Wairau women wrap up softball title

PETER JONES

The Wairau women’s softball side swept all before them at Lansdowne Park on Saturday to take out the women’s competition title for 2022-23.

First up they swept past an inexperienced Saints side, then took on Central, who had scored a comprehensive win over Waitohi in the other semifinal.

The experienced Wairau combination were too good in the final, prevailing 20-4, although the Central girls fought hard all the way.

Meanwhile, the Marlborough Saints men’s team scored two contrasting wins over their Cardinals opponents from Nelson at Lansdowne Park on Saturday.

In their first clash the home side prevailed 9-0, but things were considerably tighter in the second match, which Saints took out 9-8.

Willem Hayton pitched well in both games, especially the first where he faced 16 batters, claimed nine strike outs, giving up no walks and allowing only one hit.

Jason Bird took some great catches in the outfield while Saints batted well throughout the order, Dane Gill swatting two home runs, Tyler Bird and Joe Timms hitting one apiece.

Seddon shield tournament

Marlborough came agonisingly close to victory when the annual Seddon Shield tournament was revived at Saxton Ballpark in Nelson recently.

Four Marlborough rep sides travelled over the hill to do battle with their Nelson counterparts. The men’s and women’s teams played once, the 15-and-under girls and boys sides twice each.

The Marlborough women’s side won 19-4, the men lost 3-11, while the junior boys combination won one game and lost the other, but prevailed overall. The opposite scenario occurred for the junior women’s team, leaving the tie to be decided on countback, which favoured Nelson.

The Marlborough Seddon Shield teams were:

Senior men: Tyler Bird (captain), Campbell Gill, Dane Gill, Callum Hayton, Willem Hayton, Braden Healy, Sam Kenny, Drew Roberts, Blake Wisdom. Coach Denham Wisdom. Senior wom- en: Morgan Walker, Pera Wills, Lisa Allen, Sharae Sinclair (captain), Harley Huntley, Wiri Bristowe, Kara Retcho, Paige Lovell, Emily Harvey, Ramona Waikato. Coaches: Lawrence Allen, Lisa Stove. 15-and-under boys: Zephyr Dollimore, Tyson Moon, Chey Wirepa, Taine Hunter, Jayden Lucas, Harry Robertson, Kahn MacDonald, Baxter Elsmore, Clayton Campbell, Manu Mataele, Franky Taiapa, Issac Hebberd, Lee Taia- pa. Coaches: Pauly Kahui, Nathan Gill. 15-and-under girls: Bobbi Lloyd, Charley-Lee Taoho, Abbie Boyd, Georgia Winkler, Aliana Hoani-Tau’alupe, Jazmine Moon, Lilly Gapper, Kyla Thorstensen, Lexi Newman, Cartier Barrett. Coaches: Marshall Rawiri, Fred Hoani.

Marlborough also sent a provincial team to the U17 Nationals in Wellington in January, a trip designed to expose the region’s youth to national level play. Among many positives to come out of the trip was the fact Marlborough scored 32 runs in their first four games against North Harbour, Auckland, Auckland A, and Manawatu.

Marlborough Softball have gone from eight registered teams to 19 teams this season, making for a “very exciting time” for the sport in this region, according to co-president Lawrence Allen.