PNG Power shut down Bears 5-0

 By EKONIA PENI 

PNG Power put on an impressive display on Sunday when they nailed Bears 5-0 in the in the main match of Port Moresby men’s softball at the Bisini Diamonds.

The match was dominated by pitcher/catcher combination of the Tovia brothers, Daniel and Isikel Junior, who recorded a three-up-three down situation against the Bears’ batters for the entire five innings that saw most of the Bears’ batters returning to the dugout without reaching the first or second bases on most occasions.

While in batting, the power men backed up by scoring the winning points through Steven Polum and David Manoa (home run) registered their first points in the opening inning.

They were followed home by Eugene ToVue (home run) in the second inning before Polum (home run) and Demas Tovia wrapped up the win with the last two points in the fifth inning.

It was a challenging afternoon for Bears, who started the match without their regular pitcher Henry Kelu and had to make-do with back-up pitchers Graham Keleu and Joe Avuchulas, who did their very best but lacked batting backup from their team-mates.

In the 2.30pm match, the Gime brothers, Saga (pitcher) and Ora (catcher) led Mantarays well and toyed with Brown Eagles batters in a match Eagles truly struggled with the bat to lose 7-1.

Ora hit a home run in the fifth inning to cap off a good afternoon, while the Kuwoh brothers, Thomas and Joe, scored two runs each, Pasi Pialkolos and Nicky Pae contributed one run each in the Mantarays’ win.

In the other matches, United Brothers scrapped through for a 6-3 win over Stingerz and Defence thrashed Kopex 8-1. 

Dolphins, on the other hand, collected two easy points without a sweat when they forfeited Gazelle who failed to field a team.

The ladder after Sunday’s matches has United Brothers still leading the competition on 15 points followed by Dolphins 14, PNG Power 14, Mantarays 13, Bears 10, Brown Eagles 10, Defence five, Gazelle three, Kopex two and Stingerz two.