Harbour too hot to handle in men’s national league - NZ

[Al Doran]

Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 20:29:56 +1300
From: Vance <vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz>
Subject:
  Harbour too hot to handle in men’s national league



Harbour too hot to handle in men’s national league
Saturday December 17th 2005

North Harbour has upset the form book today and power hit themselves into 
the final of the New Zealand Community Trust men’s National League final.

Coming into the finals weekend North Harbour were placed third but it 
counted for nothing today as first they defeated second placed Auckland 4-2 
and then out hit the defending champions Wellington 10-6 to win their way 
through to the final.

Leading the charge for North Harbour today has been New Zealand Community 
Trust Black Sox captain Jarrad Martin who smashed a three run homer in the 
sixth inning against Auckland to win the game and then powered two home 
runs against Wellington.

Against Auckland North Harbour had to come from behind to take the win as 
Auckland held the lead throughout the game until the sixth inning when 
Martin smashed the ball out of the park to give his side a 4-2 win.

In the national league last season Martin pitched Wellington to the title 
but this season the Black Sox captain is turning out in the North Harbour 
colours and today in the playoff game against his old side Martin made the 
team from the capital pay.

The playoff game between North Harbour and Wellington was one of power 
hitting the tone for the game was set in the top of the first inning when 
lead off hitter for Wellington Thomas Makea smashed the second pitch of the 
game over the centre field fence.

Wellington team mate Steven Ratu matched that effort in his first at bat 
when he fired the ball over the left field fence. That hit along with two 
further runs in the first inning put Wellington out to a 4-0 advantage 
after just one at bat.

However while Wellington started the game on fire with the bat so did North 
Harbour and in the bottom of the first inning they scored two runs with 
Jarrad Martin and Brad Rona both hitting the ball out of the park.

Martin picked up his second home run of the game in the third inning and 
that combined to another home run to Scott Higgins with a runner on base 
gave Harbour a one run advantage.

Wellington levelled the scores in the fifth inning but it didn’t last for 
long as Harbour scored another run in the bottom of the inning and then 
added four more in the sixth to wrap up the game.

The defending champions tried to stage a late comeback in their last at bat 
but they could only manage one run allowing North Harbour to take out the 
game 10-6 to secure a place in the national league final for the first time 
in the franchises history.

Along with damaging Wellington with the bat Martin was also in control on 
the mound for North Harbour as he faced 35 batters giving up 10 hits and 
four walks while taking four strikeouts.

It was a tough day on the mound for the Wellington hurlers Marty Grant 
started the game and he faced 17 batters giving up six hits and five runs. 
Grant was replaced in the third inning by Tane Richardson but he couldn’t 
stop the flow of runs Richardson faced 17 batters giving up four hits and 
one walk while giving up five runs.

While North Harbour may have booked their place in the final it is a 
different story for Southern Pride who dropped out of title contention 
today on the back of two losses. Just by making the top four playoffs the 
southern was an achievement as it was the first time in the franchises 
history that they have reached the finals series.

But they couldn’t continue their winning run from round robin play into the 
finals today they lost their opening game against the defending champions 
Wellington 5-3 and then lost the elimination match against Auckland 13-4.

On the back of today’s results the defending champions Wellington will play 
Auckland at 10am tomorrow morning with the winner of that game going on to 
play North Harbour in the final at 2pm.

NEW ZEALAND COMMUNITY TRUST MEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE FINALS SERIES RESULTS:
Saturday December 17th – North Harbour 4 Auckland 2, Wellington 5 Southern 
Pride 3, Auckland 13 Southern Pride 4, North Harbour 10 Wellington 6.

By SNZ Media Liaison: Kelly Mitchell
*  mailto:kelly.mitchell(at)xtra.co.nz

http://www.softball.org.nz/
* mailto:snz(at)softball.org.nz


Cheers Vance
Softball New Zealand web master.
*   mailto:vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz

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