SOFTBALL WON 9-8

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32779, 2 December 1971, Page 16

SOFTBALL WON 9-8

Americans.’. defeated ; ■ . ■ I A gigantic home run with a man on base, hit by the New Zealand colts’ player, M. P. MeOscar, in the final innings, enabled Western Suburbs to inflict a narrow, M, defeat on the. visiting American servicemen’s softball team at Papanul Domain last evening. The visiting team, the Harold E. Holt communication* station, North-West Cap* of Australia, appeared to be about to gain a handaome victory when a. home run by B. J. Easterling in the first innings and a three run “homer’* by M. D. Shafer in the second gave it a 64 lea<L Western Suburbs found the deliveries of R. Best, a pitcher in the true mould, difficult to hit at first, but a bottom-of-the-ftfth innings rally, with McOscar and the Fife brothers, Leon and Ross, prominent, produced five run* and tied the game at seven-all.

L. Fife got his aecond double of the match and scored on MoOscar's hit, his third, which was lofted many yards over right field. The visitors added a run to draw to 8-9 In the seventh, but R. Fife, who pitched a fine relief stint for his older brother from the fifth innings, ended the threat. The Americans will play the Canterbury championship titleholder. United, and their hosts, Operation Deep Freeze, under floodlights at English Park .this evening. According to the Deep Freeze player-coach (Mr A. G. Mansfield), any proceeds from the matches will be gtveq to th* Canterbury Beatty cup team’s travelling. fund. -