Softball: Hawke's Bay coach abandons her retirement plans

Second-base player Vanessa Rimene scampers home for Hawke's Bay's sole run in yesterday's final. Photo / Duncan Brown

Hawke's Bay coach Marilyn Lorimer changed her mind about retiring before her team was walloped 10-1 by North Harbour in yesterday's National Women's Evergreens Softball tournament final in Hastings.

"I had heard no team has won it four times before. North Harbour took our title off us on our turf today and we've got an opportunity to take it off them in North Harbour next year so I will put my name forward again," Lorimer said at the end of the two-day, 11-team nationals at Akina Park.

A non-travelling reserve for the 1970 World Series White Sox squad, Lorimer coached Hawke's Bay to title honours at the past three nationals. Although the Harbour outfit was a lot younger than hers Lorimer refused to use this as an excuse for the loss.

"Our top four batters had batted so well all tournament up until the final," she lamented.

In fact Lorimer's team could do little wrong until the final. They beat Manawatu 11-0, Taumarunui 7-0 and Marlborough 13-2 in pool play.

Before the final yesterday Hawke's Bay beat Southland 11-2 and Tauranga 12-2. Conceding eight runs in the sixth inning proved to be the hosts' downfall in the final.

North Harbour opened the scoring in the top of the third inning when centre outfielder Cara-Lee Blair hit lead-off batter and third-base player Kylie Shannon home. Hawke's Bay replied in the bottom of the fourth when second-base player Vanessa Rimene scampered home on a sacrifice hit from right outfielder Sharon Chapman.

North Harbour took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when designated runner Emma Waru scored on a sacrifice fly from catcher Tracy Kaminski.

After conceding eight runs in the top of the sixth Hawke's Bay had to score three more runs in the bottom of the inning to avoid the mercy rule defeat but they were unable to score one.

It was unbeaten Harbour's first final and first title in the 36-year history of the tournament.

"This is only the sixth time we've played at this tournament and this team has been together for four years. We definitely found the bat for the entire weekend and we had plenty of depth on our pitching roster," co-coach Paul Goodall said before his troops collected the trophy.

"Most of our girls will be back next year when we will attempt to go back-to-back up home at Rosedale Park," he added.

Hawke's Bay out-hit North Harbour 7-6. Hawke's Bay pitcher Kay Lorimer collected five strikeouts while her Harbour counterpart Kayleen Scott took three.

Catcher and lead-off batter Deanna Paul was the best of the Hawke's Bay batters and got on base with all three of her turns. One of her two hits was a double.

Rimene also hit a double for the hosts. There were no home runs in the final but Harbour short-stop Roberta Blair-Stilwell smashed a three bagger.

Horowhenua won the plate final with an 8-5 victory against Wairau. Because of this tournament no Hawke's Bay premier men's games were played at the weekend.

Meanwhile the Hawke's Bay boys were fourth out of seven teams and the girls third out of five at the recent Central Region under-13 tournament in Whanganui. Hawke's Bay's Innika Hapuku-Lambert was the top girls' pitcher at the tournament with an earned run average of 1.00.

Earlier in the summer Hapuku-Lambert had represented Hawke's Bay at under-15 level.
Saints will represent Hawke's Bay at the 19-team national men's interclub tournament which starts in Hutt Valley on Thursday and continues until Sunday.