Third titles for Auckland softballers
Auckland remains the power base of New Zealand softball with the men’s and women’s teams locking up their third consecutive national titles.
Venita Hokai’s women’s side produced a big inning to snare a 5-2 comeback victory over Wellington in the National Fastpitch Championship finale at Lower Hutt’s Fraser Park yesterday.
The Auckland men - led by Black Sox stalwart Nathan Nukunuku - followed up with a 1-0 win against Wellington.
Auckland were well worth their win, collecting six safe hits to Wellington’s three, but could only get one runner across the plate.
Black Sox catcher Zane van Lieshout, the tournament’s leading batter going into the final day, slugged a double in the top of the second inning and slid home to score after a Wellington outfielder lost sight of the ball in the sun.
Japanese pitcher Kenta Okazaki was again in commanding form on the mound, allowing just two safe hits as he racked up eight strikeouts. He dug deep to dismiss dangerman Tyson Byrne on a full count at the start of the final inning.
Wellington second baseman Dante Matakatea raised a glimmer of hope when he powered the ball towards the centrefield fence in the third inning. But Auckland’s Ben Enoka completed the catch just inside the boundary.
Enoka led the Auckland batting effort with two hits from three plate appearances with Nukunuku, van Lieshout, Nukunuku and Thomas Enoka also collecting hits off Wellington’s Black Sox pitcher Josh Pettett, who finished with seven strikeouts.
Black Sox veteran Wayne Laulu and outfielder Callum
Lewis-carson got Wellington’s only hits.
The Auckland women were trailing 2-1 after the first inning, but their bats sparked into life in the sixth inning.
The Aucklanders had been struggling for hits against Wellington’s White Sox pitcher Rita Hokianga, so coach Hokai rolled out her short game.
Ancelle van Molendorf led off the top of the sixth with a basehit bunt and Jennifer Feretbrear repeated the feat. Another bunt resulted in catcher Kyla Bromhead making base through a fielder’s choice.
Hokianga rallied with a strikeout, but Auckland’s Samantha Parks - better known as a pitcher - stepped up and slammed a single to score van Molendorf and Feret-brear for a 3-2 lead.
Bromhead made it 4-2 when Wellington elected to take an out at first base rather than make a play at home plate.
Feret-brear cemented victory in the top of the seventh when she doubled to score van Molendorf, who had picked up a single to start the inning.
Wellington’s Emma Francis was the star batter of the final with the designated player recording a 1.000 average with three hits from as many at-bats.
Francis clouted a triple in the bottom of the first inning to score Danielle Tanoa and Wellington took a 2-1 lead when replacement runner Marama Makea crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
That jittery inning prompted Hokai to recall Tyla Morrison to the pitching mound and the young Waitakere Bears pitcher shut down the Wellington hitters, with the notable exception of Francis, who had two more hits, and Tanoa, who collected a late innings single.
Morrison took six strikeouts to Hokianga’s five.
Wellington beat Canterbury 2-1 in the women’s playoff after outbatting the southerners’ six hits to three. Auckland edged North Harbour 2-1 in the men’s playoff with Bayley Pearsonhoani holding Harbour to four safe hits, including a first inning home run to Brad Rona.