Carmelle Sorenson as a 16-year-old Villa Maria student selected for the 2006 New Zealand women's softball team. Ten years later, she returns to Christchurch as the Queensland Heat and Australia catcher.

Black Sox infielder Josh Harbrow will help lead the Canterbury Red Sox at the Southern Cross Challenge softball tournament in Christchurch.

She helped the Queensland Heat win the Gilley's Shield Australian inter-state series in January and will be part of their Southern Cross Challenge team. Many of her senior team-mates, including Australian internationals Justine Smethurst and Chelsea Forkin, are missing from the squad for the Christchurch tournament.

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* Canterbury Red Sox lose Southern Cross Challenge final

Canterbury Softball Association operations manager Moira Annandale said Queensland had been unable to send a team to Christchurch due to the costs incurred attending the Australian national tournament in Adelaide.

It is the second successive time the Queensland men have not played in Christchurch. The Southern Cross Challenge alternates between Brisbane and Christchurch annually.

Five teams will contest the women's division this weekend. The Canterbury Red Hawks and Queensland Heat will be joined by New Zealand A - the back-up squad to the White Sox - the Southern Pride and a Canterbury Development team coached by ex-White Sox pitcher Suzy deLatour and former Canterbury and Wellington catcher Carley McFarlane.

Canterbury Red Hawks coach Paul Stockford has added Hutt Valley-based American pitcher Alyson Spinas-Valainis to his roster and has promoted young players Nerissa McDowell, Bohemian Quinn and Alexandra King. Outfielder Robyn Hall will back up after helping Auckland's Western Magpies win the national interclub title last weekend.

The young Development team will be supported by former Canterbury representatives Jenni Mumm, Bev Lethlean, Krystal Werahiko and Elisha Smith.

Werahiko will face the rare distinction of playing against her sister, Carly, the Canterbury Red Hawks captain and her clubmate at Sydenham Kereru. Their mother, Gail Werahiko, will be managing the New Zealand A team, coached by Canterbury's Carl Tuinenga.

Auckland-based pitcher-catcher duo Marissa Berkes and Breanna Gibson will turn out for the Southern Pride.

The Canterbury Red Sox and New Zealand Junior Black Sox will be joined in the men's division by a Canterbury under-23 selection and a Southern Pride Development team.

The Red Sox have lost a clutch of top players, including Black Sox pitcher Penese Iosefo, veterans Gareth Cook and Matt Holmes and catcher Ihaka Davis, who are unavailable. Former Black Sox outfielder Josh Thomson is injured.

But Black Sox infielders Josh Harbrow and Tyron Bartorillo will guide the side and Ryan Merriman, a Queenslander playing in Christchurch this season, will made play first base. Former Junior Black Sox hurlers Ethan Johnston and Ben Watts will do the pitching.

Junior Black Sox coach Thomas Makea will be using the tournament to give his squad game-time before their mid-winter assignment at the world under-19 championships in Michigan. He has Canterbury quartet Jackson Watt, Bailey Hamilton, Callum Bishop and Reilly Makea in his team and a number of promising pitchers, including Auckland's Daniel Chapman and Wellington's Sam Marley.

Play starts on Friday at Mainland Foundation Ballpark with the finals on Monday.

 

 

 

 

 - Stuff