North Harbour claim men’s national league title

[Al Doran]

Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 18:14:02 +1300
From: Vance <vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz>
Subject: North Harbour claim men’s national league
  title





North Harbour claim men’s national league title
Sunday December 18th 2005

What a difference a season makes. Last season North Harbour couldn’t even 
make the New Zealand Community Trust Men’s National League top four 
playoffs  this season however they are champions.

The difference between the old North Harbour team and the new one is the 
acquisition of one man, NZCT Black Sox captain Jarrad Martin. North Harbour 
coach Neil Morrison has few problems agreeing Martin is the difference 
between his team finishing fifth as they did sixth months ago and winning 
it this season.

North Harbour won the national league title at Hataitai Park, Wellington 
today with a victory in the final over the home side and defending 
champions Wellington 5-1.

Morrison says Martin brings so much to the team because he delivers on the 
mound as a pitcher and then backs that up with the bat and the amount of 
home runs and hits he delivers for the team.

“Jarrad was named MVP and there is no other person in the competition that 
deserves it he was truly deserving of the award. There are other players 
that have contributed with the bat but Jarrad is out their doing the job on 
the mound as well as hitting,” said Morrison.

North Harbour won the final on the back of two home runs. First Brad Rona 
smashed the ball over the left field fence in the fourth inning with Jarrad 
Martin on base. Then the defining moment of the game came in the bottom of 
the sixth inning when with two runners on North Harbour catcher Duane 
Jerard put the ball over the centre field fence to give his side an 
unbeatable lead.

The traditionally powerful Wellington hitting line up had few answers with 
the bat. The home team scored one run in the fifth inning when Damian 
McCulloch scored on a hit by John Stratford, but they couldn’t add to it 
and North Harbour ran out the winners 5-1.

At the start of the day when Morrison first named his line up it didn’t 
include home run hitting hero Brad Rona as he had suffered a sever injury 
playing on Saturday night to his lower leg that required 36 stitches. 
However following some advice from the senior players in the squad and the 
fact that Rona passed a fitness test just before the game he was included 
and certainly made an impact in the game.

North Harbour were always confident going into the final as they had 
already tasted victory against Wellington over the finals weekend with a 
convincing 10-6 win on Saturday night in the major semi final.

The national league title win is the first for the North Harbour franchise 
and Morrison says the victory while important for the players is also for 
the stalwarts and supporters of the North Harbour Softball Association who 
work so hard for the sport.

Looking back at the final Morrison believes what won the game for his side 
was maturity on the mound from Jarrad Martin and catcher Duane Jerard and 
then the three run homer in the sixth inning to Jerard to put the game out 
of reach for Wellington.

NEW ZEALAND COMMUNITY TRUST MEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE FINALS SERIES RESULTS:
Sunday December 18th – Wellington 12 Auckland 3.
Final – North Harbour 5 Wellington 1.
Saturday December 17th – North Harbour 4 Auckland 2, Wellington 5 Southern 
Pride 3, Auckland 13 Southern Pride 4, North Harbour 10 Wellington 6.

NZCT Men’s National League top batter – Patrick Shannon, ave .543 (Auckland).
NZCT Men’s National League top pitcher – Marty Grant, era 1.47 (Wellington)
NZCT Men’s National League MVP – Jarrad Martin (North Harbour).


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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