Softball: Zurcher and Woon shine as Saints march home again

Saints celebrate a second consecutive post-Christmas title in Hawke's Bay's premier men's softball competition. Photo/Duncan Brown

Former Junior Black Sox teammates Jacob Zurcher and Adam Woon were influential figures as Saints won a second consecutive post-Christmas title in Hawke's Bay's premier men's softball competition on Saturday.

Centre outfielder Zurcher hit two automatic home runs and batted four runners in while pitcher Woon smashed an automatic and a double and finished with three RBIs in Saints' 8-1 win against Fast Pitch in the final at Akina Park, Hastings. Woon and Zurcher were both members of the silver medal-winning Junior Black Sox team at their 2016 World Championship in Michigan.

The post-Christmas competition was the first time they had played together since the World Championship as Zurcher took a year off the sport after a stint with the Northcote club in North Harbour. Woon played for the Hutt City United club before Christmas.

Without Zurcher and Woon, Saints, didn't record a win in the pre-Christmas competition. During the post-Christmas comp they had one loss on the way to being top qualifiers for the final.

"We're rapt to go back-to-back. We had a new-look squad this season with some new youngsters as well as older blokes new to the sport who did well to keep the club alive while we were away," Woon said.

"We've got a bit of depth there for next summer and both Jacob and I will be back for the full summer next season," Woon added.

Saints needed just five innings to complete the victory. Woon conceded one safe hit while striking out 12 of the 19 batters he faced.

Fast Pitch used two pitchers. Hawke's Bay Evergreens hurler Jamie Ngawhika leaked five runs during the first three innings before being replaced on the hill by player-coach Te Rangi Chadwick. Fast Pitch finished second in both the pre-Christmas and post-Christmas competitions.

Two of their best batters, Liam Udy-Johns and Donovan Mataira, were unavailable for Saturday's final because of their Hawke's Bay premier club rugby commitments. Fast Pitch left three runners on base and Saints one.

Fast Pitch secured their berth in the final with a 7-3 win against pre-Christmas competition champions Maraenui Pumas earlier on Saturday.

Hawke's Bay finished fifth equal at the 37th annual national women's Evergreens tournament in North Harbour at the weekend. On Saturday Hawke's Bay walloped Rotorua 11-1 and lost 10-5 to Tauranga.

On Sunday Hawke's Bay lost 5-2 to Manawatu in their quarterfinal before finishing their campaign with a 12-1 drubbing of Counties-Manukau. The majority of the players including Australia-based outfielder Lynne Guatieri, who played for the second placed Hawke's Bay team last year returned again but Hawke's Bay missed the services of former White Sox infielder Angela Stubbs who was unavailable.

Hawke's Bay had won the tournament during the 2015, '16 and '17 seasons. Defending champions North Harbour beat Wellington 15-6 in the final.

The full Hawke's Bay squad was: Lynne Guatieri, Sharon Chapman, Deana Paul, Tania Tatana-Walker, Natasha Singh, Crystal Jessup, Leonie Turi, Vanessa Rimene, Kae Schlierike, Della Andrews, Paula Hokianga, Charity Stubbs, Kim Elers, Char Jessup, Kay Lorimer.
Coach: Marilyn Lorimer. Assistant coach: Gay Morgan. Scorer: Heather Cormack. Technical advisers: Joyce Chapman, Yvonne Kuring, Debbie Gordine.