Softball: Good news timely boost for pitcher

Adam Woon

Saints premier men's softball pitcher Adam Woon was in celebration mode before he took the diamond on Saturday.

His 16-year-old twin brother and former Hawke's Bay under-13 outfielder Bradley Woon, who had been travelling to and from Auckland's Starship Hospital since September 2012 for treatment on a brain tumour, learned the previous day that he had been declared cancer-free.

"That win was for Bradley. He was down here watching and earlier in the day he turned out for our senior B men's and under-19 teams. It's been a big weekend for the family," Woon said after Saints pipped Maraenui Pumas 8-7 in an action-packed thriller at Akina Park, Hastings.

On the mound, Woon conceded four hits while the Pumas pitchers Tridan McClutchie and Tiwana Aranui leaked eight and three respectively. With the bat Woon hit a three-bagger, single and double from four turns and finished with four runners batted in.

"There's always plenty of friendly banter between us and Pumas and we needed that win to get well clear of the third and fourth positions because we don't want to be fourth come semifinal time," Woon said.

He displayed the benefits of a six-month stint in Canada where he played for the Shakespeare Falcons, which finished 15th at the International Softball Congress tournament - considered the world's toughest interclub tournament.

"The goal now is to keep working hard and make the Junior Black Sox team for next year's Junior World Series," Woon added.

Short stop Dallas Brown hit an in-park home run which gave Saints a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Third baseman Fred Jackson smashed an automatic home run over the left outfield fence to give Saints an 8-5 lead at the bottom of the fifth.

Pumas utility Callum Carson, another contender for Junior World Series selection next year, impressed in both the second base and catching positions and hit a double.

Meanwhile, former Black Sox pitcher Regan Manley batted 1000 as unbeaten competition leaders Fast Pitch Giants beat Viking 7-0 in the other premier men's clash at Akina Park. Manley got on base with all three of his turns at bat including a home run with relief pitcher Ihaka Tangaroa on base which ended the match in the fifth inning. The Vikings infielders produced tidy defensive work with former age-group rep Dion Turi-Welsh shining with three outs.

Wet weather prevented play in Wellington's intercity competition yesterday for the Bay-based Central Vikings.