Andrew Kirkpatrick and Jeff Goolagong Lead the Way
BY KYLE MACKEY-LAWS
[Canberra, Australia] – Upstarts won the final of Australia’s most expensive skins softball tournament yesterday, with a 5-1 win over the defending champion, the Gators. It was the fifth consecutive year the Canberra sides had played off in the final of the $20,000 tournament.
Upstarts qualified for the match with the highest earnings during the round matches, with more than $4000 claimed, while Gators had a closer battle to scrape through to the decider at Hawker.
The side finished the rounds with $1150 worth of skins, while third-placed Perth won $1125.
Skins are cash prizes awarded for winning an individual inning, with a bonus for winning the match.
Fastpitch Softball League President Geoff Tutt said it was a fitting end to a fantastic event the longest running men’s tournament in Australia.
Both sides were locked at 1-all during the final before Upstarts won a $1000 skin in the fifth inning and secured the victory.
Tutt said it was no surprise the final was between two Canberra teams.
”It’s the biggest tournament in Australia, and the ACT is the strongest state in the country we’ve got 11 players in the tournament who are in the Australian open team,” he said. ”It’s always very close when you play skins it’s about the dollars, you don’t necessarily have to win the match it’s all about the jackpot and winning the game dollar wise.”
Tutt said Upstarts pitcher Andrew Kirkpatrick dominated the tournament.
”He’s the world No1, and he pitched the final very well and hit the ball strong. Jeff Goolagong also played really well, he batted well and is probably the second best batter in Australia behind Andrew.”
Fourteen teams contested this year’s event, with entries from Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and New Zealand.
Tutt said he was already looking towards next year, and believed more international entries would come.
”We had a couple of international teams two from Singapore and one from Malaysia who pulled out prior to the tournament, and I’m confident they’ll play next year.”