Sensational U.S. win over N.Z.

Press, 25 January 1986, Page 80

Sensational U.S. win over N.Z.

By

TIM DUNBAR,

in Auckland

Ed Dolejs could hardly be described as a conservative coach after New Zealand’s sensational game against the United States when the Mazda women’s world softball championships continued in Mangere yesterday.

The United States became the only unbeaten team in the series with its 3-2 win over New Zealand in a 12-innings tie-breaker match that lasted a marathon two hours and 23 minutes. New Zealand lost its perfect record in roundrobin play only after Mr Dolejs had tried everything, using tactics both orthodox and extraordinary.

In the course of the game Mr Dolejs used every member of his 17player squad — with the exception of the injured Karen Mills — to bat,

field, run, or pitch. More remarkably, during one period after the tie-breaker had been applied, the New Zealand coach brought an extra player into the Infield, leaving just two outfielders and an apparent huge hole.

Although the Americans did not hit the ball into the outfield, the New Zealand catcher, Lesley Monk, dropped a simple throw from the infield to let in the United States tying run in the bottom of the eleventh.

Other things just did not pan out for Mr Dolejs, most notably in the top of the twelfth innings, when, after a mix-up in the dugout, Rhonda Hira batted out of order. The mistake was discovered only seconds after Hira had batted in Natalie Hazelwood for what could have been the winning run. Carol Moore, deafened by the noise of the crowd, failed to hear a call to turn bag, and was tagged at home.

It was a quick-fire affair during the regulation seven Innings, but there was action aplenty once the tie-breaker was applied in the tenth. The patriotic crowd, the biggest so far, really warmed up with blaring hooters and whistles. All the runs were scored in the tie-breaker innings, and the scores were locked at 1-1 after the tenth, and 2-2 after the eleventh.

The match finally ended only when the automatic runner for the United States, Jackie Gaw, came home from third base on a wild pitch by Debbie Mygind. After all the bizarre happenings of the match, Mr Dolejs said: “You would have to admit it was an exciting match. It’s not life or death. It’s a game.”

New Zealand at least had the satisfaction of out-batting the Americans by five hits to two, with the home team’s tally including two hits by Monk. Mr Dolejs said that the New Zealand players now knew they could play as well, if not better, than the Americans. The outfielder, Robyn Storer, playing in her third world series, probably summed up the team’s attitude when she said confidently: “We’ll be back.” Both the United States and New Zealand were already guaranteed a place in tomorrow’s semifinals, but New Zealand needs to beat both Taiwan and China in its final round-robin games today so it will have the advantage of being the No. 2 qualifier.

The other semi-finalists will include China and either Canada, Puerto Rico, or Taiwan.

Other results yesterday.— Holland 2, Australia 0; Canada 1, Taiwan 0; China 2, Puerto Rico 1 (11 innings); Japan 1, Italy 0.