MOUNT Gambier softball was again triumphant in the senior state championships held at West Beach over the Australia Day long weekend.
The side brought home the silverware with a 9-1 win over the Central Districts Softball Association in the grand final, despite a rocky start to the tournament.
Both Saturday games were lost 4-1 as a result of slow batting starts and suspected time wasting by opposition teams to see scores revert back despite Mount Gambier having hit the lead.
This was cause for dissatisfaction amongst the spectators who travelled the distance and support staff Dylan Walker, Di Humphries and Pam Wesolowski.
However, Sunday saw an infinite improvement in team batting and with seven runs in the first inning against the Hills association team, Mount Gambier ran out 17-8 victors.
A tough fought 11-4 loss to an undefeated CDSA came next, before the team bounced back for another win against Hills 7-0.
That match saw Jade Peterson strike out eight batters in four innings.
Mount Gambier went into Monday’s games in second position, losing 5-2 in a dead rubber against CDSA, which progressed straight into the grand final.
The first final showed a dominant display from Mount Gambier, as it led 19-0 against Hills when time and game was called.
Highlights for the game saw two huge triples to Cody Manning, along with three hits each to Taylor Wilsmore and Mackenzie Millard.
Jo Hopgood, Nicole Vause, Montana Millard and Raquel Sneath did did well to manage two hits each, while Peterson again stood tall on the mound to strike out four hitters in three innings.
The stage was set for the grand final rematch from last year’s tournament against CDSA.
Coach Leyna Bruggemann could not be happier with the team scoring three runs in the first innings, care of a lead off triple to Mackenzie Millard.
A squeeze bunt turned into a safe hit for Jo Hopgood, who had a blinder of a game to end up with four hits.
Vause strode to the plate and lined a double to right-field to score two, before Bruggemann blooping a single for a third run.
There was some misunderstanding in pitching distance which resulted in Centrals pitcher Mel Bone having pitched from the men’s distance of 46 feet, but unlike her opponent Peterson was able to hold them to zero, after she returned the favour by pitching from the longer distance.
The Mount Gambier side scored a further two runs in the second innings to CDSA’s none, with Fiona Finch hitting a single, which was then scored by a Hopgood single up the middle, who in turn scored on another Vause RBI.
The third innings saw Centrals use the short game to score its only run for the game, before the pressure from Mount Gambier forced a pitching change.
Mount Gambier piled on another four runs in the fourth, led off by yet another Mackenzie Millard triple, followed by a Hopgood double, then a long ball hitting the left-field fence from Bruggemann for a triple.
Peterson showed no signs of fatigue despite not having pitched for nine months and put the screws into the Centrals hitters, striking out four of the last six batters for the game.
Mount Gambier then added another four runs through another Hopgood single, a Jenna Burston RBI and a huge triple from Manning.
Chelsea Fowler was the last allowed batter for the game, swatting a ball to left for a double and the score reverted back to a 9-1 victory for Mount Gambier.
There was no A Grade competition this year so the team was crowned B Grade women’s champions.
Manning was outstanding in the championship, hitting two home runs and six triples in addition to back-to-back success winning the women’s home run derby award.
Vause replicated her consistent form from last year, leading the way with softball stalwart Hopgood, who was solid as a rock at second base and got six safe hits from six at bats in the finals.
Em Hart was hampered by a leg injury, but made a terrific throw from right field to secure an out at the plate.
The Millard sisters combined well, having to adjust to much tighter strike zones, with elder sister Montana hitting the ball hard to the outfield on a number of occasions.
Fowler also hit some hard line drives, with Finch utilising her speed to handle the quicker pitching without missing a beat.
Quiet achiever Sneath was reliable with the bat, as was Taylor Wilsmore who supported all with positive on-field leadership.
Burston proved an integral support to Bruggemann in the finals, providing coaching input and coming on at third base to get a single in the pressure of the grand final.
As the team batting shone in the end, Peterson’s influence on the confidence of the team was immeasurable.
Although she will now return to the Adelaide competition, it was clear she enjoyed re-teaming with the Mount Gambier squad and passing on her experience alongside veteran Caroline Gardner,
who could be a welcome playing inclusion at next year’s championship.
