Warriors make a pre-finals statement

Wanderers v Warriors

Wanderers pitcher Sonia Morris held the Warriors run machine to two in the first dig after Justine Koop singled to Fiona Finch at left and Daena Wombwell put down a well placed bunt.

Leanne Little had her glove in just the right spot for a line drive catch and Morris had Taylor Pearson thrown out on her bunt before Lily Clifford-Finch made a heads up play to have Melissa Chuck out as the third out at third.

Warriors defence was up to the challenge, playing the lead runner after a Clifford-Finch infield single for the second out and Emily Little jumping the gun and getting called out for leaving the base too early by Maddie Redman.

The second innings was a tough one for Wanderers as Warriors recorded seven safe hits, three walks and nine runs.

Sarah Polderman was being discouraged from running by hitting number nine in the line up but nothing was holding that woman back as she sped towards second for a double, Koop singled to centre, Wombwell walked and Bruggemann put down the sac bunt but found her way on to then be scored by a Chuck single.

Youngster Maddy Bignell singled up the middle, Jas Disselbach scored a run on a fielder’s choice before running the bases well with two out and Polderman chipping one to her Warriors and Wanderers fave Skylea McLean at right.

Wombwell legged out an infield single scoring another run before the innings was done.

Leanne Little was back in to face Bruggemann and promptly dispatched a single, Morris lobbed one to Disselbach for a catch and after Charli Kaigg had a swinging strike, Polderman’s January long weekend leg injury flared so instead of running around at shortstop, she went into pitch and got the K2.

Abbie Lovekin walked before McLean had a disciplined five pitch at bat, hitting a ground ball to Disselbach who calmly made the play over to Pearson at first.

Warriors added six in the third with Clifford-Finch and L Little in the action before Koop drilled a triple scoring Disselbach and Polderman after Bignell smashed one up the middle to Clifford-Finch who made a great sharp play.

Koop’s shot to Finch got the latter’s ball magnetism tuned in as the next three hitters in Wombwell, Bruggemann and Chuck found safe ground outside of her catching prowess.

Morris finished the innings with a KC for her pitching stats.

Lovekin saved many extra bases for her team Wanderers with her skill keeping the ball in the dirt in front of the plate.

Bignell was in to catch for Warriors swapping with Wombwell and Bruggemann moved to the outfield.

The youngster did her best with Polderman’s zingers coming in and Wanderers put four on the board with Maddie Beck picking a very composed walk, Finchy was put out on a bang bang play by Koop then Clifford-Finch stroked a single to Bruggemann at right who came up looking for the 9-3 surprising herself by not only fielding it cleanly but also throwing straight to Pearson.

Leanne Little was robbed of a single by Koop’s pogostick jump, Morris hit a solid fly to Wombwell and Pearson made the play herself as Lovekin spun one down the first base line to finish the innings.

Warriors were held to nil in the last care of Morris getting ground balls but also an infield fly double play after some confusion on base.

Bruggemann was back in to pitch as Polderman’s leg deteriorated further.

Riana Knight made good contact to fly out to Koop at short, Beck would like to have her time again to smash the strike she left but then Finch and Clifford-FInch dispatched the veteran pitching to the outfield.

They weren’t able to score before Koop made another solid play for time and game.

Concordes United v Concordes White

It was an action-packed game between the sister teams, Concordes White and Concordes United.

The game started with Concordes White jumping ahead in the first inning.

White’s defense held United scoreless, and at the plate, Amber Smith and Sam Brown both crossed the plate, giving White a 2-0 lead.

But in the second inning, United made a huge comeback.

Dana Jones started things off with a bunt, scoring Julie Beck. From there, the runs kept coming—Tylar Kennett, Bec White, Sarah Thomson, Billie Jones, Aimee Brooks, Jacinta Packer, and Harmony Kennett all crossing the plate.

United scored eight runs in one inning, taking a strong lead.

White wasn’t done yet, though, coming back strongly in the third inning.

Gabrielle Banks led off with a solid hit to centerfield, and Karly Pearson and Amber Smith both scored off a huge hit from Sam Brown.

Alli Kreplins crossed the plate on one of Kylie Cooks three safe hits for the game, to left field, and Brown added another run on a wild throw from third base.

White scored four runs in that inning, cutting United’s lead to just two.

Both teams played great defence in the third inning.

White’s pitcher, Kreplins, made a fantastic catch to retire Julie Beck, and Kate Altschwager made a great play at second base to retire Tylar Kennett.

United’s defense stepped up too, with Codie Jackway helping to retire two White batters in the fourth inning.

United couldn’t score in the fourth, with Aimee Brooks being the only one to get on base.

White had some chances, with Cook and Mel Smailing reaching base, but they couldn’t get the runs they needed.

Two outs at first and a strikeout ended the inning, and the game finished with United holding on to their 8-6 lead.

United’s big second inning made the difference, but Concordes White showed plenty of fight.

Demons v Bandits

Bandits, second on the ladder met Demons, third on the ladder for a game that could secure or change the league ladder heading into finals in just two weeks.

Both were coming off a win from last weekend and eager to take the big W.

Bandits were first up to bat with Di Horbury up to bat, who has proven to be a force over the past few weeks.

She took her second pitch and delivered a beautiful fly ball to Demons left field Belinda O’Dine.

Mackenzie Millard followed her, ready to start her team off at the plate.

She was patient in the box and earnt herself a walk to first.

Deb Hicks hit a hard ball that flew between third and short stop, moving Millard around the bases and landing herself on base.

Chantel MacDonald and Maddie Redman followed in the line up both receiving walks and Bandits were loaded bases.

Coach Chrystal Lock up next and although working hard in the box her 5fifh pitch saw her hit a fly ball to Demons second base Abbey Meinck who played a double in a catch and out a second. Bandits scored one run.

Demons were fired up for a solid batting round after earning 10 runs in their first innings last weekend.

Meinck, the trusty starter for Demons slogged a hit to left field and took two bases.

Em Hart followed and bought her batting fire from last weekend and made left field work again, she took the bases while getting Meinck home but unfortunately got out at the plate after her third base coach sent her home in hopes she would get her first home run for the season.

Manning’s hit was met by the glove of MacDonald who has proven to be a ball magnet at centerfield.

Kezia Feast stepped up to the plate, eager to keep her team in the innings with two batters out.

It was a play were coach met coach and she hit a line drive straight back to Lock on the mound. Demons also scored one.

Bandits came alive in the second with Millard, Hicks Redman, Whitehead and Lock all scoring safe hits.

Between that and two walks Bandits were on bases and moving their way around to home. Demons O’Dine scored her second fly catch for the day, and Feast her first at short stop.

Meinck, working hard in the defence fielded a ground ball at second and got the out at first. Bandits put five on board.

Keen to hold their lead Bandits defence worked hard to keep Demons at bay.

Meg Merrett started the line up with a safe hit to short stop and Simone Little followed suit with a safe hit to second, moving Merrett to second.

Sarah Dohnt took her second pitch and flew one to centerfield.

While moving her runners Merrett got caught in an exhilarating trap play between Hicks and Millard which ended up being the second out for Demons.

Chelsea Feast up to bat next and was seconds away from being safe at first. Demons scored no runs.

In the third innings, both teams went out fighting hard with the clock running out and both put one run on the board.

Bandits up for their last bat were enthusiastic to seal their five run lead.

Demons knew their defence needed to be tight and Manning worked hard at the mound to make it happen, with two K2s and a fly foul catch from O’Dine for her third for the day. Bandits put one on the board with eight runs total.

Demons stepped up for their last bat knowing they needed seven on the board to take the win.

Four batters in and Demons were two out with one home.

Meinck and Merrett scored safe hits to the outfield and Demons got lucky with the Bandits defence with misfields and errors.

Demons were smart with their base running and fronted another five batters with two outs, but unfortunately it was not enough with six runs being scored.

The curse of the draw gets Demons again, for the fifth time this season.

RESULTS

Warriors 17 (Justine Koop & Daena Wombwell 3; Leyna Bruggemann, Mel Chuck & Sarah Polderman 2; Maddy Bignell) d Wanderers 4 (Lily Clifford–Finch 3; Fiona Finch & Leanne Little); Concordes United 8 (Billie Jones 2; Sarah Thomson, Tylar Kennett, Aimee Brooks, Jacinta Packer & Harmony Kennett) d Concordes White 6 (Kylie Cook 3; Karly Pearson, Sam Brown, and Mel Smaling 2; Amber Smith, Alli Kreplins, Kate Altschwager, Pauline Long & Gabrielle Banks); Bandits 8 (Di Horbury, Mackenzie Millard, Chantel Macdonald, Maddie Redman, Chrystal Lock, Emilee Mitchell & Natalie Whitehead) drew with Demons 8 (Abbey Meinck, Meg Merrett & Sarah Dohnt 2; Em Hart, Cody Manning & Simone Little)

PHOTO BY FRANK MONGER