Giants recovered from a narrow 4-2 loss to Cardinals to outclass Otahuhu 7-0 on the opening day of the national inter-club men's softball championships at Fraser Park, Petone yesterday. Coach Tony Nixon had predicted prior to the clash with Cardinals that it would probably be Giants's toughest assignment in pool playand hopefully that assessment will be proved correct. He was basing that opinion on the fact Giants had recently beaten Cardinals in the semi-finals of the Hutt Valley premier competition a competition Giants went on to win - and they would be desperate for revenge. It was in the early stages of the match where Giants faltered, Cardinals jumping out a 3-0 lead which was reduced to 3-2 when Justin Karaitiana hit a two run home run.Another run late in the piece to Cardinals sealed Giants's fate. Nixon said the loss was pretty much a case of Giants failing to produce their best batting form. "It wasn't that we were having trouble with the pitching, it was just that we couldn't get bat on ball with any consistency, " he said Pitcher Ritchie Clarke did, however, have a strong performance for Giants, giving up only four safe hits. Aware that a second consecutive loss could severely dent their quarter-final aspirations it was a determined Giants squad which went into the game against Otahuhu and they dominated the Auckland-based side from go to whoa. They scored three runs in their first innings, two in the second and another two in the third to ensure victory was comfortably achieved. Mark Quinn hit a home run for Giants and others to star with the bat were Terry Waitere, Corie Karaitiana and one of their two "pick up" players, ,Rongo Ripaea, a promising youngster from Hawkes Bay who seems likely to join their squad fulltime next season. Giants also turned in a fine fielding performance spearheaded as it was by the pitcher-catcher combination of Justin Karaitiana and Jason O'Leary. The only team in Giants's pool to end yesterday's play unbeaten was Auckland Marist with one of their successes being a 5-4 tiebreaker win over defending champions Ramblers, also of Auckland.
