KAIAPOI CATCHER BATS A THOUSAND AS KINGS REIGN

By Tony Smith

It was Josh Lubiejewski's day at Papanui Domain with the Kaiapoi Kings catcher producing a perfect batting effort in the latest round of the Canterbury men's softball premiership.

Lubiejewski - a member of Steve Deans' New Zealand Major Sox under-23 training squad - batted four from four in Kaiapoi's 8-3 win over the Halswell Hornets last Saturday.

He slotted three singles and a double and helped Kaiapoi take a stranglehold on the game as one of three scorers in the top of the first inning, following Jack Bates and Brad Annandale home.

Lubiejewski also had an error-free day behind the dish, catching to Kaiapoi's starting pitcher Scott Sutherland. The Kings' player-coach recorded five strikeouts for six hits and three walks before handing over to closer Will MacDonald.

Hornets player-coach Aaron Collier banged a fifth inning home run while first baseman Fletcher Due went two from two, to bat 1.000.

Former Black Sox international Chris Eden produced a blast from the past for the PCU Devils, twice featuring featuring in the scoring action in a 7-0 win over Albion.

Eden - who made his Black Sox debut as a 20-year-old in 2005 - drew a walk in the fourth inning and scampered in after Leon Lumb's triple.

Eden and pinch-hitter Zach Graham banged back-to-back three-baggers as PCU piled on four runs in the seventh inning.

Quinn Wickens hurled a shutout for the Devils, racking up seven strikeouts while conceding two hits - a triple to Hayden Lee in the second inning and a double to Albion catcher Matt Watts in the fourth.

Results:  PCU Devils 7 Albion 0, Kaiapoi Kings 8 Halswell Hornets 3.

BEGG NEAR PERFECT FOR HALSWELL

Only a Simone Salter home run stood in the way of a perfect game for New Zealand White Sox pitcher Amy Begg in the Canterbury women's premiership round at Mizuno Ballpark.

Begg took the pitching honours in her duel with her Red Hawks bullpen buddy Brittany Terrey as her Halswell Hornets' side shaded Terrey's Papanui, 2-1.

Throwing to Halswell catcher Finlay Martin Begg bagged 12 strikeouts while conceding just that solitary solo shot homer to Papanui shortstop Salter in the top of the fourth inning.

Terrey fanned seven Halswell batters but allowed five walks (one intentional - on Lucy McIntyre) and five hits.

No wonder she walked McIntyre, as the White Sox rep had starred earlier, featuring in both Halswell runs. The ex-Southland batted in leadoff Alyssa Lory for the first run in the bottom of the first inning and then got the winner in  the fourth after doubling to left field and plating on player-coach Nicole Baxter-Warren's sacrifice.

The Kaiapoi Queens had a 9-6 win over Pak N Save Northlands Papanui with White Sox squad member Nerissa Bailey-McDowell cementing victory with a two-run triple in the seventh inning. Her younger sister, McKenzie, pitched for Kaiapoi. Elizabeth Rice and Iris Taramai  both had two-baggers for Papanui.

Catcher Te Marino Roberts batted 1.000 with two hits from as many at-bats in Sydenham Kereru's 5-3 win over the PCU Angels. Former White Sox shortstop Cassie Siataga had two hits for SK and Sara Bensley pitched well to hold PCU to three runs - two of them to 14-year-old leadoff Kaiyah Ratu, who celebrated her inclusion in the Canterbury Red Hawks with two hits from three trips to the plate. Tessa Metuatini also had two hits for the Angels.

Ratu underscored her potential with two more safe hits, off White Sox pitcher Amy Begg, as PCU crashed to a 8-1 five innings loss to Sporting Edge Halswell. The Hornets embellished their advantage with four runs in the fifth frame after hits by player-coach Nicole Baxter-Warren (.666), Begg and Heaven Samson-Loffley. Begg nabbed six strikeouts for four hits.

Results: Halswell Hornets 2 Papanui 1, Halswell 8 PCU Angels 1 (5 innings), Sydenham Kereru 5 PCU Angels 3, Kaiapoi Queens 9 Papanui 6.

Article added: Sunday 24 January 2021