Softball win for W.S.

Press, 8 December 1976, Page 6

Softball win for W.S.

The Western Suburbs women’s team had its first win in the twilight softball competition when it upset Bumside, 4-3. at the Hagicv Park polo grounds last evening. Burnside took the early lead when it scored in the top of the first but Suburbs hit the front after bringing home two baserunners and was never again headed. The last real chance for Burn[side came in the top of the sixth [innings after two runs were! (scored closing the gap to just , one run at 3-4. i Ranui Hapi then came up to bat with only one down and her (big hit to the outfield gave her. [team a chance of equalising. [However, while trying to stretch [a three-bag hit into a homer.(Mrs Hapi was easily tagged out (after a brilliant relay by Sue I McCulloch and Wendy Stewart. I Suburbs did not need to take (their last turn at bat. ■ In the other women’s game United gave Giasskraft a brief: fright when Heather Craig scored the first run of the game in the top of the third innings. However, Margaret Rhodes, playing her first game of the 1 season, equalised for Glasskraft! in the bottom of the third inn-i

Ings and the side turned on its well-known batting power in its next innings and collected seven runs from eight hits. Glasskraft eventually won the game, 11-1. outbatting United by 13 hits to three. Prominent were Vick\ Morgan. Penny King Danae Goosman, Christine Quested and Rhodes, who all managed two hits each. I Richmond again had a depleted (side and lost 10-0, after just five innings aaginst United-City in what should have been the main men’s game. | The senior B pitcher. Stephen l Smith, was not up to the stand lard of the usual Richmond [hurler. Kelly Smith, and gave up j Citv scored eight of its runs I in the first innings when four successive batters were •walked and Francis Lawrence I hit a left-field homer ; After its great start Citv reJaxed — perhaps too much — ; and it could add only two runs jin its remaining three innings. (Lawrence and Dave Capill both batted 1000. Alan Hall had an almost perfect day on the pitching mound . for City and fanned 13 of the 16 ; batters he faced and threw a ■ no hitter. I Papanui Shoreline had a fairly

J 2 w,n Ov * r Albion but both teams finished with five hits and Craig Quested hit a tv.o-run homer for Albion in the top of the seventh innings. Kevin Tuuta < Papanui) just shaded Vince Daly on the pitching mound taking 11 strike-outs to Daly’s eight. Eric Tomlinson (Papanui) was the top batter of the game with two hits out of three. A last innings flurry bv Western Suburbs- which brought three runs came too late to stop Somerfield winning the game. 13-10. Suburbs started with a three run advantage because their opponent was not readv to start the game on time Somerfield took 17 hits nff the Suburbs horler, Colin Sutherland. with Wayne Peat t three out of five I and Bruce ( ameron <four out of five) the most consistent batters. Points — Men.—Papanui and UnitedCi tv 8 United-Ascot <5. Western Suburbs and Papanui Aces 4, Albion and Somerfield 2. Richmond 0. Women.—Glasskraft and United 6. Burnside 4. Monowai Aorangl and Western Suburbs 2 (A tame between Glasskraft and Monowal has yet to be completed./