Giants look for two wins in double header

Giants are intent on securing two wins when they travel over the hill to play a Hutt Valley premier men's softball league double header against Hutt City United tomorrow.
It's the first time the two sides have met this season and they go into the games on the back of strong performances at the Lion Red North Island Classic in Napier last weekend, Hutt City United winning the title and Giants placing third equal.
On the basis of those results Hutt City United will go into tomorrow night's action as favourites, especially as they dealt to Cardinals in the final and Cardinals had earlier scored a convincing win over Giants.
However, Giants coach Tony Nixon isn't at all concerned about that state of affairs because the Giants loss to Cardinals represented easily their worst effort at the Classic.
"It was a bad one, we started poorly and it got worse," Nixon said of that Cardinals match. Nixon believes Giants should be judged more on their unbeaten run in pool play where one of their four victims was Intercity series competition leaders Porirua City United.
Giants not only won that game, they won it easily by 6-0, and Nixon is adamant a repeat of anything like that form will see them claim Porirua's scalp as well. Aiding the Giants cause is that Hutt City United will be without their Black Sox Jeremy Manley and Rhys Caseley.
"It was a bad one, we started poorly and it got worse."
Manley's absence could mean that his brother, Regan Manley, will have to pitch both games and Giants has a powerful enough batting line-up to take full advantage of that situation.
A point illustrated by their batting form at the Classic which saw them register 32 runs in their four pool games, spearheaded as they were by Canadian Michael Grant who finished with the top batting average at the tournament.
There is a chance though that Giants too won't be at full strength. Their skipper Corie Karaitiana suffered an ankle injury in the match against Cardinals at Napier and is a doubtful starter. As one of the side's most accomplished batters and fielders his absence would be felt.
The good news for Giants though is pitcher Justin Karaitiana has recovered from the injury which kept out him out of the Classic and he will give Giants considerable depth in the pitching department as Ritchie Clarke and Mark Quinn were both in outstanding form at Napier.