Bright softball game

Press, 14 November 1977, Page 24

Bright softball game

A dazzling batting display by Monowai in the fifth innings brought 12 runners home and sewed up the game against Aorangi in the senior women’s softball competition on Saturday. Burnside comfortably downed a flagging Albion side, while Western Suburbs was beaten by Jaks United after a promising start.

Monowai and Burnside are now clear leaders in the competition, and an exciting clash is likely when they meet next week. Points:—

Monowai began timidly and had only Annie Wansbrough, Gwen Gray and Wiki Martin safe home by the end of the fourth. However, capitalising on Aorangi’s errors, the onslaught began in the fifth with Gray, Nancy Beale, Margaret Machirus and Wiki Martin coming home twice, along with other runners. Nancy Beale took the side’s batting honours by hitting three I out of three. But Gwen Gray gave an impressive all-round performance. She hit two mighty home runs and took an excellent catch off an equally fine hit by Carol Popata and another off Michelle Hudson’s hit which she seized in her left glove. Thoughtful fielding, including a series of well-taken catches, put paid to Aorangi’s scoring chances. Aorangi again made thoughtless mistakes while fielding, resulting in its players frequently having to scramble for the ball. The side made nine errors compared with Monowai’s three. Christine Clothier, who kept a watchful eye on runners and was on hand with back-up support was an exception. Sharon Miller dismissed Monowai single-handed in the first with three confidently taken catches, and she also batted two out of two. Monowai missed the consistent pitching of Bev Makinson although Marilyn Thompson did an adequate job in her place.

Jaks United 15, Suburbs 7 A 5-2 lead to Suburbs by the end of the third innings caused a burst of optimism. It seemed possible, for the first time this season, that the young Suburbs players could snatch a win. But United retaliated strongly in the fourth and put Suburbs out of the running. Batting right through the order, Jaks had seven home. Not satisfied, it widened the gap with three more runners scoring in the fifth, one in the sixth, and two more in the seventh. Vai. Chambers boosted the scoring with a very respectable tally of four safe runs. At the same time, Jaks put a halt to Suburbs runs by replacing Heather Thyne, who had been pitching erratically, with Pam Chambers during the third. Yet not completely humbled, Suburbs added two more to its score in the seventh when Sharon Mansfield and Mary Killeen reached home.

The team made an official protest the previous innings after the umpire ruled that Karen Knight had not touched base one and was therefore out. Burnside 10. Albion 2

A businesslike Burnside I downed a lethargic Albion team I which had no luck in batting and! replaced its pitcher during the| game. Robyn Storer began the scor-l ing when her one-base hit went) straight through the legs of Vicki Glendining, and leit her with ample time to score. But Storer did not need luck to produce a talented performance. Apart from pitching competently, she homed on an assertive centre hit in the third, hit a fine three-bagger in the fifth and scored again in the seventh. Anthea Feaver followed Storer in the third innings with a threebase hit, then she and Ranui Hapi were homed by stalwart Kath Noonan. Burnside, batting aggressively in the seventh, added four more to its score after Susannah Carroll, Linda Shepherd, Marilyn Lee and Storer homed. Albion, whose batters can pepper the outfield with powerful drives, lacked spirit and never looked like threatening Burnside. As well as losing by eight runs,

Albion had three runners left on base compared with Burnside’s nine and was fortunate not to lose by a wider margin. Dianah Paki, struck out three times, was the most unfortunate victim of Storer’s pitching.

Storer gave up one walk and also struck out Wendy Bell, who in turn took two strike-outs and gave one walk. Her replacement, Caroline Rennie, gave up two walks.

The game was punctuated with errors. Burnside made six and Albion nine, including a dropped catch off Bernie Straker whose hit landed in the middle of a huddled trio of Albion fielders.

P W L F A Pts Monowai 4 4 0 50 7 8 Burnside 4 4 0 36 11 8 Albion 4 2 2 43 25 4 Jaks United 4 2 2 36 37 4 Aorangi 4 0 4 24 60 0 Suburbs 4 0 4 10 59 0 Monowai 15, Aorangi 0