Hutt set to win softball title

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 42

Hutt set to win softball title

By

TIM DUNBAR

.Hutt Valley’s chances of taking home the Price Cup looked even better after it continued on its winning way in the national women’s under-21 softball tournament at Porritt Park yesterday. While Hutt Valley had three more convincing wins to add to its two on the first day, the reigning champion, Auckland, plunged to a 1-6 defeat at the hands of Counties.

Hutt Valley continued to show great batting strength, getting eight hits to two in its 9-0 win over Canterbury, six hits to three against Southland (5-1), and nine hits to one against West Coast (12-0, in five innings). Its pitchers again made it hard for opposing batters and the young New Zealand representative, Eti Vole, struck out a total of 21 batters in her two matches on the mound. She also collected five hits in seven turns at bat and won the Conley and Blyth “player of the day” award. Jan Topham was another star for Hutt, getting three hits against Canterbury and two more against the Coast. It will be surprising if Auckland retains the title it has won for the last three years, judging by its performance against Counties. Auckland got five hits, only two less than Counties, yet was unable to string them together as well. Counties was 3-0 up after the top of the third innings and the win was ensured when three runners, including the top batter, Leila Rhind (.666), came home in the sixth.

At the end of the day Counties was second-equal with Auckland, just one point behind Hutt Valley, although there were a few anxious moments in its final game of the day. Canterbury probably lost its chance of making tomorrow’s top four play-offs when it went down, 6-8 to Southland in the final match of the day. The home team’s batting, with the infielder, Sharon Mansfield, leading the way, was superior to Southland’s. After scoring first Canterbury found itself suddenly trailing, 1-8 with four innings gone, thanks to some unaccountable fielding

lapses. Southland’s fielding, too, packed up helping Canterbury to grab back five runs in the fifth, but it could not quite draw level. Canterbury’s batting had been particularly good in the early afternoon match against West Coast when the team chalked up 13 hits in just five innings. Mansfield, the daughter of the former Canterbury representative, “Red” Mansfield, was the top batter together with Chris Timms and Chris John. Second day results:— Counties 6, Auckland 1; Hawke’s Bay 11, Bay of Plenty 0; Hutt Valley 9, Canterbury 0; Southland .9, West Coast 1; Auckland 4, Hawke’s Bay 1; Counties 9, Bay of Plenty 2; Hutt Valley 5. Southland 1; Canterbury 16. West Coast 3: Auckland 11, Bay of Plenty 1: Counties 3, Hawke’s Bay 2; Hutt Valley 12 .West Coast 0; Southland 8, Canterbury 6.

Progress points: Hutt Valley 5, Auckland and Counties 4, Southland 3, Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay 2, Bay of Plenty and West Coast 0.