Five in running for zone final

Press, 10 November 1980, Page 34

Five in running for zone final

By

TIM DUNBAR

Five teams remained in contention for the southern zone final of the Qantel Computer national softball tournament after the first elimination series at Christchurch yesterday. At Nunweek Park, Papanui and A.G.C. United kept their two, lives intact with convincing wins in d o u b 1 e-headers against Kaiapoi and Woolston B, which have now been eliminated.

Colin Chee hit a home run in Papanui’s 8-3 win over Kaiapoi, and all the players got stuck in with the bat when the team overwhelmed Woolston B, 18-2. However, Woolston did enjoy an early, 2-1 lead, and its centre-field-er, Gavin Adams, distinguished himself with a remarkable running catch behind the left fielder to put out Papanui’s Geoff Roberts:

United was equally untroubled. The coach, Mr Dennis Rea, was able to give five pitchers a turn on the mound in the team’s 26-4 victory over Woolston B, though there was a bright spot for that team in Ross

Sinclair’s homer off Colin Sutherland.

In the second game, United was “extended” to seven innings by Kaiapoi, but the 11-1, margin was still decisive. Ray Marsh starred for United with a home run and a two-bagger. Brent Hazeldine, one of United’s bright young prospects last year, pitched for Kaiapoi clouted a home run off his former teammate, Dave Bradbury. Burnside, the main competition leader, was in fine form in its double-header at Breens Intermediate. It shutout both its opponents in six innings, beating Western Suburbs, 13-0, and Cosmos, 11-0.

Cosmos, which had beaten Woolston A, 14-11, in an early game and Suburbs, which took only five innings to dispose of Woolston A, 12-0, in a late game still have one life left. Woolston A is the third team eliminated.

Canterbury’s representative in the southern zone final will be decided on December 21. The zone final is set down for Oamaru on February 8,. and the national final at Wellington on March 1.