Tight top of the table clash

Concordes White v Wanderers

In a game that was closer then the score shows, Reggie Smith’s return to field had the Wanderers girls firing with the bats.

Smith sent a double to Lunsmann at centre field and took third base on a fielding error.

Clifford-Finch, Morris and Lovekin walked placing loaded bases. This didn’t shake Concordes with the tightening their field.

Pauline Long took a hit from Little and Pollard took the out at home before Wanderers could score.

Kaigg singled to left before Ghezzi sent a flat piece through to centre field bringing two runs home for her team.

Lunsmann took one from Beck that ended Wanderers innings with a third out.

Smaling got herself on base singling to shortstop, Altschwager advanced Smaling but didn’t make first after Little took the ground ball at third.

Kreplins walked placing herself on base.

Lunsmann sent a hot one back to Smith who almost fumbled but caught Kreplins out at first base with a double play ending the first innings.

Second innings saw an error at short place smith on base, Clifford Finch singled to centre field, Morris and Lovekin were both out by Long at third.

Little and Kaigg placed on luckily with dropped catches and placed them both in scoring position. Emily Little brought them both home with a centre field line drive and singling herself.

Lunsmann took a textbook play from Ghezzi to end Wanderers bat. Long singled to centre field but was out a second when Morris took a ground hit from Lunsmann. In a repeat play Lunsmann was out at second when pollard also found Morris at short. Smith ended Concordes bat with a k2 against banks.

Third innings saw Smith take her second safe hit for the game, while Clifford-Finch, Lovekin, and Little all placed on base, and Clifford-Finch found home on an error.

Kaigg brought Lovekin home, followed Emily Little bringing Little and Kaigg home by doubling to right forks picking up her second safe hit and fourth rbi for the day.

Ghezzi was out finding Kreplins at the mound who took the out at first.

Brown took the bat for the first time of the day singling to left field, before Altschwager sent a hot line drive past Little at third, Steicke singled to left field loading the bases for Concordes.

Kreplins sent one to Smith at the mound who found Lovekin at home preventing the score, quick thinking Lovekin found the runner off guard at third with Wanderers second double play of the day.

Smith ended the innings and the game with a third strike, leving the final score with Wanderers 15 defeating Concordes 0.

Millicent Bandits v Warriors

It was a top of the ladder clash over on diamond 2 the weekend prior to a league break for the country championships and it did not disappoint.

The game had a grand final feel to it as Warriors stepped out to face the Bandits battery duo in the Millard sisters with Montanna having pitched consistently well at speed this season.

Warriors lead off Daena Wombwell patiently picked a walk, Angela Queale put down the team play sacrifice bunt then Sarah Polderman hit one on the right side that scored a run.

She was moved around by a Mel Chuck ground ball to Nat Whitehead at third, then scored on a wild pitch.

Mackenzie Millard had a tough day at the office behind the plate with several pitches catching the front edge of the raised plate, launching the ball like a rocket straight up in the air, making them essentially unblockable.

Warriors had two on the board before Bandits put themselves into bat.

Di Horbury was bamboozled by a Leyna Bruggemann change up, Mackenzie flew out to Polderman who was loving it in the outfield, Deb Hicks picked a walk then Montanna flew out to Polderman to finish the innings.

Jas Disselbach flew out to Chrysal Lock at first before Bruggemann singled to left.

It was back to the top of the line up and Wombwell put the bunt down before Queale walked.

It was two out with two on and Polderman forced a clanger at third and Bruggemann must have been sun-affected thinking she was fast, rounded and took her chances sliding into home, called safe by plate umpire Maddie Bowd who was in the prime position for the call.

Montanna finished the innings with a K2 and the score 3-0 Warriors.

Bandits Chantel Macdonald led off with a fly to Polderman at centre, Lock nearly caught Queale napping at third but luckily her glove was awake, fielding the ball cleanly and throwing to Pearson on the stretch at first.

Caroline Bradshaw had her usual team on the hop, jagging one to Dodds at left but was put out by Chuck at second who fielded another hard hit ball off the bat of rookie Emilee Mitchell.

It was Bandits’ turn to keep Warriors to zero in the third.

Mitchell was on fire with a backhand toss to first to have Teresa Hatch out on a 9-3.

Pearson hit it to Mitchell again but was safe, shifted around by a Dodds infield single but then Montanna knuckled down and had the next two hitters struck out.

Bandits’ Whitehead faced several pitches before hitting a fly ball that resulted in a collision and the ball hitting the deck.

Horbury hit into a fielder’s choice then Mackenzie laid down a clever bunt which was safe with her fantastic speed.

Hicks regrouped after second guessing Bruggemann’s offspeed pitches and drilled the 1-2 pitch to Justine Koop, now at left, scoring one.

Mackenzie and Hicks scored on pass balls before Lock waited on a change up and hit it up the middle.

She was scored along with Macdonald after Bradshaw smoked one past Koop, rounded for third and was thrown out by half the line being the jinxed third out at third but not before putting her side in front 5-3 going into the fourth.

Wombwell led off again and got on by putting the ball in play, Queale followed and then Polderman singled to Macdonald at centre, scoring a run.

She stole second then was caught in a trap play on an errant pitch and put out as Chuck snuck round to second on the play.

Hatch singled to Bandits’ Melissa McCracken at right and it was two down with Pearson up.

The youngster had the at bat of the day, taking Montanna to a full count before singling to right and scoring two, putting her side ahead.

Montanna regrouped and struck out the dangerous Koop for the last out.

Mitchell smoked one past Bruggemann to be the tying run but it wasn’t it be as Warriors got the next three hitters out with a K2 and two fly balls to the outfield into the safe gloves of Polderman and Koop and it was time and game with only one run in it.

Demons v Concordes United

It was a scorching day on the diamond, but Concordes United didn’t let the heat slow them down.

From the first inning, they showed their strength at the plate, playing smart and patient ball.

Tylar Kennett and Billie Jones set the tone with some smart base running, both crossing the plate for a pair of early runs.

Another four runs came through walks, as United’s hitters worked the count and capitalized on every opportunity.

Demons didn’t back down, though. Simone Little stepped up with a clutch fly ball to center, bringing home Kezia Feast and Meg Merrett.

But a strikeout by Dana Jones, a sharp line drive catch from Aimee Brooks, and a stellar catch by Sarah Thomson kept the Demons from doing any more damage, and United closed out the inning with the lead.

In the second, United’s offense kept rolling.

The Jones sisters and Brooks all made their way across home plate, but the Demons weren’t about to let this game slip away.

Fill-in Sarah Polderman made a fantastic catch in left field to retire Thomson, a quick shortstop-to-third play had Tylar Kennett out, while an infield fly by Harmony Kennett ended the United batting for the inning.

Demons had a few base runners in the next frame, with Caroline Bradshaw and Abbey Meinck both getting on base but United’s defense stepped up again. Thomson at shortstop and Jacinta Packer in center both made great catches to shut the Demons down and keep them off the scoreboard.

United couldn’t add any runs in the third, but the Demons weren’t ready to give up yet. In the final inning, they made a strong push, bringing in four runs and narrowing the gap but it wasn’t quite enough, and despite the late rally, United held on for a 9-6 win.

A thrilling game in the heat, with strong performances all around. United’s combination of smart batting, fast running, and sharp defense proved too much for the Demons in the end.

RESULTS

Wanderers 15 (Charli Kaigg, Emily Little 2; Lily Clifford-Finch, Jess Ghezzi and Leanne Little) d Concordes White 0 (Alana Steicke 2; Mel Smaling, Sam Brown, Pauline Long); Warriors 6 (Taylor Pearson 2;

Sarah Polderman, Teresa Hatch, Linda Dodds, Leyna Bruggemann) d Bandits 5 (Caroline Bradshaw 2; Mackenzie Millard, Debra Hicks, Chrystal Lock, Emilee Mitchell); Concordes United 9 (Billie Jones) d Demons 6 (Simone Little 2; Meg Merrett, Kezia Feast, Em Hart, Sarah Polderman (fill-in))