Softball teams brace for eliminators
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday March 14, 2017 15:22
The men’s top 12 teams have seven sides from the Southern Zone and five from the Northern Zone while the women’s top 10 has six from the south and four from the north.
BDF IX finished the first round at the top of the men’s league with 24 points from 13 matches. Wells International are joint second with Bears on 22 points. Wells and Bears have won 11 matches, registering two losses from their 13 assignments each. Panthers are fourth with 20 points. It has been a tough run for Gideon Warriors, Eagles and Stingers who occupy the last three spots with just one victory each and two points from their 13 matches. Police IX’s dominance in the women’s category continues as they are top with 20 points after 10 games without a loss. Wells are second with 16 points after suffering two losses. Titans have collected 14 points together with Panthers from seven wins. Eagles, who are making their league debut, are at the bottom without a point after losing all their matches.
Rail Giants dominate both men and women’s leagues in the north zone after winning all their games. The men’s side has 18 points while their women counterparts have collected 16 points. Comets (men) are second with 16 points from eight wins followed Carats with 12 points claiming the third position. Motlakase are at the bottom after failing to register a single win from all the nine games they played.
Gheto Yankees and Scramblers (women) completed the first round tied joint second with 12 points. Carats are fourth with 10 points while Motlakase are at the bottom without a point after playing eight matches.
Botswana Softball Association (BSA) public relations officer, Kelebogile Seitei told Mmegi Sport that the first games will be played in Selebi-Phikwe.
“The competition is for clubs that have finished in odd positions; one, three and five from the North and for teams from the South that are placed in even positions being two, four, six and eight,” she said.
Seitei said the games will continue in Jwaneng next week for teams that are in positions two, four and six from the North. Teams from the south that are placed in position one, three, five and seven will meet.
Two men’s teams will be eliminated in Selebi-Phikwe while the other two will fall out in Jwaneng, leaving eight side teams that will contest the Top 8. For women, one team from each eliminator bites the dust, meaning six compete in the finals at the National Diamond on April 22.