By THADDEUS TIRIMAN
LBC Gazelle sent out a warning yesterday, in the Digicel Port Moresby Men’s A Grade softball with a devastating performance over a brave SPIA Manolos outfit to win 10-7.
Veteran hurler Patrick Pilak’s inclusion in the fifth inning was also strategic as he prevented a possible comeback by Manolos big hitters in David Upaupa, Ora Gime and Paul Bogan, who were batting in the seventh and last inning.
Gazelle scored their first runs in the third inning to Demas Totil, Peter Urari, Pius Martin and Harry Matthew to lead 4-0.
They added three more runs to the tally in the fourth innings through two more runs to Totil and Martin, Gabriel Pamel and Tony Daple.
Manolos turned it on in the bottom of four with five quick successive runs to trail 5-8. Manolos were looking good as a comeback was on the cards for them putting the Gazelle players in bemused position in a couple of occasions resulting in runs to David Upaupa in the fifth and Guy Kila in the sixth to trail two runs within reach after Gazelle scored a run in the fifth inning through Peniel Eliab to lead 9-7.
However, Gazelle held on to put the last nail on the coffin with a run to David Mickey and classy fieldwork in the two last innings backing up a fired-up Pilak who made his last scalp a strike- out in the form of Paul Bogen.
Gazelle will now take on minor premiers PNG Power in next weekend’s major semi-final while Manolos will wait for the outcome of yesterday’s appeal match between Airways Bears and Market 2000 Brown Eagles in the main game in which the Bears were leading 9-8 at the top of the seventh inning.
The game ended prematurely yesterday when Eagles players and supporters began shouting abuse at the umpires and were about to invade the diamonds after several obvious bad calls were made against them.
Their unsportsmanship behavior put an end to what may have been the game of this finals round and concerns have been raised at such behavior which can only be described as barbaric and of no good taste to the image of the sport in PNG.