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.
