Softball: Carson urges fans to back fourth 'Bay' side

NEW COLOURS: Callum Carson will be one of seven Hawke's Bay players in Poneke Kilbirnie colours this weekend. PHOTO/WARREN BUCKLAND

CHECK out the promos for this weekend's North Island Classic men's softball tournament in Hastings.

Craig Waterhouse, organiser of the Just Softball-sponsored 10-team event at Akina Park, mentions entries from three Hawke's Bay teams - Fast Pitch, who won the tournament last year and in 2014, Saints and Maraenui Pumas. However, Waterhouse could easily have put Wellington competition leaders and this weekend's favourites Poneke Kilbirnie down as a Bay team.

"There's seven of us from the Bay so hopefully the Hawke's Bay crowd will get behind us too," catcher-outfielder Callum Carson said.

Carson is one of the heroes for the Junior Black Sox team which finished second at their June-July World Series in Michigan when pipped 2-1 by Japan in the final. He will be joined by fellow Bay players Black Sox utility Jovaan Hanley, former Black Sox outfielder Campbell Makea, former Dodgers infielder Josh Gettins and the former Fast Pitch trio of Te Rangi Chadwick, Rongo Rapea and Stirling Bartlett.

A former Puma, 18-year-old Carson opted to play for the glamour Wellington club this summer in an attempt to lift his standard of play and the early signs suggest the move has paid off.

"I'm learning a lot and I'm hitting well," Carson said.

He was disappointed Poneke Kilbirnie and Pumas weren't placed in the same section.

"Hopefully we meet during Sunday's crossovers. I'm looking forward to playing the old team."

While the product of Henry Hill, Tamatea Intermediate and Napier Boys' High schools is unable to commute to Wellington for Poneke Kilbirnie trainings, Carson trains at least three times each week with Hanley.

"We do a lot of pitcher-catcher stuff as well as fitness and drills."

A Future Products Group inline department worker, Carson, like most youngsters who have had a taste of Junior World Series play has set Black Sox selection as a long-term goal.

"I know it's still way out of reach. At this stage of my career I just want to keep playing well for PK and use tournaments like this weekend's to push my case for selection for the Wellington National Fastpitch Championship team.

The Michigan trip was Carson's fourth overseas for softball and it has been the highlight of his career to date. He collected one of the Kiwis' tour hits in the final against Japan but it was the 12-7 semifinal win against Canada which he treasures the most.

Carson smashed a home run in that match and also batted two runners in with a single. Expect a home run or two from the likes of Carson, Hanley, Makea and co as they relish playing on home turf again this weekend.

Providing Junior Black Sox pitcher Adam Woon can stay injury-free his Saints side should perform the best of the Hawke's Bay teams.

Other visiting teams this weekend are Northcote who have multiple world champion Black Sox player Brad Rona and his two sons, Pita and Kaleb on their roster, Eden Roskill, Miramar, Johnsonville, Hutt Valley Cardinals and Hutt City United. Saints and Fast Pitch meet in the opening game tonight.

The top three teams from each of the two sections will qualify for Sunday's top-six playoffs. The bottom four teams will play in a plate section.

Teams which make Sunday's final will have played eight games during the weekend.