Softball tournament

Press, 29 February 1984, Page 56

Softball tournament

Miramar Evening Post (Wellington), the favourite for the Pan Am Trophy, is not expected to be extended on the first day of the national men’s inter-club softball tournament at Porritt Park today. It will meet Panthers (Southland) and Dodgers (Otago) in games today. With Michael White on the pitching mound and five other past or present internationals in the side Miramar should be posed few problems though Panthers have some powerful batters in its line-up, including Royden Thompson, lan McMurdo, and Peter McMinn. The big game of the day will be between the Canterbury representative, Noel

Leeming Burnside, and Ramblers, of Auckland, who both have their eyes on the title. Ramblers won the trophy two years ago, shading Burnside, 3-1, in the play-off and in section play at Palmerston North last year beat Burnside again, 3-2, after dropping two runs in the first innings. Burt Miramar went on to take the title. For this tournament the outfield fence and the allweather pitching and batting areas set up on the main diamond at Porritt Park for the rained-out tests between New Zealand and the Can-Am All Stars two weeks ago have been retained. There will also be a fenced-in diamond with allweather batting and pitch-

ing areas on the outside grounds. Eight teams will contest the Pan Am Trophy section, and another 12 (starting in two sections) will compete for the Tom Voyle Cup in the B section. Today’s Pan Am Trophy games are: Pukekohe (Counties) v. Noel Leeming Burnside (Canterbury) and Dodgers (Otago) v. Cowans Cardinals (Hutt Valley), both 10 a.m.; Panthers (Southland) v. Miramar Evening Post (Wellington), 11.45 a.m.; Ramblers (Auckland) v. Mudgway Wreckers (Hawke’s Bay), 1.30 p.m.; Miramar v. Dodgers and Cardinals v. Pukekohe, both 3.15 p.m.; Mudgway v. Panthers, 5 p.m.; Burnside v. Ramblers, 5.30 p.m.