Bradbury hits United to likely championship win

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32525, 8 February 1971, Page 7

Bradbury hits United to likely championship win

The United pitcher, D. W. Bradbury, virtually assured his team of its first Canterbury senior men’s inter-club softball championship when he helped It beat the joint-leader, Papanui A, 3-2, after 11 Innings at the Papanui Domain on Saturday. Bradbury hit a fly ball just out of reach of the lunging Papanui A left-flelder, D. J. Patterson, to enable A. Hall to score the tie-breaking run at the top of the eleventh Innings. Then he caused L. A. Scherp and B. H. Walne to ground out and G. Phillips to fly out to centre-field where D. Blrdllng gratefuly accepted the simplest of catches to give United the game. Papanui A appeared to have the game and the championship well accounted for when it led two-nill with what would have been the final United innings to play. However, a disastrous error by its pitcher, M. A. Reid, who threw wildly to first base after recovering a weak grounder by W. Keen, tied the game when Bradbury and Birdling scored. United’s win gives It a 17-2 win-loss record for the season with only two games, both of which it should win, remaining In the championship. In becoming the almost certain championship winner, United has scored less runs than Papanui A, Richmond and Deep Freeze, the second, third and fourth teams at present. However, United has by far the best defensive record of any competing team. The most outstanding batting of the day was that of A. G. Mansfield, who hit safely on four occasions for Deep Freeze against the Papanui Aces. Players to gain three safe hits during the day were B. W.

Mountlord (United), D. Phillips (Papanui A), H. L. Gable (Deep Freeze), G. Clarkson (Papanui Aces) and L. Fife, N. Hobson and R. J. Mullaly (all Western Suburbs). Championship table:—

United 3, Papanui A 2 Staging a turn-around which was reminiscent of last week* end’s desperate rally against Richmond, United disposed of its great rival, Papanui A, in an 11-innings marathon which was remarkable for the swift change in fortunes of either team. Papanui A appeared to be about to record its fifth championship title win—either shared or outright—in the last six seasons when it established a two-run lead after six innings. D. J. Patterson scored the first run at the bottom of the fifth Innings after he had hit into centre-field. He advanced to third base when Reid’s drive was deflected off Bradbury’s glove into the outfield and he scored on a hit into centre-field by D. Phillips. w w j The former New Zealand third-baseman. C. I. Chee, scored the other run in the sixth innings after having hit into centre-field and stealing second base. United’s revival came in the seventh innings. Bradbury and Birdling both hit safely and were advanced to third and second base by a sacrifice bunt from B. Hurrell. G. A. Roberts flew out to centre-field for the second United dismissal but it was then that Reid made his unfortunate mistake. At the top of the ninth innings, United’s Mountford was tagged out at home plate from a throw by I. R. Pollock at short-stop after he and K. Thorn had loaded third and second bases with none down. Papanui A also had chances to recover the game though. C. I. Chee tripled at the bottom of the ninth but was unable to score as Bradbury retired the supporting batters. In the next Innings D.i Phillips might have scored when Pollock hit to right-field. The Papanui A coach. Mr G. Griffin, held him at third base however. For United, Bradbury took 11 strike-outs and conceded hits to D. Phillips (two), C. I. Chee (two) and Patterson. His opposite. Reid, took six strike-outs, walked a batter and gave up hits to Mountford (two), Thorn. Birdling and Bradbury. Richmond 9, Kaiapoi 2 Succeeding in shutting out its opponent until the seventh innings while establishing a good lead with rallies in the third and fourth innings, Richmond recorded a comfortable win. Batting honours were shared equally with five hits each bv both teams. For Richmond. C. Morel, with two. D. Chee, with a home run, T. Smith and J. K. Smith gained hits. D. Egar, with two hits. D. Hammond, who get a home run. R. Johnston and L.D Seaward were the successful Kaiapoi batters. Papanui A 5, Western Subs 0 An unfortunate error by the New Zealand Colt’s centre-field of the last two seasons, M. P. McOscar, when he completely misjudged a high flv hit bv the Canterbury capain, B. H. Walne, ! contributed to Papanui’s large lead. McOscar made the error in the third innings and ft enabled M. A. Reid, D. Phillips, and C. I. Chee to score. Waine later scored to give Papanui A its 5-0 lead. I. R. Pollock having contributed the first run in the first innings. Greater experience and the Western Suburbs team’s sad inability to keep its fielding errorfree contributed to the Papanui A win for it could shade its opponent in the batter’s box by only four hits to three. L. Fife gave up hits to Reid. D. Phillips. G. Phillips and D. J. Patterson for Western Suburbs. Reid and D. Phillips, who relieved him after four innings, conceded hits to N. Hobson, R. J. Mullaly and Fife

United 2, Deep Freeze 1 Although it did not manage a safe hit during the game, Deep Freeze took the championship leader to eight-innings before finally conceding victory. United took the lead at the beginning of the game when the first batter up, M. Nelepa, scored on a hit by B.'•W. Mountford. However. G. Lay scored the equalise for Deep Freeze in the third innings when the United leftfielder, M. August, misjudged a fly ball from A. G. Mansfield.

D. W. Bradbury scored the winning run in the eighth innings when he gained first base on an error, stole to second, was advanced by a bunt by M. Nelepa and scored on a hit to left-field by K. Thorn.

For United, G. A. Roberts and Bradbury shared the eight innings of pitching duties equally without conceding a hit, while J. Smith gave up five hits for Deep Freeze. Deep Freeze U, Papanui Aces 6 A seventh-innings explosion which produced 10 runs enabled the American servicemen’s team to finally beat the Papanui Aces after a very even struggle. The teams had been tied at three-all in the third innings, five-all in the fifth and six-all in the sixth, the Aces having led 5-3 in the fourth. For Deep Freeze, A. G. Mansfield got four safe hits, H. L. Gable three, J. Smith two and E. F. Crown hit a home run. The Aces’ best batters were G. Clarkson, with three safe hits, and B. Chee, with two. Western Suburbs 12, Services 8 Western Suburbs led its opponent throughout a game punctuated by much hard hitting which kept the fielding of both teams constantly under pressure. The winner established an insurmountable 11-run lead with its first four turns at bat and then held off a spirited late challenge by Services. L. Fife, R. J. Mullaly, N. Hobson, K. Smith and D. Parry all gained two safe hits in the Western Suburbs total of 13 hits. Services gained only five hits during the game.

P W L F A Pts United 19 15 92 36 34 Papanui A 19 If 147 49 32 Richmond 18 14 109 66 28 D. Freeze 19 10 108 95 18 W. Subs 19 12 74 111 14 Kaiapoi 18 12 48 77 12 Pap. Aces 18 13 54 128 10 Services 18 10 40 112 4