Giants Blue are the Intercity Premier Two champions after cruising to a 7-0 win over finalists Demons at South Park on Saturday.
Giants exerted their dominance from the outset, firstly in the field, having Demons three up and three down, and then with the bat, scoring two runs in the first inning.
An automatic home run, the only one of the game, to Tarquin Karaitiana extended the lead to 3-0 in the third inning. Then it was all about game management. Good base running and key hits by player-coach Justin ‘Chunky’ Karaitiana, Blair Thompson, and Kortez Paku, scored four runs to end the game after five innings.
Giants stalwart Chris Feary felt that the Blues were on top from the first pitch.
“Demons didn’t play a bad game, they played a good game, and their pitcher pitched a good game, but ‘Chunky’ was pretty dominant on the mound, and any hits that Demons did get, the fielding was pretty sharp, and there were a couple of peg outs on base by [catcher] Trey Feary, who threw a couple of players out trying to steal bases, “ Feary said.
“It was just an all-round good performance by the boys, they were pretty dominant, and it was a deserved win.”
Giants Blue’s only loss of the season was a 3-0 defeat to Cardinals in a doubleheader Sunday game in December, when they were without pitcher ‘Chunky’ Karaitiana because of injury.
It’s the second consecutive Intercity championship for the Blues after claiming the 2021-22 premier three title.
“At full strength, they were definitely the best team in the grade, and to have a home final was pretty special for the club.”
Feary said the club was uncertain if the team would step up to Intercity Premier Reserve for next season.
However, there is already talk of the experienced Shane Kirkwood joining the club to add depth to the pitching stocks.
“’Chunky’ carries a lot of burden with the team, getting himself ready, pitching and coaching. Shane has a lot of experience, and he has pitched overseas in his younger days and would be a great asset to the team,” Feary said.
There is frustration, though, within the Giants club with how the season has concluded. Their Reds premier three team [second top qualifiers] were controversially defaulted from the semifinals by Intercity Softball, who did not accept the club’s dispensation to allow players to take part in the National Evergreens tournament.
To rub salt into the wound, Intercity Softball then scheduled a fifth-sixth playoff match, which the Reds promptly defaulted. Then to top that confirmation that the premier two final would be played on Saturday did not come through until Friday afternoon.
