Big double header weekend for Demons

DEMONS V CONCORDES WHITE

After the long weekend bye, Concordes White faced Demons in a Friday night game.

Demons had some errors in the field, but Em Hart kept the pitches tight.

Dana Jones, Sam Brown and Sarah Baird scored themselves on bases.

But with a fly catch from Hart and two outs from Bella Morale at shortstop, the Dee’s held Concordes at one run.

The Demons crew put five safe hits on the score card in the first offence and Dana Jones worked hard in the pitching circle and getting her first K2 for the game.

With a play to first and a fly catch from left field Aleesha Tucker the Red and Blue ended the dig with three.

Sonya Crute was patient in the box and earnt herself a walk, and some fielding errors allowed Codie Jackway and Margie Wilkie on deck.

Demons tighten up the field and Concordes scored another one.

Chelsea Feast returned to the diamond and scored a safe hit to left and had to put her skates on when Hart hit a three bagger after her scoring her home.

Meg Merrett and Cody Manning followed to safe run streak but Concordes handled the heat and got the next three batters in the line up out allowing Demons only two.

The defensive Demons got a run for their money, with safe hits from Jones, along and a massive home run from Codie Jackway. Concordes scored five.

They followed to offensive streak in the defence and had Demons three up, three down.

The Red and Blue matched pace and had them three up, three down in the bottom of the third.

Demons scored six in the bottom of the 4th, with the second home run of the game coming from Chelsea Feast with a flat hard hit to left field, scoring three RBIs.

The game ended with a 7-11 score with Demons taking the win.

WARRIORS WHITE V CONCORDES WHITE

In the battle of the White sides, the opening innings proved an even contest.

Concordes opened the batting with Aleesha Tucker gaining a Mel Chuck zinger to the foot and a free ride to first base.

Fresh from her Country Championships weekend, Dana Jones then placed a solid hit to centre field, though Tucker’s run was cut short with the play made at second.

Sam Brown reached base and Jones capitalised on an error to score the opening run.

Sarah Baird advanced Brown and reached first safely, before Kate Altschwager delivered a safe hit that brought Brown home. Sonya Crute also reached first, however Baird was forced out at third following a combined effort from Jasmine Disselbach and Karen Teanau.

Pitcher Mel Chuck stayed busy in the field, sending Pauline Long back to the dugout for the third out, with Concordes posting two runs for the innings.

At the bottom of the first, Concordes pitcher Jones set the tone with a strikeout to Linda Dodds.

Disselbach responded with a safe hit, while Steph Chant and Chuck both reached base through Concordes fielding errors.

Hannah Taylor arrived safely at first as Jones opted for the play at home to prevent the run. Teanau reached first on another error, scoring Chant, before Skylea McLean flied out to left field and caught by Tucker to end the innings.

The top of the second saw Codie Jackway display patience at the plate, earning a walk and taking an extra base due to her ‘Lightning McQueen speed’ and quick thinking.

Tara Dowdell reached first on a dropped third strike, allowing Jackway to score.

Dowdell was later forced out at second after Tucker’s hit to centre was quickly returned.

Jones followed with a safe hit to left field, and Brown picked a walk to first base.

Baird, Altschwager and Crute all collected Mel Chuck zingers, advancing runners and scoring Tucker, Jones and Brown.

Long walked to first before Chuck closed the innings with a clean catch from Dowdell’s fly ball.

Sensible batting from the Warriors girls saw them claw back runs in the bottom of the second.

Emma Chuck led off with a patient walk, before Dodsy smashed a two-base hit to centre field to advance her.

Disselbach looked set to reach first, but Dowdell had other ideas, taking a superb catch at second for the opening out.

Chant and Chuck again benefited from walks, and Taylor’s strong hit to left field scored Dodds.

McLean reached first safely and added an RBI to her tally, before Jones struck out Dodds to end the innings.

In the final innings, Tucker and Jones continued their impressive performances, both collecting safe hits to centre and left field.

Brown flied out to centre for the first out, while Margie Wilkey reached first on an error.

Altschwager showed patience to earn a walk, before Jones made a daring dash to steal home, catching the Warriors players off guard. Long reached first safely and Jackway drew a walk.

Chrissie Coomber put bat to ball but the Warriors girls executed the play at third, gaining the final out.

Needing runs in the bottom of the third, the Warriors players faced a determined Jones, who opened with a strikeout to Disselbach.

Chant reached first and was soon brought home by Chuck’s massive two-bagger to left field.

Taylor attempted to follow suit but was caught by the safe hands of Tucker.

Teanau also lifted the ball to the outfield, where Tucker once again used every part of her upper body to secure the catch and the win for Concordes White, 10–7 in what was a really enjoyable game for players and spectators alike.

WARRIORS BLUE V WANDERERS

It was a great matchup between Warriors and Wanderers for the first game back since Country Championships.

It was also the return of long time Wanderer Rej Smith whose leadership on the field rallied the Wanderers girls.

Wanderers batters had their work cut out with Warriors skilled pitcher and state representative Leyna Bruggemann keen to make the Wanderers batters earn their place on base.

Warriors lead off Pearson walking to first and advancing to third from a double by Bignell placed her in scoring position with Bruggemann scoring her with a deep fly to centrefield.

Bradshaw and Phillips were left standing in the box with the pitching of recruit Carissa Richard’s who just gets better each week.

Fi Finch lead of batter showed her speedy skills on base bunting her way to first and stealing second.

She went home on a single to Rej Smith, her first of four for the day.

Clifford-Finch singled, Morris walked. Frankenburg advanced the runners with a text book sacrifice bunt before little found the dangerous glove of Angela Queale at third.

Richards brought the runners both home on a single to leftfield. Wanderers had the lead at the end of the first innings.

Wanderers field make quick work of the Warriors batters with Richard’s striking out Anderson, and Rej Smith executing a double play following a catch at short stop.

Warriors fired back only allowing Wanderers one more run before ending their innings.

Bignell found herself safe with a dropped third strike and her smart base running saw her advance on the next batters.

She scored on a pass ball clawing back another run for Warriors.

The last innings really saw the bats come alive for wanderers who had newcomers Maddy Sutherland and Kloe Phillips working hard in the outfield. It was a 16-7 victory to Wanderers.

DEMONS V BANDITS

The last game for the weekend, saw a top two clash between Demons and Bandits.

The Dees started the game hot in the field with three up, three down in a fly catch frenzy from Simone Little at left, Krissie Smith at centre and Cody Manning at shortstop.

They were patient in the batting box and earnt themselves two walks but Bandits weren’t giving up runs for free and with Montanna Millard at left with two fly catches, Demons walked away with one on the board.

The game stayed tight, and with an out from Manning to Burner, and foul catch from Burner and a foul catch from the coach which had her on her nose.

The Red and Blue got out of the defence again in three batters.

Chantel MacDonald and Chrystal Lock worked hard at the mound and plate.

Emilee Mitchell saw Kezia Feast slacking and pinned her out at first, and with a catch from MacDonald and a tag from Kylie Cook the Red and Blue put four on the board.

The first two batters for Bandits were caught out by the trusty glove work of Hart and Little.

Deb Hicks and Cook scored safe hits to the outfield, but Littles glove was too hot and got her third fly catch for the day. Bandits scored two.

Demons matched in the bottom of the third and gained another two.

In their last offence, Nat Whitehead was steady in the box and walked to first before MacDonald moved her to second with a safe hit to left. Little caught her fourth for the day for the first out, and with loaded bases coach Kezia Feast ended the innings with a double play at third.

Feast, Burner and Vos hit safe hits in the bottom of the fourth and Little put on a sneaky bunt. Demons added another two and took the win 9-2.

RESULTSDemons 11 (Cody Manning, Meg Merrett & Katelyn Laube 3; Krissie Smith & Chelsea Feast 2; Em Hart & Bella Morale) d Concordes White 7 (Dana Jones, Pauline Long & Codie Jackway (HR)); Concordes White 10 (Dana Jones 3; Aleesha Tucker 2; Sarah Baird & Kate Altschwager) d Warriors White 7 (Steph Chant, Melissa Chuck, Linda Dodds, Skylea McLean & Hannah Taylor); Wanderers 16 (Rej Smith 4; Fiona Finch, Sonia Morris, Emily Little & Carissa Richards 3; Lily Clifford-Finch 2; Charli Kaigg & Kat Chaplin) d Warriors Blue 7 (Maddy Sutherland 2; Maddy Bignell, Leyna Bruggemann, Caroline Bradshaw & Kelly Anderson); Demons 9 (Hayley Burner 2; Em Hart, Meg Merrett, Kezia Feast, Tieran Vos) d Bandits 2 (Kylie Cook, Deb Hicks & Chantel MacDonald)