By Tony Smith

Is there nothing Sydenham Kereru stars Mikayla Werahiko and Cassie Siataga can’t do on a softball diamond?

The talented all-rounders - who have both represented the New Zealand White Sox - shone in unexpected roles as SK swept aside the Halswell Hornets in Sunday’s feature match of the Canterbury women’s premiership double-day weekend.

Werahiko has made her name for the White Sox as a third base or shortstop. But she was on the pitching mound for the 5-2 victory over Amy Begg’s Halswell, with Siataga – usually a slick shortstop – calling the shots behind the catcher’s mask at Kaiapoi’s Norman Kirk Park.

Siataga had rolled her pitching arm over for the Canterbury Red Hawks at the recent NFC tournament, but she was behind the dish on Sunday with longtime former Canterbury catcher Carly Werahiko at shortstop.

They say a change is as good as a rest, and the reshuffled worked for SK, who now have a one-point lead over Halswell at the top of the table, with a game in hand over the Hornets.

Not only did Werahiko hold SK to two runs, Siataga – batting in the leadoff slot – slugged three hits from four at-bats for a .750 average.

It’s that sort of form, and versatility, that makes some old softball observers hold out hope that Siataga – a Canterbury rugby union and rugby league representative – might one day make herself available for the White Sox again.

Sporting Edge Halswell had their moments with player-coach Nicole Baxter-Warren batting in Lucy McIntyre in the fourth inning after an earlier hit by Bev Lethlean.  Alyssa Lory scored for the Hornets on errors in the fifth, while Baxter-Warren and catcher Finlay Martin batted .666 (two from three).

Two of SK’s most experienced players, Cass McLeod and Robyn Hall, both hammered triples.

SK were the only team – men or women – to win all four games at the weekend, also accounting for the Kaiapoi Queens 4-0 on Sunday.

Promising PCU Angels infielder Kaiyah Ratu scored three runs in a 12-5 win over Kaiapoi. DP Samantha Henderson hit a three-bagger while Caitlin Davidson at two hits at No 9 and pitcher Trinity Mackley-Flutey picked up the win on the mound.

Kaiapoi’s best spell came in the sixth with three runs off back-to-back hits by Nerissa McDowell, Bohemian Quinn and Caitlyn Kennett and a later single from Rome Collins-Cross.

Ratu starred in PCU’s 4-3 Sunday win over Papanui, with a left field home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Her fellow Red Hawks infielder Stella Jorgensen went two from two after a triple and a single.

Papanui had tied the game up in the top of the fifth when Gemma Taylor and Luanne Salter scored. Hana Allan was their best batter with two hits from three attempts.

Halswell had earlier beaten Papanui 10-5 despite shortstop Simone Salter clouting two home runs and batting 1.000 for the Tigers. 

White Sox first base Lucy McIntyre also homered for the Hornets and went three from four after swatting a pair of singles.

SATURDAY ACTION

Sydenham Kereru picked up a pair of wins at Mizuno Ballpark on Saturday, but were made to work hard by the PCU Angels.

Cassie Siataga and Jess Thornley had triples and Carly Werahaiko a double in SK’s 5-4 win. Stella Jorgensen cracked a two-run homer (with sister Drew on base) in the fifth inning for the Angels, while Nyrissa Dysart and Tessa Metuatini recorded doubles.

Cheyann Whyte was SK’s batting standout in a 15-5 four innings win over Papanui, batting 1.000 from two doubles and a single. Robyn Hall was also perfect at the plate, going two from two.

Papanui had started strongly with three runs in the top of the first inning off three hits, including a Brittany Terrey triple, but SK steadily and clinically accumulated runs with five in the second inning, four in the third and another five in the fourth frame.

Bev Lethlean drove in two runs in Halswell’s 5-1 win over PCU, with starter Olivia Cassin and substitute Cherie Inwood both supplying hits from the No 9 slot. Tessa Metuatini had a 1.000 average with two hits for PCU, and scored the Angels’ only run in the third inning off a Stella Jorgensen triple.

Halswell toppled the Kaiapoi Queens 6-3 following extra-base hits by Nicole Baxter-Warren (double) and Lucy McIntyre triple. Player-coach Baxter-Warren was two from four from the left side of the plate. Kaiapoi scored all three runs in the sixth after Layla Bailey-McDowell doubled and sister Nerissa tripled, before Boo Quinn followed up with a single base-hit. Nerissa McDowell, Kaiapoi’s clean-up hitter, batted .666 after a double and a triple.

Kaiapoi beat Papanui 7-5 in the other game.

RESULTS

Saturday (Mizuno Ballpark)

Sydenham Kereru 5 PCU 4, Sydenham Kereru 15 Papanui 5 (4 innings),  Halswell 6 Kaiapoi 3, Halswell 5 PCU 1, Kaiapoi 7 Papanui 5.

Sunday (Norman Kirk Park)

Halswell 10 Papanui 5, PCU 12 Kaiapoi 5, Sydenham Kereru 5 Halswell 2, PCU 4 Papanui 3, Sydenham Kereru 4 Kaiapoi 0.

Standings

Sydenham Kereru (21 games) 68 pts, Halswell (22) 67 pts, PCU (21) 36, Kaiapoi (21) 33, Papanui (21) 23.

Article added: Wednesday 24 February 2021