Received: 3/26/06 2:05:33 AM From: Vance <vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz> Subject: Wainui in fairytale win at women's national club champs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wainui in fairytale win at women's national club champs Sunday March 26th 2006 - 7:30pm After more than 15 years out of the premier womenýs softball competitionWainui have returned to the division with the bang claiming the NewZealand Community Trust Womens National Club title at CanterburyFoundation Park in Christchurch today. NZCT White Sox players Togi Lote and her sister Upu were the backbonebehind the formation of the premier one womens team in Wainui thisseason and they were richly rewarded today. Wainui won the final over thepreviously unbeaten Auckland Marist 7-4 in emphatic fashion. Wainui player coach Togi Lote believes Wainui havenýt had a premier onewomens team for over 15 years and says along with her sister theydecided to get a team together to give something back to the Wainuiomatacommunity. Upu and I have always wanted to play for Wainui, in the past we havenever had a team to go to so we thought we would start a team, said TogiLote. The victorious coach says many of the players in the team live in theWainuiomata area or have in the past. Wainui set the tone for the final when in the bottom of the first inningthey scored two runs with Upu Lote and Trish Hina both scoring on a hitto left field by Togi Lote. After the opening inning Auckland Marist were always on the back foot andwhile they pulled one run back in the third inning they never had thelead in the game. Wainui added one more run in the third inning and three more in thefourth to give them a 5-1 lead and after that they were never going togive it up. Auckland Marist pulled one run back each in the fifth, sixthand seventh innings but they never seriously challenged Wainui who addedone more run themselves in the sixth inning to further extend theirlead.. Victorious coach Togi Lote says the win was a big result for all theplayers in her team and a first national club title for all of them. We have all put a lot of time and effort into this team and the win meansa lot to everyone not just us put also our friends and family at home. In the final Wainui pitcher Trish Hina pitched a strong game to deny thedangerous Auckland Marist hitters. Hina faced 31 batters giving up sevenhits and two walks while taking three strikeouts. Hina was alsoinfluential with the bat picking up two hits and one walk in thefinal. In an attempt to defuse the Wainui hitters Auckland Marist used twopitchers in the game, Michelle Kingi started on the mound before beingreplaced in the fourth inning by Carina Hale. Kingi re entered the gamein the sixth inning. Kingi faced 23 batters giving up five hits and fivewalks while taking four strikeouts. During her time on the mound Halefaced 11 batters giving up five hits. Reflecting on the win Togi Lote couldnt get the smile off her face andwas full of praise for all her players and also the team management. Through out the year we have done a lot of team building stuff and I knewwe had the team and the talent but we just had to do everything right offthe field. With all our preparation I wasnýt scared of any one here atthe tournament but I wanted us to raise our level so everyone wasfollowing us. Victory in the national club champs wraps a victorious year for Wainuiwho also claimed the Intercity title in the combined Wellington and HuttValley club competitions. Just getting through to the final was a tight affair for Wainui who hadto overcome defending champions Te Aroha in the semi final. Wainui wontheir semi final 5-2 but had to rely on the three run rally in the top ofthe seventh inning to book the final spot. Auckland Marist won their semifinal in convincing fashion 11-1 over Northcote. FINAL DAY RESULTS - Melville 5 Poneke Kilbirnie 3, Albion 15 Stoke 0, Johnsonville 9 RichmondKeas 1, Red Shots 12 Ellis Park 4, Te Aroha 14 Northcote 2, ParklandsChristchurch United 7 Saints 0, Waitakere Bears 2 Miramar 0. Semi finals ý Auckland Marist 11 Northcote 1, Wainui 5 Te Aroha2. Final Wainui 7 Auckland Marist 4. Final Placings 1 Wainui, 2 Auckland Marist, 3 Te Aroha, 4Northcote, 5 Parklands Christchurch United, 6 Saints, 7 Waitakere Bears,8 Miramar, 9 Melville, 10 Poneke Kilbirnie, 11 Albion, 12 Stoke, 13Johnsonville, 14 Richmond Keas, 15 Burnham Red Shots, 16 Ellis Park. Tournament Top Pitcher Michelle Kingi (Auckland Marist). Tournament Top Batter Melisa Upu, average .640 (Te Aroha). Tournament MVP Trish Hina (Te Aroha). By SNZ Media Liaison: Kelly Mitchell * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.softball.org.nz/ *mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Cheers Vance Softball New Zealand web master. * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Als Fastball List *Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.AlsFastball.com/ NEWS: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball VIA http://www.webbox.com
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