21 teams to attend softball club tourney

TWENTY-one teams will be participating in this year’s InterOil softball club championships in Port Moresby.
The four-day challenge, which starts tomorrow at Bisini Diamonds, has attracted champion clubs from Tabubil, Mt Hagen, Kavieng, Madang, Lae and Port Moresby.
PNG Softball Federation president Chris Bais yesterday said the 12 men’s and nine women’s teams had confirmed their participation at the tournament.
The teams: Karanas, Eagles Rangers (Tabubil), PNG Power, United Brothers, Mantarays, Gazelle (Port Moresby), Manalos, Admiralty, Karanas (Lae), Newtown Tigers, O’9ers (Madang) and Brown Eagles (Mt Hagen) in the men’s division.
The women’s teams: Bears, Stingerz, Wantok, United Sisters, (Port Moresby), O’9ers (Madang), Eagles Rangers (Tabubil), Manolos, KaraSharks (Lae) and Gold Nuggets (Kavieng).
Bais said the event was shelved for the past two years due to the mini Pacific Games and the PNG Games last year.
Bais said the preparations were well underway with teams from Lae Karanas and Mt Hagen Brown Eagles already in Port Moresby.
Newtown Tigers player Isimel Marnapal said they were ready to cause an upset in Port Moresby.
Marnapal, now residing in Madang, acknowledged the support of PNG Port Services in Madang, Madang sports office and several individuals for  supporting the team to attend the championships in Port Moresby.