Softball RICHMOND AND PAPANUI IN CLOSE GAME

Press, Volume C, Issue 29437, 13 February 1961, Page 12

Softball RICHMOND AND PAPANUI IN CLOSE GAME

The twelfth round m the Canterbury Softball Association’s senioi men’s championship on Saturday produced some of the best games of the season All games were keenly contested and the match between Richmond and Papanui was a long and thrilling one Results: Richmond 3, Papanui 2; Whitesox 8. Christchurch 6; Spreydon 5, Linwood 4: Kaiapoi 16. United 12 The positions of the teams with the tenth round to be completed next Saturday morning is:—

Richmond won the toss and decided to field in its game against Papanui. Senior reached first base safely, but the next three batters all failed to score him. and Papanui was out with no score. Richmond batters found tutting the pitching of M Bell no easy task and its first and second innings produced no score With no runs on the board Richmond started its third innings with a hit by Ballantyne Nelepa drove a ball to the second bseman. who threw Ballantyne out at third but allowing Nelepa to second Morel hit the ball high to give Bell an easy catch on the pitcher’s mound, but Woods with a hard-hit drive allowed Nelepa to race across the home plate to open the scoring for Richmond SUU unable to score Papanui was fielding brilliantly With the oases loaded. Shaw with a very strong throw, had Noonan tagged out at second base with Burnby relaying a ground hit from Ballantyne to first to close the innings abruptly.

With the tension mounting the innings was completed with Richmond holding a slender onerun lead. The seventh innings, the end of a normal game, saw Papanui. with clever batting, force Bell home to score the tying run to put the game into an extra innings to obtain a decision.

Playing first-class softball, marked by some fine pitching from Bell, of Papanui. and Ballantyne of Richmond, the teams tried every tactic to break the stalemate. Not until the eleventh innings was another run scored. With two out Brian Shaw drove a cleanly-hit ball into the outfield to race on to second base ahead of the throw Waine hit a good line drive that cleared the heads of the infielders to lana safely in the outfield gap. Shaw, with the game depending on his effort, hurled himself across the home plate to give Papanui a run and the lead. Thanks to McLeod’s decision to field the first innings Richmond had last turn at bat. and Taylor started the innings with a hit to left field Bell, pitching well after 11 innings unchanged, struck out Joyce Ballantyne hit the ball to the infielders, who in an exciting attempt to tag Tay•or overthrew the ball, and Taylor ran home to tie the game again

Ballantyne failed to beat the throw after a bunt from Nelepa and was thrown out to be the second out of the inning. Morel advanced Nelepa. now the only runner left on base with a hit that left the infielders standing

Next to the batting box was Woods and he hit a high fly ball that drifted into the short out-,

field Chee raced back for the ball and sensing Bisman coming m from the ouifield checked his run to allow Bisman to make the catch Bisman thinking Chee had the ball covered, also stopped the ball fell safely Nelepa raced home from third and Richmond nad won 3-2

Whitesox v Christchurch Playing at Hagley Park, White Sox beat Christchurch in spite of a determined effort by Christchurch to steal the game in the last innings. The early innings saw Whitesox score two runs in the first innings and three in the second, while, with alert fielding, it prevented Christchurch from scoring a run. Christchurch started to score in their fourth innings to place Lanini and Kinley at home plate. Whitesox replied with a home run by Tubman who scored Smith ahead of him. McCormick scored for Christchurch in the fifth innings following a succession of walks allowed by pitcher Smith, but Park, playing an oustanding game in the outfield for Whitesox. equalled the run.

Kerr hit a line drive to send Cody re home for Christchurch and the Christchurch fielders soon accounted for Whitesox in the sixth, holding it to its second scoreless innings. Batting for the last time. Christchurch started a batting recovery that saw Mansfield and Quested score. Lanini and Codver were on bases when Terris hit straight to Park in centre field who held the catch Whitebox had hung on to win well in a game Where it was superior tn •he batting department. Other results:—

Senior Reserve.—Papanui 14. Templeton 9 Sockburn 7. Kaiapoi 0; Richmond 7. Linwood 0. Junior.—Teachers’ College 7, Sockburn 0: Papanui 7, United 0.

W. F. A. Pts. Richmond 11 - 101 27 11 Papanui .. 8 3 86 61 8 Whitesox 8 3 81 70 8 Chch. 6 5 93 75 6 Linwood .. 4 7 89 80 ■ Spreydon 4 7 51 74 4 Kaiapoi .. 4 7 79 101 ■ United 1 10 61 147 1 Richmond v. Papanui