PNG Power dethroned Yokomo with a 9-7 win in this afternoon’s A Grade Men’s softball grand final at a packed Bisini Grounds.
The Power boys got off to a perfect start taking a 5-0 lead by the top of the second inning through runs scored by Demas Tovia, Paul Tabete, Daniel Tovia, Eugene Tovue and Edward Sena.
Yokomo registered their first two points in the same inning, firstly through Paul Bogan from a passed ball, and then from David Upaupa who came home from a sacrifice hit from Taki Zale.
Eddie Simba scored PNG Power’s only run in the next inning to make it 6-2.
The bottom of the third saw a change made with Daniel Tovia being brought to the pitcher’s mound replacing Michael Parom, who was moved to second base.
The change in pitching brought Yokomo right back into the contest as they scored four runs off Daniel Tovia to level up to 6-6.
The fourth inning saw no runs scored from both sides with the game right back in the balance.
Batting at the top of the fifth, Parom put PNG Power back on top again after a homer off the pitching of Clifford Kouse.
Getting on base, Simba eventually snuck home to score his second run of the match.
Yokomo brought the deficit back to one run at the bottom of the fifth after Upaupa smacked the ball past Daniel Tovia to bring Bogan running home from second base.
With two innings left to play, it was still anyone’s game with the score 8-7 in favour of PNG Power.
A fielding error at third base from Bogan allowed Sena to reach first base safely proving costly for Yokomo in the sixth inning.
With the pressure on, Kouse struggled to find his line allowing Sena to advance around the bases and steal to home from a ball that catcher Mark Tomangana failed to glove.
Yokomo had one last chance to steal the win with the advantage of batting last in the seventh and final inning.
But it wasn’t to be.
With two down, the final passage of play was a hit from Tomangana straight to Daniel Tovia who fielded it and calmly chucked it to Simba on first base to win the match and be crowned winners of the 2016-2017 Port Moresby Men’s softball competition.
In the B Grade grand final, United Brothers walked over Brown Eagles with a 15-3 win.