Wanderers suffer first defeat

DEMONS V WANDERERS

It was a windy day on diamond one as Demons and Wanderers met for the first time this season.

With both teams playing short and utilising fill ins from other teams it was sure to be an exciting game.

Demons were eager to end the winning streak that Wanderers have had entering Round 5 undefeated.

Sonia Morris started Wanderers bat off with a safe hit out to centrefield landing her on first.

The mother daughter duo in Lily and Fiona Finch showed that the patience in the box runs in the family and both earnt themselves walks, leaving bases fully loaded.

History says that the Demons defence is known for getting themselves out of loaded bags and they did just that with Simone Little taking two fly catches at leftfield and new Demons sweetheart Tieran Vos making her first out of her softball career at centrefield with a ripper fly catch, which she celebrated well, making the third out of the innings. Wanderers scored one.

Demons started their line up with the ever trusty Em Hart, who is undoubtedly the smartest, most aggressive base runner in the league.

Wanderers were tight in the field aiming to keep Demons at bay on the bat.

It was a day of fly balls with Demons three outs being caught in the air. Demons scored two.

The second and third innings, was a true display of strong defence from both teams with no runs being scored.

The fourth is where the game took the winning turn.

The Dees remained tight and consistent in their defensive streak and with two outs from fill in Kylie Cook and a KC from pitcher Cody Manning on the mound who worked hard all day against the elements Demons were up for their last bat.

With four safe hits from Merrett, Manning and two from Cook, the Red and Blue started the offensive clinic and could not be tamed by the defence.

The girls were aggressive on bases and patient in the box and earnt themselves 10 runs in the last innings to take the win by mercy 12-1.Warriors Blue v Concoordes White

Concordes White threatened early after veteran and lead off Sam Brown took one to the hip then Pauline Long walked vexing Leyna Bruggemann, who was pitching for Warriors Blue.

Dana Jones hit one to Caroline Bradshaw at shortstop who expertly tossed the ball to Kloe Phillips at second for the first out.

Emalee Dowdell hit one back to the pitcher who held Brown at third then managed to throw one of her usual pineapples straight to Blue’s Taylor Pearson at first.

Sonya Crute was the last out of the innings, hitting the first pitch she faced – Bradshaw over to Pearson.

Pearson then led off for Blue with a single just out of Codie Jackway’s reach at centrefield, she and Bruggemann were scored on a crisp double by Angela Queale.

Bradshaw walked and Warriors newbie Maddy Sutherland had some great cuts before flying out to Jones.

The dangerous bat of Jackway didn’t seem keen to hang around, swinging at the first pitch of the innings which was stoically caught in foul territory by Pearson.

Newcomer Tara Dowdell was thrown out before Chrissie Coomber was accidentally hit by a pitch.

She was very gracious and excited to be on base, moved around by a handsome single to Brown out to Kelly Anderson at right before Long was this time struck out to end the innings.

Blue added six in their offensive innings with Analeigh Anderson legging out an infield single to Emalee Dowdell at second.

Kelly Anderson put one into play to Coomber at shortstop, Golden Child Pearson was at it again with an RBI single towards right that was scooped up by Jackway so only one run scored.

Young Blue’s catcher Maddy Bignell took Jones to a full count then walked which loaded up the bases for Bruggemann who doubled for three RBIs.

Queale doubled again scoring yet another run and then Bradshaw put a bunt down which was atypically thrown wild by Jones and Bradshaw was able to jog round to third.

Jones regrouped by striking out two of the next three Blue’s hitters as well as snagging a foul fly catch.

Concordes White were unirked and put three on the board in the third.

Jones led off with a sharp single to Analeigh Anderson at centre, stole and then scored after a swung third strike got away from Bignell.

Crute also scored after being moved around by a humdinger by Jackway that nearly took Analeigh’s glove off.

Tara Dowdell smoked one to right surprising herself in the process and with bases loaded, Brown wasted no time lining one over Sutherland’s head scoring two with her fabulous shot before the inning was done.

Blue were only able to add one as Jones grew her strike out count and they kept hitting fly balls in Jackway’s territory but Bignell zinged a double to right and Bruggemann scored her on a blooper to Coomber.

Things started to go awry for Queale at third in the fourth, thankfully she redeemed herself catching Coomber’s line drive but not before two runs were scored and Emalee Dowdell and Jackway dispatched shots to Sutherland at left.

Blue had done enough early to maintain their lead and seal the win despite a donut in the last dig.Warriors White v Concordes United

Warriors White were buoyed by a spirited talking to by Jasmine Disselbach and came from behind to secure a one run victory played against Concordes United.

Disselbach was clinical at second base making three nervous nelly free plays.

Angela Queale made a couple of solid routine plays before changing the game to tunnel ball although she was just warming the hot corner for Karen TeAnau who was stuck at work.

TeAnau was not phased to have forgotten her own glove with her and jogged out with Queale’s glove on her throwing hand.

Concordes fabulously provided a spare lefty glove and then of course the ball did not make its way to TeAnau for the rest of the game.

She did however leg out an infield single for a RBI later in the game.

United were on in the first two digs, holding Warriors White to nil and putting up 10 care of some great hitting by Aimee Brooks with a triple and a single which was nearly mirrored by Linley Pollard with a double and a single.

Rosie Clark kept everyone on their toes with hard shots forcing errors before a single in the fourth.

Wilson was solid as a rock behind the dish whilst also chipping in with two RBIs and calling in Tylar Kennett on every pitch.

The young pitcher continues to impress as she goes about her trade without fanfare as well as patiently picking two walks.

Emalee Dowdell was still riding high having played a great game for Concordes White prior and added two walks of her own.

Rookie Jerri-Lee Cooper showed how much she has taken on by calmly playing the lead runner, collecting two walks and making solid contact to Disselbach.

TeKani Clark was getting her steps up at leftfield and was unfazed about collecting a ball to her leg in the batter’s box.

She’s another burgeoning young gun who will be a future star of the Mount Gambier Softball League.

Sarah Thomson was uncharacteristically out of the action in the field as she is usually a ball magnet.

She lined a shot to both left and right taking advantage of the vacant fielding position.

Catcher Kelly Doyle was right behind Warriors White pitcher Teresa Hatch and they found their battery groove right when it counted in the last two digs with only two runs scored.

Steph Chant stroked a lovely single to left after having been shocked to see the shortstop position next to her name pre-game.

She took a tricky catch in the wind as well as hitting the game winning RBI via a fielder’s choice in the last.

Linda Dodds was all voice from centrefield, hit the ball well twice to Cooper and led off the last with an important walk to then be the walk off run.

Another nifty youngster is Harlow Castleman who was in the action for her team at left.

Rookie Castleman got the ball in quickly and listened to her dad’s far clearer instruction to not swing on a 3-0 count than the masquerading base coach of ‘just have a look at the next one’.

Queale kept her left side hitting ticking over and was pleasantly surprised to see Leyna Bruggemann, who was also making up the numbers, in catch two fly balls including one that involved running into foul territory.RESULTSDemons 12 (Kylie Cook 3; Cody Manning 2; Simone Little, Meg Merrett, Em Hart) d Wanderers 1 (Sonia Morris 2; Charli Kaigg); Warriors Blue 9 (Leyna Bruggemann 3; Taylor Pearson, Ange Queale 2 ; Maddy Bignell, Analeigh Anderson) d Concordes White 5 (Sam Brown 2; Dana Jones, Emalee Dowdell, Codie Jackway, Tara Dowdell); Warriors White 13 (Leyna Bruggemann 3; Steph Chant, Ange Queale, Karen TeAnau) d Concordes United 12 (Aimee Brooks, Linley Pollard 2; Rosie Clark, Sarah Thomson)