Top team holds position

Press, 16 November 1981, Page 23

Top team holds position

Albion conceded its first two runs of the season in the senior women's softball competition on Saturday, but proved it is still a winning’combination without the services of Cheryl Kemp, its New Zealand representative pitcher. Minor surgery kept Kemp off the mound and she was replaced bv Nat Hazelwood who performed creditably as her replacement. General Lee Burnside had an easy 8-3 win against Monowai, while both A.G.C. United and Western Suburbs had no problems beating a young Papanui team that played a double header.

Albion 6, United 2 At the completion of the first innings the game looked set for a tight struggle after both teams had scored twice. For United Jeanette Ogilvie scored off a fine three bagger by Liz Siatago, but that was the last time United looked like scoring. In the second innings Jeanine Gould (Albion) hit safely to right

field and was brought home by the lead off batter, Linda O'Cain’s second three bagger of the game. O'Cain in turn came home by Nat Hazelwood who hit between the outfield but was called out on a tag play at third. It was not to be Hazelwood's day round the bases. At her first turn at bat she went out in exactly the same way. Tight fielding by United contained the Albion batters for the next three innings, and it was not until the sixth that Penny Salton scored off a fielders choice by Gould. Salton came to the fore again in the seventh innings when she hit safely to left field scoring Sharron Constable. Both Salton and O'Cain finished the game, with batting averages of .500, with O’Cain also having a great game in the field taking a brilliant catch off United's lead off batter, Heather Craig. For United Jeanette Ogilvie had a tremendous game with the bat finishing with the perfect average of 1000. Burnside 8, Monowai 3. General Lee Burnside started strongly with Jane Earnshaw and Robyn Storer scroing in the first innings off a three bagger by the ever-smiling Ra Hapi. The strong batting battery of Burnside got into full swing in the third innings with four batters scoring. The highlight was a magnificent home run by Storer,

a considerable feat considering the length of the grass at the Hagley. Storer looked set for a tremendous day with the bat when at her third turn at bat sire drove the bail to centre-field, but Wiki Martin held a great catch. Penney Dunckley scored in the fifth innings, and Anthea Feaver sealed the game in the seventh innings with the final run. For Monowai Kathrine Eiffe scored in the third from a drive by Margaret Machirus, and the only other two runs Monowai could manage came in the fifth innings from Chari Mac Lean and Martin. United 8, Papanui 2 In a game that could only be classed as a comedy of errors, AGC United had little trouble in downing Papanui. Of the eight runs scored by United, six came from errors. The Papanui side undoubtedly has tremendous potential but few

of its players appear to be given the opportunity to settle into one position. It was not until the sixth innings that Papanui socred, when both Tania Kingi and Kim Jolly crossed home plate. Western Suburbs 10, Papanui 0. Western Suburbs made no game of its clash against Papanui winning in only 40 minutes. Suburbs lost scoring opportunities in its first turn at bat but more than made amends in the second when Robyn Tait struck a two bagger to score three runs. Again in the fourth innings Suburbs went on a scoring spree, scoring seven runs. The team went through its batting order, plus two. For the first occasion in some time Carolyn Renney was on the mound for Suburbs,, and in the five innings game contained the Papanui batters by conceding two safe hits.

Albion P W D L 0 F • 64 A Pt 2 16 8 8 0 G L Bum 7 6 0 1 48 15 12 Monowai 8 5 0 3 56 51 10 West Subs 7 2 0 5 30 37 4 A.G.C. Utd 8 2 0 6 34 51 4 Papanui 10 1 0 9 31 100 2