying to take third against Shannon’s throw and then it was Bears’ turn again, with Adam Morunga the man in form.

   With one out he hit to left and sneaked to second on a passed ball, to third on an error which allowed Farion to first and scored through courtesy of a Cory Amai hit off Derek Mayson’s pitching.

   In Bears’ third turn it was lead-off man Shannon with his second hit. After a passed ball it was Gerry Long’s single, errored in the outfield, which scored Shannon, with Morunga doing more damage with another single, even if he did not get walked batter Travis Miller home.

   Rona finally found one close enough and took the first of his hits in the fourth. David Downs made the sacrifice but there was no back up. Shannon celebrated the lead with his third hit in the fourth, doubling to centre, and was back in top form. No run came of it and Rona took over the pitching for the last two scoreless turns.

   Farian threw to 28 batters, allowing three hits, three walks (one deliberate) and struck out 9. Mayson faced 22, 10 K, 7 hits, three of them to Shannon and two to Morunga.

  

 Bears             1          0          0          1          1          0          1 = 4

Howick            0          0          0          0          0          0          0 = 0

   What a great start for Bears with a first batter home run for Amber Irving. Takes the steam out of the opponents and boosts the side.

   Tegan Bromhead hit to centre but was out going to third after sister Kyla forced an error.

   Renee Ezekiela started Howick’s second with a hit but was tagged at home after a combination between Mereanna Joseph and Kayla Clark. Apart from a hit pitch, which allowed Tessa Houkamau on base in the seventh, it was Howick’s only adventure on the bases in the rest of the game.

   Clark started the fourth with a walk off Sam Lyons pitching. Joseph waited out another, as did Emily Pateras, but Clark had scored on three successive passed balls. Michelle Venemore also walked but Howick survived the inning with no further score.

   In the fifth it was Tegan Bromhead with a single and she scored with the assistance of a wild pitch, a hit pitch and another wild pitch. It was easy for Bears.

   So came the seventh and, amazingly, there was only a 3-0 Bears’ lead before the final gift run after a Kyla Bromhead hit. She moved around the bases on a stolen base, a fielder’s choice and a passed ball. It was too easy.

  Irving had two hits and a walk from four, Tegan two from four and Kyla one from three, but there were only five hits, seven walks, a hit pitch and four strikeouts in Lyons tallies.

   Joyce DeWitz allowed only one hit, struck out 5 and walked 4.

   BJ Kairau umpired with Harriet Tomlin the scorer.

   Bears remain in the race for third place, equal with Ramblers but Ramblers has games in hand.

 

  The first Marist v Metro women’s match was a disaster area with a 19-2 scoreline and fourteen Marist hits.

Marist             6          0          0          8          5          = 19

Metro             0          2          0          0          0          =  2

   Tania Misa tripled to start the game, Sina Hunkin bunted on, Casey Roper was there on a fielder’s choice, as was Sheree Cartwright, followed by Kalala Gabriel on an error and Lydia Isaacs on a walk. Somehow all of the first six batters came home in a row and Marist went through the order, plus one.

   Metro grabbed two back in the second when Megan Farrell singled and there were walks to Kate Livingstone and Kiri Seed. Jenny Williams hit the runs home. There were hits to Sally Bowden and Dominique Rangi but the rest was all Marist.

   But the scoring stopped mysteriously until the fourth when the run riot started again. Casey Lee Misa singled, Tania Misa walked and Hunkin, on a batting high, hit an in-park home run. Singles followed from Roper, Cartwright and Gabriel, Courtney O’Donnell carried on with one down, Casey Lee hit again and there were runs everywhere.

   In the fifth Hunkin was walked, Roper forced a fielder’s choice and both were safe. Cartwright hit her second, Isaacs had a fielder’s choice, followed by hits from O’Donnell, Lisa Arkell and Casey Lee Misa to round off the game.

   Casey Lee Misa was the batting star with four hits and a walk for a perfect game record. O’Donnell had three from four. Cartwright had a stunning pitching game.

 

   Marist v Metro, game two, ended when Metro’s injury list out-numbered the subs’ bench, forcing the side off the field and giving the game to Marist 7-0.

Marist             3          1          1          0          = 6

Metro                         0          0          0          0          = 0, with the game forfeited.

   Tania Misa took advantage of a first batter walk, helped by Hunkin’s single. Gabriel also helped, as did O’Donnell, and runs scored.

   Metro’s Kelly Topia, with a walk, and Jenny Williams with a hit were the only Metro players to dent Gabriel’s pitching percentages.

   Hunkin was on base on an error in the second before Roper hit an in-park home run. Isaacs shot muddled the fielder and O’Donnell forced an error, followed by a Lisa Arkell walk. Hunkin took the final Marist hit, making her day a successful one with five from seven. O’Donnell had four from six and Casey Lee Misa three from five.

   Andrew Laird umpired both games with assistance from official scorer Christine Nukunuku.

 

   So how does a team make it back so well? Ramblers, keen to get some games to catch up the rest of the field, had a win in sight with Metro’s previous performances likely to cause a loss of morale, but not so.

Metro             0          0          0          0          0          0          0          1 = 1 (tiebreaker)

Ramblers        0          0          0          0          0          0          0          0 = 0   

   If I suggested these days that a team should be drug-tested I might be sued, so I won’t, but just how did Metro do this?

   Megan Farrell with a hit in the second was on base for Metro. Dominique Rangi was hit by a pitch in the third. In the sixth it was Rangi with a bunt. The next person on was the tiebreak runner who was taken out at third on a steal. Lyle Norriss was at bat and struck out but the ball was dropped and she was safe. She stole successfully and scored from second on a drive by Jenny Williams.

   Ramblers had only one hit, from Michelle Kingi in the seventh. She was also on base in the first with a walk and with a wild pitch strikeout in the fourth and was tagged at home after good sacrifice work by Tuhi Cooper. It made Kingi the chief attacker as well as the pitcher who conceded only three hits and lost because no one could hit Farrell’s pitching.

   The Ramblers’ tiebreak runner was tagged at home, trying to score on a passed ball. The Warren Freer backstop is not as wide open as Norana or even Metro, even if bigger than Fowlds Park, so there was no time to get there.

   Kingi faced 25 batters, struck out 18 in a dominating display. There was one walk. Farrell took out 17 with strikeouts, walked one and allowed one hit.

   Andrew Laird and Les Haslam did the umpiring and Harriet Tomlin the scoring.

 

   Howick’s trouble were not over, facing a Sunday game against a Marist side which wants the national women’s title, as well as the Auckland championship. The scene was set at Simson, Marist’s home park, and a tidy little park it is too, with all sorts of seating, from shade to bleacher.

Marist             4          1          4          3          1          = 13

Howick            0          0          1          0          0          =  1

   Gallant Sam Lyons needs some help to get through this programme. She is a very hard working pitcher with a physical style which is not easy to maintain all day.

   She conceded 12 hits in this contest, against 36 batters, striking out none and giving up 5 BB. Marist’s Sheree Cartwright, a nationally ranked pitcher and one who can go a long way in the international game, pitched to only 20, 7 K, 2 BB and 3 hits.

   The problems started with a Tania Misa walk to lead off the game. Sina Hunkin bunted well, Casey Roper sneaked an infield hit and Cartwright made sure of her lead with a left field single. Kalala Gabriel sacrificed with Lydia Isaac and Courtney O’Donnell taking singles. It was a tough first inning.

   Hunkin led off with a walk in the second and used a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice by Cartwright to score.

   Once again Marist used a walk to lead off an inning. O’Donnell then scored on a FC, plus a hit by Tania Misa. Hunkin followed with another single, then Roper, followed by a Cartwright double and four more crossed.

   Howick had a brief moment when Tara-Lee Houkamau walked, with a FC, wild pitch and error combination to get her home. It was a lapse by Marist, not to be repeated.

   In the fourth it was a Howick error, allowing Isaac on base, followed by a muddle for O’Donnell to make it, and error for Casey Lee Misa and a hit from Hunkin, last season’s top batter, who had three for three with an added walk.

   Cartwright grabbed her third hit for a perfect showing to start off the cavalcade to get the final run, going around in the usual style of error and fielder’s choice. Howick was getting very tired, and so was Lyons, but, as usual, she did not give up.

   Tony Irving umpired with Frances Harlick doing the official scoring.

 

   So, on to the biggest Brother Patrick, with no guest players, no tiebreakers – just share the points – and get on with the game. Friday night sees four games at Simson and four at Norana just to get things going, then 9am starts each day with the finals on Sunday afternoon. The men’s final is a 4.30pm but be there for the women’s game which might include the talented Hutt Valley squad from Te Aroha. That starts at 3pm.

   Marist always puts on a good show and it is a spectator friendly place.

 

  

3rd February 2008

 

Betty Bridger, who died this week, was one of the most prominent softballers of her generation, as a player and administrator.

   As captain of the Richmond, the sweater-girls, the most well-known female club side in NZ sport at the time, she guided the team as catcher for ten Auckland championships in a row from 1943 to 1953 as well as being the Auckland captain.

   In her first year in the game, when women’s softball became organised again after the war, she was captain in her first representative year and was named in the Rest team to play New Zealand. Two years later, in 1946-47, she was the only Auckland player in the New Zealand team and in the following season Auckland won the national title.

   She missed selection for the Australian tour in 1949-50 but took Auckland to national titles in 1951-52 and the following year, her last active season, when she was selected for the North Island team.

   Richmond won three national titles in this period when there were only five years of national club competition.

   Almost as soon as she started playing she was the sole female on the Auckland executive and, in her third season in administration in 1947, was elected to the NZ Executive and was a member of the national umpires’ council. In 1949 she was Auckland vice-president and the following year was elected national vice-president as well as being on both executives.

   In 1952-53 she stopped playing and administering, retiring to be a very proficient golfer and to take no further part in softball. The reasons were never explained. “That is a part of my former life,” she said, and ended the interview.  by Trevor Rowse. Official historian Auckland Softball Association. 3 February 2008

 

 

 

 

Midweek games in great Rosedale conditions sees Northcote still at the top

   Northcote maintained the charge at the top of the table with a mid-week double-header win at Rosedale Park that produced two good wins.

   The first was a show-down between ace pitchers Michal Tangaroa (Northcote) and Metro’s Megan Farrell when Northcote’s batters produced seven hits to support their pitcher but Metro managed only one against Tangaroa’s wiles.

   Northcote      0          0          2          1          0          0          = 3

   Metro            0          0          0          0          0          0          = 0

   Tangaroa faced 19, struck out four, allowed no walks and the solitary hit. Farrell faced 26, walked five, struck out ten and allowed the seven hits.

   There were three strikeouts in Northcote’s first turn with the one walk to player of the game Katy Hetherington. Three more Farrell strikeouts, but walks to Victoria Reyland and Pauline Tahuri spoiled the record, did not give Northcote much encouragement, even if Metro could not put anyone on base in the first two turns.

   Ngamoko Hiku changed the game in the third when she led off with a centre field single and Moana Cook shoved one through shortstop for another hit. Hetherington, always a danger, slammed a triple to score two. But she languished on third while three went out.

   One of those was Tara Kaukau who walked and then was tagged on a steal before Hetherington could get home.

   Nikki Skinnon had Metro’s sole batting success in the fourth. With two down she hit to right and stole second, only to remain there.

   Reyland led off with a single to centre in the fourth, followed by hits from Tahuri and Eileen Cameron, scoring on a fielder’s choice. After that there was a lead-off walk for Hetherington in the fifth to give her a perfect batting game and another single for Tahuri to also give her a perfect game.

   In Metro’s fifth Anna Bowden and Kate Livingston were walked but went out trying to steal second against the throws of Tahuri. It was a dull game for the visitors who saw that Northcote is in the form that could take the title again.

   Glen Nalepa umpired with Joanne Hockley the official scorer.

 

Otahuhu           2          0          2          0          0          =  4

Northcote         1          1          2          3          4          = 11

   Selena Hoani ripped a double to start Otahuhu off well and it improved when Alorna Ngatokoroa singled to open the scoring. Corina Enesa hit another off Tahuri and it was a dream start for the visitors.

   Northcote sneaked one home after Moana Cook singled in the first. She went out at second but Hetherington was on board and she came home when Tangaroa tripled off Hoani.

   Another Northcote run in the second started with a Lisa Hau triple as lead-off, giving Reyland the chance to hit her home. Reyland went out, tagged at third, after a sacrifice by Tahuri.

   However Otahuhu was not down as lead-off Courtney Warren singled to left, Hoani sacrificed and Sharmayne Kairau’s triple was turned into an in-park home run to challenge the points’ table leader.

   One again it was great lead-off batting, this time by Hiku with a double and she stole third. Cook singled for the RBI and then advanced on a wild pitch, coming home on a Hetherington bunt and the subsequent error.

   The fourth saw Northcote move into action when lead-off Reyland forced an infield error, Tahuri, having a great evening, hit to centre and Tunz Shortland bunted. Hiku hit to centre and Cook advanced her with a fielder’s choice play and three runs had scored.

   Tangaroa came on to pitch to relieve the tiring Tahuri, who had certainly had a busy time in the two games with three hits, two walks and a sacrifice, and no outs, plus the pitching and playing catcher in the first game.

   Otahuhu celebrated the change with lead-off hits to Warren (a double) and Hoani but neither could get home. Northcote finished the game off with an incomplete inning of four runs. Lisa Hau led off with a single, Reyland sacrificed, Tahuri walked, Eileen Cameron hit to right and Hiku celebrated a huge game with a home run, scoring three.

   She had hit four from seven, Hetherington two from three with two walks and Cook three from six.

   Tahuri pitched to 17, struck out two and allowed five hits. Tangaroa threw to five for two strikeouts and two hits. Hoani, always Otahuhu’s champion, pitched to 28, walked only one and allowed 13 hits.

   Umpiring was Glen Nalepa and official scoring was done by Joanne Hockley.

 

 

Waitakere Bears Takes Guth from Northcote Stars - Finals Day

   (For a start, my apologies to all those players who did great things toward the end of this very demanding tournament, who hit home runs or pitched perfect games, or perhaps did both. I did not see enough live games and did not want to spend any more time trying to do a Readers’ Digest summary of each one from scoresheets, under the Mt Albert Rugby League clubrooms at Fowlds Park. I’ll leave that to the dedicated statistician Lynnette Leathart who worked out the details on every game, but saw none.

   So from Sunday evening on, the game sheets have been neglected. I’m sorry, but 45 games are too many to cover and I would rather watch. Most of this story is about the final three matches and some of the highlights seen).

 

   Say what you like, it was Northcote’s tournament right up to the last stages. More correctly, Brad Rona’s, but I will come back to him later.

   Richmond’s batting and impressive showings were a delight to see and it is encouraging to see Michael Gaiger getting back into top form, like Gareth Cook.

   Sorry, Waitakere Bears, to put you down the list a little.

   Bears beat Richmond, the top qualifier, in the semi, coming from behind. It was 3-0 to Richmond before the Bears’ boys started on the track to win the first major title since the 1960s, and they finally deserved it. Well, Marty Grant did for a start.

   When Marty missed the 2004 world series with a leg injury there were many of us who thought that it was all over for one of the stalwarts of the game. He was devastated, as were all those Black Sox fans who wanted to see a series won in New Zealand. We were lucky that Jimmy Wana, who was Jimmy Seaman, rose to the challenge.

   Now Marty is back and, although he would not say it out loud when I asked him after the final, he seems set to have a go at retaining it, again, in Saskatoon next year.

   In the final it was the Canadian star Derek Mayson, who can pitch and run and throw like Rona, who rocked Bears with a first batter, to of the first, home run over centre field, into the wind. Rona, the magnificent, followed with a single but there was no back-up.

   Would the Bears recover? Yes, because Grant threw a four-hitter and cut Northcote’s batters, who had done well all series, down to earth.

   In Bears’ first it was Paddy Shannon, so consistently the top batter in the north and one of the hitting stars of the Sox in 2004, who singled off Black Sox captain Jarrad Martin with one down. It was, to be totally fair, the third game of the day for Martin, who has always been a superb spot pitcher, but is not as young as that lad from Taranaki who amazed us all years ago.

   Then came Thomas Makea, the acrobatic hero of the semi-final against Richmond. Thomas, the Hawkes Bay wonder boy, belted a home run over centre field and Bears had the lead. But Martin conceded only six hits, two to Shannon and two to Darryn French and one to Gerry Long.

   There were two walks for Makea, wise moves really, even if the fifth inning one did lead to a run.

   French doubled to centre in the second and died there. Shannon hit so hard to third base, in the third, that to call it an error would be libel and Martin wisely allowed him to walk to first. Shannon had stolen and moved to third on a fielder’s choice but the score was left the same.

   Martin’s left field hit opened up a Northcote opportunity but Rona’s shot was scooped up and turned into a clever double play, and we saw plenty of those from the Northcote infield in the weekend.

   French managed a hit to Martin, forcing the pitcher to leap and throw over French’s head. A hit, but not an error. A lesser man would have conceded and not thrown at all.

   With two down in the fifth, Martin allowed Makea another walk. They have seen enough of each other over many years and it was a wise move. He ungraciously stole second, taking advantage of the difficulty catcher Jason Gerbes has, despite his never-ending eagerness to do well, to throw opponents out.

   So Makea was on second when Long singled to right field. There was some confusion with an infielder backtracking out into someone else’s territory and rules are rules. If the incoming outfielder calls for the ball, the infielder gets out of the way, no matter the seniority involved. The muddle allowed Makea to walk the last steps home, hoping to draw the throw.

   Northcote’s sixth saw another Mayson shot, a double to the centre field fence. Leon Lambert put down a fine bunt to move him on but a great strikeout from Grant’s arsenal took out Martin and he took out Rona who was looking at a third strike. Wow.

   Gordon Hooper rifled a shot which was taken well at second and Northcote came up for the last turn at bat, starting with Dean Wallace. His shot was skidding through shortstop where Hooper was deep on the all-grass but dusty diamond.

   Hooper raced into the ball, scooped and threw in time to snare Wallace. David Bishop drew exactly the same play and Hooper’s reputation grew with the large crowd.

   Then Grant, facing the always eager Gerbes, tempted the catcher into a third strike swing and it was all over. Bears, with great assistance from pick-ups Grant and Makea, had taken the club’s first Guth and first major titles since the 1950s.

  

Semi-final one: Richmond v Bears.

   This was Makea’s game, but not for his hitting. Steve McFarlane set the tone with a lead-off single and advanced on a double from Cook. Aaron Risdon provided the fielder’s choice to let him go home.

   Matt Holmes, perhaps the most unrecognised batter in the event, forced an error in the second, Brendon Belesky the sacrifice and Clayton Ellis the hit to make it 2-0.

   The score seemed set to creep on and on when Todd Grego slammed an automatic double and Risdon forced an error. 3-0 and Richmond, on form, looked likely to walk it.

   But Adam Morunga, a quiet man, had other ideas and hit a home run in the third. Paddy Shannon does not need the encouragement, but followed with another to cut the lead and the game was changing.

   Up stepped outfielder Makea. He ran backwards and caught an Ellis shot when it was over the fence, then did a backward somersault to land on his feet over the fence in a catch that will be remembered by all who saw it. He did a diving, leaping effort to snare another Richmond effort and saved the team.

   Travis Miller, also despairing of his team’s lack of concerted hitting, tied the score with a home run and Bears had a sniff of the prey, and Gaiger came on to stop the rot.

   French found himself a walk from somewhere, stole to second where Morunga, who does this now and again, maintained form with a double and the winning run. The noise from the Bears’ fans was deafening. The win came from the real threat of defeat.

  

Second semi-final: Northcote 2 United 1.

   What can you say when Jarrad Martin pitches a two-hitter in the second of his three games, after Leon Lambert and he hit home runs in Northcote’s first inning assault. There were three more hits off Heinie Shannon, two for Bishop and a bunt by Gerbes.

   United’s run came from a third inning walk to Kurt Allan, who stole second and scored on a single by Wayne Laulu.

   United could not get the bats going and the game moved along as if guided by some other force, perhaps the strong wind which blew into toward the catcher.

   Even Rona was seemingly in another world.

   But the big man, who came back from South Africa determined to be in the starting line-up for the 2004 world event, was again the sensation of the weekend and who can stop him when he is in top form.

   At the second-tier NPC he was everything and won all the awards and must have been close again this time, taking the RBI title with eleven, tying with Otahuhu slammer Jamie Matiu for home runs with six and taking the MVP. Paddy Shannon stole most bases and did it legally, so he said in reply to Ron McMillan’s announcement. Well there was an umpire on base for all games so it must be true.

   They won prizes donated by Easton Sports and were joined by Jerome Haretuku, the highly promising Marist outfielder, who won a new award voted by umpires as the most sporting in dealings with the men in the masks.

   Wiremu Tamaki, the Wellington man with the huge reputation, was umpire of the event and will be travelling to umpire in the last-ever softball at the Olympics (it started only in 1996 so did not last long).

   Heinie Shannon is close behind twin brother Paddy in batting and was top man with an average of .615 against a talented set of pitchers. Marty Grant led them with an era of .169.

   Other awards must go to United’s officials, coordinated by chairman McMillan. What a team they manage to gather up each year. This time they took the series back to the grass of former times, setting up three temporary diamonds with plenty of walking space and warm-up space in between.

   One of the fences came from Ramblers, another from Metro and Ramblers’ Ricky “Gus” Stevens did wonders on the big Ramblers’ mower. Then there was the roller which made the infields smooth.

   Fowlds Park is a delight in every way, from the host of trees (and each one seemed to protect a family picnic party), trees in the background, different levels and plenty of parking. Ease of access from all areas of the city does help as it is seconds from the motorway but seemingly out in the countryside, isolated from near neighbours. One such neighbour was incensed at a broken window, but it was isolated and repaired quickly.

   There were small tents for the teams, most of them team efforts, and there was a bar at the top of the bank where everyone could watch two of the fields. I don’t know the names of all of them so I won’t start.

   The games went like clockwork, the umpires got on with the job and the scorers did what they do so well, take the stats and keep smiling, making teams and organisers happy, not to mention the media man.

   The crowds came too and it was deceptive as they were under trees and all around. Otahuhu had a canvas sided truck as a base for some happy times.

   It was back to the roots of the game, and the Mt Albert centre of so long ago. It will be there again with some small changes, such as publicity on radio and in advertisements and also in the points’ system and play-off rules. Two points for a win and one for a close loss by one or two runs does not separate the successful. If that was kept then there should be no tiebreakers so that the programme can continue on time.

   These were the scorers involved: Jan Hutchings (chief), Lynnette Leathart (statistician), Carolyn McQueen, Charla Edwin, Christine Nukunuku, Harriet Tomlin, Harry Wooding, Kris Jury (Christchurch), Ronnie Gurney, Rowena McKenzie and Tania Irving.

   Umpires: Nicky Ogier and Mike McFarlane (both Christchurch), Lance Brown (Wanganui), Mark Porteous, Wiremu Tamaki and Joe Okada (Wellington), Andrew Laird (Auckland chief), Lance Type, Jeff Weber, Ricky Tourangi, Les Haslam, and Germany’s Neima Mobascheri.

   Results: Metro 9 Glenora 2, Japan under-19 4 Ramblers 0, United 7 Japan 1, Poneke Kilbirnie (Wellington) 6 Newlands (Wellington) 2, Ramblers 10 Otahuhu 3, Marist 7 Metro 2, Waitakere Bears 5 Northcote 4, Richmond (Christchurch) 20 Glenora 0. Points: Richmond 13, United 11, Bears, Northcote and PK 10, Marist 9, Ramblers 8, Otahuhu and Metro 7, Japan 6, Glenora 3, Newlands 2.

Semi-finals: Bears 4 Richmond 3, Northcote 2 United 1.

Final: Bears 3 Northcote 1.

 

Awards:

Home run hits: Jamie Matiu (Otahuhu) and Brad Rona (Northcote) 6, runs batted in Rona 11, stolen bases Patrick Shannon 6, top batter Heinie Shannon (United) .615, top pitcher Marty Grant (Bears) .169, top umpire Wiremu Tamaki (Wellington). Tournament team: Grant, Shannon, Travis Miller (Bears) Jarrad Martin, Jason Gerbes, Rona (Northcote), Shannon, Kurt Allan (United), Aaron Risdon, Gareth Cook, Craig Wallace (Richmond), Matiu (Otahuhu), Roman Gabriel (Metro). Coach: Joe Forsyth (United), assistant: Joe Potaka (Richmond), manager: Kazuyuki Miyamoto (Japan).

   There were 72 home runs in the 37 games I detailed and that leaves eight uncovered. So it is likely that there were over 80 and this is changing the nature of the game. The big swings win games and we are moving to the US style where team batting does not mean much. Perhaps that is what we want and to hell with the bunts, squeezes and whatever.

   Certainly they are debased compared with the early years of metal bats when six by one person in a season was something to write about.

 

 

Vic Guth Memorial softball follows. - Day 2

    National champion Ramblers is struggling to make the top four at the 12-team Vic Guth series at Fowlds Park with strong challenges from Northcote, Christchurch Richmond, Wellington’s Poneke-Kilbirnie, Auckland United and Auckland Marist.

   Losses to Metro (5-3) and Waitakere Bears (2-1)  and PK (7-2) have left the Auckland champion reeling after a previously unbeaten season and rampant Northcote’s Dave Bishop hit a four-run grand slam home run to cancel out two home runs by Ramblers’ player-coach Donny Hale and a 3-0 Ramblers’ lead.

   But Ramblers had an inspired spell to win 10-5 in a top game.

   Northcote, inspired by five home runs from Brad Rona, the leading player in the country this season, has swept past all other opponents. Outstanding back-up play from national captain Jarrad Martin and Derek Mayson has helped further boost the side.

   Richmond, a star-studded Christchurch side, is also sweeping through the series with aggressive batting from Gareth Cook, Steve McFarlane, Penese Iosefo and Paul Stead. Richmond pitcher Michael Gaiger is showing signs of being the next top national team pitcher after some dominating performances.

   Bears and Metro have failed to build on their successes against Ramblers while the likely youngsters from Marist found Day Two far too much and faded away. However bonus points for narrow losses have kept Marist in the hunt for the top two, along with Auckland United.

   United dropped a narrow loss to Northcote and successive batters, Ben Enoka, Heinie Shannon and Reece Gasson hit home runs to end Newlands (Wellington) chances of taking an upset win. Each batter also hit safely in another rally.

   Gallant Otahuhu, always ready to challenge with the bat, had home runs to Jamie Matiu, Brendon Walsh and Casey Roper but Roman Gabriel and Duane Jerard also produced top hits as Metro sneaked home 5-3.

   The Fowlds Park venue has attracted large crowds.

 45^th Auckland United Vic Guth Memorial series, Fowlds Park, Auckland.

   Results: Auckland Marist 12 United 6, Ramblers 7 Marist 6 (tiebreaker), Japan Under-19 9 Glenora 2, Otahuhu 6 Newlands (Wellington) 4, Northcote 4 United 3, Poneke-Kilbirnie (Wellington) 6 Metro 3, Richmond (Christchurch) 7 Waitakere Bears 0, United 13 Otahuhu 4, Northcote 6 Japan 0, Marist 8 Newlands 3, Otahuhu 3 Richmond 2, Metro 5 Ramblers 3, Glenora 5 Marist 4, Bears 7 PK 1, United 7 Glenora 0, Japan 5 Newlands 4, Richmond  6 Metro 1, Bears 2 Ramblers 1, Northcote 5 PK 0, United 4 Bears 1, Richmond 7 Newlands 0, PK 7 Ramblers 0, Northcote 2 Marist 1, PK 5 Japan 0, Metro 5 Otahuhu 3, United 4 Newlands 0, Bears 9 Glenora 2, Richmond 10 Marist 0, Richmond 10 Japan 0, PK 6 Otahuhu 0, Northcote 8 Newlands 3, Ramblers 10 Northcote 5, Bears 1 Metro 0, Otahuhu 8 Glenora 6. Points: Northcote 10, Richmond 9, PK 8, United and Marist 7, Otahuhu, Bears and Ramblers 6, Japan, 4 and Metro, Newlands and Glenora 2

Play continues today with the final at 2.45pm.

 

 

   Solid batting, inspired by former international Roman Gabriel, put Metro on track for another wake-up call for the team which has raced unbeaten through the local championship. In the early morning game Marist had a four run lead over Ramblers until a late rally tied the game at 6-6 with Ramblers winning 7-6 in the tiebreaker. Gus Leger showed his Black Sox class with a big home run and was part of the first four Marist runs but Lawrence Naera’s double drove in three runs to get Ramblers back on track.

   Marist had humbled host club United with a 12-6 win with home runs to Jerome Haretuku and Jamie Love while Auckland reject, Black Sox man Jonny Munden, showed his class with a triple, a double and a single in four turns and scored three runs. Marist’s 12 hits stunned United, despite home runs to Kurt Allan and Haydn Wildbore.

   A large crowd enjoyed non-stop play on three fields in the biggest club series in years and the picnic atmosphere added to the scene. Otahuhu’s batters also added excitement with three home runs from successive batters, Lawrie Katene, Thomas Katene and Jamie Matiu, in a five run innings against Newlands. Matiu hit another out of the park in the fourth turn as Newlands battled to keep up but lost 6-4.

   Waitakere Bears had a dismal batting showing when Christchurch side Richmond, inspired by big hits from Gareth Cook, Penese Iosefo and Paul Stead, won 6-0, but revived brilliantly behind the pitching of former world champion star Marty Grant to beat Wellington club Poneke Kilbirnie. In the first inning Travis Miller hit a home run with two on base, followed by Gerry Long’s homer, also with two on base to stun and Bears won 7-1.

   But PK’s pitching-batting star Dave Metekingi was a one-man assault team in the 6-3 win over Metro. Nick Shailes, Les Poutama and Craig Wallace also starred with the bat but Metekingi hit a home run and a single, plus gained a walk, in his three turns to score three runs. Josh Niu did his best with a home run but Metekingi’s pitching was too strong.

   Glenora provided the biggest surprise, beating Marist 5-4. Marist’s young squad had looked likely to be a contender for the final but now has two losses. United then beat Glenora 7-0.

   Northcote, winner of last weekend’s Wanganui tournament, was in fine form and look likely to be in the semis. Thumping hits by Derek Mayson, national captain Jarrod Martin and two home runs to international allrounder Brad Rona beat United 4-3. Rona then hit two more in the 6-0 win over Japan’s under-19 squad while Mayson pitched a shut-out, no-hitter, spoiled only by a walk and team two errors.

   Northcote v Marist this morning and Ramblers facing Northcote look likely to be today’s top attractions with 17 games to play.

 

45^th Auckland United Vic Guth Memorial series, Fowlds Park, Auckland.

   Results: Auckland Marist 12 United 6, Ramblers 7 Marist 6 (tiebreaker), Japan Under-19 9 Glenora 2, Otahuhu 6 Newlands (Wellington) 4, Northcote 4 United 3, Poneke-Kilbirnie (Wellington) 6 Metro 3, Richmond (Christchurch) 7 Waitakere Bears 0, United 13 Otahuhu 4, Northcote 6 Japan 0, Marist 8 Newlands 3, Otahuhu 3 Richmond 2, Metro 5 Ramblers 3, Glenora 5 Marist 4, Bears 7 PK 1, United 7 Glenora 0, Japan 5 Newlands 4.

Play continues today and Monday, with the final at 2.45pm.

 

 

Back to the Future

   For those who have not been at Fastpitch softball since the 1960s, those who have fond memories of Coke Park days, and those who have been at Norana (Lion Red) Ballpark, or have just not been at the game for a long time, need to think again.

   The game went back to Fowlds Park yesterday, and for the rest of Anniversary Weekend, as United’s stalwarts created a fair-ground softball palace which could take the game back to the days when over 2000 would go there for big games.

   Well done Ron McMillan and his assistants for creating three specialist fields, with crowd protection, for the 45^th annual Vic Guth Memorial tournament. There will be 44 games in a marathon weekend.

   The teams responded well, as did a big group of fans, and so did the weather.

   Why did softball leave the park in the first place? It was a venue where juniors, men and women shared the fields and where anyone could see any team play.

   The main reason was the old Mt Albert Borough Council. I remember appearing before their committee, appealing for them to keep rental prices to a level the players could afford. But it was no good and they rose by well over 100%.

   So we went to May Road where the former Mt Roskill Council was more sympathetic. It was not a patch on Fowlds but the centre of the booming Eden club of that time.

   Also the United-Ramblers combination had developed the one-field park (Coca-Cola Park) opposite Hendon Avenue, on New North Road, and top games moved there around 1968. It also became a well-known venue, but not free for all as Fowlds was.

   And, in 1980, Norana Park was finally opened for top play. The game had moved away from its roots, and went even further when Coke Park closed down for commercial development.

   Now United plays at Fowlds, Ramblers at Warren Freer (next to St Lukes), Eden-Roskill on a new diamond at May Road (sadly wrecked by vandals recently), Marist headquarters at Penrose, Waitakere Bears at Henderson and Otahuhu at Sturges Park. The clubs are locating in their areas.

   But Fowlds will remain, for the old-timers, the home of the game in the golden days, despite the switches to Blandford Park (now buried under the Grafton motorway) and Cornwall Park during the 1950s and early 1960s.

   Pop along to Fowlds and see the action. The semis are at 12.45 on Monday, with the final at 2.45. At least, if you keep to the rules, you will not be ticketed by the Mt Albert Council traffic officers who seemed to relish their weekend tallies in the local streets.

   Entry is still free, and there are trees, and a picnic area, and a children’s playground.

   It might just catch on.

 

 

Women National Softball League at Christchurch. From Dale Eager.

19-20 January 2008

While the men battled Auckland’s heat on Saturday and blustery winds on Sunday, the first weekend of the women’s National Softball League in Christchurch was played in perfect conditions with the expectation of close, exciting matches throughout the competition met. All games were close with the exception of two involving last year’s champion team Hutt Valley. Following on from an early loss to Auckland in the opening game of the league, the Hutt side took it out on hosts Canterbury Red Hawks with an 11 – 2 result, and in the last game for the weekend the powerful Hutt batting line overran Auckland 7 – 2.

      Hutt Valley took the honours for the weekend with a four win, one loss record going to the head of the table with 20 points. Auckland, although defeated twice, are only two points behind courtesy of two bonus points earned through a tie-break loss.

      It was in fact this loss for Auckland that provided the first indication of how the competition will not be an easy one for any team. Since the inception of the NSL in 2003 the Southern Pride franchise representing the bulk of the South Island has struggled to field a competitive team. This season coach Kath McGilbert has assembled a team that has the skill and determination to do well, as demonstrated in the eight innings tie-break victory by 4 – 2 over Auckland Tactics on Saturday.

      Brooke Cutting, a draft player for the Pride from Wellington, caused the game to go into overtime with an inside the park homerun in the seventh inning to equal the run scored in the third by Auckland. With first use of the tie break inning and a runner placed on second base Pride scored three runs to the one of Auckland for the final 4 – 2 result.

      The same scoreline was recorded in Sunday’s game with Pride again the victors, this time over hosts Canterbury. It was not until the ninth inning, the second involving the tie-break runner, that any runs were scored. Southern Pride batting first in the inning jumped to a two run lead with Hope Weber’s home run also bringing home Cutting.

      The Red Hawks immediately replied to tie the game again and force two further tie-break innings. After taking the lead on a Cutting sacrifice hit, Pride secured the win through their Australian pitcher, Tatiana Holodnow, who hit to left field scoring Alison Boys, and then took two strikeouts to end the game.

      After making the finals last year the Canterbury Red Hawks have some work to do to repeat this performance. With only a single win from the five games played in the first weekend, Dave Pouaka will be working hard with his team to improve on this in Hutt Valley over the weekend of 16-17 February for the second round.

      Results: Canterbury Red Hawks 1 Southern Pride 0, Auckland 1 Southern Pride 0, Canterbury Red Hawks 2 Hutt Valley 11, Southern Pride 4 Auckland 2, Auckland 5 Canterbury Red Hawks 2, Hutt Valley 5 Southern Pride 1, Auckland 4 Southern Pride 2, Hutt Valley 8 Canterbury Red Hawks 7, Southern Pride 4 Canterbury Red Hawks 2, Hutt Valley 7 Auckland 0.

Points: (Five points for a win and bonus points for a close loss) Hutt Valley 20, Auckland 17, Southern Pride 11, Canterbury Red Hawks 7.