Women’s sixth softball win

Press, 30 June 1983, Page 32

Women’s sixth softball win

NZPA , staff correspondent Hong Kong

The New Zealand women’s softball team triumphed over a playing diamond like “a rice paddock,” to rack up the fifth and sixth wins of their China tour in Shanghai this week.

The team manager, Ms Merrill Ferguson, said that New Zealand had beaten provincial teams Jilin 6-1 and Sichuan 7-0 in a double header in which 21 safe hits were taken.

However, the New Zealand team lost its game on Monday against Shanghai 63, in “absolutely atrocious conditions” with heavy rain throughout play, Mr Ferguson said.

The team’s record going into the final two games of the tour, against provincial teams Shensi and Gansu at Xian, is six wins, one draw and two losses. New Zealand lost the first game of the tour against the Chinese national team 1-0 and also drew against the national team at Tienjin in an 11 innings game which was called off because of light with the score at 1-1. In the game against Jilin, a provincial team brought into Shanghai to play the New Zealanders, Jane Earnshaw and Vicki Murray top batted with two safe hits each. Sal Saleauto, Natalie Hazlewood, Robin Rutter, and Lesley Monk, all scored one each.

The pitcher, Debbie My-

gind, gave up five hits and took four strike-outs. Against Sichuan, the top batter, Lesley Monk, took three safe hits, with Robin Storer, Natalie Hazlewood, and Jane Earnshaw, taking two each. Vicki Murray, Naomi Shaw, Betsy Swinton and Edith Tuavera took one safe hit each. Cheryl Kemp pitched four strike outs, giving up three hits and one walk.

Ms Ferguson said that the Chinse sides had proved tough opposition with very strong batting although their pitching was not as good.

The tour had been exhausting, she said, particularly because of the travelling and the hospitality. Lavish welcoming banquets have been a feature of the New Zealand team’s arrival in most centres. After the final games, the New Zealand team, currently world champions, goes to Hong Kong for a tournament with Japan, China, Hong Kong, Australia. and Canada.