By Tony Smith

The ELE Papanui Tigers had to roll out their big batting guns to beat the PCU Devils in a brilliant three-game finals series and clinch their fifth successive Canterbury men’s title.

Ted Forrester’s young Devils unit set the playoffs alight with a 8-5 win in game one, requiring the Tigers to work hard to win 5-3 and 7-6 to ensure the silverware stays at Papanui Domain.

Papanui needed four automatic home runs from Black Sox pair Tyron Bartorillo (2) and Jackson Watt and longtime Canterbury utility Anthony Stuart to win the vital second game and keep their championship hopes alive.

It was great theatre for the Mizuno Ballpark faithful, and perfect build-up for the two side’s national interclub campaigns in Lower Hutt later this week.

Devils deliver

Grayson Keepa’s three safe hits and some heady pitching by left-handed teenager Liam Potts earned the PCU Devils a deserved 8-5 win in the first encounter.

Papanui got straight down to business in the top of the first when Jackson Watt drove in Mitch Finnie and then scored on an error.

But DP Keepa batted in Curtis Dove and Josh Harbrow in the bottom of the first to tie up at 2-2.

Tigers DP Callum Muir and catcher Nathan Watt scored for Pap in the second frame, the latter on Mitch Finnie’s second safe hit of the game.

But PCU grabbed a 6-4 lead with four runs in the third inning, with Leon Lumb, Harbrow, Bailey Hamilton and Keepa crossing the plate in a rally notable for Keepa’s second RBI of the game as he showed just why coach Forrester wanted him in the No 4 power hitter slot.

Keepa collected his third hit and Andy Verheul followed with a single in the fourth frame, both scoring after a single by catcher Cam Watts.

Jackson Watt replaced starting pitcher Ben Watts at that point and put an end to any further Devils derring-do.

But the Tigers managed just one more run themselves, when Nathan Watt batted in Muir, who had singled.

PCU would not denied, outbatting Papanui 11 hits to seven. Keepa recorded a .750 average (three from four) and Harbrow went two from four.

Pitcher Potts did not take a strikeout, but he proved hard to get away for some Tigers. The southpaw, who pitched PCU to the South Island under-18 club title in Dunedin this season, was unfazed at facing the meat of Papanui’s batting order – Jack Watt, Tyron Bartorillo, Ant Stuart and Callum Bishop, giving up just one hit (an infield single to Watt) to that quartet.

Finnie, the Papanui shortstop who drives from Dunedin to play club ball, topped the Tigers’ hits total with three from four, while Nathan Watt had a safe bunt and a single at the top of the order.

Home run spree

Papanui took the long ball route in their 5-3 victory in the second game with four home runs soaring over the outfield fence.

Bartorillo started the slug fest with a solo shot over centrefield in the top of the second inning, but PCU equalised when Dru De Latour came in on a Cam Watts sacrifice.

PCU starting pitcher Quinn Wickens’ game was done after he gave up a double to Finnie and then back-to-back homers to Jackson Watt and Bartorillo for three crucial runs in the top of the third.

The Devils did not throw in the towel, though, with De Latour tripling to score his second run off Craig Nelson’s sacrifice fly to leftfield.

Ant Stuart’s automatic home run flew over the left-centrefield fence in the fifth inning to complete Papanui’s scoring before Josh Harbrow hammered his second double of the game to score Cam Watts for the Devils’ third and final run.

Papanui had 10 hits – five in the third frame – with Bartorillo and Nathan Watt leading with two from four.

Once again, Liam Potts had a good stint on the Devils’ mound, coming on in relief after Bartorillo’s second home run. He held the Tigers to three hits thereafter, including Stuart’s auto.

Harbrow’s two doubles were the Devils’ best effort, with De Latour, Curtis Dove and Craig Nelson collecting their other hits.

Tigers starter Ben Watts faced eight batters for two hits, two strikeouts and two walks before handing over to Jack Watt in the bottom of the second inning. The leftie went on to rack up 10 strikeouts for two hits, and no walks.

Nailbiter

Anthony Stuart shouldn’t have had to buy a beer on Saturday night after thumping a two-bagger to score Tyron Bartorillo for the run that saved the Tigers’ title.

The Devils pushed the champions to the brink before Stuart’s shot earned Papanui a 7-6 win after more than six hours of epic playoffs softball.

PCU opened with a stunning three runs in the top of the first inning after Harbrow picked a walk, Keepa (who had gone hitless in game two after his game one heroics) doubled to centrefield, Verheul beat out an infield single and De Latour hit safely to centrefield.

Papanui struck straight back to tie it up after a Finnie triple, Jackson Watt’s double and consecutive singles from Stuart and Callum Bishop.

The Tigers took a 4-3 lead after Nathan Watt singled and scored on brother Jackson’s hit down the third base-leftfield line.

It looked comfortable for Papanui after Finnie collected his second hit of the game and he and Jack Watt scored on a Stuart hit for a 6-3 lead.

Having come so far, the Devils were not giving up without one final flourish. They squared the ledger with three runs in the fifth after Craig Nelson doubled, Cam Wats singled to shortstop, Leon Lumb singled and Harbrow clouted another two-bagger.

Jackson Watt, after giving up three back-to-back hits, recovered his composure to keep the Devils at bay for the final two batting stanzas.

Then up stepped Stuart in the bottom of the sixth to drive in Bartorillo for his third RBI, and his third hit from four successful sashays to home plate.

Papanui plundered 11 hits from three PCU pitchers, young starter Mitchell Dierck, reliever Bailey Hamilton and closer Quinn Wickens, who combined for six strikeouts.

For the third time in as many games, Tigers coach Carl McIlroy stuck to his strategy of starting Ben Watts (3 hits, 3 KS, 3 walks) before bringing on Jackson Watt (6 hits, 5 Ks, 1 walk).

Stuart led Papanui’s offence with .750, while DP Callum Muir went two from three and Finnie made the most of his long drive from Dunedin with two hits from four.

The core of the Papanui team has been together for five championships seasons since the club broke a 41-year drought in 2017, with coach McIlroy building on the solid foundation created by former mentor Thomas Makea.

Albion third

The young Albion Pirates deservedly finished the season in third place after a 4-1 win over Halswell.

All four runs came in the third inning after hits by Matt Dougherty (two from three), Lopeti Sumner, Matt Watts (double) and Dylan Potts.

Halswell had led 1-0 after Kieran Nation scored in the second inning.

His was one of only two hits conceded by Albion’s Canterbury Red Sox pitcher Kevin Papuni, who fanned 10 Hornets batters and yielded just one walk.

Club nationals

Four of the five Canterbury premiership teams – Papanui, PCU, Albion and Halswell – will play at the national interclub tournament at Lower Hutt’s Fraser Park, starting Thursday.

Six teams from the Auckland region, three from Hutt Valley, three from Wellington and Southland’s Panthers complete the 17-team field.

Nathan Nukunuku’s Mt Albert Ramblers are the defending champions from 2019. The tournament was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Article added: Wednesday 10 March 2021