Batters go berserk at softball champs
THE old adage that form is temporary and class is permanent certainly applied when some Black Sox batters went berserk at the National Fastpitch Championships.
Home runs were the order of the day in Hamilton yesterday as the men’s NFC teams counted down to the playoffs phase.
New Zealand’s leading players were out to impress the national selectors as they bid for a place on the Black Sox squad for the June world championships in Canada.
Rising Auckland star Thomas Enoka blasted a grand-slam home run in a 10-0 shellacking of previously unbeaten North Harbour. Black Sox veteran Donny Hale followed instantly with a solo shot over the fence at Resthills Park.
That victory earned Auckland top seeding for last night’s playoffs game with North Harbour second. Hutt Valley and Wellington also made the top-four with two-time champions Canterbury out of contention.
Ben Enoka, the Black Sox’s firstchoice centre-fielder, New Zealand captain Nathan Nukunuku and Isaac Fletcher homered in Auckland’s 5-4 win over Hutt Valley. Black Sox catcher Cory Timu and former international Craig Wallace hit the ball out for Hutt.
Timu and Black Sox team-mates Tyson Byrne and Joel Evans slammed home runs but on the losing team in a 15-9 slug-fest against North Harbour, a game that featured a colossal 25 safe hits.
Three-time world champ Brad Rona hit three singles and a double for Harbour while Vincent Harris and Reuben Topia hit home runs.
Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson issued a pre-tournament plea for his pitchers to start dominating the bat. So he would have been disappointed when Auckland’s Heinie Shannon and Hutt Valley’s Nik Hayes gave up six home runs between them in their teams’ clash.
But Auckland’s young hurler Bayley Hoani was more masterly on the mound in the last roundrobin clash against North Harbour, pitching a no-hitter in his six innings stint, snaring nine strike-outs.
Canterbury’s title hopes died when they were smashed 11-4 by Wellington with Black Sox outfielder Wayne Laulu and national triallists Jovaan Hanley and Dante Matakatea all hammering home runs.
Auckland topped the roundrobin in the women’s NFC despite losing a dead-rubber game 6-5 to neighbours Counties ManukauWaikato.
Coach Venita Hokai’s decision to lure American pitcher Blaire Luna to Auckland paid dividends with the United States Pro League hurler in dominant form in a vital 3-2 win over defending champions Canterbury.
Hutt Valley clinched their place in the major semifinal with a 5-1 win over Wellington after two hits to Jordan Mumu. Wellington had a playoff against Canterbury last night to keep their title hopes alive.