Nanyang Girls’ High School stay cool to clinch C Division softball title
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Nanyang Girls' Kaylene Chan scoring a run as Methodist Girls' School's Natalie Chng catches the ball during the C Division softball final.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
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SINGAPORE – Even the threat of inclement weather and lightning could not stop Nanyang Girls’ High School’s softball team from lifting the National School Games C Division trophy – their first since 2019.
On Aug 23, they were 2-0 up against defending champions Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) towards the end of the third inning when the lightning warning system was activated at the Jurong Softball Field.
As dark clouds swirled, the Nanyang girls kept their cool and continued to practise in the batting cage during the 45-minute delay.
When play restarted, they held on to see out the match and claim victory.
Nanyang captain Wang Ze Ning said: “Everyone’s spirits were really high for today’s game, and we really wanted to do well because we’ve made it so far.
“At the start, we were all (feeling) quite hot and really tired, but we told each other to push through.
“When there was the lightning (alert), we were really disappointed with the fact that it might be postponed.
“But we still decided to practise so that we wouldn’t be cold.”
Nanyang coach Koh Ruoh Jie said the teams were evenly matched, but he believed that his players were more motivated.
The 42-year-old added: “It was a very close game, we met them twice before the final. The first time we lost to them, the second time we beat them.
“Both teams played well, but I think that we wanted it a little bit more.”
With both sides’ pitchers on fire, neither team could get to first base as the first two innings ended scoreless.
But, as the game wore on and dark clouds loomed, Nanyang’s Ayumi Kato and Kaylene Chan managed to notch in runs before the lightning alert went off.
When play resumed after 45 minutes, MGS looked primed for a comeback with two runners on third and fourth bases.
But a lack of patience cost them and both players were out at the end of the fourth inning.
Nanyang then saw off the game to the cheers of their supporters as they did a victory lap on the pitch.
Nanyang players doing their victory lap.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
MGS coach Elaine Chua said: “Both teams wanted to win so badly, of course, we tried our best to defend the title, but Nanyang played very well. They kept their composure and gave us a good fight.”
MGS captain and pitcher Rihana Ridzuan said: “We had multiple errors in a row when Nanyang scored those two runs and it took quite a while for us to adapt in terms of batting.
“We only managed to start hitting in the last few innings and those two crucial mistakes caused us to lose this game.
“It’s about who wants it more... maybe Nanyang pushed a little bit harder and their effort showed.”
In the third-place play-off, Raffles Girls’ School defeated Tanjong Katong Girls’ School 10-0.
