Softball: Wanganui Braves win historic derby with Castlecliff Mustangs

Shane Foster swings for the Wanganui Braves in their derby win over the Mustangs at The Ballpark in Gonville today.

Whanganui's first adult derby clash in ten years was claimed by the big brother Ezi Finance Wanganui Braves, who saw off the Castlecliff Club Mustangs 13-7 at The Ballpark in Gonville this afternoon.

The matchup was in essence two games of five innings, as both clubs used their second-string players in the first half of the match – the Mustangs Black roster for the underdogs while the Braves kept star pitcher Brad Worsley on ice.

Worsley, who it was announced will play for Northcote in the national club championship, put on a pitching demonstration at the fifth inning break against members of the public and a couple of Mustangs who sneakily joined the queue to get some free practice against him.

On the collective scoreboard, the Mustangs were only down 2-1 at the time, with their Black players having faced Emanual Savage and Shane Foster as pitchers, while Devon Maihi handled the role for them.

Mustangs Black's John Proctor hits out during the first half of the ten innings match.

But when the frontline players took over, the difference between teams in the Manawatu Premier and Reserve Grade was clear, as the Braves swept out to a 9-1 lead, before Worsley handed back over to Savage for the ninth inning.

The Mustangs were then able to load the bases off consecutive hits and bring several men home with good running to narrow the gap to 9-7, but the Braves then showed them how to convert all three base runners into runs with one hit, as they moved back out to a four run advantage.

Foster then pitched a shutout in the final innings to seal the win, although to be fair the occassion of two local adult men's clubs playing each other for the first time in a decade outweighed the result.

It was also a fun chance to see a little family feud as the Braves' Jamie Hollis faced Ben, Josh and Jake in the Mustangs lineup.

Wanganui Softball Association's Lindsay Edwards officiated the historic match.

Mustangs's pitcher Trent Hemi started well at the top of the sixth with a shutout, but then the Braves walked dangerman Jeff Yacap for the first of two times for an accidental hit to the body, before Worsely got the rest.

Savage and Glen Casey had powerful hits and base steals to eventually get home for 4-1, and after three straight strikeouts by Worsley, the Braves kicked it up a notch, helped by a few misfields, as Worsley, Stephen Barnes, and Ricky Boniface all jogged home in their next two innings.

The match seemed sealed by the top of the ninth, when Marama Savage went from second to home, followed by Peter Flood and Worsley off good hits by Jamie Hollis and Kajah Hunapo for 9-1.

However, Yacap started against Emanual Savage with a speedy hit to third and then a steal home, and one by one Danny Green, Trent Hemi and Jake Hollis all made base or got walked, before Te Martini hit Green home then Petera Martini made base despite Hemi getting caught short of home plate.

A walk brought Hollis home before Ollie Dalton's low hit brought in two more runs, and Josh Hollis being dropped added another at 9-7, before Hollis would be the last out trying to steal third.

The Braves stayed calm as Casey, Marama Savage, and Toby Rison all made base, then Paddy Steele smashed the Hemi pitch to bounce into the back fence and bring them all home while going to third.

Although Steele would be out trying to steal another run, Phil Taylor had already hit his way to second base, stealing third, and Tane Beckham had another powerful centre drive to bring him home.

Hemi finished with two strike outs, but then Foster closed out any thoughts of a final innings comeback after an out at first and two good catches.