Nik Hayes pitched champions Hutt Valley Dodgers to a vital win on the first day of the national softball tournament.

ORIGINAL STORY by Tony Smith

Champions Hutt Valley Dodgers began their national interclub men's softball title defence with two wins on the first day of the tournament in Christchurch.

Superb batting by Danny Brown, who had three hits in the number two slot, inspired the Hutt Valley champions to a 6-4 win over Brad Rona's Northcote in a feature game at Mizuno Ballpark on Thursday.

Hitters dominated with Northcote taking 11 safe hits off Dodgers' Black Sox pitcher Nik Hayes, who struck out 11 batters. Dodgers tallied 10 hits.

Dodgers leapt out to a 5-1 lead with runs to leadoff Joel Evans and Danny Brown in the first inning and a purple patch in the third fame when Brown tripled and first baseman Craig Wallace clubbed a two-run automatic home run.

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Northcote responded with a solo shot homer to Taylor Hick before tall infielder Pita Rona, who took over the pitching, drove in two runs in the bottom of the third.

Rona's father Brad also had two hits and got a free base after being hit by a pitch, the ball nestling in the crook of his arm.

Dodgers earlier beat Southland Demons 6-0 with Black Sox catcher Cory Timu slamming a home run and a double and Brad Worsley throwing six strikeouts.

But Northcote, the section's second seed, ended with two opening day defeats after earlier losing 5-1 to North Harbour stablemates Roosters. Lewis Weldon had two singles and triple for Roosters.

Veteran Black Sox star Nathan Nukunuku smashed two home runs as tournament top seed Mt Albert Ramblers thrashed Halswell 15-0.

Halswell, who had won just one game in the last two Canterbury club seasons, opened with an upset 6-5 victory over Christchurch rivals PCU Devils. Pitcher Brendon Batten slugged a triple and took eight strikeouts for the Hornets. PCU's Ihaka Davies went three from three at the plate, including a home run.

New Canterbury champions Papanui Tigers lived up to their billing as top seed in their section with wins over Marlborough Saints (4-0) and Johnsonville (7-0 in five innings). 

Johnsonville rested Black Sox pitching ace Josh Pettett, who was back at the team's hotel. Papanui scored four runs in the first inning to set up their win.

Callum Muir batted 1.000 for Papanui with two hits, including a double and Reilly Makea had two from three attempts.

Makea clouted and automatic home run and a triple in Papanui's win over Saints. Pinch hitter Jayden Britt came off the bench in the seventh inning to power a home run.

Canterbury's Black Sox pitcher Penese Iosefo was on form with bat and ball in Albion's 1-0 win over Hutt City United. He racked up 12 strikeouts and drove in the game's only run after shortstop Jack Nephoff-Bates had doubled in the fourth inning.

Pettett fanned 11 of 17 batters as Johnsonville beat Stoke Eagles 3-0.

Junior Black Sox pitcher Daniel Chapman, who showed plenty of promise at the 2016 junior world championships, collected 17 strikeouts as Eddie Kohlhase's Auckland Marist edged Porirua City United, 2-0. Veteran Duane Jerard had two hits from two for Marist for a .1000 average and Luke Peters also had a brace.

The Waitakere Bears-Saints clash was a true pitchers duel for seven scoreless regulation innings. Saints' former Black Sox hurler Kurt Schollum struck out 17 west Aucklanders and Bears' Eru Drage sat down 14 Marlborough men.

Bears' Jacob Oxley broke the impasse in the bottom of the eighth inning, batting in the winning run in the tiebreaker.

Saints later recorded their first win, shading Miramar 1-0.

AT A GLANCE

First day results from the national interclub men's softball tournament in Christchurch.

Halswell (Canty) 6 PCU Devils (Canty) 5, Roosters (North Harbour) 5 Northcote 1, Papanui (Canty) 4 Saints (Marlborough) 0, Miramar 4 Stoke Eagles (Nelson) 1, Albion (Canty) 1 Hutt City United 0, Auckland Marist 2 Porirua City United 0, Auckland United 4 Otahuhu 1, Waitakere Bears 1 Saints 0, Johnsonville (Wgtn) 3 Stoke 0, Hutt Valley Dodgers 6 Demons (Southland) 0, Poneke Kilbirnie (Wgtn) 2 Albion 1, Howick 6 Roosters 3, Ramblers (Auck) 15 Halswell 0, Papanui 7 Dodgers 0, PCU Devils 7 Porirua City 0, Dodgers 6 Northcote 4, HCU 3 Otahuhu 2, Saints 1 Miramar 0,

 - Stuff