A BIG weekend of softball saw Concordes White meet Wanderers for the first time this season in what promised to be a good match-up, with both teams playing some great matches so far.
However, Concordes batted first and immediately piled on the pressure, showing plenty of plate discipline to draw a number of walks out of the Wanderers pitching.
Elysha Collins hit a huge double over left field’s head to plate two runs, while Alli Kreplins and Billie Jones also had an RBI apiece in a 10-run first innings to set the scene.
Lily Clifford-Finch continued her strong batting form for Wanderers, leading off with a single to right field.
Em Hart then hit a line drive so hard Rachel Bagshaw had about a nanosecond to get her glove in front of her face to take an absolute screamer of a catch at third base.
In the second innings Concordes added on another two runs thanks to safe hits from Kate Altschwager and Maddie Bowd, both scored by a punched out safe hit to centerfield by Maddy Sutherland, who relished having the designated hitter duties for the game with a triple to right as well as the RBI’s.
Bagshaw was at it again in the bottom of the third, showing complete composure and control to turn a force three into a 1-3-5 double play to retire Wanderers, but not before they got on the board with Tracey Anderson hitting an RBI single to right for one of her two hits for the day.
To complete her hat-trick of great plays, Bagshaw was again involved in another double play for Concordes, when shortstop Elysha Collins held the runner and threw the batter out with a laser to Jo Hopgood, who in turn sent the ball over to Bagshaw at third to catch the runner trying to sneak closer to home.
Wanderers finished the game with two runs in the fourth innings when Hopgood replaced pitcher Kreplins on the mound, after Kreplins pitched with accuracy and control for three innings, giving up only the one run on four hits in another great performance.
Concordes were far too strong in the end, not making a single error in the field and batting with confidence to run out 15-3 victors.
CONCORDES UNITED V WARRIORS BLUE
CONCORDES United started favourites with their red hot season form to date but it was Warriors Blue to take the chocolates, scoring in four of the six innings played.
Jarvo Queale was everywhere at third for Blues, snagging a key line drive catch off the bat of United’s pitcher Dana Jones.
Queale was also stunning in the batting box with a double to left and her career first safe hit to right field.
Not to be outdone by her old Seacombe Tigers teammate, Blues’ Leyna Bruggemann made seven plays in the field, also legging out an in-the-park home run.
She later hit another long ball that half volleyed into the home run fence, but was tagged out overestimating her running speed at third by a great relay from Montana Millard to Codie Jackway.
United’s Millard, Sarah Thomson and Bec Von Duve kept the Blues outfield working with a hit each.
Jackway came on to pitch the last three innings, racking up the same number of strikeouts and having one of United’s five safe hits for the game.
Jones added to her hits tally with a single up the middle to Elly Hogben.
Hogben picked four walks for the day, Melissa Chuck drilled a single to right and Bec White lasered a shot to centre.
White made a great play in combination with catcher Daena Wombwell who threw out Jones stealing in the fifth inning.
Wombwell also ran out an infield single.
DEMONS V WARRIORS WHITE
DEMONS showed their strength of old with a comprehensive victory over Warriors White, the latter having knocked off ladder-leaders Concordes White last week.
Bella Morale had two safe hits and executed a sharp double play snagging a line drive off Erin Chaplin’s bat to then step quickly back on her base at first to have Sarah Polderman out.
Demons’ Jordi Gower threw strikes all day to rookie catcher Abbey Meinck.
Meinck smashed a double to left to go with her earlier single.
Jorja Morale could not get the smile off of her face with her safe hit to centre in the first inning, teammate Sharna Beck matching her with a single to centre as well.
Kez Feast also had a single in the first innings where her team scored five runs.
She also enjoyed the return of Cody Manning to shortstop, who showed off her arm in the field and had three RBIs swinging the bat hard.
Polderman battled on for Whites with two of her team’s four safe hits for the day.
She snagged three catches at left before coming in to pitch the last inning, throwing down thunderbolts that hurt the hand of catcher Kelly Doyle, striking out two.
Doyle got another safe hit filling in for Whites, with Caitlyn Bignell running out a single to third.
Erin Chaplin battled hard in the pitcher’s circle for White for the other part of the game.
CONCORDES WHITE V CONCORDES UNITED
CONCORDES White and Concordes United played their catch up game as a double-header and it was fair to say in the early innings United had White’s measure.
Sarah Thomson pitched for United and caused the batters all sorts of headaches with her off pace pitches, brilliantly backed up by Codie Jones at third and sister Dana Jones at short.
United opened the scoring from a lead-off safe hit to MacCallum, scored by Jackway who hit a lined double past left field’s outstretched glove.
Mackenzie Millard then hit an opposite side single to score Jackway.
White then got a bit of a handle on the change of pace and scored five runs in the second inning thanks to hits from Maddy Sutherland, Brandi Miller, and Maddie Bowd.
United inched back in front by a couple with Jackway continuing her great day with a triple to score Dana Jones, who had another three safe hits for the game, including a triple.
Billie Jones pitched consistently for White throughout and held the United batters when it mattered.
White came home full of running, with a five-run fourth inning and a further two in the fifth to snag the 13-9 victory and remain in top spot.
