Hutt City batters Marist

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 28

Hutt City batters Marist

PA Wellington Hutt City United made no race of yesterday’s Wainui softball classic final with a powerful display of batting to overwhelm Marist Hutt Valley,. 7-2. Hutt City made the final with both lives intact after winning all its previous games.

In the upset of the day, lowly-rated Avalon Dodgers wrecked defending title holder Wrigley’s PR’s plans of being the other’ finalist with a surprise 1-0 victory. Dodgers met other one lifer, Marist Hutt Valley, to decide Hutt City’s opponents with Marist coming out on top, 5-2. In a show-piece display of batting, Hutt City had runs to Ross Green, Darryl Clifton, John Nightingale and Steve Marsh posted at the bottom

of the first innings and the game was all but over by then.

During this innings Hutt City went right through its batting order in what proved a nightmare time for Marist. Further runs to Clifton and Green at the bottom of the second and third innings had the prospect of the game being all over in five innings but Marist pulled one back with an automatic home run to Barkley Rochelau over the left outfield fence at the top of the fourth. Robbie Foote scored Hutt City’s seventh run and Tony Kaiaruna came home for Marist’s second to complete the scoring at the top of the fifth.

Ten hits were taken off the hapless Marist pitcher, Chris Nicholas, while Hutt City’s man on the mound, Jimmy

Seaman, gave a brilliant display dominating the opposi-

.Camerons Cardinals showed a return to form in blitzing Christchurch United, 9-1, to win the losers plate final.

Doug Honey (PR) was named top batter of the tournament, Revin Herlihy (Ramblers) top pitcher and Jimmy Seaman (Hutt City) most valuable player. Results.—

Double life elimination: Dodgers 1 PR 0; Marist 5 Dodgers 2; Hutt City 7 Marist 2.

Finishing order: Hutt City 1 ($5000); Marist 2 ($1500); Dodgers 3 ($500). Losers plate: Cardinals 3 Demons (Invercargill) 1; Tawa 3 Christchurch United 6. Final: Cardinals 9 Christchurch United 1.