Upset gives Albion upset win

Press, 23 November 1987, Page 27

Upset gives Albion upset win

By J

ANDREA MAXEY

In an upset win yesterday, Albion reined Burnside's successful record in women's A* trade softball. Albion took the game 1-0 at Western Park to draw level with Burnside on the points table. Ute two teams are well ahead of the rest of the competition and it is likely that their final clash will decide the championship. Burnside was not used to being under pressure, especially after beating Suburbs 151 on Saturday, so its players were nervous when they met Albion. It was this nervousness that allowed Penny Salton to get a run for Albion in the. first innings. Burnside’s fielding tightened up then, but it was too late and Albion didn't give it the chance to equalise. Saturday's competition produced predictable results with big scores from Albion against Monowai and from Bumside against Suburbs.

Albion 1, Burnside • Albion knocked Bumside off its pedestal in a tense and exciting game yesterday. Albion batted first, and although Chris John struck the first batter out, she could not stop Salton from getting a good hit to the left outfield. Salton stole to base two and then to base three. Natalie Hazelwood walked to first base and stole to two putting Albion in a position to cause trouble.

Salton got home on a hit from Karina Dreaver but good fielding from Burnside managed to prevent Hazelwood from going any further.

Burnside came in to bat looking confident but Cheryl Kemp quickly struck the first three batters out with a combination of tricky pitches. Burnside were able to get to the ball in the second innings but again it was three up and three down, and after Kemp had three strike-outs in the third, Burnside was in shock. On the field Bumside were desperate to stop Albion scoring again, and were lucky to do so in several nail-biting moments. In the fifth innings Albion had loaded bases from fielding errors and it seemed inevitable that they would score again. The situation was saved for Burnside when Anita Perreau caught Hazelwood out, and the innings ended.

A double play by Chris Kellam in the seventh got Trina Whittaker and Nicki Hudson out and a good running catch from Robyn Storer finished Albion's chances of scoring again. As the game progressed, Burnside grew more and more desperate for runs. In the fourth innings Perreau got to base one after being hit

by a pitch, and Nteey Buhner followed with a strong bit to the outfleM. However, base two wan as for as Burnside could get Mandy Karntau got there oa a Mg Mt in the fifth and John got to two in the sixth after an overthrow let her part a group of Albion players ready to tag her.

In a final attempt to aeon, Donna Ward betted for Karntau in the last tenbrne. It didn't help, and Koaprtrwck her out

Albion won the game by taking advantage of early chances ■ •nd hv bejna accustomed to figfetlag an toe way tor a win. Burnside was unused to being in trouble and its nervousness caused mistakes in the game. Albton 12, Meaawai 4

Albion started its game against fourth ranked Monowai strongly with runs from the first two batten, Linda O'Cain and Salton. This didn't upset Monowai though, and it answered back with a run from Annie Waasborough.

Neither team scored in the second innings but in the third Monowai took a surprise lead with runs from Margaret Machins, Charlene Mac Lean and Tania Hollander. Albion responded by tightening its fielding and the pitcher, Karena Dreaver, didn’t give any more Monowai batters a chance with the ball.

In a tense atmosphere Trina Whittaker got home for Albion in the fourth and in the fifth Albion moved into top gear to get O’Cain, Salton and Hazelwood home. Monowars initial excitement faded further as Albion confidently took another six runs in the last innings. Monowai’s usual pitcher Marika Fitt was away in Hawaii and Charlene Mac Lean who had to take her place, was inconsistent under pressure. Tania Hollander fielded well for Monowai while Janine Gould took an impressive reflex catch in the seventh innings for Albion. Burnside 15, Suburbs 1

Once again Bumside exhibited its superiority, demolishing the bottom ranked Suburbs. In the first innings Chris John set the pattern for Burnside with a homer which was followed by four more runs.

Tania Meier was not pitching well for Suburbs and she let two more Burnside batters get home in the second before Katrina Thompson took over the mound. Burnside got two more runs in the second and then Anita Perreau hit a homer in the third. Suburbs made a lot of fielding errors and these allowed Burnside to gain four more runs. Bumside, in contrast, were professional in the field, although John’s pitching didn’t give the fielders much to do.

When they did have to work though, they gave glimpses of their capabilities. Donna Ward dived for a

catate tai the Mb tamtam and Jana Ctanataaw eccaaiaaaßp Obt (tab chance to doanmstate tee ataatfb «t her terowtaqam. * - : BanaMta eafy prtetesa te tay local cMMotittite ata some of ite players can bo a little casual oa a reeuK Atetea 4 rafaaa* • WMh Cheryl Kemp ptoctatac aafl IJaaoy ntteia catateta< VD get ACnp 3HKWU agpreadveiy, . ttrfldag ent Papasud's first batter. Dabhte Chase, and for the first four tadtap she dtaataaad tee first tone batten up. aeTitotaKOM STfeTfifth innings •** tana MUte made it to bane two ia tee seventh. Anyone else whe got to Kemp's deceptive pitches invariably Mt a tote — a dangerous thing to de with SaMoa as catcher. Ia the state iwniny SaMoa took her first brilitent dtvtag catte off a foul from Lyndal McMeekiag aad tee repeated M ia tee seventh. getting Leoaie Mok* ham out Wendy Hughes was the first home for Albion ia tee second innings, and Albion's position was conooUdated in the third with a huge homer Mt by Linda ffCaia. SaMoa dived home in the fifth for Albion's next ran while Hazelwood got the fourth ran on a Mt from Wendy Hagtas in the seventh. irßjMnui s nerasg oetenor* ated in tee test two iaategs. allowing several Albion batters to move oa to the bases. Albion dominated tee clash and justified its position ahead of Papanui on the points table. BaraoMe 7. Kerera S Burnside, having defeated Suburbs eartier by such a large score, were casual in their attitude towards tarera and, they made mistakes. Chris John got home first for Burnside, then Donee Ward Mt a homer that also got Robyn Sforer home. Storer, pitching for Bumside, struck tee first Kerera batter out and tee neat two batters followed. However, Burnside’s fieldiag coilapbed in the second inmnm tettiag Sharon Marte and Sandy Pokere home for Kerara. Both Teresa Stokes and John in the outfield fumbled catches, and this was what let Kerera score. After the. second-innings lapse. Burnside tightened up, and, despite a well-Mt homer in the fifth from Pokere, Kerera couldn't get to the ball.

Bumside’s betters took . charge again in the third with runs from Ward, Belen Townsend and Stokes. Its final run came in the fourth from Raylene Forde.

Burnside then relaxed and the game finished without incident For Kercru, Lisa Mason was efficient in the field, consistently using her strong throwing arm to good effect

P W L F A Pt Burnside 12 11 1 107 3 22 Albion 12 11 1 66 13 22 Papanui 9 5 4 43 44 10 Monowai 10 2 8 43 102 4 Kereru 10 2 8 27 63 4 Suburbs 10 1 9 41 91 2