Americans in softball upset
Two American imports made a winning start to their New Zealand softball careers as Canterbury women’s premiership newbies PCU Angels upset champions Halswell.
PCU – coached by former Black Sox infielder Paul deLatour – edged the Halswell Hornets 1-0 at Mizuno Ballpark on Saturday.
They fielded a pitcher-catcher combination, who were high school teammates in Salinas, Kansas before embarking on college careers.
Pitcher Paige Crawford was at division two Hawaii Pacific University while catcher Allyne Clark was with Iona College, a New York state division one school where New Zealand White Sox catcher Mel Gettins once played.
The 23-year-olds have come to Christchurch after a season in the Czech Republic.
Crawford used her speed to strike out 11 Halswell hitters while conceding three safe hits – including a triple to Halswell hurler Lucy McIntyre.
Clark collected one of PCU’s four hits from the leadoff role.
The game was scoreless until the seventh inning when Angels designated player Manaia Makiri led off with a single to rightfield and scored on an outfield error.
Halswell had earlier thumped Papanui 11-2 in five innings with McIntyre batting 1.000 with four hits from four at-bats. Pitcher Jenni Mumm went two from two at the plate and Nicole Baxter also had two hits.
Canterbury Red Hawks representative Steph Kepa got two hits for Papanui and American catcher Elizabeth Snow slugged a single.
Kaiapoi had a win and a loss from their doubleheader.
Mike McDowell’s side beat Sydenham Kereru 4-2 with Christina Paul smashing a triple. Kaiapoi scored three runs in the fourth inning after three walks.
Danielle Bolton had two hits from three for SK.
But Kaiapoi blew a handy lead in their second game to lose 8-6 after Papanui scored six runs in the seventh inning.
Three walks – one intentional with Snow in the batter’s box – and two infield errors proved costly for Kaiapoi. Hana Allen produced a RBI single for Papanui.
Kaiapoi had scored four runs in the fourth frame after four back-toback hits by Katelyn Bayer, Oriana Connell, Nerissa McDowell and Paul (a triple).
Men’s competition
Men’s premiership champions Papanui Tigers opened with a 5-4 win over the PCU Devils after blanking Halswell 9-0.
Young outfielder Ryan de Leijer-Rhodes whacked an automatic home run at Papanui Domain and New Zealand under-23 international Callum Bishop had a triple and a single against PCU.
PCU scored all four runs in the fourth inning after a safe bunt by Josh Harbrow and singles to Josh Thomson and Nopera Stockford.
Ben Watts clubbed two home runs against Halswell with Jayden Britt and Callum Muir also collecting back-to-back homers in the third inning and player-coach Thomas Makea weighing in with one in the fourth.
Bailey Hamilton had a superb all-round game as PCU beat Albion 8-0 at Mizuno Ballpark.
He crashed an open field, bases loaded home run and struck out nine Albion batters (for two safe hits) on the pitching mound.
Harbrow, PCU’s Black Sox infielder had two hits from three, including a three-bagger.