Upsets in softball

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33066, 6 November 1972, Page 14

Upsets in softball

As a result of Saturday's games, no senior men's A grade softball team remains unbeaten In this season's competition. Richmond’s winning streak ended when United produced two of the best batting rallies seen at English Park this season to beat the competition leader 8-2. Both teams are now on top of the points table with six wins from seven games. At the other end of the ladder, Papanui Aces registered their first points with a 5-4 win over the inconsistent Deep Freeze side. The Americans had a bad day, losing to Somerfield 4-9 in the other match in its double-header. The evenness of the competition has become even more apparent with Papanui’s decisive win over Western Suburbs, which had made a good start to the season. Papanui’s pitcher, G. Roberts, was in good form and he proved the key factor in the surprise win. The young Somerfield team now has two wins in its first season at senior A level. The wins will give it the necessary confidence, as well as justifying promotion. The late games on Saturday were played in poor conditions and the results were determined by the winning teams’ ability to handle the slippery ground.

Pap. Aces 7 1 6 21 69 2 United 8, Richmond 2 The weather changed drastically during the game and this proved to be the influencing factor. The Richmond pitcher, K. Smith, and his fielders could not handle the conditions and their batting did not test United’s ability in the wet. Both teams began cautiously and it was not until the top of the fourth that the first run was scored. G. Lay (Richmond) scored a home run after J. Peterson misjudged the ball’s bounce in the outfield. However, the rain soon set in and the ground became very It was in these conditions that United thrived. A. HaU hit a two-bagger and this got J. Peterson to third base. Peterson got home after a safe hit by K. Thorne. Thorne and HaU then passed the plate after a hard drive by D. Daw. He also got home on a hit by N. Oorschot to end a batting bonanza which brought United four runs and had the Richmond fielders sliding all over the field. United continued its batting attack in the next Innings with a superb home run by HaU. His ball landed on the cycUng track, automaticaUy qualifying for a home run. Peterson also came home on Hall’s big hit. An attacking hit by Oorschot got him to first, Thorne to third and D. Bradbury home. Thome passed the plate on a catcher’s error. Although United appeared to have the game sewn up. Rich-

mond looked dangerous at the top of the sixth when D. Rea sneaked home and also in the seventh when it crowded the bases with its lower order batters. However, when D. Chee was caught by Oorschot, Richmond soon folded. United got nine safe hits compared to five by Richmond. Smith got two strike-outs, and Bradbury six. Papanui 4, Western Suburbs 0 No matter how hard it tried Western Suburbs was unable to overcome Papanui’s early lead, and had to be content with a surprise defeat. The dominant figure in the match was the Papanui pitcher and Canterbury representative, G. A. Roberts, who was in excellent form. He took 10 strikeout, conceded one walk, and was able to contain the Suburbs batting to such an extent that only one hit was taken from his balls. L. Clarkson got home in the first innings for Papanui after M. Barry was unable to take a over-thrown ball during a doubleplay attempt. The best hit of the match was made by G. Dunn, who scored a great home run in the second to give Papanui Its second run. D. Eager also got home in the second after a big hit by Roberts. D. Phillips scored Papanui’s final run in the third after a hit to the outfield by W. McCombs. R. Fife (Suburbs) was unable to penetrate the Papanui batting. He conceded one walk, eight hits, and was able to score one strike out. Papanui made one error, and Suburbs two. Somerfield 9, Deep Freeze 4 Persistent errors by the Deep Freeze fielders, particularly in the second innings, allowed Somerfield to score its second win of the season. Somerfield made the most of eight Deep Freeze errors in the

second innings to score eight runs and go through its battit t order. A feature of this batting rally was a home run by B Williams which also brought home B. Cameron and A. McNeil, who scored two runs in the match. The Deep Freeze pitcher, A. G. Mansfield scored three strikeouts, but may have been able to get more had his catcher been on form. He gave up 10 hit*. R. Hayes (Somerfield) gave up eight hits and struck out three batters. He scored two runs. Runs for Deep Freeze were scored by J. Krawchuck, K. Westfall, J. Summers, and S. McNeil. Papanui Aces 5, Deep Freeze 4 Aces gained their first win since its promotion to senior A level In a tight match played in cold, generally unpleasant conditions. The weather had a big Influence on the game as the fielders found its difficult to handle the ball. Deep Freeze's young out-fielder S. Richardson replaced the regular pitcher, A. G. Mansfield, on the mound for thia game. Although Richardson pitches for Papanui High School, It was the first time he had been used in the senior grade. He performed admirably, getting two strikeouts and conceding no walks. Both sides remained cloae, matching each other almoat run for run. A. Bishop and W. Steele scored for Aces in the fifth after 11. Moore had crossed the plate in the third. The score was tied at three-all at the top of seventh. K. Westfall scored to put Deep Freeze ahead, but Aces came back during their last bat. D. Mansbridge equalised and then Moore scraped home from third base for the winning run Moore got two strike-outa and gave one walk. Westfall scored twice for Deep Freeze and J. Summers and W. J. Boyd once.

Points table:— P W L F A Pte United 7 6 1 38 10 12 Richmond 7 6 1 52 33 12 West. Sub. 7 4 3 45 27 8 Papanui 6 3 3 18 13 6 D. Freeze 7 2 5 44 50 4 Somerfield 7 2 5 26 42 4