Canterbury Red Sox star Gareth Cook clouted a huge home run for PCU against Papanui on Saturday.

ORIGINAL STORY by Tony Smith

Former Black Sox slugger Gareth Cook cracked a home run in PCU Devils' 2-0 win over the Papanui Tigers in a dress rehearsal for the Canterbury softball premiership grand final series.

Cook cracked a steepling hit over rightfield in the third inning on Saturday on an open diamond at Cuthberts Green.

It was only Papanui's second loss of the season, but coach Thomas Makea kept his two Canterbury Red Sox pitchers Ethan Johnston and Ben Watts in reserve ahead of next Saturday's final series against PCU.

Dean Kozanic

Cassie Siataga, better known as a big batter and base runner, but she starred on the pitcher's mound for Sydenham Kereru.

 

Makea's son, Reilly, was on the mound and the teenager held PCU to six safe hits while taking eight strikeouts.

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Shortstop Curtis Dove had three hits from three for the Devils and Carson Cox singled in the fourth inning before scoring PCU's second run on errors.

PCU pitcher Ryan Britt contained the Papanui hitters, conceding just one hit to opposite number Makea, who blasted the ball over third base beyond Adam Caves' glove in the seventh inning.

Britt took five strikeouts, delivered a solitary walk and was backed up by flawless fielding from the Devils' defence, which featured former Black Sox world champion Dan Milne at second base.

PCU had earlier shaded Albion 4-3, scoring all four runs in the second inning off Albion's starting pitcher Kevin Papuni.

Albion responded with three runs in the fourth frame after three hits, including two infield singles.

Dove, who ended the day with .714 batting average, had two hits for PCU.

Bailey Hamilton nabbed seven strikeout for the Devils, but gave up six walks and five hits.

Top qualifiers Halswell and Papanui, who will meet in Saturday's women's final series, squared off last Saturday.

Back-to-back second inning home runs to Canterbury Red Hawk Lauren Sutherland and leftfielder Elizabeth Rice helped launch Papanui's 12-1 win with shortstop Leah Stockford batting 1.000 after four consecutive safe hits.

However, Halswell's player-coach Nicole Baxter elected to start junior pitcher Alyssa Lory and use regular hurlers Lucy McIntyre and Jenni Mumm in infield roles.

New Zealand Junior White Sox pitcher Brittany Terrey had the measure of the Halswell hitters.

Terrey, whose father Brendan (Wanganui) and grandfather Buzz (Canterbury) had been playing in the national Evergreens veterans tournament at Cuthberts Green, struck out five batters and yielded a solitary safe hit - a safe bunt by catcher Emma Thornley.

No Halswell hitter moved the ball beyond the infield, relegating Papanui's outfielders to spectator status.

Papanui found Cassie Siataga's pitching harder to handle in their 9-1 loss to Sydenham Kereru (SK).

Steph Kepa hit a home run off her Red Hawks team-mate but only two other Papanui players (Sutherland and Hana Allen) managed hits off Siataga, who racked up 12 strikeouts.

Ian Hall's SK side came home with a wet sail, scoring all nine runs between the fourth and seventh innings with Siataga and Robyn Hall both collecting two safe hits.

The best-of-three finals series will be played on Saturday.

AT A GLANCE

Canterbury softball premiership results

Men:  PCU Devils 4 Albion Anteaters 3, PCU 2 Papanui Tigers 0.

Women: Papanui 12 Halswell 1 (5 innings), Sydenham Kereru 9 Papanui 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 - Stuff