Bart bags double

By HENRY MORABANG
UNITED Sisters pitcher Natalie Bart scooped two women’s award at the 36th National Gaming Control Board softball championships in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, last weekend.
From a softball-playing family, the Madang woman picked up the top pitcher award and overall player of the tournament in women’s division after guiding her Pacific MMI Port Moresby team to defend the title 2-1 against newcomers Kavieng.
The women’s team saved defending men’s champions, Port Moresby, from certain embarrassment when Bart made a three base hit to safely secure the third base before Josepha Raphael sent the ball to center outfield to bring her home, and she advanced to first and second base.
Next on the batting box was veteran Selina Karai who made a similar hit to centre outfield to bring Raphael home to seal the match.
Her brother, Dick Bart Jr’s team of Port Moresby failed to make the finals finishing embrassingly in fourth place.
The top batter awards went to Dorothy Misikaram of Lae Red while her teammate Margaret Piwen Ila picked up best infielder awards.
Margaret Sannel of Kavieng picked up the best outfielder award after leading her team into the women’s grand final.
In the men’s award, former Port Moresby PNG Power player Sialis Turalom now playing for Tabubil picked up the male player of the tournament award.
Watching the presentation of awards from the grandstand roof top, Turalom was surprised to hear his name as one of the awardees during the grand final.
Turalom said he was expecting players from other big centres such as Lae and Port Moresby but thanked PNGSF for recognising Tabubil.
“I owe it to all the Tabubil team who supported me,” he said.
Other awards for the men went to Madang Kings Meli Tarangau picking up top pitcher awards, top batter to Taki Zale also from Madang and Hatzel Omae of Lae Red won the best infielder award and Collin Mangot of NCD Meros picked out best outfielder awards
Young up-and-coming umpire Alex Solom picked up the best umpire of the tournament while his scorer Belinda Mapua collected the best scorer of the tournament.
PNGSF is expected to announce the training squad for the 2015 Pacific Games and other international tournaments tomorrow.