Softballers lose top pitcher

Press, 14 January 1986, Page 3

Softballers lose top pitcher

Canterbury had mixed j fortunes on the opening day i of the New Zealand under i 18 boys’ softball championship in Dunedin yesterday. It began with a 6-2 win * over Southland, but that was ' marred by the loss of its No. 1 pitcher, Carl Tuinenga, who pulled ten- 1 dons in a finger of his ' pitching hand. His replace- J ment, Mark Swift, pitched in the second game, which ] resulted in a heavy 9-3 loss ; to Wellington. One bad innings cost Canterbury the match. The score was 1-1 after one ’ innings, but Wellington took ; six runs in the second innings, chiefly through the f efforts of Fred Wyatt, who j also represented Wellington j in the senior national chain- <

pionships in Christchurch recently. Wyatt batted .1000 in the match. Canterbury had a slender chance in the fifth innings when it scored two runs but left two batters stranded on bases. The leading batters for Canterbury after two matches are Swift and Glen Lapsley. Wellington shares first place with Bay of Plenty after the first day. Results.— Auckland 10, Otago 0; Hutt Valley 8, North Shore 1; North Shore 7, Southland 5; Wellington 5, Hutt Valley 4; Bay of Plenty 12, Southland 3; Canterbury 6, Southland 2; Bay of Plenty 12, South Otago 3; Wellington 9, Canterbury 3; South Otago 10, Otago 2.