NATIONAL SOFTBALL Lead shared by 3 teams

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33110, 28 December 1972, Page 16

NATIONAL SOFTBALL Lead shared by 3 teams

New Zealand Press A

DUNEDIN.

Hutt \ alley. Auckland and Wai* kato were the teams to win both of their matches on the first day of the national men’s softball championships for the Beattie Cup yesterday .

Wellington had one win, and Hawke's Bay, Canterbury and Otago suffered two defeats.

In the B section, Southland and Manawatu were unbeaten; Army, South Canterbury and Nelson had a win each. Hutt Valley, winner last year of the Beattie Cup. had two close matches, beating Canterbury, 1-0, and Hawke’s Bay, 2-0. HOME-RUN DECISION Hutt gained its run against Canterbury when B. McLean hit a home run at the top of the sixth innings. The closeness of the match was reflected in the analysis of six safe hits and one fielding error to Hutt Valley, and four hits and one error to Canterbury. In its second game, against Hawke’s Bay, Hutt had to wait until the top of the eighth innings before its two runners came home. T. Nunns hit a home run, and shortly afterwards J. Dawson was brought home. The longest match of the day was between Auckland and Wellington, Auckland having to wait until the top of the thirteenth innings, when S. Kinghom, E. Shepherd and M. Forsyth scored. Against Otago, Forsyth hit

a home run which also brought in Shepherd, to give Auckland a 2-0 win. NARROW DEFEAT Canterbury’s second defeat was also by 0-1, to Wellington in the morning. The match was decided in the second innings when B. Nichols was brought home by D. Goodwin after getting to first base on a "walk.” Canterbury had great difficulty hitting Wellington’s second-string pitcher, R. Cutting, and never really got the Teel of the game. Results were:— Section A.—Wellington 1, Canterbury 0; Auckland 2. Otago 0. Waikato 1; Hawke's Bay 0; Hutt Valley 1, Canterbury 0; Auckland 3, Wellington 0; Waikato 110, Otago 0; Hutt Valley 2, Hawke’s Bay 0 Section B.— Manawatu 7, Air Force 0; Nelson 11, Navy 7; Army [B, South Canterbury 4; Southland 2, Air Force 1; Manawatu 13, Nelson 4; South Canterbury i 3, Navy 1; Southland 16. Army