Conceding four runs in the first inning cost the White Sox Development team hopes of winning the Southern Cross softball tournament in Brisbane. The Queensland Heat, who are the Australian National League champions, won the game 5-2. 
For the White Sox Hope Weber and Kalala Gabriel scored for the side in the seventh inning.

Golden Glove - Rebecca Bromhead 

Top Pitcher - Megan Farrell

(Tournament photo gallery)

See below for results and ball by ball play of all games.

 The road back to being a force in women’s softball begins this weekend with the White Sox Development side playing in the Southern Cross Challenge tournament in Brisbane.

The competition for the White Sox Development side includes representative sides from Port Moresby, Queensland state teams and also Canterbury, who have made the trip to Brisbane for the tournament.

“We are really looking to the future with this team,” coach Dean Rice said.
“There are a lot of young players in the side and this is a chance for them to experience another level of softball.”

From the White Sox team that finished outside the top 10 at the last women’s world championship two years ago in Beijing only Kalala Gabriel and Katrina Stockford are in the side. However, Carmelle Sorensen who was also a member of the White Sox team was selected in the team, but then released to play for the Canterbury representative side at the tournament.

One of the big advantages for Rice and assistant coach Roman Gabriel is that they will be able to see how these players adapt to pressure at the next level, at the same time not be too concerned about any of their short comings. By this Rice is not too concerned if a player does not perform to what they had anticipated ahead of the tournament.

“If that does happen that player will still get an opportunity to play again,” he said.
“For us this tournament is like a training camp, but with the bonus of playing games.”

What Rice does want to achieve during the four day event is another group of players ready to take the next step up.

“What we want to have is a growing group of players who are ready for international softball and not only the 2010 world championship but also the one after that,” Rice said.

“This is a long term programme, and while winning is important at the same time so is the development of our players and increasing the skills of those players.”

The side’s opening game at the tournament is against the Queensland Maroon side tomorrow and then on Friday they have back-to-back games against Team Port Moresby and the Queensland Heat team. On Saturday they face the Canterbury side.

The White Sox Development team: Megan Farrell, Rebecca Bromhead, Kalala Gabriel, Sina Hunkin, Lydia Isaacs (Auckland), Ngahuia Kapene, Katrina Stockford, Ashley Johnston, Lara Andrews (Hutt Valley), Alison Boys, Sanita To’o, Hope Weber, Brooke Cutting (Wellington), Ngamoko Hiku (North Harbour), Carmelle Sorensen, Emma Frost (Canterbury), Poihaere Clarke (Sydney) ... more 

The White Sox development team draw: (game time is NZ time): 

Thursday (9pm): v Queensland Maroon 11 - 3 Win ... more

Friday (5pm): v Team Port Moresby 6 - 0 Win ... more
(7pm): v Queensland Heat 0 - 2 Loss ... more

Saturday (11am): v Canterbury 7 - 0 Win ... more
Play-off games at 3pm; 5pm and 7pm: Semi-Final v Queensland Maroon 6 - 0 Win ... more

Sunday: 
Play off games 11am, 1pm with the final at 5pm, NZ White Sox 2 v Queensland Heat 5 ... more