Canty third seed for final softball round

Press, 7 January 1983, Page 3

Canty third seed for final softball round

Special correspondent The Canterbury women’s softball team was’ beaten 2-1 bv Wellington yesterday in its only match at Hobson Park. Auckland, to win the third seeding in the final round for the Rothmans Cup at the national championships. All qualifying play was completed yesterday with Auckland going through unbeaten to win the Bensel Cup and top seeding, Wellington which has lost one match is the second seed, Canterbury third, and Hutt Valiev fourth.

Hutt Valley must be considered extremely lucky to have won fourth spot as it lost 2-3 to the lowly-fated North Shore side while Hawke’s Bay beat Counties. 3-2. to finish on the same points total as Hutt. However, Hutt Valley beat the Bay on Wednesday and by virtue of this win and an unlucky 3-2 Southland loss to Hawke’s Bay. Hutt sneaked in. In its game against Wellington. the Canterbury batters failed to play well, especially in laying down sacrifice bunts to advance runners. Over-all the statistics indicate Canterbury should have won the match — it out-batted Wellington 42 leaving five runners on base to Wellington’s three. However, two questionable umpiring calls cost a home plate and a safe call on first, both of which would have had significant impact on the match.

Canterbury took the lead at the bottom of the second when Linda Manning, playing her first full game since injuring her thumb, made base on an error and was brought home on an excellent left field drive by Penny Salton.

Wellington’s Lesley Monk equalised in the fourth on a fielder’s choice after hitting a magnificent right-field triple. At the bottom of the fifth, Canterbury had an opportunity to take the lead again when the “DH” lead-off batter, Kathryn Eiffe hit safely to right field where the ball was errored allowing her to make second base. The next batter failed to play the bunt and was eventually struck out. Robyn Storer successfully ilaced down an immaculate

placet an bunt to advance Eiffe, but was called out at first much to her surprise and the Wellington side. With two down. Canterbury was unable to bring Eiffe in. Wellington’s second run came at the top of the sixth when again Monk scored on a fielder’s choice after hitting safely to centre field.

In its sixth and seventh turns at bat Canterbury never looked like scoring as it went three-up. three-down, and if Canterbury is to retain its title it must produce results with the bat.

Christine John pitched the match and turned in another creditable performance, taking three strike-outs off 26 batters, but only conceding two safe hits, both of which were to the New Zealand representative. Monk. Today will be the “crunch” day for the home side as the top four now play under a double life system and if it wants to go straight through to the final Canterbury must beat Wellington this morning and then the winner of the Auckland-Hutt clash, which on performance must be Auckland.

Rothmans Cup qualifying section results:— Wellington 2, Canterbury 1: North Shore 3. Hutt Valley 2: Hawke’s Bay 3, Counties 2; Auckland 10. Southland 1. Results:

Division A: North Shore 3. Hutt Valley 2; Auckland 8. Southland 0; Hawke's Bay 3. Counties 2: Wellington 2. Canterbury 1. Gibson. Cup (bottom Div A): Southland 6. North Shore 3: Hawke’s Bay 4. Counties 3. Mereweather Cup: N.Z. Services 6. Bay of Plenty 4; Manawatu 11,’ N.Z. Services 10. Waikato 2. Otago 1; Nelson 9. Waikato 5: Otago 12, Manawatu 6; Bay of Plenty 14, Nelson 13.

Smith Cup (section A): Taupo 12. King Country 3; Horowhenua 10. Taupo 9: Taranaki 20, King Country 10; Horowhenua 11. Taranaki 4; (section B): Marlborough 17, Whangarei 6; Marlborough 21, Taumarunui 0: Bay of Islands 5. Whangarei 4; Bay of Islands 12, Taumarunui 2.