Softball: It's kid's play as Saints retain crown

Saints pitcher Adam Woon winds up during his team's win in Saturday's final. Photo / Paul Taylor

Expect Caleb Leddie to store Saturday's date in his memory for future reference.

The St John's College Year 10 14-year-old will refer to it regularly when he eventually becomes a father and then a grandfather and his children and grandchildren quiz him about his sporting pursuits as a youngster.

As a substitute tie-breaker runner for player-coach Paul Woon, Leddie, scored the winning run as Saints retained Hawke's Bay's premier men's post-Christmas softball title with a 2-1 victory against pre-Christmas champions Fast Pitch Giants at Akina Park, Hastings.

"It was pretty good. I only got back to the park after the start of the fourth inning as I had to go to school for a basketball trial," Leddie explained.

In addition to the premier final and the basketball trial Leddie, a Hawke's Bay under-15 outfielder, had played in three softball games earlier in the day.

He played for the Saints under-15 team which beat their Havelock North High opponents, the Saints under-19 boys team which won their final 8-0 against Maraenui Pumas and the Saints senior B side which lost their final 6-4 to Flaxmere.

It was only after Leddie left the B final in the sixth inning that Flaxmere gained the upper hand. There was no doubt he was the Saints lucky charm on Saturday.

As the score suggests Saturday's final was tight. Giants opened the scoring in the top of the fourth when third baseman Puhi Rapaea hit player-coach Te Rangi Chadwick home. Saints equalised in the bottom of the fourth when right outfielder Xaviar Herrick hit short stop Jesse Little home.

It was a memorable day for the Herrick family as Xaviar's father Luke was player-coach of the Flaxmere senior B side. With no more scoring in the regulation seven innings it was tie-breaker time.

The Saints defence kept Giants out and Leddie completed his busy sporting day when he scampered home on a pass ball from the Giants Canadian pitcher Kyle Crawford. While Crawford was visibly disappointed with the loss he would have been proud of the progress made by 17-year-old Saints pitcher Adam Woon whom he has been mentoring throughout the season.

Junior Black Sox training squad member Woon struck out six of the 32 batters he faced while conceding six hits.

Crawford collected eight strikeouts and gave up three hits. Woon later won the top pitcher of the season award at the Hawke's Bay prizegiving and Little, who made a crucial double play in the sixth inning, won the top batter award.

Top qualifiers Saints had the luxury of going into the final after an easier semifinal in which they walloped fourth qualifiers Fast Pitch Rockets 10-0. Giants were pushed hard by Maraenui Pumas before winning 3-1.