Gatorade/Pepsi
Fast Pitch league winds down
by Tina Mata'afa
Samoa News Sports Writer
The 2008 Gatorade/Pepsi
Fast Pitch American Samoa Softball Association Fast Pitch League
is winding down to its final week of the season with playoffs
set to begin, Monday, May 5 at the Tony Solaita Baseball Field
and the championships set for Saturday, May 10.
"As we are
winding down to the final weeks of our league, I would once again
thank our major sponsor, Gatorade and Pepsi, distributed by Panamex
Pacific and General Manager Mr. David Robinson, for their on-going
support of softball," said ASSA President Larry Sanitoa.
Teams are upping
their level of play with several surprising upsets taking place
last week.
Sanitoa said,
"in my honest opinion, the level of competition has improved
a great deal since two years ago. I'm extremely pleased with
the number of our young players participating in this year's
league. It is a reflection of our association's commitment to
the future of our young people and the future of the sport we
love."
In the men's
division, Utulei went into their Saturday match 1-5-1 and emerged
victorious 14-7 over Coastline in game two.
Coastline had
defeated the men's division leader, Solar, 27-4 in a make-up
match Tuesday, April 22.
On Saturday,
Solar redeemed themselves by defeating P. Pacific.
Sanitoa said
at this point "the men's division is too close to call."
"Solar and
P. Pacific battled it out on Saturday with Solar winning with
a score of 10-8. This was an exciting game between the first
and second place teams," he said.
Solar (5-2) remains
number one in the men's standings; P. Pacific (4-3-1) is in number
two; Coastline (3-3-1) is number three and Utulei (2-5-1) is
at the bottom of the men's standings.
Each team has
two games left.
A make up game
between Solar and Coastline has been set for today at 4:30 p.m.
In the women's
division, Westside handed league leaders Kip McGrath their first
loss of the season on Saturday, winning 14-4. In game three
R & J MacKenzie defeated Dare 15-4.
R & J MacKenzie
upset Kip McGrath 9-7 yesterday in the first of two women's matches
set for this week. R & J Mackenzie gave Kip McGrath their
second loss in the season yesterday. Tomorrow, Dare will meet
Westside.
"Kip McGrath
lost their first game last Saturday to Westside, (who) played
well and took control of the game from the start. However, even
with two games left, I believe Kip McGrath is too far ahead of
all of the teams and should end up in first place," said
Sanitoa. "Westside and McKenzie will battle it out for second
and third with Dare taking last place."
Kip McGrath (6-2)
still holds onto number one in the women's division. Westside
(4-3) is number two; R & J MacKenzie is in number three (4-4)
and Dare is at the bottom of the women's standings (1-6).
"A reminder
that there is a 15-minute grace period for these weekly games,"
Sanitoa said. "If both teams are not there by 4:45 p.m.,
both teams will be forfeited. There will be no exceptions to
this rule. With games scheduled during the week and this coming
Saturday, each team should have played at least three rounds
or a total of nine games before the playoffs which is slated
to start next week Monday, May 5."
Sanitoa thanks
league sponsors for "the coolers of Gatorade and the Gatorades
for the officials every Saturday (that) have been very much appreciated
by all."
"Further,
I would also like to thank our officiating crew: Smitty, Loi,
Henry, Victor, Peri, and Fa'i for the tremendous support. I appreciate
the assistance of the Coastline team with maintaining our field.
Thank you to all the score keepers," Sanitoa said.
A final team
meeting to discuss the league's playoffs format and our ceremony
is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, May 1, noon at the American
Samoa National Olympic Committee Office near Lion's Park.
The remaining
schedule for this week is as follows: Solar vs. Coastline today;
Dare vs. Westside tomorrow; and then on Saturday the first game
has Kip McGrath taking on Dare (9 a.m.), followed by Coastline
vs. P. Pacific (10:30), then R & J MacKenzie vs. Westside
(12:00), and finally Utulei vs. Solar (1:30 p.m.).
All weekday games
start at 4:30 p.m.
Reach the
reporter at tina@samoanews.com.
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