Raffles Institution overcome setbacks to beat Eunoia Junior College, retain A Division boys' softball title
SINGAPORE – Despite encountering speed bumps along the way, Raffles Institution (RI) stepped up a gear when it mattered, beating Eunoia Junior College (EJC) 6-1 in the National School Games A Division boys' softball final at the Jurong East Softball Field on May 20.
It was RI's fourth consecutive win in the finals against the same opponents, since the NSG returned to full swing in 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic.
RI captain Raoul Gunalan said: 'We have come a long way. I've played with some players since Sec 1, and some even from primary school. It's an honour to play alongside them and I'm filled with gratitude to be able to call them my teammates.
'I watch them play in awe and I'm proud to see the team grow as players and people, and I can't thank them enough.
'We admire their (EJC) resilience and desire to keep showing who they are. Props to them for putting up a good performance, even as I tip my hat to my teammates.'
Raoul had to sit out the final after injuring his thumb in the 10-0 win over Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)/Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACSI/ACJC) on May 15.
The journey to the final was riddled with challenges – RI had to play the extra game against ACSI/ACJC after losing 9-8 to EJC in the May 13 play-off between the top two teams from the preliminary round. In that defeat, they were without first-choice pitcher Kevin Liu, who was hospitalised with stomach flu two days earlier.
Kevin returned to the diamond for the final, and while he admitted to not being at his best with his pitching, he produced a good hit while batting in the bottom of the third inning to send two of his teammates home. RI then ran riot with six runs to seal their four-peat.
Kevin, who lost 4kg due to illness, said he had to cope with the responsibility of being the only pitcher for his team this season.
He added: 'The last time I played against EJC, I had almost a perfect game, but seeing them start to contact my pitches today really stressed me out.
'My team really helped me out when they started hitting, which took a weight off my shoulders. When it was my turn to bat (in the third inning), it felt good to see it go far. After that, I felt more relaxed and could focus on my pitching.'
After two scoreless innings, RI's blitz in the third put their opponents under pressure and EJC could only score one consolation run in the fourth inning. Another shutout in the fifth and final inning gave the defending champions the win in front of 150 students, parents and teachers who packed the bleachers.
While the EJC team shed tears of disappointment after the game, there were still lessons to be learnt in defeat.
EJC captain Risdon Toh, who stepped up to the mound with regular pitcher Ephraim Wang out injured, noted that he almost stopped playing two years ago owing to the pressure of competitive sport.
Thanking EJC's teacher-in-charge Trevor Tay and coach Seow Chin Keong, he said: 'Everyone worked hard to get us to where we are today.
'Being in EJC and working with such a nice and supportive coach has helped me rediscover the passion for softball. He taught me that we should play for the love of the game and not because of other people's expectations.
'Even though this loss is hard for the Year Twos because we are graduating, I'm confident the Year Ones will learn from the painful lesson to come back stronger and hopefully take the championship next year.'
Seow, who has coached EJC since 2023, added: 'Winning is something we all want, but sometimes we learn better from failure. These boys have shown dedication, hard work and fighting spirit, and they did their best against strong opponents. They did well in every inning except one, hit Kevin's pitches many times, and I liked that they didn't give up.
'I hope they can continue to contribute to the softball community, and let this defeat be a springboard to go up to the next level.'
David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.
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(Australia) beat Margaret Court (Smith) (Australia) 6-4 6-1 1970 Court (Australia) beat King (U.S.) 14-12 11-9 1969 Ann Jones (Britain) beat King (U.S.) 3-6 6-3 6-2 1968 King (U.S.) beat Judy Tegart (Australia) 9-7 7-5 Pre-Open era: 1967 King (U.S.) beat Jones (Britain) 6-3 6-4 1966 King (U.S.) beat Maria Bueno (Brazil) 6-3 3-6 6-1 1965 Smith (Court) (Australia) beat Bueno (Brazil) 6-4 7-5 1964 Bueno (Brazil) beat Smith (Australia) 6-4 7-9 6-3 1963 Smith (Australia) beat Moffitt (King) (U.S.) 6-3 6-4 1962 Karen Susman (U.S.) beat Vera Sukova (Czechoslovakia)6-4 6-4 1961 Angela Mortimer (Britain) beat Christine Truman (Britain) 4-6 6-4 7-5 1960 Bueno (Brazil) beat Sandra Reynolds (South Africa) 8-6 6-0 1959 Bueno (Brazil) beat Darlene Hard (U.S.) 6-4 6-3 1958 Althea Gibson (U.S.) beat Mortimer (Britain) 8-6 6-2 1957 Gibson (U.S.) beat Hard (U.S.) 6-3 6-2 1956 Shirley Fry (U.S.) beat Angela Buxton (Britain) 6-3 6-1 1955 Louise Brough (U.S.) beat Beverly Fleitz (U.S.) 7-5 8-6 1954 Maureen Connolly (U.S.) beat Brough (U.S.) 6-2 7-5 1953 Connolly (U.S.) beat Doris Hart (U.S.) 8-6 7-5 1952 Connolly (U.S.) beat Brough (U.S.) 7-5 6-3 1951 Hart (U.S.) beat Fry (U.S.) 6-1 6-0 1950 Brough (U.S.) beat Margaret du Pont (Osborne) (U.S.) 6-1 3-6 6-1 1949 Brough (U.S.) beat Du Pont (U.S.) 10-8 1-6 10-8 1948 Brough (U.S.) beat Hart (U.S.) 6-3 8-6 1947 Osborne (U.S.) beat Hart (U.S.) 6-2 6-4 1946 Pauline Betz (U.S.) beat Brough (U.S.) 6-2 6-4 1940-45 No competition 1939 Alice Marble (U.S.) beat Kay Stammers (Britain) 6-2 6-0 1938 Helen Moody (Wills) (U.S.) beat Helen Jacobs (U.S.) 6-4 6-0 1937 Dorothy Round (Britain) beat Jadwiga Jedrzejowska (Poland) 6-2 2-6 7-5 1936 Jacobs (U.S.) beat Hilde Sperling (Germany) 6-2 4-6 7-5 1935 Moody (U.S.) beat Jacobs (U.S.) 6-3 3-6 7-5 1934 Round (Britain) beat Jacobs (U.S.) 6-2 5-7 6-3 1933 Moody (U.S.) beat Round (Britain) 6-4 6-8 6-3 1932 Moody (U.S.) beat Jacobs (U.S.) 6-3 6-1 1931 Cilly Aussem (Germany) beat Hilde Krahwinkel (Germany)6-2 7-5 1930 Moody (U.S.) beat Elizabeth Ryan (U.S.) 6-2 6-2 1929 Wills (Moody) (U.S.) beat Jacobs (U.S.) 6-1 6-2 1928 Wills (U.S.) beat Lili de Alvarez (Spain) 6-2 6-3 1927 Wills (U.S.) beat De Alvarez (Spain) 6-2 6-4 1926 Kathleen Godfree (Britain) beat De Alvarez (Spain) 6-2 4-6 6-3 1925 Suzanne Lenglen (France) beat Joan Fry (Britain) 6-2 6-0 1924 Kathleen McKane (Britain) beat Wills (U.S.) 4-6 6-4 6-4 1923 Lenglen (France) beat McKane (Britain) 6-2 6-2 1922 Lenglen (France) beat Molla Mallory (U.S.) 6-2 6-0 Before 1922 the women's singles was decided on a challenge-round system with the previous year's winner automatically qualifying for the final (British unless stated): 1921 Lenglen (France) beat Elizabeth Ryan (U.S) 6-2 6-0 1920 Lenglen (France) beat Dorothea Chambers 6-3 6-0 1919 Lenglen (France) beat Chambers 10-8 4-6 9-7 1915-18 No competition 1914 Chambers beat Ethel Larcombe 7-5 6-4 1913* Chambers beat Winifred McNair 6-0 6-4 1912* Larcombe beat Charlotte Sterry 6-3 6-1 1911 Chambers beat Dora Boothby 6-0 6-0 1910 Chambers beat Boothby 6-2 6-2 1909* Boothby beat Agnes Morton 6-4 4-6 8-6 1908* Sterry beat Morton 6-4 6-4 1907 May Sutton (U.S.) beat Chambers 6-1 6-4 1906 Dorothea Douglass beat Sutton 6-3 9-7 1905 Sutton beat Douglass 6-3 6-4 1904 Douglass beat Sterry 6-0 6-3 1903* Douglass beat Thomson (Larcombe) 4-6 6-4 6-2 1902 Muriel Robb beat Sterry 7-5 6-1 1901 Sterry beat Blanche Hillyard 6-2 6-2 1900 Hillyard beat Charlotte Cooper 4-6 6-4 6-4 1899 Hillyard beat Cooper 6-2 6-3 1898* Cooper beat Louisa Martin 6-4 6-4 1897 Hillyard beat Cooper 5-7 7-5 6-2 1896 Cooper beat Alice Pickering 6-2 6-3 1895* Cooper beat Helen Jackson 7-5 8-6 1894* Hillyard beat Edith Austin 6-1 6-1 1893 Lottie Dod beat Hillyard 6-8 6-1 6-4 1892 Dod beat Hillyard 6-1 6-1 1891* Dod beat Hillyard 6-2 6-1 1890* Lena Rice beat May Jacks 6-4 6-1 1889* Hillyard beat Rice 4-6 8-6 6-4 1888 Dod beat Hillyard 6-3 6-3 1887 Dod beat Hillyard (Bingley) 6-2 6-0 1886 Bingley beat Maud Watson 6-3 6-3 1885 Watson beat Bingley 6-1 7-5 1884 Watson beat Lillian Watson 6-8 6-3 6-3 * Denotes no challenge round. Winner of all-comers' final declared champion. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
