SOFTBALL: Veterans clinch title for HB

SHANE HURNDELL
Paul McCarthy didn't mind revealing his secret after starring with the bat for the national title-winning Hawke's Bay Evergreens softball side at the weekend.
"My secret is coming in fresh. I haven't played since last year's Evergreens and I'll do the same next year," he said after collecting three hits from as many turns at bat including an error-assisted double as the Speight's Hawke's Bay side beat Tui Wairarapa 4-1 in Saturday's final at Akina Park, Hastings.
"A lot of our blokes play a bit during the season and they end up bringing little niggles to the tournament and often don't end up lasting the distance," said the Havelock North mortgage broker who was playing in his seventh Evergreens tournament.
McCarthy, 43, was full of praise for the work Hawke's Bay pitcher Chubb Tangaroa did on the way to the Bay's first title-winning effort in the tournament since 1972. The three-time world champion with the Black Sox pitched the entire final and the semifinal which saw the Bay beat Southland 3-1.
Earlier on Saturday Tangaroa, 43, pitched one inning of the Bay's 3-1 win against Wanganui and on Friday their tournament opener, a 4-0 win against Nelson.
"Chubb and I were teammates with the Palmerston North Celtics when we won the national interclub title in 1987. And there was an extra incentive for us in the final," McCarthy said.
"Wairarapa pitcher Rod Reid was also in our Celtics side and we wanted to beat him up. We achieved that," he added before jogging off to join his teammates for some well deserved sponsors products.
McCarthy opened the scoring in the second inning with his double which scored fellow outfielder Grant Julian. Wairarapa equalised in the third inning when Reid hit their classy short stop Neil Foote home.
Hawke's Bay took the lead in the fourth inning when a three bagger from third baseman Kevin Gettins scored designated runner Quenten Higgan. A sacrifice fly from Julian then scored Gettins.
The hosts scored their final run in the fifth inning when first baseman Mike Bills came home on a sacrifice hit from outfielder Kevin England.
It was appropriate Julian and Gettins should play major roles in the victory as they coached Hawke's Bay's national title-winning under-19 girls side back in January.
Wairarapa did well to reach the final after pipping defending champions Wellington 1-0 in their semifinal where their only run was scored two minutes before the hooter sounded.
Among the first non-players out of the Hawke's Bay dugout to congratulate the Hawke's Bay side was former World Series winning pitcher with both the Black Sox and the United States Owen Walford, who was home on holiday from his Queensland base.
The Hawke's Bay Evergreens women head to Invercargill for their national tournament this coming weekend with a hard act to follow.