Warriors upset competition pacesetters

Kezia Feast had her Demons troops cherry ripe atop of the ladder for the season, and her side and Warriors geared up to attempt to provide the crowd with anything near the marathon game put on by Wanderers and Concordes United the night before.

Warriors were hitting first and Justine Koop led off against Demons gun Cody Manning.

Jarvo Queale got on base, moved around by an accidental bunt by Caroline Bradshaw then Sarah Polderman hit a spinny trickshot to Feast at short that spun away from the leader.

Melissa Chuck stepped up and patiently picked a walk, loading up the bases with two out for Leyna Bruggemann who dispatched an outside pitch for a double, scoring two and Warriors were away.

Demons led off with improving yougnster Sofie Morale, and Demons made the most of the Warriors fielding shambles with a wild throw, wild pitch then a dropped sitter helping the red and blue put three runs on the board and the pressure back on Warriors.

Queale snagged a fabulous line drive off of the bat of Meg Merrett for the last out of the first leaving Demons up 3-2.

In the second, Warriors made Manning work overtime with Kelly Doyle on with a lead off walk, Linda Dodds also walked before Justine Koop expertly placed a bunt, loading up the bases for Queale.

Despite a potentially neck injuring swing, she regained composure and walked for an RBI.

Bradshaw followed up with an RBI single to Steph Chant at left, Polderman had an eight pitch RBI walk, then Chuck bamboozled everyone with an infield fly that was not caught and Warriors snuck in two.

Warriors continued the grinding offensive pressure with Bruggemann and Skylea McLean on having forced an error. Doyle put down a bunt like a seasoned pro and Warriors managed seven for the innings.

Simone Little was cool, calm and collected as she battled through a lead off walk, Bruggemann tightening the screws with the next three up three down including a handy catch to Dodds off of Em Hart’s bat.

Warriors were looking for a two down rally in the third, and who should answer the call, no one other than Polderman.

She zinged a triple past the ear of Billie Jones having taken over the pitching duties for Demons.

Chuck showed her class by going with an 0-2 pitch, a RBI single to Little at right.

Bruggemann singled then McLean hit one back to Jones who finished the innings.

Sarah McInerney smashed the first pitch she saw to Dodds, Manning followed suit before McInerney snuck in on a pass ball.

Chuck took a blinder foul fly catch off of Feast’s bat and then Jones duelled with Bruggemann before the latter effected a pop up to Queale at third.

Merrett lined another laser, this time into Bradshaw’s glove for the third out and the score 10-4.

The next two innings were significantly tighter, Jones clocking Doyle in the leg who was then scored on a sizzling Koop single to Feast now at centre.

Queale smoked a double, but in the end no more scoreboard damage was done with the score at 11-4.

Demons came into bat and seemed to struggle with the variation from Bruggemann, three outs in a six pitch fourth inning.

Little took a fabulous catch off of Polderman’s bat with Manning and Jones making the subsequent two outs keeping Warriors to nil for the first time and in nine pitches.

Demons headed into the bottom of the fifth needing to score to stay in the game.

Em Hart’s lead off battle was rewarded with a single to Dodds but she was gunned down by Koop to Polderman at second, caught stealing.

After two safe hits and catching for her side in the warmth, McInerney had a brain fade swinging at something she usually would not for a K2.

Two outs and up strode Manning who was intentionally walked earlier in the game.

She got after the first pitch she saw, which was further outside than she would probably have preferred, but was still good enough for an infield single up the middle to Bradshaw.

Polderman then calmly made the last out, throwing over to Chuck at first and Warriors were through to the grand final with the mercy rule invoked 11-4.