Demons Red, Dodgers win openers
The new Southland club softball season began at Surrey Park on Saturday.
Demons Red defeated Demons Blue 9-2 and ILT Dodgers came out ahead of Panthers 8-1 in the Major League.
In the absence of Daniel Perry, Tim Campbell took over the pitching duties for Demons Red, making life difficult for the Demons Blue batters who only managed four hits.
The Red team started their runs in the bottom of the second innings, when Isaac Thurlow, Josh Rodgers and Daryl Greig combined hits to reach base safely.
Thurlow and Rodgers raced home after two wild pitches eluded the Demons Blue catcher, and Greig also came home on a fielder’s choice.
Scott Sinclair finished the innings in style with an automatic home run over the centre field fence.
Michael Tiplady reached base for Demons Blue in the top of the third after hitting safely and was batted in after Danny Shayler belted a triple to centre field.
Shayler also scored after a loose pitch came down.
It was all Red in the bottom of the innings, starting when Andrew Karsten hit to left field, gained second on a Mat Telfer sacrifice and was batted in by Rodgers.
Greig came up with a double to advance Rodgers, with both scoring from a hard drive through the infield by Daniel Karsten.
Andrew Karsten was walked to base in the bottom of the fourth and was batted in by Dylan Richardson, adding another run to the Red’s total, leaving only one run required to finish the game early.
It was Andrew Karsten again in the bottom of the sixth when a deep high hit to left field was dropped, allowing three bases to be gained and then score on a Telfer fielder’s choice.
Hitters for Demons Red were Daniel Karsten 2, Rodgers, Greig, Sinclair, Tim Campbell, Andrew Karsten, Thurlow and Richardson, while Demons Blue, Shayler 2, Tiplady, Jimmy Affleck.
The second game saw the young Dodgers team lead from the start, out hitting Panthers by 8 hits to 3.
Giahnnii Paraku scored for Dodgers in the bottom of the first innings after Panthers had been unable to score in the top.
Shaun Mitchell came up with a triple for Panthers in the top of the third, and was replaced on base by the designated runner, Sam Mitchell, who scored on a hit by Harry Sapwell.
It was Paraku for Dodgers again in the bottom of the third, when after he dropped a safe bunt, Wiremu Karetai pushed him around with another bunt.
Both base runners advanced on an illegal pitch, with Paraku scoring at home and Karetai gained third base.
When Connor Templeton was walked to base, Jai Stewart came up with a triple to score Karetai and Templeton.
Stewart was batted in by Cameron Ward. Ryan McLennan walked to base for Dodgers in the bottom of the fourth, Paraku’s grounder was errored, and Karetai batted both in after hitting a triple.
Templeton batted in Karetai to finish the game.
Hitters were Karetai 2, Paraku, Templeton, Stewart, Ward, Ryan Fallows (1) for Dodgers and Mitchell, Sapwell and Tobi Reid for Panthers.
Premier 1, 2 and 3 games played were not competition, with grading games needed to sort out the three grades.