1972: Overthrowing the Vikings
Despite an early challenge from two-time defending champion Manawatu Vikings, the Kowhai Division belonged to the Wellington Bees who finished with a 53-27 record. The Bees boasted the best pitching in the league, with a rotation led by 1971's Rookie of the Year 24 year old Chris Fairbanks. Couple that with some plus defense and a dangerous top 6 of the lineup and the Bees certainly lived up to their billing as early season favourites.
The Pohutukawa Division was a much more competitive affair with the lead changing between the Taranaki Thunder, Waikato Morepork,and Hawke's Bay Moonshots regularly throughout the season. The Thunder had an early claim, but the title ultimately came down to the Morepork and Moonshots. With 8 games to go in the season, the two teams were tied 44-28 and had a four game series against each other.
The first game was a pitcher's duel that remained scoreless until the 10th until the Moonshots were able to string 3 hits together in the bottom of the 10th to walk it off. The Moonshots were able to blow the Morepork out before holding their nerve to win two more one-run games to sweep the series. And just like that, the Peanut Slab Series will feature two teams to never play at that level.
And do we need to talk about the 16-64 Southland Stags? Yikes. Their lead-off guy had an OPS+ of 30. In fact only one member of their batting lineup even managed an OPS+ above 100. Their pitching was headlined by two pitchers Derril Buzzo and Pat Gribble who could barely pitch a strike. Their 7.6 and 7.2 BB/9 were the worst in the league among qualified pitchers. Gribble did prove himself a strikeout threat though (the complete unpredictability of where his pitches will end up probably helped). His 8.1 K/9 good enough for 6th in the league, and also got him a 16K game against the Waikato Morepork.
A game that the Stags only won in the 13th inning after Gribble gave up walk after walk to let the Morepork tie the game up (including two bases loaded walks). His final line, 8.2 IP, 5 HA, 4 R, 8 BB, 16 K, 156 pitches.
