CONCORDES United booked the first place in the Mount Gambier softball grand final with a come-from-behind win against sister side Concordes White.
United won the toss and elected to field and White put the pressure on immediately, with a Maddy Sutherland single scored when a high fly ball was lost in the sun and a wild throw saw Sutherland steal home.
However, United replied immediately with a run thanks to two errors in the field by White, who took a moment to settle behind pitcher Billie Jones.
The second innings saw United pitcher Dana Jones get three-up, three-down, including a strike out but White held firm in the field and successfully navigated the bottom of the line up from United without conceding.
Maddie Bowd took an impressive catch at second base off a sky high ball to end the innings.
White had a good opportunity in the third innings, after lead-off Johanna Hopgood picked a walk and Sutherland had her second hit of the day to centrefield, with only one out.
However, Leonie McCallum turned a terrific double-play to quash the challenge and end the innings.
Mackenzie Millard was also in good touch at centre field, catching everything that came her way.
In the bottom of the third innings Dana Jones got herself on base with a single, bringing Codie Jackway to the plate.
Jackway did not disappoint, creaming a triple into the left centre gap to score Jones all the way from first base.
Jackway herself then scored from a sloppy piece of fielding by White, to take the lead 3-1 after three innings.
White responded with a two-run fourth innings to level things up, after a safe hit to right field by Bowd and a shallow hit to centerfield by Alli Kreplins were scored on a sacrifice by Sam Brown and a safe hit by Linda Dodds.
Kreplins was brought on to relieve Billie Jones on the mound and held United scoreless in the second half of the frame, with three catches including a difficult one into the sun at left field by Hopgood.
With scores level after four innings, the game was tense and White broke through first, when another walk to Hopgood and an error saw Sutherland aboard.
Both were scored off a double to Rachel Bagshaw, before Billie Jones scored off a sacrifice fly to Kreplins.
Bagshaw tried for home on a United error but they were quick enough to catch her in a trap play for the third out.
With a three-run lead to defend, it all went pear shaped for White in the bottom of the fifth.
Two walks and two fielding errors saw United score four without a hit and the game was slipping away from White, after Montanna Millard smacked a double past right field.
Jones replaced Kreplins mid innings and immediately stemmed the flow of hits, striking out two and inducing a fly ball from McCallum to end the innings.
However, the damage was done, with United bringing in Montanna Millard to pitch the final two innings.
She did not concede a hit over two and United closed out the game, with the final scoreline 10-6.
United will go into the final almost unbackable favourites after a dominant second half of the season.
White will need to regroup and stay focussed if they are to beat Warriors Blue this week, who will be riding high after a dramatic win against Wanderers.
In that game Wanderers won the toss and chose to face the Warriors Blue batting line up in the top of the first innings and the latter were clinical, scoring three.
Blues catcher Daena Wombwell had a lead-off single, moved around by the sacrifice bunt by Jarvo Queale, then scored on a Leyna Bruggemann blooper to right.
Mel Chuck then stepped up and hit a single up the middle off of Wanderers starting pitcher Fiona Finch.
Finch changed pace and location, putting a high pitch past Kelly Doyle for a strike out.
Blues Skylea McLean stepped up and cracked yet another shot up the middle to score Chuck before Finch made the third out.
Wanderers put huge pressure on the Warriors battery, flying around the bases with anything in the dirt taken advantage of by Finch, Rej Smith and Jo Hart, scoring two in the first.
Bruggemann returned fire, putting up three Ks to shut Wanderers down.
Warriors kept the scoreboard pressure going with another run in the second dig with patient at bats.
Wombwell was scored by another Bruggemann blooper that she turned into a double, backing up and striking out another three Wanderers hitters.
Not deterred, Finch led off the third innings with a single, then scored by Smith, Hart picked a walk, and Leanne Little hit another single up the middle to take her tally to two for the day and the lead 5-4.
Warriors got their bats going in the top of the fourth with Bruggemann leading off with a double to right and Bec White creaming a triple to score two runs before stealing home herself.
Warriors Kelly Doyle got hit by a pitched ball twice and remained patient picking up another two walks, as did Vicki Taylor who was busy early at centrefield.
One of the catches of the day went to Lily Clifford-Finch, snagging a line drive off of McLean’s bat which was applauded by both sides.
As was the laser Jasmine Disselbach caught in the fourth.
Warriors went into the fifth innings 9-7 up, with Wombwell throwing out youngster Maddi Stevens stealing second.
White led off for Blues with the second of her three for the day, but Rej Smith had taken over pitching duties and got the dig done with none scored.
Smith was at it again, bringing the margin to one in the sixth care of more aggressive base running and a Hart RBI.
Queale made a ripper play having moved into her preferred position at third, showing the crowd her range and arm, throwing out Finch with precision.
Warriors then managed two runs with Queale walked and later scored by White who ended the day three RBIs.
Wanderers went into the bottom of the seventh three runs down.
They rallied in the face of two outs, scoring two and getting the Warriors hearts racing.
It was Doyle who broke the hearts of her former team, catching a line drive of off Smith to end the game with Warriors 11-10 victors.
They will now face Concordes White next week in the preliminary final.
