A combination of experience and batting power saw the Hutt Valley women’s softball team make it back-to-back National Softball League titles. The side beat Auckland 9-2 in the final at Hataitai Park on Saturday, despite being down 2-1 after the first innings. For the Hutt Valley side much of the damage came in the third inning as Cindy Potae, Kiri Shaw, Tali Tonu’u, Tatiana Holodnow, Shirley Povey and Lara Andrews all scored runs in that inning. Hutt Valley added a further two runs in the sixth inning before Auckland decided enough was enough and the game was over. At the time Shaw and Holodnow were on second and first bases respectively and coming up to bat was Povey.

“I was not too surprised,” said Hutt Valley coach Naomi Shaw

“I knew if the team played to their potential they were unbeatable.”

During the season Shaw’s side has worked on their hitting aspect of their game and it was that work which paid dividends with the side finishing the game with 11 hits from six innings. Among those who especially performed with the bat were Tali Tonu’u who finished the game with three hits from four turns at bat. It was Tonu’u who had in five of the nine runs the Hutt Valley team scored, including the one she scored herself.

“She made some key hits,” Shaw said.

Although it was a shaky first inning with a combination of nerves for 16-year-old pitcher Ngahuia Kapene and a couple of errors in the field, Shaw still had the belief in her players.

“We made a couple of uncharacteristic errors and that did put some pressure on her [Kapene] but she responded in the next two innings,” said Shaw.

In the next two innings, Kapene faced nine batters and only conceded one hit. Her replacement on the mound, Holodnow, who was one of the Australian pitchers involved in this season’s national league, was impressive. She faced nine batters and did not give up a hit.

View play by play of the women's final here 

---

Meanwhile, the only winner was for the men’s final were the gardens with the rain costing Wellington any hopes they had of snatching victory over Auckland in their final. Because Auckland was the top qualify they retained the men’s NZCT National Softball League title.

When the rain finally forced the players into their dugouts it was the top of the third inning and Auckland were ahead 6-3 and that was not without plenty of drama with Heinie Shannon the centre of much of it.

The pitcher had been knocked to the ground when attempting to dodge his pitch being returned from the bat of Wellington’s Stacy McLean and it looked like his role in the final was over. However, he got back to his feet, and then watched from the dug-out as first his twin brother Patrick and then Ben Enoka got on base it was then his turn to step into the batter’s box.

The first pitch he faced was slammed over the right field fence to collect his first home run in an Auckland shirt and help Auckland out to a 6-3 lead. Shannon did his lap of the bases, returned to the dugout and then collapsed again. While an ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital Shannon was discharged.

“I remember pitching the ball, but I don’t remember getting hit. I do remember waking up then coming out and getting that hit. Then I fainted in the dugout. It was more of a shock than anything.”

“I can laugh about it now. Everything is all good”

Shannon’s home run was the fourth such blow of the game.

“It would have been a great game the way it was panning out,” Hale said.

“Lots of hits, home runs and lots happening.”

Shannon’s hit will not be the only one talked about for a while either with the one slammed by Welligton’s Craig Wallace the biggest seen at Hataitai Park for a number of years. Wallace’s hit not only cleared the outfield fence, but also the ground and bouncing into the carpark just missing a number of vehicles.

“That was some hit,” Wellington player coach Thomas Makea said.

“ It was disappointing that the rain came, it was set to be a good final with those hits both sides had made.”

View play by play of the men's final here