Softball: Falcons ready to swoop on title

Whakarewarewa player Teare Hare tries to tag on Falcons player Rueben Perenara.

Falcons United look like the team to beat in the new Rotorua men's softball competition.

They accounted for Whakarewarewa 15-3 on Saturday in their early afternoon match at Puketawhero Park.

The senior softball competition has only recently returned to Rotorua after a long break.

Falcons United senior player Te Rama Peka said most of their players had played the sport in the past and were enjoying having the game back in Rotorua.

"We are just trying to blow out all the cobwebs," he said, after the game on Saturday. "It has been about five years since softball was down at the stadium.

"We had a Falcons team five years ago and got it back together [this year]."

He said their team comprised players from all over the Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua, Tauranga, Whakatane and Kawerau.

Peka said it was always good to get a win but the players were just enjoying having the sport back in the area.

He said Whaka had plenty of potential and would get better as the competition progressed.

Only one other team were entered in the men's division, Hinemoa, and Peka said he hoped that number would grow.

One of the Falcons' stand-out players on Saturday was Rueben Perenara, who pitched extremely well, limiting Whaka to three runs.

There was a good gathering of people down at Puketawhero Park watching the men's and women's matches, with plenty of families supporting the teams.

Peka said most of their team had grown up playing the sport and it would be good to get that culture going again in Rotorua.

Women's softball has taken off since the sport was re-instated in Rotorua with six teams currently entered in the new competition.

The teams include the Vixens, Whakarewarewa, Rotoiti, Hinemoa, Owhata United and I M TWPT.