Thrilling final test gives U.S. series

Press, 3 April 1989, Page 36

Thrilling final test gives U.S. series

By

TIM DUNBAR

The Winfield Challenge five-test series between the United States and New Zealand men’s softball teams, which finished at Cuthberts Green yesterday, could not have been closer.

United States justified its standing as the world champion by coming from behind in the fifth test with two runs in the final inning to snatch a pulsating 3-2 victory and win the series by three matches to two. Its slightly cumbersome mounted bat trophy will probably take up two seats on the flight home to Los Angeles tomorrow evening. In the previous game New Zealand had taken full advantage of some very loose pitching by the expatriate Kiwi, Steve Schultz, for a 6-0 win which had tied up the series at two all. The crucial hit in the last test match came from the bat of the United States-cum Hutt City United third baseman, Bruce Beard, who in the words of the New Zealand coach, Mike Walsh, had ‘‘done nothing all series.” New Zealand had a seemingly safe 2-1 lead going into the top of the seventh inning- only for its formidable opponent to get runners on first and second base with none out after a hit and walk. The Americans’ most dangerous batter, Mitch

Munthe, eventually struck out to loud cheers from the home crowd after New Zealand’s Michael White had been forced to throw him 11 pitches. But Beard then proved very much the man for a pressure situation with a three-base hit slammed into the left-field corner to score both baserunners, Jim Clark and Brian Rothrock. Afterwards Mr Walsh was obviously disappointed, but far from dejected. “It was an excellent game, a great final to finish off the series.”

He paid tribute to his players for showing the resolve to come back and still make the Americans fight for the win.

Both Don Tricker and Fred Wyatt had collected slashing hits in the bottom of the seventh inning, and with only one out and two runners on base there was still life and hope. Mr Walsh brought in the highly promising Thomas Perenara to pinch hit but his high fly ball was safely held at fairly shallow centre outfield and neither runner could advance. And then the same fielder, Bill Boyer, almost arrogantly caught Dean Rice onehanded to retire the New Zealand side and end the series. New Zealand had enjoyed a lead for virtually the whole game, the leadoff batter, Rice, coming home on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the first

inning and the side then going out to a two-run advantage three frames later.

The young captain, Mark Sorenson, scored the second run on a solid left-field hit by Murray McLean though the American catcher, Steve De Fazio, was adamant that he had made the tag at home plate. An angry De Fazio threw down his mask in disgust and remonstrated with the plate umpire, Ron Andrew (in his retirement game), but television replays later showed that the man in the blue had made the correct 11 call.

United States was unable to score until the top of the fifth through an inside-the-park home run by Munthe when, faced with an unenviable choice, the left outfielder, Wyatt, elected to dive for a difficult catch rather than hold back and concede, say, a two-base hit.

New Zealand’s big 6-0 win in the penultimate test owed a lot to Schultz’s inability to find the strike zone and the 12 walks he gave away must be close to an international record of dubious sorts. Twice he committed the ultimate sin for the man on the mound by walking runs in from third base.

The game was virtually all over after the first inning when Tricker produced his first hit of the week-end on cue to clear loaded bases.

There were plenty of encouraging signs for New Zealand as it seeks to regain its world title in 1992 with good performances by the youthful pitcher, Jimmy Seaman, and the 19-year-old outfielder, Jason Farrow (making his debut), in particular, and slick work by such infielders as Eddie Kohlhase, Here Johanson and Rice. The United States coach, Russ Boice, says New Zealand has real pitching strength with White, Seaman and Chubb Tangaroa but — Sorenson apart — says the American players as a whole are better. “Sorenson is as good as there is in the whole world,” he said. Throughout the series the Americans showed that they almost hold the batting -skills of Sorenson in awe. He was intentionally walked twice and seldom given anything to hit.

Even so Sorenson whacked an automatic home run and a triple to steer New Zealand to a 42 victory in the first Saturday test and in the final two tests he Was on base a remarkable seven times out of seven — from two safe hits, four walks and a fielder’s choice.

Results:—

Saturday: New Zealand 4, United States 2; United States 3, New Zealand 0. Sunday: New Zealand 6, United States 0; United States 3, New Zealand 2.