Burnside batting machine crushes Monowai

Press, 11 October 1988, Page 23

Burnside batting machine crushes Monowai

History was made when the Radio Avon premier women’s softball competition continued on Saturday. All teams played at the new softball complex at Cuthberts Green (albeit on the outside grounds) for the first time and this marked the end of the use of Hagley Park — the venue for women’s premier games for more than two decades. The day also brought a combination of pleasure, exhaustion, frustration and a new sensation. For the Monowai outfield it was a day of frustration chasing massive hits from the Burnside batting machine as that side took only four turns at bat to demolish Monowai, 16-2. Papanui experienced all the frustration as it went down, 1-6, to Albion in its early match, then in its second match needing five runs to tie the game up in the bottom of the seventh fought back to 9-10 with two down and left the equalising run stranded on third. Monowai in its early game had the pleasure of notching up its first win of the season against Kereru, taking the match, 9-7. But for all players the easterly wind which came up brought a new sensation as nostrils experienced the tingle of the new venue — a tingle to which all will have

to become accustomed. Points table

Suburbs 10, Papanui 9 It was young Tania Meier, the Suburbs pitcher, who saved her side’s bacon with a dramatic strike-out in the bottom of the seventh to enable her side to snatch victory. Going into the bottom of the seventh Papanui was five runs behind. The first batter went out on a fly ball and the next batter should also have been caught but the outfielder let the ball drop in front of her. Kerry Hall then made base on an error which allowed Hall on second and Leonie Bloxham on third. Marie Dunn then hit a centrefield single to score both Hall and Bloxham. Karen Mills then slap-hit a ball which should have been stopped in the infield. Shiree Newport then made first when the Suburbs infield attempted to take Dunn at the plate, but failed to do so and suddenly things began to look serious for Suburbs as the two runs required to tie the game up were standing on base. Mills came in on a fielder’s choice to make the score 9-10 and Newport was

on third with two down. Meier, showing her growing maturity on the mound, worked around the strike zone superbly to take out Papanui’s last batter. It was Papanui which had the early advantage in the game, taking a two-run lead in the first with the runs going' to Hall and Debbie Chase. But in the third Suburbs grabbed a tenuous one-run lead through a hit and a series of errors which saw Meier, Karen Pimm and Donna Roberts cross the

plate. The lead was extended in both the fourth and fifth innings by Suburbs. Pimm, Meier and Avrana Baker came in the third then in the fourth Pimm came in for her third run off a centre-field home run, Sue McCullough her first, Baker her second and Thomson her first with a grand home run. Papanui began to get it together in its fifth turn at bat before the final drama unfolded. With two down Chase and Hall blasted home runs, while Bloxham scored off Hall’s homer having made base on a walk. Burnside 16, Monowai 2 Monowai was never given any opportunity to get into the match as Burnside outclassed it in all facets. The highlight for Monowai came at the top of the first when its lead-off batter, Kela Smith, scored off a fielder’s choice. But it was a lead that was shortlived as Burnside at the bottom of the frame shot to a three-run lead with runs coming in from Mandy Karatau, Anita Perreau, Donna Ward and Helen Townsend. At the bottom of the second Burnside marched through its entire order plus two to score Perreau, Ward, Townsend, Chris Kellam, Jo McNichol, Raelene Ford and Karatau, the highlight being a huge

centre-field home run by McNichol. In the third McNichol, who batted. 1000 for the match, unleashed another massive hit through centre-field to bring in Townsend and Lee Ronald. McNichol made third off the hit and came in on a pass ball. Chris John came on to the mound to replace Ronald at the top of the fourth with the experienced Margaret Machirus in the box for Monowai. Machirus was given another life when she had been caught by Kellam but the umpire called an illegal pitch on John. Machirus took full advantage of a pensive John and powered a rightfield home run. It was Monowai’s last gesture of resistance as John struck out two of its last batters with the third comfortably being taken out by Kellam. In Burnside's final turn at bat Ward came in for her third run off the game of an outfield sacrifice fly by John. Monowai 9, Kereru 7 It was a match that Monowai deserved to win as it batted with greater consistency and fielded with more control and purpose. Monowai slowly built on its runs throughout the match while Kereru had a flurry in the bottom of the third to keep itself in contention. At the top of the first

Monowai’s Kela Smith scored off a fielder’s choice and was followed in by Margaret Machirus when Chris Tweedie laid down a well-placed bunt. Sharron Marsh pegged one back for Kereru at the bottom of the frame, but then Monowai extended its lead in the second when Chari McLean and Smith strung two good hits together and scored on a fielder's choice and sacrifice respectively. Anne Wansborough gave Monowai a four-run lead in the third, but in the bottom of the inning Kereru forced its way back into the match. The lead-off. Marsh, came in for her second of the game and was immediately followed by Chris Williams, Vila Milo, Marlene Fox and Kerry Tapara. Monowai eventually halted the onslaught by taking out the next three batters. In the top of the fifth Smith tied up the game as she scored her third run and it took Monowai until the seventh to take the lead. With two down and bases loaded Sue Bettie thumped a double to left field and saw Tweedie, Wansborough and Sonya Olive all cross the plate. Kereru put up some token resistance in the seventh with a run to Tapara. Albion 6, Papanui 1 Although it was the lowest-

scoring match of the day Albion was never threatened as Papanui could only manage four runners on base. It was Albion’s Donna Meuli on the mound who dominated and prevented the Papanui batters from asserting any authority. Natalie Hazelwood, who batted .666 for the match, gave Albion a one-run lead in the first and then took her side to the second run with a magnificently powered drive between left and centre-fields for a home run.

Albion’s lower order came up trumps in the top of the third with two down. The designated hitter. Lisa Dunn, made base on an outfield hit and she was advanced to third on a centrefield drive by Janene Gould. In a one-and-three play Dunn scored, then Meuli drove to left field to bring in Gould. Meuli was replaced on base by Sharron Constable, who stole second, and brought in by Hazlewood off a centre-field hit.

The top of the seventh gave Penny Salton her first run when she scored off an outfield sacrifice fly by Wendy Hughes.

Albion made two errors in the match and it was these two that gave Papanui its sole run in the bottom of the frame, allowing in Kerry Hall.

P W L F A Pt Albion 3 3 0 18 1 6 B’side 3 3 0 38 3 6 Suburbs 3 2 1 21 11 4 Papanui 4 1 3 26 21 2 M'wai 2 1 3 11 50 2 Kereru 3 0 3 9 31 0