may2006

Marist St Michael's Magic Mens Fastpitch softball team out of Rotorua, New Zealand season rap

May 27, 2006

Marist St Michael’sMagic Mens Fastpitch softball team out of Rotorua, New Zealand

 
Subject:  Marist St Michael's Magic Mens Fastpitch softball team out of Rotorua, New Zealand season rap 
  
 
What aSoftball Season now the Dust has settled.
 
Well what a year it has been.
 
The Marist St Michael’sMagic Mens Fastpitch softball team out of Rotorua, New Zealand had a year of great success, and many fond memories.
 
Started withy many months of planning which produced ourteam vision "10 or better" by Barry Purcell (Manager),Lee Clarke (Softball President) and Jason Gerbes (captain).
 
It was the catalyst to the magic posting some great numbersin their 61 Game 7 Tournament season.
 
The magic achieved a win percentage of .609, scored 330 runsfrom 1284 turns at bat, 59 of those runs by the sweetest of swings the"Home Run"
 
During their 311 innings of softball we stole 77 Bases, andwhere caught 21 times. We took that lonely walk back to the dug-out after beingstruck out 410 times.
 
Our Pitches preformed well by throwing a total of 4154strikes, for a total of 444 strike-outs. The team allowed 188 runs this season,but will need to work on the 88 that where allowed through errors.
 
All of theses stat's helped the Magic to a bronze finish atthe Braves Tournament in Wanganui, a Sliver finish at the Lion Red Classic inHastings then a Champions title billing at the Rehe Joseph Memorial inHamilton, and a international scalp of the Japan varsity touring team.
 
This set us up for the Two goals in our vision statement"10 or better" To win the Rotorua league for an unprecedented 3rdstraight Year and to finish the king of all Tournaments "The New ZealandClub Championships" in 10th place or better.
 
The final of the Rotorua league saw the Magic against firsttime finalist Tarewa Giants lead by the Veteran pitching of Vaughan Grey. Thisclose match was sealed with a 7th innings home run by right fielder BlakePurcell to take the Magic to the final championship winning score line of 2-0.Goal one achieved!
 
Then on to "10 or better" which was a huge goalset. Ball teams outside of the major softball centre's in NZ are not supposedto make the elite top eight. So we set off to Hastings for thefive day long tournament as the quite unknown team from Rotorua.
 
We where pooled with 5 other teams, and the top 2 finisherswould make the illustrious “top eight”. First up was AucklandUnited which saw the Marist Magic march pass12-2. Then the mighty Porirua who finished 3rd last year; this turned out to bethe game of the Tournament for us. Porirua opened with 2 runs in the first,which we quickly replied with 1 in the bottom of the first then 3 in thesecond. Porirua tied it up with a run a piece in the 4th and top of the 7th.Then came the dark. The game was delayed 90 minutes while we where transferredon to the main diamond under lights. So at 4 all, with 3 outs to get 1 run towin the game, Grey hits a high infield blooper and scampers to second, withreplacement runner Hohepa on second base, Lataire hits one off the rightfielders glove to score the winning run. Magic wins 5-4.
 
Next up is the eventual winners Hutt City United lead by theMVP pitching of NZ Blacksox Jeremy Manly. The rain stopped play as did Manleywith our runs. HCU win 2-0. So we must win the remainder of our pool matches tomake the top eight.
 
Well Gervasutti strikes out 15, with Gervasutti, Lataire andColquhoun home runs we beat Howick of Auckland 4-1 and Grey throws a completegame to over come the Hawkes Bay Harvest 4-3. Celebration time! Marist Magic finishessecond in our pool and makes the Golden "Top eight" Second goalachieved!
 
Season awards went to the following: "The strike outKING" or kings with 39 a piece Lee Clarke and Blake Purcell, Golden gloveBlake Purcell, Top Hitter Sebastian Gervasutti .442, MostImproved Blake Purcell and MVP Sebastian Gervasutti.
 
We would like to tank all the opposition we faced this year36 different teams, the tournament and competition organisers. Our sponsors formaking life a lot easier, Easton, Photo Arts, Hitchins NZ, Duxton Hotels,Conning Signs. All the players for their unconditional efforts to achieving ourgoals, the Coaches Alan Pukepuke, Laurence Alan and Ken Price, our StatisticianJacquie Horgan and a huge thanks to our MangerBarry "The legend" Purcell.
Lastly our supporters and great families for being the rockbehind the mountain.
 
Marist Magic squad for 2005-6season, Austin Gear, Eric Short, Richard De Graaf, Blake Purcell, DwayneTapson, Santiago Lataire, Duane Bishop, LeeClarke, Sebastian Gervasutti, Jason Gerbes, Kelvin Tapson, WayneHorgan, with tournament play from Shane Hunuhunu, Wayne Norman, ReubenColquhoun, Terrance Hibbert, Brett Wellings, BJ Hohepa, Robbie Jowers, Waki Akurangi, Phil Ngawaka, Jonas March, Marlin Gardiner, KapuarangiGardiner, Victor Reihana, Leon Hardie, Brandon Fuge, Louis Jogar, Matthew Collins, Joe Fazakerley, Vaughan Grey, Blair Gurnic, Mario Herbert,George Ironside, Wesley Knapp, Dylon Pederson, Huia Vercoe, Puru Waerea, Kelly Winsor. 
 
All of the 2005-2006 season news can be checked out at www.leaguelineup.com/marist-magic
 
That’s us for the 2005-2006 season, time now to rug upfor the NZ winter. Only the imagination holds the reality of nextseason.........see you then.
 
Loving the long ball.
Marist St Michaels Magic Softball
Web Page www.leaguelineup.com/marist-magic
 
Jason Gerbes
email: jason@hitchins.co.nz
Mobile:   021 527 667
Fax:        07 348 7311
10 Horoeka Street
Springfield
Rotorua
New Zealand
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