Softball: Trio told to keep walking

Regan Manley got a one-game suspension after his ejection at the national interclubs.

Coach Luke Herrick and two of his Central Vikings players were ejected during a match at the national men's interclub softball tournament in Nelson yesterday.

Herrick, his son and designated runner, Xaviar Herrick, and former Black Sox pitcher Regan Manley were ordered from the diamond for dissent in the fifth inning of the Hawke's Bay rep team's 5-2 loss to Auckland's Eden Roskill at Saxton Park.

Luke Herrick.

"The umpires were looking after the big city side's strike zone more than ours," coach Herrick said afterwards.

While no further action was taken against the Herricks, Manley received a one-game suspension which he served in the following game, an 8-0 loss to Auckland United. These losses followed two during Wednesday's first day of play, 1-0 against Hutt City United and 5-2 against Canterbury team Papanui.

"We shouldn't be down this far on the ladder but it is what it is. We're good enough to win this bracket and we'll be doing our best to do so," Herrick said referring to the fact Vikings will begin playoffs in the 18-24 group today.

"We've been hitting the ball in most of our games but we haven't been finding the gaps like our opponents," Herrick lamented. The Vikings didn't get any safe hits against Hutt City United who scored the only run of the match in the sixth inning. Against Papanui the Vikings were out hit 9-4.

First baseman Callum Carson and right outfielder Luke Woon scored the Vikings runs. Manley pitched against Papanui and Junior Black Sox hurler Adam Woon was on the mound against Hutt City United.

The Vikings trailed 3-2 when the trio were ejected. Adam Woon replaced Manley on the hill and another two runs were leaked when an error was made in the outfield.

Eden Roskill produced six safe hits, four more than the Vikings. Luke Woon scored on a hit from catcher Curtis Huata and Huata scored on a hit from shortstop Te Rangi Chadwick.

Auckland United out hit the Vikings 12-6. They scored two runs in the second inning, three in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh.

In Manley's absence the Woon brothers shared the pitching duties. Coach Herrick is happy with how his youngsters including Carson, Adam Woon and his son, Xaviar, are performing.

Six Hawke's Bay-based players, the White Sox World Series bound trio of pitcher Rita Hokianga, catcher Melanie Gettins and shortstop Hailey Breakwell, former White Sox infielder Angela Stubbs, along with Americans Allyssa James and Mallory Ingalls are in the Hutt Valley Dodgers team which won their first three games at the Hutt Valley-hosted 13-team national women's interclub tournament yesterday.

They beat Auckland Ramblers 5-0, Johnsville-Newlands 8-7 after three tie-breaker innings and Auckland Marist 11-4. Gettins said Breakwell has been outstanding with the bat for a team in which everyone is contributing.

"I know people are starting to talk us up a bit but the Auckland Magpies, Otahuhu and Waitakere Bears are still the favourites." Dodgers are scheduled to play Poneke Kilbirnie and Otahuhu today. Stubbs, James and Gettins were members of the Hawke's Bay Dodgers team which won the national title in 2014.