Softball: Giants reign, Saints left spitting tacks

Fast Pitch Giants toast a fourth consecutive Hawke's Bay premier men's pre-Christmas softball title after beating Saints on Saturday. Photo / Warren Buckland

Mario Herbert knew the pressure was on him and a couple of the other Fast Pitch Giants' "older heads" to step up in Hawke's Bay's premier men's softball competition's pre-Christmas final on Saturday.

"With two of our key players [Cameron Willis and Puhi Rapaea] unavailable and three youngsters [Liam Udy-Johns, Ihaka Tangaroa and Bailey Scott-Wray] playing in a premier final for the first time, it was up to us older heads to lead the way. It was a hard game but I'm happy with the performance," first baseman Herbert said after the Giants captured a fourth consecutive pre-Christmas final title with an 8-5 win against Saints at Akina Park, Hastings.

A 2005 Junior Black Sox utility and the oldest player on Saturday's roster at 28, Herbert scored his brother, short stop Kane Herbert, with a sacrifice fly with his first turn at bat, got on base with walks with his next two and produced a double which scored catcher and player-coach Te Rangi Chadwick with his final turn at bat in the seventh frame.

"I'm on holidays at the moment which meant I was able to train with the boys for the first time this season on Thursday and that helped me," Herbert said.

With his brother and second baseman, Hawke's Bay under-15 rep Udy-Johns, scoring Giants led 2-0 after their first turn with the bat. Saints replied with five when a double from third baseman Hoani Crawford scored designated player Grant Dean and catcher Jacob Zurcher, Crawford and short stop Jesse Little scored on a three-bagger from outfielder Adam Woon who came home on a wild pitch.

Giants reduced the deficit in the second when Tangaroa scored on a double from third baseman Daniel Green and Canadian pitcher Kyle Crawford scampered home on a pass ball. Giants took a 7-5 lead in the fourth when Green and Crawford scored on an error and outfielder Scott-Wray on a fielder's choice.

Green and under-17 player Scott-Wray both did well to produce two hits from three turns at bat for Giants. Saints struggled with plate umpire Darrel Paul's zone when attempting to come back in the final two frames and outfielder Shaan Abbott was ejected for poor dugout conduct in the sixth inning after being struck out.

Giants sole pitcher Crawford struck out 10 of the 31 batters he faced while conceding five hits. Saints started with Tamihana Hokianga who struck out three of the 17 batters he faced while conceding four hits and six walks.

His deputy, Adam Woon, took the mound in the fourth inning and struck out two of the 17 batters he faced while giving up two walks and three hits.

Commenting on rumours his club may protest the result because Giants played three players from the Fast Pitch Rockets team in Tangaroa, Udy-Johns and Scott-Wray, Saints coach Paul Woon said there is unlikely to be a protest and he was quick to congratulate Giants.

"However we will be writing to Hawke's Bay to seek clarification and get some consistency on the rules.

"Normally one wouldn't expect players to be able to play for two teams in the premier comp," he said .

"There appears to be rules for one club and others for different clubs." .

-The Bay-based Hutt Valley Dodgers women's team will take a four-point lead into the Christmas break in their Wellington inter-city competition after beating Miramar 3-0 and Poneke Kilbirnie by default on Saturday. This competition resumes on January 31.