<html><div style='background-color:'><P><SPAN class=EUDORAHEADER>Subject: Day One (Wednesday 25 January 2006) Results of Commonwealth Men's Fastpitch Championships <BR></SPAN><SPAN class=EUDORAHEADER>Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 23:19:46 +1100 </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN class=EUDORAHEADER></SPAN><SPAN class=EUDORAHEADER>From: "DiAnne Lilburn" <dianne.lilburn(at)softball.org.au> <BR></SPAN><SPAN class=EUDORAHEADER><BR></SPAN><BR></P>
<DIV>
<DIV>Day One (Wednesday 25 January 2006) Results of Commonwealth Men's</DIV>
<DIV>Fastpitch Championship </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Australia went down to Tanifa Samoa 5-2 in their opening game at the </DIV>
<DIV>Commonwealth Men's Softball Championship being played at Altona, </DIV>
<DIV>Melbourne, Australia</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The home team started well defensively with pitcher Andrew Kirkpatrick </DIV>
<DIV>shutting down the Samoan batting line with 13 strikeouts from 18 </DIV>
<DIV>batters faced.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Australian bats were the first to score with two runs in the fourth </DIV>
<DIV>inning but left a further 5 runners on base.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In the sixth inning, Duane Jerard started the scoring for Samoa with a </DIV>
<DIV>long ball to the centrefield fence to score Bradley Annandale and </DIV>
<DIV>Michael Niu.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Kirkpatrick was replaced on the mound, but reliever Adam Folkard was </DIV>
<DIV>unable to contain the strong Samoan batting lineup with Wayne Laulu, </DIV>
<DIV>the first batter he faced, smashing the ball long over the left field </DIV>
<DIV>fence for another two runs.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Samoa added a fifth and final run in the seventh inning when Arran </DIV>
<DIV>Neemia easily cleared the left field fence for a solo run.</DIV>
<DIV>Earlier New Zealand Black Sox defeated South Africa with an impressive </DIV>
<DIV>7-0 mercy win in the bottom of the fifth. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>New Zealand’s, Jeremy Manley pitched strongly on the mound leaving </DIV>
<DIV>South Africa scoreless.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>South Africa threatened to take a run off the World Champions in their </DIV>
<DIV>last at bat, managing to get two runners on base, but were unable to </DIV>
<DIV>capitalise and finished the game scoreless.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The New Zealand bats were in good form, with the highlight a two run </DIV>
<DIV>home run by Grant Roman in the fifth inning.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Games for Thursday 26 January will see at 12 noon South Africa v Tanifa </DIV>
<DIV>Samoa; 2.30pm South Africa v Australia; 5.00pm Australia v New Zealand; </DIV>
<DIV>7.30pm Tanifa Samoa v New Zealand (AEDT). </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For more information contact DiAnne Lilburn 0405 509 674</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>____________________________________</DIV>
<DIV>DiAnne Lilburn</DIV>
<DIV>National Communications Coordinator</DIV>
<DIV>Softball Australia</DIV>
<DIV>Suite 4, Ground Floor</DIV>
<DIV>38-40 Prospect Street</DIV>
<DIV>Box Hill, Victoria 3128</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>T: +61 3 9890 8200</DIV>
<DIV>F: +61 3 9890 8295</DIV>
<DIV>M: +61 (0) 405 509 674</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For more information visit <A href="http://www.softball.org.au/" EUDORA="AUTOURL">www.softball.org.au</A> <<A href="http://www.softball.org.au/" EUDORA="AUTOURL">http://www.softball.org.au/</A>> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>_____________________________________________________________________________</DIV>
<DIV>Did you know that Australia is the world's number one softball nation? </DIV>
<DIV>World number two - Open Women's team (Aussie Spirit), Silver Medallist (Athens, 2004), Bronze Medallists (Sydney 2000 and Atlanta 1996). </DIV>
<DIV>World number one - Under 19 Men's team (Aussie Colts), three consecutive World Championship titles. </DIV>
<DIV>World number three - Open Men's team (Aussie Steelers) and Under 19 Women's team (Aussie Pride).</DIV> </DIV><BR><BR><BR>
<DIV>Al Doran <BR>PLEASE REPLY TO: <BR><ALDORAN@PMIHRM.COM>aldoran@pmihrm.com<BR>http://www.pmihrm.com <BR></DIV></div></html>