Hills Softball Association ‘A’ Grade Women (Strathalbyn v Hills Heat Masters)

On one of the few balmy night games we’ve had this season, the Masters came up to bat first and had safe hits to Deb Hopgood, Emilie Noble and Sharon Perkins with Strathalbyn left fielder Tash Mayes taking a running catch, Kelly Roe at first base also taking a great catch in foul territory, and the final out of the innings saw pitcher Tess Norris fielding and choosing to throw to catcher Kim Cutting at home to hold them to one run. Strath came in for their first batting dig after the break and produced safe hits to Norris and Kathryn Milne with a safe bunt by Emily Eglitis moving runners around to help bring in two runs with Masters short stop Hantie Pretorius fielding well for two outs at first and a K2 by pitcher/catcher combination Kel O’Brien to Hopgood ended the innings.

Masters were up to bat for the second time but again Mayes took a running catch, an out at first made by third baser Tiahna Mayes, and a catch taken by Milne sent them from the diamond three up/three down and scoreless. Strath were held scoreless in their second batting dig as well, even with safe hits to Roe, Rebecca Sims and Cutting with Masters making another K2, Cutting being hit on the foot by a Norris hit and an out made at second by Pretorius.

The third batting dig for the Masters was also three up/three down with another out at first made by Tiahna Mayes, the third catch for the night to Tash Mayes and a catch taken by shortstop Matilda Lovelock. Strath batted better this innings with a safe hit to Milne, a two base hit to Mayes and great running brought them both home off a hit to Roe before another K2, a catch by O’Brien and a tag out at second ended the innings.

After getting a walk, Kate Adamson was pushed around the bases with safe hits from Kim Copperstone and Jane Wreghitt for the Masters and eventually she got home from a great hit by Pretorius which was caught at centrefield by Emily Eglitis with two K2’s to Norris finishing the innings. Even with safe hits to Norris, Tiahna and Lovelock and walks to Cutting, Milne and Tash, Cutting was the only Strath batter to make it home in the fourth innings with an out at first and great choices by Pretorius to field and pick off the lead runners ending the innings and the game with Strathalbyn winning 5-2.

Strathalbyn’s ‘C’ grade team started 2022 with a double-header on Saturday with the first game played against Pirates (B). The Panthers battled hard but eventually went down 10-5. The second match of the double-header was played against Pirates (C) and it went right down to the wire before ending in a 6-6 draw.