Black Sox Celebrate Canada Day in Mapleton
July 2, 2009
Drayton, ON
The New Zealand Black Sox helped the Town of Mapleton celebrate their
10th anniversary with a pair of 5 inning games at Drayton Ball Park
against the South Perth League All Stars. Rain was pouring down in
Kitchener/Waterloo but just half an hour north, in Mapleton, there was
Mayor John Green's Breakfast, car shows, parades, bar b cues and other
festivities leading up to the fastball double header and Canada Day
fireworks.
MC John (Diamond Dirt) Thompson introduced the teams and Canada Day
commttee to the crowd of 1000 ball fans.
The first game was scoreless untilthe Black Sox' Rhys Casley's double in
the 3rd scored Natan Nananuku. In the home half of the 4th Doug Eidt's
South Perth squad scored 2 runs. Scott Lealess, (Milverton Jrs)
singled, Adam Fishback (Hickson Reds) walked. Elmira Expos outfielder
Kevin Gutscheur tripled to score the South Perth runs.
In the top of the fifth, Gareth Cooks NZ left fielder lead off with a
single, and scored on a Daniel Milne double. Milne was thrown out at
3rd. Nathan Nanunuku and Rhys Casley were out in order and the game
ended in a 2 - 2 tie.
Game 2 of the double header was highlighted by the 7 strike outs from
New Zealand's Marty Grant, and a crowd pleasing double play by Mitchell
Juniors 3rd baseman Scott Lealess.
In the top of the 3rd, Daniel Milne led off with a walk and followed
that up with a stolen base, Roman Gabriel popped out to second, Rhys
Casley walked, and Jared Martin singled to score Casley and Milne. That
was all that New Zealand needed.
In the 4th inning, Brad Rona lead off with a triple, and it looked like
the Black Sox might start to pour on the runs. With former major
leaguer, Travis Wilson at the plate, he turned a hard hit ball down the
chalk line at third, but Lealess fielded it, tagged Rona, and threw out
Wilson at first, bringing the ball fans to their feet with an exciting
double play.
The fifth inning was three up three down for each side.
With two great games over, the ball fans turned their attention to the
Canada Day fireworks.
Game one
New Zealand Black Sox........0 0 1 0 1
South Perth All Stars..............0 0 0 2 0
Winning picther HeineeShannon, Catcher Patrick Shannon
Heinee Shannon 3 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit 4 strike outs, 0 walks
Thomas Enoka..2 innings, 2 runs, both earned, 2 hits, one strike out and
one walk
For South Perth
Don Scott,( Sebringville), 3 innings, 1 run,earned, 2 hits, 1 strike
out, 2 walks
Dan Martin,(Elmira) 2 innings, 1 run, unearned, 1 hit and 1 strike out
Matt McGill catheer, Mitchell Mets
Game 2
New Zealand Black Sox 0 0 2 0 0
North Perth All Stars 0 0 0 0 0
For New Zealand
Thomas Enoka 1 inning pitched, 0 runs 0 hits 1 strike out
Marty Grant, 4 innings pitched, 0 runs. 1 hit, 7 strike outs
Stephen Ratu, Catcher
For South Perth All Stars
Casey Halstead (Elmira) 3 innings pitched, 2 runs both earned, 2 hits, 4
strike outs, and 2 walks
Fred Follings, (Shakespeare) 2 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 strike outs, 1
walk.
Catcher, Sean McLaren, (Hickson)
New Zealand and the South Perth All Stars play this weekend in the
Monkton Invitational.
Tuesday July 7th at Woodside Park, (Highland and Queen) in Kitchener
the Black Sox play another double header, one game with the Bridgeport
Braves, and another with the KW Cubs. First game at 7 pm.
Dennis Dosman
