Hutt Valley have broken Auckland’s stranglehold on the National Fastpitch Championship women’s title with an 8-5 win in the grand final.
Auckland had been bidding for a fourth consecutive championship crown but Hutt Valley beat them four times over the tournament to deservedly take the trophy home from Albany’s Rosedale Park on Sunday.
Hutt gave coach Joe Ferriso a perfect start with two runs in the first inning and another two in the second for a handy early lead before they dug deep to hold off a three-run final inning fightback by Auckland.
“It’s good to bring the trophy home to Hutt Valley,” Ferriso said in an interview on Softball New Zealand’s live streaming feed.
Ferriso – whose daughter Danica was a key part of a rock-solid Hutt Valley infield – said the early advantage was critical.
“We didn’t want them to get into the lead.”
Ferriso hailed Hutt’s “tough defence” and also heaped praise on American import pitcher Shivaun Landeros, who hit her spots.
“Her performance is just fantastic,” he said. “Her pitching is great and her fielding is sensational; she’s a work horse.”
Both sides had nine safe hits, but Hutt Valley made the most of theirs while their rivals made three costly fielding errors.
Leadoff hitter Erin Blackmore signalled Hutt’s intent with a single in the top of the first inning.
Danica Ferriso, who had an excellent game at shortstop drew a walk and power hitter Lara Andrews dutifully put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners around.
Infielder Ashley Johnston – one of the few survivors from Hutt Valley’s 2009 title winning team – stepped up and struck a leaguer into shallow centrefield to score two runs.
Hutt’s two latest White Sox internationals, Denva Shaw-Tait and Mikayla Lewin led the way in the top of the second inning.
Shaw-Tait singled and Lewin drove her and designated runner Caitlyn Lewin later scored on an infield error for an ultimately unassailable 4-0 lead.
Auckland pulled back a run in the top of the third. Katrina Nukunuku doubled but was tagged out at home plate, but Ai’eesha Hooper singled and scored on pinch hitter Freya Bullock’s safe hit.
But Johnston singled in the fourth frame and Caitlyn Lewin, who replaced her on the basepaths, scored on a wild pitch.
White Sox slugger Pallas Potter batted home Ferriso in the fifth inning for a 5-1 lead.
Auckland claimed a run back in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-2, but Hutt struck straight back in the sixth after Blackmore’s second hit of the game and a bases-loaded walk.
Hutt had quelled any hope of an Auckland comeback when Mikayla Lewin caught a big blast from American power hitter Amber Schisler inside the centrefield fence with two runners on base.
Auckland kept fighting till the end with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
White Sox outfielder Kingsley Avery smacked a double to drive in a seventh inning run with her third hit of the game. Schisler and Krysta Hoani also had RBIs, but Hutt Valley held on to get the final out.
Johnston batted 1.000 for Hutt Valley with two hits and two walks. Blackmore and Johnston also had two hits.
Auckland coach Venita Hokai said Hutt deserved credit and had “some very good hitters”.
She said Auckland were “getting the same amount of hits” as Hutt Valley, but theirs were “just not finding the gap”