N.Z. softball to Wellington

Press, 11 January 1978, Page 4

N.Z. softball to Wellington

I PA Wellington The Wellington team captain, Marilyn Marshall, made the winning hits in two successive matches against Auckland in a razor-edged finish to the national women’s softball championships yesterday. Wellington entered the first match trailing Auckland in the Rothmans Trophy by two points. An Auckland victory would have ended the competition at this point; a Wellington win would (force a play-off. i Wellington’s winning run in the first game came in the bo! tom of the fourth innings when Marshall got on to a Kemp delivery and set. it sizzling through the outfield to the fence. Try as the Aucklanders might, there was no hope of stopping her dash round the bases for the home run. The 1-0 Wellington win saw the players retaking the diamond after a 20 minute break, for the play-off. Batting first, Auckland meant business by placing Sharmaine Inder on third and Judy Bower on second. But Martha Rush popped her drive back to the pitcher, Meihana, who had no hesitation in transferring the ball to first for the out, preventing any chance of a score. In the Auckland third innings Inder again got to third base but some quick thinking between the catcher. Carol More, and Meihana had her tagged out. on the dash for home following i pass ball. Wellington opened the scoring in the fourth innings when Louise Patterson ran home. But the lead lasted only to the top of the fifth innings, when a bad error by the first base woman, Denise Isles, gave Sylvia Meeuws the time to get home for the equaliser. The second Wellington run came with a big Patterson drive to left field. She was caught by

the outfielder. Bower, but the hit was strong enough lor Isles to beat the return throw to score. The stage seemed set for another Wellington victory until the top of the last innings, when, with runners on two and three, Bower safe-hit to see Murray score and level at 2-all. The dismissal of Martha Rusli stopped further runs, but the crowd settled in for a long period of extra innings. This was not the case. For Wellington things started well when Chery] Kemp obligingly walked Meihana to first. A Leonard!* bunt got her to second and the coup de grace was delivered bv Marshall, who whacked one past a startled Rusli at third base to give her teammate the easiest of run-ins. The run was all that wait needed and with a 3-2 result, Wellington took away the pre. mier Rothmans Trophy from the defending champion. In other matches decided yesterday, Canterbury defeated Wellington B in a play-off for tint senior B title, 9-8, in a match noticeable for its lusty hitting. Another play-off took place in the Council Cup when Hawke i Bay came from behind to beat Poverty Bay, 2-1. In the Mereweather Cup, Otago was a clear winner ahead of Hutt Valley and North Shore Open final points: Auckland 22, Wellington 22, Nelson 16. Canterbury 10. Manawatu 8, Southland 6. Points in the N.Z.S.A. Cup fo? B competition: Wellington 16, Canterbury 16. Otago 8, Hutt Valley 10, Counties 2. Otago A won the Mereweather Cup with 10 points, followed bv Hutt Valley 8, North Shore 6, Horowhenua 2. Council Cup points: Poverty Bay 6, Hawke’s Bay 6. Rotorua (i, South Otago 0. Waikato 0. Section 2: South Canterbury 6, Wairarapa 4, Marlborough (). Taranaki 0.