Lisa Te-Moananui hit a home run in Giants’ 6-8 loss to Demons. PHOTOS/JADE CVETKOV
SOFTBALL
CHRIS COGDALE
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Giants Blue fell to their first loss of the season, humbled 0-8 by Poneke-Kilbirnie Kowhai [PK] at South Park on Saturday.
The Blues were rarely troubled in going through the first half of the season unbeaten and are expected to be among the frontrunners in Section A of the Intercity Premier Three Championship.
Their season, however, has been hampered by teams defaulting, and a rained off game, resulting in a lack of match play.
Saturday’s game was their first since mid-December, and their rustiness was evident in the below -par effort.
The batters failed to connect, managing only four safe hits off the pitching of PK’s Nick Duncan, who finished with nine strikeouts.
The fielding too was not of the usual high standard, with five errors. However, two of the club’s under-17 Hutt Valley representatives Tohi Jellie, and Rico Hillman produced some classy fielding.
It was a different story in Section B of the Premier Three Championship, with Giants Red cruising to a 19-2 hammering of Demons at Fraser Park, Lower Hutt.
Star with the bat was Rob Barnes, who hit an in-the-park home run, and had five runners batted in.
Tony Nixon was in great form on the mound, with six strikeouts and giving up only four safe hits from the 19 batters he faced. Julian Ellmers impressed with two brilliant outfield catches.
Team member and Giants president Chris Feary said the Reds dominated throughout, but he had special praise for the young Demons’ outfit.
“Demons are following in same lines as Giants three years ago and have built a team around four or five older players, and they’ve pulled in some of their under-15’s from a couple of years ago.”
In the Hutt Valley Women’s Major B Championship, Giants went down 6-8 in a thriller against Demons at South Park.
Lisa Te-Moananui was in outstanding form with the bat, hitting a home run. She was in such devastating form the Demons’ pitcher intentionally walked her in Giants’ last turn
at bat.
