Auckland national league women’s champions second time around

[Al Doran]

Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 18:14:14 +1300

From: Vance <vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz>
Subject:
  Auckland national league women’s champions  second time
   around




Auckland national league women’s champions second time around
Sunday December 18th 2005

The Auckland women’s softball team are back on top of the pack on the back 
of their victory in the final of the New Zealand Community Trust women’s 
National League at Hataitai Park, Wellington today.

Auckland won the final over the defending champions Hutt Valley 3-1 to 
claim their second national league title matching the one they picked up in 
2003 in the inaugural season of the event.

The title victory was a big turn around for Auckland who failed to even 
make the top four finals series of the national league last season.

Victorious Auckland coach Nardi Leonard believes the change in fortunes has 
been brought about by an attitude change and a desire to win.

Auckland went into the finals weekend unbeaten but they didn’t have 
everything their own way they lost the major playoff semi final against 
Hutt valley on Saturday night and then relied on a tie breaker victory over 
Central Vikings this morning to win their way through to the final.

In the final Auckland were always in control they scored the first run of 
the game in the top of the first inning when lead off hitter Atsuku Tanaka 
singled to centre field and scored on a hit by Fiona Timu.

Auckland went further ahead in the top of the third inning when Tania Misa 
picked up an in the park home run to the left field fence with Talilotu 
Tonu’u on base to give Auckland a three run advantage.

The defending champions Hutt Valley struck back with their only run of the 
game in the bottom of the third inning when Hiromi Sugiyama scampered home 
on a hit by Nadia Mauriohooho.

Hutt Valley had more chances in the game but they couldn’t convert them in 
the bottom of the seventh inning Hutt Valley gave it the last throw of the 
dice and loaded up the bases but they couldn’t turn it into runs.

On the mound Carina Hale closed the game out for Auckland she faced 29 
batters giving up five hits and three walks while taking seven strikeouts.

The crucial outs came in the bottom of the seventh inning when Hutt Valley 
loaded up the bases with none down but Hale turned the game striking out 
the next two batters and extinguishing Hutt Valley’s chances.

For Hutt valley Jana Vacikova was on the mound she faced 30 batters giving 
up five hits and one walk while taking two strikeouts.

Going into the national league this season Auckland coach Nardi Leonard had 
said this would be her swansong but after the game with a second national 
league title in her back pocket she agreed the prospect of a three peat 
could be too tantalising.

“It hasn’t been easy all the games against Hutt Valley have been really 
tough, I don’t think we were the absolute favourites that some people said 
we were. But in the final I think we had more self belief than Hutt Valley 
and we wanted to win it,” said Leonard.

Key performers for Auckland throughout the national league campaign have 
been captain Fiona Timu and outfielder Atsuku Tanaka. Leonard describes 
them as real role models in the team and quiet leaders leading from the front.

NEW ZEALAND COMMUNITY TRUST WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE FINALS SERIES RESULTS:
Sunday December 18th – Auckland 5 Central Vikings 4 (tie breaker).
Final – Auckland 3 Hutt Valley 1.
Saturday December 17th – Auckland 4 Central Vikings 1, Hutt Valley 4 
Wellington 2, Central Vikings 1 Wellington 0, Hutt Valley 6 Auckland 3.

NZCT Women’s National League top batter – Atsuku Tanaka, average .571 
(Auckland).
NZCT Women’s National League top pitcher – Carina Hale, era 1.3 (Auckland).
NZCT Women’s National League MVP – Fiona Timu (Auckland).


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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