Softball LINWOOD BEATS PAPANUI

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30007, 17 December 1962, Page 10

Softball LINWOOD BEATS PAPANUI

Lead Shared With Richmond The sixth round of the men’s senior softball competition on Saturday produced some firstclass softball. notably the game between the joint leaders. Linwood and Papanui. The defeat of Papanui left Linwood and Richmond top equal in the championship. Spreydon, in its first game against Deep Freeze, was surprisingly fully extended and won by only one run in eight innings. Results:— Christchurch 18, United 4. Linwood 5, Papanui 3. Spreydon 15, Deep Freeze 14. Western Subs. 13, Kaiapoi 8. Linwood v. Papanui Papanui started the game with great determination and a run in the first innings made it appear that its players were on top of the game. Linwood soon dispelled this illusion. Batting with power and purpose, it demolished the pitching of M. Bell and hit in five runs for the innings. The five runs were sufficient to win the game. Bell pitched his utmost, but Linwood gave him no quarter and Papanui erred in perservering with him after runs started to come. The remainder of the game was taken up by Papanui hits with first Senior and G. Clarkson scoring runa, L. Clarkson pitched a steady game for Papanui, striking out Moore and Trueman in a splendid fourth innings, and generally marshalling his pitching patterns to cope with the strong Linwood batters. Both teams threatened to score in each innings with runners on base, but Linwood seemed content to rest on its lead and Papanui. unwisely, failed to take the initiative and played a passive role for the remainder of the game. Papanui was well served by Wilson in the outfield and G. Clarkson on first base. For Linwood, B, Wells, in left field, excelled and the pitcher, Ballantyne. was steady. Christchurch v. United After a confident display last week against Richmond, United was regarded as worthy opponents of Christchurch. But Christchurch, playing its best batting game of the season, took command in the second innings and thereafter United was relegated to an almost minor role. Hurrel (United) played skilfully and Bell, at catcher, handled his side with resolve. Christchurch had a field day in batting with home runs by Anderson and Reid and heavy hits from the supports. Suburbs ▼. Kaiapoi Suburbs and Kaiapoi were well matched. At the fifth innings the score was 5-all and at the seventh and last of a regulation game it was 8-all. Suburbs, however, scored four times in a whirlwind final innings to win. Suburbs are a softball paradox, showing little batting form from week to week, then producing a game-winning performance that reveals its offensive ability. Spreydon v. Deep Freeze Spreydon. having won a 17 innings marathon against the top team, Linwood, made hard work of beating the lowlyplaced Deep Freeze nine. Deep Freeze used four pitchers which unsettled the Spreydon batters. Spreydon was out of form and the coach (E. Hart) struggled with some lacklustre batting and a splendid defence from Deep Freeze that was effective as it was unexpected. Deep Freeze, with almost visible appreciation of local softball demands, pla.ved one of its happiest games and. in the jargon of this uninhibited side, "looked a ball team.”

Senior B Team Chosen The Canterbury senior B women's softball team to defend its tide at the New Zealand championships at Palmerston North, starting on December 31. is:— J. Kimber, J. Timms, C. McCormick, H. Cross, J. Gaskell. I. Jones (captain). B. Tait. J. Phillips (vice-captain). J. Buxton. S. Dalkie. Manager-coach. Mr B. Johnson: chaperon, Mrs N. Johnson. The players selected to represent Canterbury at the New Zealand schoolgirls' tournament at Wellington in late January are C. Marsh. G. Payne. G. Arps, M. Eaton. L. Maher, M. Langton. J. Johnson. D. McMillan. A Baldcck K Pearce. A. Hudson. Manager - coach. Miss I. Jones; chaperon. Mrs E. Moore.