Eagles survive tie breaker
Softball
BY SIMON KESLEP
Two top teams – the 2019 minor premiers against 2017/2018 reigning champions and it was a tie breaker decider setting the scene for a Port Moresby men’s A grade slugfest finals between Yokomo and Brown Eagles yesterday at Bisini diamond one.
Die hard supporters from both teams were also put under pressure with their voice box clearly shutdown at the last tie breaker.
Riddled by what Yokomo coaches called was foul central and base umpire calls, the reigning champions New Guinea Islands Insurance Broker sponsored Brown Eagles held on to win 8-6 courtesy of a skipper Martin ToAlbert outfield hit.
The win will now see them facing off with Defence in the grand final.
Defence Coach Douglas Paak said it is their first time after almost 10 seasons now that they have struggled to make it into grand final.
At certain stages of the match swearing words were barked into the diamond one but it was all cool at the end with players from both teams taking the lead to brush aside indifferences and continue with the remaining innings.
A scoreless two opening innings of play was the end result of decisive pitching deliveries by pitchers Kelly Upaupa (Yokomo) and Kolish Pagal (Brown Eagles). The match intensity slowly gained momentum when Eagles registered two runs at the completion of third inning which latter saw Yokomo closing in on the scorecard by scoring one run.
Eagles went on their trademark batting plays scoring four straight runs which prompted Yokomo to make substitution changes on the pitching mound with Upaupa substituted by Clifford Kouse. The change brought results and elevated Yokomo’s top performing sluggers to smack good hits and eventually score runs.
Yokomo batting performances came from Zale brothers Taki and Micah, Adrian Chan, skipper Paul Bogan and David Upaupa.
After the completion of seventh inning, tie breaker came into play and Yokomo were the first on bat but things did not turn out in their favor.
Eagles took hold of the opportunity and eventually saw Peter Bunbun and Pedro Kulukul closing off by scoring the two runs for the match.
“Going up next on the batting mound, coach (Julius Uvia) he just told me whatever I do, Peter (Bunbun) who was on base must come home. All I had to think of was to bring Peter home, I was not much under pressure, I knew the pitcher would throw the same rise ball so I had to go for it and smack it to the outfield,” said Eagles skipper Martin ToAlbert.
Runs scored, Eagles 8 (Consie Lumaris, Peter Bunbun, Tyron Paivu, Manu ToAlbert, Pedro Kulukul 2, Blaise Paivu, Bernard ToAlbert) d Yokomo 6 (Taki Zale, Micah Zale, Paul Bogan 2, Manu Baia, Mark Tomangana).
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