Wainui in fairytale win at women's national club champs - NZ

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Received: 3/26/06 2:05:33 AM 
From:  Vance <vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz> 
Subject:  Wainui in fairytale win at women's national club champs
 
  



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Wainui in fairytale win at women's national club champs
Sunday March 26th 2006 - 7:30pm

After more than 15 years out of the premier womenýs softball
competitionWainui have returned to the division with the bang
claiming the NewZealand Community Trust Women’s National Club
title at CanterburyFoundation Park in Christchurch today.

NZCT White Sox players Togi Lote and her sister Upu were the
backbonebehind the formation of the premier one women’s team
in Wainui thisseason and they were richly rewarded today. Wainui
won the final over thepreviously unbeaten Auckland Marist 7-4
in emphatic fashion.

Wainui player coach Togi Lote believes Wainui havenýt had a premier
onewomen’s team for over 15 years and says along with her sister
theydecided to get a team together to give something back to
the Wainuiomatacommunity.

Upu and I have always wanted to play for Wainui, in the past
we havenever had a team to go to so we thought we would start
a team, said TogiLote.

The victorious coach says many of the players in the team live
in theWainuiomata area or have in the past. 

Wainui set the tone for the final when in the bottom of the first
inningthey scored two runs with Upu Lote and Trish Hina both
scoring on a hitto left field by Togi Lote. 

After the opening inning Auckland Marist were always on the back
foot andwhile they pulled one run back in the third inning they
never had thelead in the game.

Wainui added one more run in the third inning and three more
in thefourth to give them a 5-1 lead and after that they were
never going togive it up. Auckland Marist pulled one run back
each in the fifth, sixthand seventh innings but they never seriously
challenged Wainui who addedone more run themselves in the sixth
inning to further extend theirlead..

Victorious coach Togi Lote says the win was a big result for
all theplayers in her team and a first national club title for
all of them.

We have all put a lot of time and effort into this team and the
win meansa lot to everyone not just us put also our friends and
family at home.

In the final Wainui pitcher Trish Hina pitched a strong game
to deny thedangerous Auckland Marist hitters. Hina faced 31 batters
giving up sevenhits and two walks while taking three strikeouts.
Hina was alsoinfluential with the bat picking up two hits and
one walk in thefinal.
In an attempt to defuse the Wainui hitters Auckland Marist used
twopitchers in the game, Michelle Kingi started on the mound
before beingreplaced in the fourth inning by Carina Hale. Kingi
re entered the gamein the sixth inning. Kingi faced 23 batters
giving up five hits and fivewalks while taking four strikeouts.
During her time on the mound Halefaced 11 batters giving up five
hits.
 
Reflecting on the win Togi Lote couldn’t get the smile off her
face andwas full of praise for all her players and also the team
management.

Through out the year we have done a lot of team building stuff
and I knewwe had the team and the talent but we just had to do
everything right offthe field. With all our preparation I wasnýt
scared of any one here atthe tournament but I wanted us to raise
our level so everyone wasfollowing us.

Victory in the national club champs wraps a victorious year for
Wainuiwho also claimed the Intercity title in the combined Wellington
and HuttValley club competitions.  

Just getting through to the final was a tight affair for Wainui
who hadto overcome defending champions Te Aroha in the semi final.
Wainui wontheir semi final 5-2 but had to rely on the three run
rally in the top ofthe seventh inning to book the final spot.
Auckland Marist won their semifinal in convincing fashion 11-1
over Northcote.
  
FINAL DAY RESULTS -
Melville 5 Poneke Kilbirnie 3, Albion 15 Stoke 0, Johnsonville
9 RichmondKeas 1, Red Shots 12 Ellis Park 4, Te Aroha 14 Northcote
2, ParklandsChristchurch United 7 Saints 0, Waitakere Bears 2
Miramar 0.

Semi finals ý Auckland Marist 11 Northcote 1, Wainui 5 Te Aroha2.

Final Wainui 7 Auckland Marist 4. 

Final Placings  1 Wainui, 2 Auckland Marist, 3 Te Aroha, 4Northcote,
5 Parklands Christchurch United, 6 Saints, 7 Waitakere Bears,8
Miramar, 9 Melville, 10 Poneke Kilbirnie, 11 Albion, 12 Stoke,
13Johnsonville, 14 Richmond Keas, 15 Burnham Red Shots, 16 Ellis
Park.

Tournament Top Pitcher  Michelle Kingi (Auckland Marist).
Tournament Top Batter  Melisa Upu, average .640 (Te Aroha).
Tournament MVP  Trish Hina (Te Aroha).


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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