Johnsonville stun defending champs
A change in attitude has paid off for the Johnsonville men’s softball team after their 9-2 win against defending intercity champions Hutt Valley Dodgers at Alex Moore Park in Saturday.
‘‘In recent times we have started well, but not finished strong.’’ Johnsonville coach Rob Siolo said. ’’Today [Saturday] our focus was on maximising our start with a strong finish.’’
That was certainly achieved with first three batters Campbell Gaunt, Jarrad McDonald and Josh Pettett scoring and then the side added runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. It was not until the fourth inning that Hutt City opened their run account and by then the game was all but over as Johnsonville had six runs in the book.
McDonald was especially punishing on the Hutt City defence. The third baseman scored three runs in the win. He was well supported by the Argentina bound Black Sox player Pettett.
Pettett not only scored a run, he also had a hand in Gaunt’s second and then in defence the Johnsonville hurler limited the Hutt City batters to just four hits, three in the fourth inning, and took 12 strikeouts.
‘‘That should give him some great confidence as he heads away with the Black Sox, ‘‘ Siolo said.
While the perfect start to the intercity season for Johnsonville may have surprised some it hasn’t Siolo. ’’These things will happen as your accuracy and execution improves,’’ he said.
The accuracy saw all the Johnsonville players contribute with both bat and ball. It was not just Gaunt, who scored twice, and McDonald, who got three runs, who led the way with the bat. There was also Zane Siolo, who collected three hits including a home run, Shaun Pankhurst who batted in two of his side’s runs.
For Dodgers Joel Evans scored a brace with the first of his two runs an automatic home run.
Meanwhile, a four-run blitz in the fifth inning saw Poneke-Kilbirnie beat Miramar 6-2 at Hataitai Park.
Miramar made a dream start when Argentina-bound Black Sox international Wayne Laulu bounced the ball over the outfield fence to also score Jayden Stratford in the first inning.
In that fifth inning Keegan Sommers, Dan Tapapi, Dante Matakatea, Josh Gettins and Campbell Makea punished their opponents, capitalising on errors and some wayward pitching.
In another game, Porirua City United, with Sam Marley in control on the mound, beat Hutt City United 5-1. Marley gave up just four hit and took 16 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Poneke-Kilbirnie won the Benny Luke trophy. The side beat hosts Saints 2-0 in the final at Fraser Park on Sunday.