SOFTBALL

National Inter-Primary Softball Championship 2007
Catholic High Primary vs Queenstown Primary
Monday, 9 July 2007 at Catholic High School field

Story and pictures by Red Sports reader Ian Chew, a teacher of Catholic High. Thanks!
 
Ching Kang, a Primary 6 boy from the Catholic High team who has only been playing softball for two months, made the key catch from a Queenstown batter to clinch an exciting 14-10 win for Catholic High Primary in a first round group match to help his team qualify for the semifinals.

Ryan making a pitch for Catholic High Primary in the crucial 3rd inning. He managed to hold the Queenstown Primary batters. © Ian Chew
 

Yet it all started awry for the young boys from Catholic High. Alex, who was the pitcher for the team, was inconsistent in pitching on the day. Queenstown Primary quickly capitalized on his mistakes to score numerous runs. Together with some good pitching, they managed a huge 10-3 lead by the end of the 3rd inning.
 
However, the fighting spirit of the boys from Catholic High soon showed. Sensing that the Queenstown pitcher was tiring, and together with an astute tactical change of pitcher to Ryan, the Catholic High Primary team managed to close the gap in the 4th inning to 9-10.
 
In the 5th and final inning, the pressure was telling on both teams. Catholic High was desperate to make the tying run while Queenstown Primary were even more keen to hold on to their lead. With Catholic High batting first, the batters managed to score five runs off mistakes by the Queenstown fielders to lead 14-10.
 
Then came time for Ching Kang’s heroics. He chased down a fly ball on the left of the field, made the game-winning catch and sent his team into the semifinals.

Said an ecstatic Catholic High Primary coach Mr Goh Yong Hang, "This is the first time that the Catholic High primary team has qualified for the national semifinals! Credit to the boys who never gave up and Ryan who led the team with some good pitching. We look forward to facing the next team in the semifinal!"

Catholic High and Queenstown slug it out. © Ian Chew