Doreen Hutchings Memorial

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Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2006 09:53:41 +1300 
From: Vance <vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz> 
Subject: Doreen Hutchings Memorial 





Pacific Blue-Marist Doreen Hutchings Memorial series. Simson
Park, Penrose.
By Trevor Rowse
 
   The final clash between two-time winner Te Aroha and North
Harbour side Northcote was more than just a game between two
teams, according to constant softball talk.
   Te Aroha coach Mike Walsh and Northcote’s Dean Rice were,
until recently, coach and assistant of the White Sox but Rice
resigned because of coaching differences, we are told.
   So when Northcote charged into a 7-2 lead, after a big error
with two down, it seemed that the former assistant was going
to have a big win.
   But the old master, coach of so many sides over the years
that the list would be longer than this match report, had his
team put the ball into play to test the Northcote women, and
it worked with four runs scoring and the bases loaded when Northcote
managed to get the final out to end the sixth.
   The ploy did not work in the seventh and Northcote went on
to win the title 7-6.
   Te Aroha was lucky to even be in the game after three previous
losses. The team had a walkover win against Papatoetoe in the
opening game on Saturday when the side arrived without a full
muster. Then there was an easy win 12-0 over Melville and the
shock Bears’ win 2-0 over the national champion. 
   Marist beat Te Aroha 4-3 in a tiebreaker to add to the gloom
of the Hutt Valley club and Sunday play made matters even worse
when Northcote charged to a 10-7 win and Te Aroha faced elimination
and a possible lunchtime trip back home.
   The situation was that if Papatoetoe beat Bears then Te Aroha
was out, and that seemed to be happening when Papatoetoe went
two runs up before Bears snatched the win with a three-run rally.
   Marist and Bears were the top two after section play but both
missed the final. 
 
Te Aroha 4 Marist 3.
   Marist batted first with Casey Roper starting in style with
a double. Kierah Harkness was hit by an Ashleigh Harmer pitch
and Kalala Gabriel sacrificed to advance the runners. Fiona Timu,
such a dangerous batter, was walked, prompting Marist stalwart
Eric Kohlhase to declare that an intentional walk should be two
bases as it handicapped the batting side.
   Te Aroha survived the rally but Marist did score in the second
after Courtney O’Donnell waked. With two out, Roper hit again
and O’Donnell raced home from first base. 
   When Marist scored two in the third it seemed that Te Aroha’s
weekend was going to be totally ruined. Gabriel started it with
a hit, Timu bunted on, Gabriel went out at third but Carina Hale
made base on the play and Timu scored on an error.
   Hale came home on a passed ball for 3-0.
   Hale’s pitching wavered in the third. Lara Andrews, Shirley
Povey, Nadia Mauriohohoo and Melissa Upu all hit and two runs
scored.
   The fourth started with a disaster with a fielding error letting
Dinah Luke on base. Andrews bunted well, Povey hit to tie the
match and even the introduction of Timu as pitcher failed to
stop Mauriohoohoo hitting home the winner.
   Te Aroha out-hit Marist 8 to 6 and went to the side’s third
successive final.
   Richard Gale and Andrew Lawson umpired with Laurelle Rogers
the scorer.
 
Northcote 1 Waitakere Bears 0.
   Bears’ wonderful weekend ended in the disappointment of not
managing a run in the semi. Tegan and Kyla Bromhead each hit,
along with Amber King, but it was not enough. Pitcher Emily Pateras
pitched well again but Northcote managed to group hits when Katy
Hetherington, always the dangerous batter, singled to start the
fourth.
   Aroha Haretuku bunted to sacrifice her to second and Jodi
Byles, with two out, hit the first pitch into centre field for
a double and the winning run.
   Victoria Reyland was the winning pitcher.
   Jeff Weber and Bill Smith umpired. Harriet Tomlin was the
scorer.
 
Final. Northcote 7 Te Aroha 6.
      Ngamoko Hiku certainly knew how to start the game in style,
hitting through second, followed by Jackie Smith’s safe shot
to shortstop for a classic start. Maleme Williams advanced Hiku
with a catch in centre field and she scored on a fielder’s choice
play.
   Nadia Mauriahoohoo singled to right field in Te Aroha’s first,
Cindy Potae pushed her to third with a single and Kalo Tupou
batted the run in. 1-1.
   Once again an error was crucial as Jodi Byles made base on
a fielding lapse, two went out and there were hits in a row to
Hiku, Smith and Williams to score two second innings’ runs. Melissa
Upu narrowed the gap in the third, hitting between the outfielders,
going to second on a passed ball before coming home on a Potae
hit. Owaka Priest also hit but did not score.
   Marist continued to sneak ahead with two more in the fifth.
Smith, always using her deep international experience and speed,
raced to first on a simple bunt, promptly stole second to show
that she is still in the fastest of the female players, after
all these years at the top, and went to third on a fielder’s
choice.
   Hetherington, such a clutch batter, doubled to score the run
and came home herself after an outfield catch and a single from
Angela Stubbs. 5-2.
   Upu led off Te Aroha’s fifth with a hit but did not make it
past second.
   Three runs ahead does not ever seem enough against the champion
side and the buffer came with a disaster. Hiku, on a hit, and
Smith on a choice play, were on base with two out when a skied
catch was somehow dropped, mostly because the outfielder would
not over-call the infielder, who was in a worse position. Two
runs scored and the game seemed safe.
   Then Walsh put his batters in the frame to attack and, before
Northcote could muster a resistance, there were four runs home.
Luke and Lara Andrews started with hits, Povey hit them home,
went to second on a sacrifice which was errored, Upu forced her
way on base and Northcote decided to walk Potae.
   Tupoe caused problems with a short hit and two more runs had
scored. The inning ended with an outfield catch with three on
base. Northcote had survived.
   There were no more runs. Te Aroha ran out of ideas in the
seventh and the title went to the under-dogs.
   Lance Type called the balls and strikes, with Richard Gale
and Jeff Weber taking the bases. Frances Harlick did the scoring
with Harriet Tomlin taking stats.
   
There were awards for top team and top achievement, with presentations
from Schott’s equipment. Top batter was Nadia Mauriahoohoo with
.526, RBIs Saturday Jessica Wolferston Bears 4, Sunday Hetherington
Northcote 8. Strikeouts: Saturday Kylee Peters Melville 14, Sunday
Megan Farrell Bears 14, Stolen bases: Saturday Ashlee Johnston
Melville 3, Sunday Ngamoko Hiku Northcote 3.
 
Home run: Fiona Timu Marist.


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

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