Mario Herbert knew the pressure was on him and a couple of the other Fast Pitch Giants' "older heads" to step up in Hawke's Bay's premier men's softball competition's pre-Christmas final on Saturday.
"With two of our key players [Cameron Willis and Puhi Rapaea] unavailable and three youngsters [Liam Udy-Johns, Ihaka Tangaroa and Bailey Scott-Wray] playing in a premier final for the first time, it was up to us older heads to lead the way. It was a hard game but I'm happy with the performance," first baseman Herbert said after the Giants captured a fourth consecutive pre-Christmas final title with an 8-5 win against Saints at Akina Park, Hastings.
A 2005 Junior Black Sox utility and the oldest player on Saturday's roster at 28, Herbert scored his brother, short stop Kane Herbert, with a sacrifice fly with his first turn at bat, got on base with walks with his next two and produced a double which scored catcher and player-coach Te Rangi Chadwick with his final turn at bat in the seventh frame.
"I'm on holidays at the moment which meant I was able to train with the boys for the first time this season on Thursday and that helped me," Herbert said.
With his brother and second baseman, Hawke's Bay under-15 rep Udy-Johns, scoring Giants led 2-0 after their first turn with the bat. Saints replied with five when a double from third baseman Hoani Crawford scored designated player Grant Dean and catcher Jacob Zurcher, Crawford and short stop Jesse Little scored on a three-bagger from outfielder Adam Woon who came home on a wild pitch.