A CLASSIC Mount Gambier softball grand final played out at Blue Lake Sports Park on Saturday, with Concordes United claiming the honours over Demons by the smallest of margins.
The opening innings began with safe hits to Concordes’ Dana Jones and Sarah Thomson.
Lorelle Walker advanced to first through a base-on-ball to load the bases, but a double-play by Codie Manning saw a quick end to the innings with no runs scored.
For Demons, Brydie Puckett took first through a base-on-ball and was advanced by a single hit to left-field by Billie Jones, only for the innings to be closed and no runs scored.
The top of the second and a single to centre-field from Julie Beck had a runner on base early for Concordes.
After being advanced on the bases, a wild pitch scored the first run of the game, then Hannah Taylor was caught out by Steph Chant at first to end the innings.
It was a quick three outs for Demons at the bottom of the second, with Leonie McCallum making the out.
Demons lifted, with a good defensive start to the third innings, as Dana Jones hit a fly ball to short stop for the first out.
Thomson had a lucky break to take first base and advanced to second on an error.
Walker again made first with a base-on-ball and McCallum scored Thomson with a single to centre-field.
Demons pitcher Billie Jones closed out the innings with a K2, but not before Concordes had increased the lead to 2-0.
It was again a quick three outs for Demons, with no runs scored.
Unfortunately for Concordes, their batting in the fourth innings was short-lived and they were quickly back out in the field.
The Demons batters got busy in the fourth innings, with Jones hitting a single to left-field, followed
by a Steph Chant double to right-field, which brought Cody Manning to the plate.
Concordes opted to intentionally walk Manning, loading up the bases for Demons.
It proved to be a master stroke as the next batters failed to fire and Concordes closed the innings with Demons left on base.
In the top of the fifth innings an early error saw Dana Jones on base and a Thomson single to advance.
Jones was called out on the play stealing home, but a double-play to left-field by Cody Jackway for Thomson and a McCallum single to left-field then scored Jackway for a 4-0 scoreline.
Again Demons batters struggled to find gaps, with only Sofie Morale getting on base with a single.
Concordes batters then failed to fire in the top of the sixth innings and Demons were never going to stay quiet.
In the sixth innings the runs started to flow, as Billie Jones got on base and was advanced by a Chant single to centre-field.
Manning then showed her batting prowess with a triple to centre-field, which scored both Jones and Chant.
Cindy Burford advanced onto the bases after a wild throw which scored Manning, while Kezia Feast made it to first base on an error.
The Concordes players then settled, with the next out becoming a double-play, with a trap between third base and home having Burford caught in no-man’s land.
Em Hart’s single to left-field then scored Feast.
A cool-headed Rosie Clark ended the innings with a play to first base for the final out, but Demons had levelled the score at 4-all heading to the final innings.
Thompson continued her strong batting form with a triple to start the innings.
A single to Jackway brought Thompson home, then Julie Beck’s hit brought Jackway home.
Demons then shut down the last batter to end the innings, but Concordes managed to re-build a lead of 6-4 going into the bottom of the seventh.
Concordes were quick to shut out the first two batters, both caught out on fly balls.
Manning then got on base and Burford made first through base-on-ball.
Feast had a safe hit to centre-field to score Manning and make it a one-run ball game.
With two outs, Sofie Morale popped up a fly ball to McCallum at third base, who took the out to end the game, which was fitting as she was named MVP.
In a classic grand final hitout, Concordes won by the slimmest of margins, with a 6-5 result.
Safe hits – Concordes: S. Thomson 3, C. Jackway 2, L. McCallum 2, D. Jones 1, J. Beck 1; Demons: S. Chant 2, B. Jones 2, C. Manning 1, E. Hart 1, K. Feast 1, S. Morale 1.
