Finals loom for softballers

With finals looming in a few weeks, and the top three Major League Softball teams very close on the points table, winning games now is a must in the last round of the competition.

Demons Blue coasted to an easy win over Tigers at Surrey Park on Saturday, winning 10-0 in four innings, and Forklifts NZ Demons took a win from Placemakers Panthers 4-1.

Josh Richardson was in good form on the pitching mound for the Blue team, striking out 9 of the 13 Tiger’s batters faced.

As well, the bat worked overtime for the Blues, with four automatic fence finders to James Affleck, Andrew Karsten, Aaron Wakelin and Danny Shayler.

Tigers had no answer to the onslaught of the 15 hits taken over the 4 innings.

Wakelin, Affleck, (3), Shayler, Hunter Barlow, Karsten, (2), Kayne Duggan, Christipher Telfer, Richardson, (1).

Only Amanda Karetai reached base on a walk for Tigers.

The second game was much closer, although Demons did hold the upper hand with the bat, taking the safe hit tally by 9 hits to 5.

Most of the game was a pitching duel between Daniel Perry and Steven Willis, with Perry narrowly winning the contest with 13 strikeouts over 12.

Tim Campbell started the runs scored in the top of the second innings, hitting a triple and scoring from a hit by Te Kaanu Te Huia.

Te Huia scored the second run in the fourth after hitting safely to left field, reaching third on a hit by Kieran O’Connor, and coming home on a wild pitch.

William Campbell hit a triple in the top of the fifth, being batted in by a fielders choice made on Perry.

Panthers scored their run in the bottom of the seventh innings, with Caleb Fetolofai hitting a double and then being replaced on second base by the designated runner, Norman Tudor.

Tudor raced home after an outfield hit by Sam Mitchell William and Tim Campbell, Te Huia, (2), Perry, O’Connor, Grey, (1), batted for Demons.

Fetolofai, (2), Kaemyn Smith, Braeden Heslip, Mitchell, (1), took the hits for Panthers.