Auckland women outstanding in final

Auckland slugged 11 safe hits with plenty of extra-base blasts as they routed Canterbury 7-0 in a five inning national women’s provincial softball final.

Coach Jamie Brear’s Aucklanders claimed their first National Fastpitch Championship since 2017 on the back of their power-packed offence and Gretchen Aucoin’s miserly pitching in the grand final at Lower Hutt’s Fraser Park yesterday.

American import Aucoin – the tournament’s top batter during the early stages – banked 10 strikeouts and gave up just three hits.

Auckland were equally imperious in the batter’s box. Brear’s lineup was so deep he could afford to leave White Sox veteran Katrina Nukunuku on the bench.

The Auckland coaches’ faith in their younger players was rewarded with former New Zealand White Sox representative Taylor Chongnee – Auckland’s No 9 hitter – cracking a double and triple and collecting two RBIs (runs batted in).

Brear said it was ‘‘quite a tough job’’ settling on his starting lineup due to the calibre of batters at Auckland’s disposal, but he said Chongnee deserved her chance.

‘‘She had a quiet start to the week, but when a couple of people weren’t doing their job, she got another opportunity and took it with both hands.’’

Aucoin – a former National Pro Fastpitch player in the United States now playing for the Otahuhu club – was the undoubted star of the tournament. Her bat was so feared Canterbury intentionally walked her twice in the final.

The men’s final was won by Wellington, who outclassed Noth Harbour 10-1 in five innings.