Awards recogniseyear’s best

On Saturday, August 12, the Port Hedland Softball Association held their end of season award presentations, with highly accomplished players receiving trophies to recognise their efforts.

The presentations were followed by a night of music and dancing.

A-reserve teams were the first to be recognised, with the young Raiders 2 team taking out most of the awards.

Home runs went to Sharnelle Hicks with two; Alicia Lockyer earned RBI’s with the highest total of 21.

Cayla Ashburton took out the runner-up fairest and best, while teammate Vivien Jones took out the top spot of fairest and best player for 2017 along with highest batting average, a huge .768. Gemma Hodder from Cougars earned the trophy for stolen bases, with the highest total of six.

Following from A-reserve were the much-anticipated announcements for A-grade.

The awards began with stolen bases going to Kirsty Kubala from Jets, with a total of eight. Pirates earned a few trophy titles, with Mackayla Denney and Gemima Rahman sharing home runs with two each while Jasmine Hair and Nikkii Puertollano shared RBIs with 18 each. Nikkii Puertollano also earned the Batting Average trophy, with an impressive average of .586.

Runner-up fairest and best went to well-deserved young Pirate Mackayla Denney, while the honour of Fairest and Best Player for 2017 went to Raiders’ Timara Simpson.

Association president Mitzi Cassidy said the season went well, with the new addition of night games an interesting change. “I would also like to wish all teams in finals good luck and congratulations to all trophy winners,” she said.

On Saturday in A-reserve Cougars face Pirates 2 to decide a berth in the grand final against Raiders 2.

In A-grade will see a similar match, Pirates meet the Jets, with both teams vying for the chance to face Raiders in the grand final.

Game times can be found on the Port Hedland Softball Association Facebook page.