Wanderers & Demons take a stand

CONCORDES WHITE V WARRIORS BLUE

THE weather gods looked down and took pity on the two teams playing Friday night, stopping the downpour long enough for Diamond 2 to be considered the least swimming pool type option and Concordes White hit first in the mud pool.

Wily veteran Sam Brown was unfazed by the conditions, singling to Tash Vickers at centre before Blue’s young catcher Maddy Bignell took another solid foul fly catch, this time off Pauline Long’s bat.

Dana Jones singled then Blue’s had Brown out at third after Codie Jackway hit a fly ball to Kloe Phillips at left.

Aleesha Tucker hit one of six plays Blue’s pitcher Leyna Bruggemann made for the evening for the third out.

Blue were charged up on offence with four runs scored via Bignell, Caroline Moneghetti Bradshaw and Bruggemann forcing errors then Maddy Sutherland scorching one up the middle.

Quiet achiever Haley Lindner also chimed in with a RBI single to right.

Concordes White were two out desipe Tara Dowdell and Margie Wilkey challenging Blue by putting the ball solidly into play in the second dig.

Brown came up and lined a beauty off the first pie she faced for a double which scored Sonia Crute.

Bruggemann made the outs to Bradshaw, who was at first, filling in for the absent Taylor Pearson.

Brown then knuckled down in the pitching circle, well supported by catcher Jackway, after walking the first two hitters in Vickers and Philips.

Bignell sent a crisp single to right, Bradshaw fouled one up to Jackway and Bruggemann hit one through Wilkey bravely manning third.

Sutherland hit a lovely fly ball but it was to the speedy safe glove of Jones before White were back in to hit.

Jones led off with a single but that was it for her team with Sutherland, Bradshaw and Bruggemann making the outs in eight pitches.

Jones was then in to pitch and sliding around in the mud did not perturbe her as she struck out two of the four hitters she faced after Lindner took a full count walk.

She also made the play off of Kelly Anderson’s bat.

Concordes White put another run up on the board care of Brown with her third safe hit and then taking advantage of some wayward throws, showing her smarts as Bruggemann seemed to continue to struggle to throw Long strikes.

Jones was the third out with Sutherland coolly making the play over to first from third. Jones dominated the Blues batters again in the bottom of the inning, holding them to nil with strike outs galore before the game was called as the sun was going down.

CONCORDES UNITED V WANDERERS

Wanderers took on Concordes United for the second time this season.

Wanderers patience with the bat paid off with smith and Clifford finch walking and smith stealing two bases on a wild throw before Morris singled bringing Clifford finch home.

This didn’t deter the Concordes field with pollard at short stop and Clark at first both taking catches and sending Little and Frankenburg back to the cage.

Little singled to left field and Kaigg walked before Chaplin singled to rightfield bringing them both home.

Richards walked but the innings was ended when Smith found Clark’s glove in foul territory at leftfield.

Clark was lucky to get on with error at third and brookes uncharacteristically found smith in the mound and was out at first.

White singled to left field before POollard found Clifford-Finch at shirt stop who had all round great day on the field and in the batting box.

Kennett walked when Wilson doubled over Kaiggs head at left field bringing home Kennett and White.

Smith left Dowdell in the batters box ending the first innings.

Clifford finch sneakily stole second and third from a walk and then home on a wild throw.

Wanderers added more runs with Morris doubling, before Chaplin was out finding Gray at second, and Richard’s followed shortly bring out out at second.

Smith found her groove striking out mother daughter combo TeKani and Clark, before Brookes singled and White tripled on error by Morris at centrefield.

Morris redeemed herself taking a catch at centrefield ending Concordes bat.

The third innings saw Smith’s smart base running coming home on a Clifford-Finch punch to short stop.

A Morris sacrifice fly to centrefield brought Cliffor-Finch home.

Little, Frankenburg and Chaplin all walked, while Kaigg and Little singled.

Clifford-Finch tripled by sending one deep into the outfield bringing home Chaplin, Richards and Smith as Wanderers adding nine more to their total.

Concordes batters were in for a change of pace with Richards taking the mound.

Wilson walked but Richards found her groove striking out Dowdell, Cooper and Clark ending the game with a 17-5 victory for Wanderers.

WARRIORS WHITE V BANDITS

Bandits produced a commanding all round performance on Saturday to claim a 19-0 win in this weeks softball round.

Mackenzie Millard led the offensive charge with 3 safe hits, consistently finding the gaps and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. She was well supported by Chrystal Lock, Mel McCracken and Chantel MacDonald, who each collected two safe hits to help extend Bandits lead.

Warriors White player Kelly Doyle stood out with two of her own safe hits, providing muchneeded spark at the plate despite facing tight pitching and a disciplined Bandits defence.

Bandits early runs proved decisive, building pressure that Warriors White couldn’t overturn. Strong fielding and control in the circle ensured Bandits maintained their shutout through all innings, with the game concluding after the third innings.

WARRIORS BLUE V DEMONS

With some heads up base running, two single safe hits from Hart and Merrett, and three doubles from Manning, Morale and Burner. Warriors Lindner and Sutherland caught the first two outs, and coach Bruggemann pitched her first K2 for the game for the third out as Demons put four runs on the board in thier first at bat.

In the defence, the Red and Blue stuck together like glue.

Pearson’s bat met the glove of Burner.

Bradshaw and Quelae were patient in the box and earnt themselves walks however Bradshaw’s base running was shortlived after Little played a fielders choice on Bruggemann’s bunt to play second as Warriors Blue were held scoreless.

The Red and Blue stayed consistent in the batting box, Laube landed herself on first with a midfield from short stop, before Hart scored her on a three bagger out the left.

Little was unlucky after her coach put two bunts on her, getting her deep into the count and got caught with an infield fly as Demons put another four on.

Em Hart put on an absolute defensive clinic, taking two outs behind the plate in Anderson and Lindner.

She almost had the trifecta but was called out by Manning to take the third out for the innings in four batters leaving Blue scoreless going into the third.

Taylor Pearson earnt herself catch of the game with a powerful line drive by Smith that was hit straight to first base.

Linder took her second catch for the game and Sutherland took Merrett’s ground ball to shortstop to play one for the third out in which was Warriors’ best defensive dig for the game. Demons scored no runs.

Blue put their first run on the board in the fourth with safe hits from Pearson, Bruggemann and Sutherland.

The Dees sealed the deal with another seven runs, with four singles, a double, and a triple from Feast in which could have been a home run if the scorer looked away and missed the wild throw going into third.

Manning was hit by a pitch for the second time and in the Red and Blue take the win in Round 8, 16-1.

RESULTS:Warriors Blue 6 (Maddy Bignell, Maddy Sutherland, Haley Lindner) d Concordes White 2 (Sam Brown 3; Dana Jones 2); Wanderers 17 (Leanne Little 3; Lily Clifford-Finch, Sonia Morris 2; Emily Little, Charli Kaigg, Kat Chaplin) d Concordes United 5 (Aimee Brooks, Bec White, Dianne Wilson); Bandits 19 (Mackenzie Millard 3; Chrystal Lock, Mel McCracken, Chantel Macdonald 2; Di Horbury, Deb Hicks, Nat Whitehead) d Warriors White 0; Demons 16 (Em Hart 3; Cody Manning, Meg Merrett, Bella Morale, Hayley Burner 2; Katelyn Laube, Simone Little, Chelsea Feast) d Warriors Blue 1 (Maddy Sutherland, Taylor Pearson, Leyna Bruggemann)