Softballers shine at Heartland champs

Marlborough’s representative softball side put in a performance “to be proud of”, said team manager Myrna Joseph, after the side returned from the 2025-26 Heartland women’s national championships in Palmerston North.

Marlborough finished fourth in the six-team competition, staged from 29 January to 1 February, with Myrna noting, “the team’s efforts showed we can foot it with the best of the country”.

On day one, Marlborough got off to the best possible start, scoring a 10-2 win over Whangarei, then edged past Rotorua 13-12.

Things got progressively tougher though, the southerners coming up against the two top teams on day two, losing 11-4 to North Harbour then 3-1 to hosts Manawatu.

Day three involved three games, a 10-9 win over Whangarei, a 10-1 victory over Western Bay of Plenty then a 13-12 defeat to the same side.

On the final day Marlborough backed up against Western Bay of Plenty and this time ended victorious, signing off with a 10-4 triumph.

Final placings were: North Harbour, Manawatu, Rotorua, Marlborough, Western Bay of Plenty, Whangarei.

The Marlborough side was: Juliana Angulo, Aroha Ashby-Cairney, Cori-Lee Batts, Wiri Bristowe (co-captain), Sady Garcia, Em Harvey (co-captain), Hannah Johnston, Jody Klempel, Jorja Simpson, Sharae Sinclair, Wendy Tantrum, Charley-Lee Taoho, Bobbi Tatana-Lloyd, Aliana Tau’alupe-Hoani, Ivy Toa and Dalma Vilaverde. Manager Myrna Joseph, coaches Mike Godsall and Johnny Joseph. Scorers Lisa Stove and Jontae MacDonald.

Marlborough had four pick-up players, including Junior White Sox pitcher Jorja Simpson, from Canterbury. Sharae Sinclair and Ivy Toa also shared time on the mound.

Myrna described the trip as “a great learning curve for a lot of our players. We only took away two from the Marlborough region who had been to tournament before”.

“The young girls we took away, all aged between 15 and 17, played like seasoned professionals, they were Charley-Lee Taoho, Aliana Tau’alupe-Hoani and Bobbi Tatana-Lloyd from Marlborough, plus Aroha Ashby-Cairney and Ivy Toa from Nelson, who were classed as regional pick-ups.”

“It is great for such up and coming players to have the chance to play with the likes of more experienced operators such as Sharae [Sinclair] and Wiri [Bristowe], who was our player of the tournament, and was named in the tournament team.

“She hit the most home runs in the tournament … she hit five and the next best to her had one. Wiri did amazingly well for someone who has only been playing the sport for about three seasons.

“Hannah Johnston, who played first and second base, was also outstanding all round, consistent from day one to the final game.”

There were several softballing rookies who made an immediate mark, including Wendy Tantrum who was the team’s most improved player, alongside Jody Klempel “whose commitment could not be faulted”.

Myrna said the standard of opposition, some sides containing former White Sox and Junior White Sox players, came as a surprise to some of the girls.

“Occasionally they got stage fright, but that’s alright, we were the only South Island team and a small association, so to be so competitive was quite an achievement,” she added.

EVERGREENS

Next month several of the players will get a chance to play on home turf when the annual NZ Evergreens tournament is staged at Lansdowne Park on March 21-22.

Myrna expects 14 plus teams, including two from Marlborough, to attend the event which will be hosted by the Wairau club. Players must be 35 or older and have played rep softball.