Softball: Female touch as Flaxmere men triumph

Rita Hokianga (left), Melanie Gettins, Alyssa James, Luke Herrick and Darryl Tamati reflect on the biggest day in the Flaxmere Softball Club's history. Photo/Duncan Brown

History may not have been Flaxmere Softball Club stalwart Darryl Tamati snr's favourite subject at school but he reckons he's on the money with the club's biggest feat.

"It was on Saturday. It was our first win at premier men's level in the club's 41-year history and we did it with three women," Tamati said as he reflected on Flaxmere's nine-inning 5-4 win against Saints at Akina Park, Hastings.

White Sox catcher Melanie Gettins and pitcher Rita Hokianga along with United States import Alyssa James, who is likely to be eligible for the White Sox when they begin the qualification process for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, all started for Flaxmere. Gettins caught to Hokianga's brother Tamihana Hokianga for the entire game, James played first base and Hokianga played at left outfield.

While women have filled in for premier men's teams in the Bay previously this is the first season it has been done officially.

"We're the first province to do it as part of the build-up to the Olympics. I remember a White Sox teammate doing it in Invercargill during the 2009-10 season," Gettins said.

"I can remember Rhonda Hira playing in male grades back in the 80s but not at premier men's level," Tamati said, referring to Hawke's Bay's most famous female export and 2010 inductee into the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame.

He pointed out the female trio makes the premier men's roster the strongest it has been in the club's history and with former Black Sox training squad member Curtis Huata still to join the team he is eyeing both the pre-Christmas and post-Christmas titles in the Bay comp.

"On paper it is a very good team. We're not playing to come second this summer," Tamati said.

Gettins said the aim is to become more efficient in the batting department when facing faster pitchers because the White Sox struggled against some of the faster hurlers when they finished eighth at this year's World Series in Canada. On Saturday Saints had Adam Woon on the mound and he played for the Junior Black Sox when they finished second at their World Series in Michigan in July.

"Adam is as quick as some of the pitchers we faced at our World Series but he had better movement and that's what we need to experience too," Gettins said.

"The Saints blokes treated us just like our male teammates and we don't want it any different," Gettins explained.

When Hokianga was asked if the females might have been a distraction to their opponents she replied:

"Not in these shirts. Look how big they are."

"I'm sure you will grow into them as you put more muscle on," former Magpie Tamati quipped.

James batted the first runner home for Flaxmere in the fifth inning. Darryl Tamati jnr hit an automatic home for Flaxmere and Luke Woon and Fred Jackson both smashed automatics for Saints. Tamihana Hokianga hit outfielder Tim Jones home for the winning run.

"It was a really enrtertaining game which both teams and the spectators enjoyed," player-coach Luke Herrick said.

He drove a runner home in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the score at 4-all.

Saints coach Paul Woon said his troops didn't take Flaxmere lightly because of their female influence.

"We're missing some experienced players including a couple who have linked up with Flaxmere. It's made the competition quite strong which is good."

Three home runs were also hit in Saturday's other premier men's game which saw the pre-Christmas comp's defending champions Fast Pitch pip Maraenui Pumas 6-5. Player-coach and pitcher Te Rangi Chadwick hit one for the winners while the Aranui brothers, Karaitiana and fellow infielder Manaaki, hit one each for Pumas.