A Grade Women - Strathalbyn v Pirates

Strathalbyn were first to bat on their first Saturday game for the season and had safe hits to Kim Cutting, Peyton Daniels, Kathryn Milne and Amber Crawford but they could only get two runs over the plate with Pirates short stop Margie Cammel making an out at first, pitcher Taminka Wilks also making an out at first and then combining with catcher Rachael Thompson for a K2. Strath’s pitcher/catcher combo of Tess Norris to Cutting made two K2’s for the first outs and Crawford took a catch at third to end the innings with the highlight for Pirates a safe hit to centre to Brenae Wieringa but they couldn’t bring anyone home.

A two base hit to Norris started Strath off in the second and an error got Cutting on base but they were held scoreless with Pirates right fielder Debbie Taylor taking a catch and centre Jordana Wilks also taking a catch and quickly throwing to second base to catch the runner short of their ground for a double play. Pirates second at bat had a two base hit to T. Wilks but she was unable to come home with Strath’s short stop Daniels making an out at first, another K2 and Milne and second baser Ashlee Peterson combining for the out at first to hold them scoreless.

Milne gained a walk in the third but she was the only one to get on base with Pirates working hard for an out at first, another catch taken by J. Wilks and another K2 to send Strath off the diamond. It was three up three down for Pirates with Strath’s first baser Milne taking a catch, a K2 to Norris and another out at first by Daniels.

Safe hits to Peterson, Daniels, Crawford and Elise Duffield in the fourth helped bring home four runs with Pirates left fielder Michelle Stewart taking a catch, J. Wilks another catch and then also picking off the lead runner to hold them to those runs. Pirates faced a new pitcher in Daniels and they gained some walks and drew some errors but an out made at first and two K2’s to Daniels held them scoreless again.

The fifth dig for Strath produced hits to Norris and Peterson and a two baser to Cutting and with walks gained by Rebecca Sims and Monica Spriggs they brought another four runners home with Pirates second baser Wendy Pope making a fielder's choice out at second, an out at first by Cammel and a K2 to end the innings. Pirates needed to get some runs on the board and with some walks gained, great base running and a safe hit to Weiringa they got one home with Strath making another K2, a catch by Milne and an out at first by Peterson to end the innings and the game with Strathalbyn coming out on top 10 runs to Pirates 1.

C Grade Women - Strathalbyn v Echunga

Echunga were up to bat first and Strath’s pitcher Rebecca Sims fielded and threw to first baser Elise Duffield for the first two identical outs. Echunga’s batters then got on base with Indy Sinnott forcing an error and then Lindsay Butler getting a great hit to the outfield for a home run before Brydie Spriggs took a catch at third to end the innings. Strath’s turn at bat got runners on with some hits and walks gained but they were unable to convert with Echunga’s short stop Sinnott making an out at first and then picking off the lead runner at third and third baser Hayley Brown throwing home to catcher Molly Playford to again pick off the runner and prevent any score.

Walks were gained by Echunga in the second and they also forced some errors with the only safe hit by Shay Syrmas but combined with some great base running they brought home a further five runs with Strath’s right fielder Kaylene Hart taking a catch off a great hit by Playford, short stop Annabel McGregor picking off the lead runner at third and pitcher/catcher combo of Monica Spriggs to Amber Crawford working well for a K2. Strath needed to get runs on the board and started it off with a home run to Crawford, a three baser to M. Spriggs, a two baser to Sims and singles to Duffield and B. Spriggs. A couple of walks gained as well pushed runners around to bring home eight runs with Echunga making two outs at second and a K2 with time called to end a tight game in cool wet conditions with Strathalbyn 8 taking the win by just one run over Echunga 7.