By EKONIA PENI
TOP team PNG Power was given a scare by Dolphins before escaping with a 2-1 win in yesterday’s match in round five of the Digicel Port Moresby men’s softball competition.
Never this season until yesterday were the Dolphins at their best and never this season were PNG Power stretched to the limit by a bottom team.
Yesterday PNG Power were given a clear warning that they should never underestimate the bottom teams who with capable players are able of causing upsets as the competition progresses.
In a match where the power men were expected to be shining lights, Dolphin’s pitcher Tony Williams had other ideas when he combined well with catcher Gela Geno to dim their batting chances and made it difficult for them to score easy points.
After two scoreless innings, Dolphins scored their first point and the first point of the match in the third inning through opening batter Donald Ravu.
Ravu managed to race home from a safe hit by Williams which was fumbled at second base by PNG Power’s Michael Parom.
Williams could have scored his team’s second point but was called out for three down by base umpire Peter Chalapan for taking off early from second base before the ball was pitched.
Fortunately, for the power men pitcher Danny Tovia who after pitching tirelessly for three innings still managed to hit a home run over mid-field to score the solo point and equaliser for his team.
After another pointless fourth inning the ball game really boiled down to the fifth inning to the team that can bat well to score and win the match by a point otherwise it would be a drawn encounter.
At the top of five Danny Tovia combined well with brother-catcher Isikel Tovia Junior to prevent Dolphins from scoring.
Then it was the power men’s turn to bat for a run to win at the bottom of the inning. It was Danny Tovia again who had secured base and was brought home with a safe hit by Nigel Seeto enabling PNG Power to win by a whisker.
Danny Tovia and Tony Williams were the top players for their respective teams.
In the other matches Brown Eagles defeated Samurai 13-4, SPIA Manalos thrashed Malangan 12-1, Airways Bears annihilated Bullets 10-1 and LBC Gazelle nailed Kopex 10-0.