CONCORDES Softball club is set to claim a Mount Gambier softball premiership, with the only question being which side will the honours go to?
Concordes White claimed a 9-6 victory over Warriors Blue in the preliminary final on Saturday at Blue Lake Sports Park and now face sister side, Concordes United, in the grand final this weekend.
Concordes White went into the game as red-hot favourites, having not lost to Warriors Blue in the regular season and with a few blow-out victories to boot.
However, Warriors Blue had nothing to lose and was off to a strong start after Jarvo Queale smoked a huge hit to left field.
Fielding deep, Concordes coach Jo Hopgood got just enough glove on it running back to rob her of the safe hit, but it still saw Queale stand up on second.
Leyna Bruggemann then hit a sizzling triple over center-field’s head to score Queale and Warriors were off to a flyer.
A sacrifice to Mel Chuck plated Bruggemann before pitcher Billie Jones finished the innings for her side with a strikeout.
Concordes White replied immediately in the bottom of the first, after a lead-off walk to Hopgood saw her scored after safe hits to Billie Jones and Rachel Bagshaw pushed her round.
With loaded bases and only one down, Concordes looked to pounce early but Bruggemann was superb in striking out the dangerous Alli Kreplins and drawing the easy infield ground ball to Queale to get out of trouble.
Jones had no trouble with the bottom half of the Warriors line up in the second, retiring them in order, but Bruggemann followed suit despite allowing a base runner.
Hopgood swung the pitching change at the start of the third innings to put Kreplins on the mound and she was at her best, retiring nine batters in a row through the third, fourth and fifth innings, including the meaty part of the Warriors line up.
Jones led off the third with a double to left and was scored by a double to Bagshaw, one of her three hits on the day.
Maddie Bowd kept the hits coming and scored Bagshaw but yet again Concordes failed to capitalise, leaving runners stranded as Bruggemann turned the screws with her mind games and wiley change of pace.
Jones came back on to the mound in the sixth innings to keep the Warriors batters guessing and ran headfirst into the fire power of Brugemann who had her second hit of the day, which combined with a safe hit from Mel Chuck to right and a wild throw by Concordes, saw the speedster reach home safely.
Bec White had her second of three hits for the day and Warriors were again level on the scoreboard after Daena Wombwell placed a double to right field that scored two.
This brought up the ever-dangerous Queale with loaded bases, with Jones desperately trying to stem the flow against an amped up Warriors.
Veteran and cool head Sam Brown did not let her team down, snagging a great catch behind the plate from a foul fly and Concordes breathed a sigh of relief that the damage was not worse.
It was crunch time in the sixth innings for Concordes and they finally showed why they have been top two all year.
Safe hits to Maddy Sutherland and pressure batting and aggressive base running by Concordes saw them score one and have two on base when Kreplins stepped up to bat.
Having had no success against Bruggemann all day, Kreplins showed her fighting spirit, determination and sheer leg speed with a home run to a gap in centrefield, scoring three and giving Concordes a four-run lead to defend in the seventh innings.
She was then asked to pitch the final innings as well, showing the confidence coaches Hopgood and Collins had in her ability.
She did not disappoint, recording three strikeouts when it mattered to send the Concordes White juggernaut through to the grand final.
The final between the two Concordes side will be a fitting end to a season where Concordes have shown almost complete dominance at the top, with both teams deserving the chance to grab what would be the first premiership for many players, whoever comes away with the victory on the day.
The grand final will kick off at 2pm at Blue Lake Sports Park.
Results
Concordes White 9 d Warriors Blue 6. Safe hits – Concordes White: R. Bagshaw 3, M. Bowd, B. Jones 2, A. Kreplins (HR), J. Hopgood, M. Sutherland, S. Brown 1; Warriors Blue: B. White 3, L. Bruggemann 2, M. Chuck, D. Wombwell 1.
