U17 Development catcher Carmichael Gamblin scoops up the ball as Sara Rasmussen, batting for Zingari Dirty Pirates, listens to team-mates. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Softball
South Canterbury softball teams are working hard to make the top 4 with only three rounds left to be played before the semifinals.
Steelers increased their lead on the points table when they defeated Parkside Ram Raiders 14-3 last Friday night.
Steve McGrath was Steelers’ top batter.
Gemma Roberts and Vaughan Wilson both hit home runs.
Jeremy Robertson had Parkside’s only safe hit.
In second place on the points table Zingari Dirty Pirates also notched up another win when they played the U17 Development team.
The Dirty Pirates started off strongly, scoring five runs in the first inning.
A grand slam to Eddie Brady at the bottom of the second inning increased their lead to 12-1.
At the top of the third inning, U17 Development pitcher Ben Hunter-Brady scored from an outfield hit by Cooper White.
He scored off a hit by his brother Leo.
A home run to Lachie Cater made the score 12-4.
Dirty Pirates scored another five runs at the bottom of the third inning, which included a home run to Jake Norris.
The U17 team could score only one more run at the top of the fourth and the final score was 17-5 to Zingari Dirty Pirates.
Top batter for Dirty Pirates was Eddie Brady with three safe hits and six RBIs.
Temuka Black Hawks and Zingari Dirty Reds also had a close encounter, Dirty Reds scraping in with a 16-15 win.
Black Hawks took the lead 4-0 in the first inning but eight safe hits to Dirty Pirates in the second inning put them in front 9-7.
At the top of the third inning a grand slam to Cam Donovan and a solo home run to Joe Cathro put Dirty Pirates further ahead 14-8.
Going into the bottom of the fifth inning it was 16-11 to the Dirty Pirates.
Black Hawks put bat to ball and were able to score four runs before the final out.
In the other game Temuka Red Hawks narrowly beat Point Geraldine Panthers 7-5.
Two South Canterbury teams played in the Tigers tournament in Christchurch over the weekend.
In the women’s section Diamond Divas had one win and three losses.
In the men’s section the Silver Swingers had two wins, two losses and a draw.
They were unlucky not to be in the plate final, losing their game by one run.
Other results on Friday:
U9 Tee Ball: Zingari Cobras 23, Timaru South 18; Point Penguins 24, Temuka Falcons 12.
U12: Point Pumas 10, Temuka Blue Jays 4.
U15: Point Pythons 12, Zingari Mustangs 1; Zingari Wildcats 13, Geraldine Eagles 8.
— Keri Murphy, secretary South Canterbury Softball
South Canterbury Bowls open singles winner Tom Taiaroa (right) celebrates a great final with runner-up Scott Fisher. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Outdoor bowls
West End’s Tom Taiaroa was all class in winning his second South Canterbury Bowls open singles title, beating club mate Scott Fisher in one of the great singles finals played at the Kia Toa Bowling Club.
With a strong field of 44 entries, section play was played over three greens — Fairlie, Geraldine and West End.
Marshall Stoddart was on fire at the Fairlie club, claiming wins against Shayne Chisnall, Fisher and Roger Glendinning.
He also suffered a cliffhanger loss against Kia Toa’s Dean Harper 21 to 20.
With the three wins he qualified for post-section play.
There were 19 bowlers with three or more wins to qualify for the knockout section played at the Kia Toa club.
In the semifinals, players were all from West End.
Taiaroa played Chisnall, who was trying to be the first bowler in South Canterbury to win the title three years in a row.
Chisnall was leading 12 to 7, but dropped two threes in a row to the classy Taiaroa who cruised to victory 21 to 12.
Fisher competed in the other semifinal, and showed great form in beating Stoddart in the quarterfinal.
He beat development bowler Nigel Mobberley 21 to 16.
The final, between Fisher and Taiaroa — who both previously played for Park Bowling Club — was a close match.
At one point the scores were locked at 7-all.
However, Taiaroa sniffed victory at the end, winning the title 21 to 18.
It was a magnificent day for Taiaroa as he played and won all five games on Sunday to win his seventh South Canterbury title.
Last 16: Stoddart 21, Ricky Ross 15; Fisher 21, Nick Scriggins 6; Mobberley 21, Ray Christensen 20; Sam Morton 21, Harper 17; Chisnall 21, Dave Curtis 8; Trev Cloughley 21, Barrie Andrews 16; Adrian Robins 21, Jarod Trevathan 17; Taiaroa 21, Dave Wood 12.
Last 8: Fisher 21, Stoddart 19; Mobberley 21, Morton 16; Chisnall 21, Cloughley 14; Taiaroa 21, Robins 12. Semifinal: Fisher 21, Moberley 12; Taiaroa 21, Chisnall 14. Final: Taiaroa 21, Fisher 18.
— Richie Kerr
Indoor bowls
The last South Canterbury Indoor Bowls summer pairs tournament had David and Mary Mealings back to their winning ways, beating out the consistent Allan Gibson-John Dawson combination.
The countback could not have been much closer, both combinations winning three of their four games and ends tied at 21 apiece, but the Mealings combination had 43 shots, to the Gibson combination’s 42.
As there were no unbeaten teams on the night a countback was required to determine the final placings from the six teams that had three wins.
Third placed were George and Carol Tuck with 20 ends and 36 shots; fourth were Jenelle and Kelvin Lockyer (17 ends, 34 shots); fifth were Carolyn Cooper and Ann-Maree Blissett (16 ends, 31 shots); and sixth were Roydon Wood and Catherine Hickey (15 ends, 26 shots).
A busy 2024 programme awaits bowlers.
The season starts on March 13 with the SC Umpires Triples and concludes on Saturday, September 28 with closing day triples, presentations and the club challenge.
Some members will finish the season in Alexandra on October 5-6 at the annual Blossom Festival tournament.
Next Wednesday concludes the summer pairs tournaments for the season.
The first Saturday event is the opening pairs on March 16, followed by the fundraising triples on March 20.
— David Mealings SC publicity officer
