Hills Softball Association ‘A’ Grade Women (Strathalbyn v Hills Masters - Game 1)

Strathalbyn’s first game of the double header against the Hills Heat Masters opened with a hit to the outfield by Masters Kel O’Brien, who stole bases and was brought home by Emilie Noble before Strath could shut them down with a catch at centre field by Kim Cutting, catcher Tessa Norris taking a catch and an out from third baser Britt Jackson fielding and throwing to first to end the innings. Strath’s first batting dig was also short with a safe hit to Norris but she could not move further around the diamond as Masters short stop Hantie Pretorious fielded and played second base, then pitcher O’Brien fielded and picked off the lead runner which was followed by Pretorious again fielding and picking off the lead runner to send Strath from the diamond scoreless.

Strath tightened up in the field for Masters second dig and even with safe hits to Kate Adamson and Kirsty Hailstone they were unable to add to their score with Strath’s shortstop Tash Mayes fielding cleanly and making two consecutive tag outs with the second almost making a double play and Jackson fielding well and throwing to first for the third out. Strath again were held scoreless but had safe hits to Mayes, Kelly Roe and a great hit by Casey Taylor in her first A grade game before Masters made a tag out at third, Noble took a catch and then received a throw from Pretorious for the third out.

Masters had their batting hats on in the third and had safe hits to most players with two basers to Adamson, O’Brien, Kerry Wilkinson and a three baser to Pretorious which brought home ten runs while Cutting was on fire at centre for Strath taking three catches one of which was a full stretch slide. Strath needed to find good batting and had safe hits to Milne, Jackson and Roe but could not get runners home with an infield fly, a catch taken by third baser Wilkinson and an out at home sending them from the diamond.

Some safe hits to Noble, Hailstone and Pretorious and several walks helped Masters push runners around the diamond to bring home a further six runs in their fourth turn at bat with Strathalbyn’s new pitcher Mayes working hard fielding and throwing to Roe now at first for the out, Milne now at third fielding and throwing home for the second and preventing another run and Mayes clutching a low line drive straight back at her feet to end the innings. Strath started their fourth dig well with Taylor getting another safe hit to get on base followed by Norris and Milne pushing them around the diamond to bring them all home for three with Masters making two outs at first and yet another pick off of the lead runner by Pretorious to end the innings and the game. Final scores were Hills Heat Masters 16 to Strathalbyn 3.

Hills Softball Association ‘A’ Grade Women (Strathalbyn v Hills Masters - Game 2)

In the second game of the double header for Strathalbyn and Hills Heat Masters, the Masters batted first and started their innings with a home run to Emilie Noble and safe hits to Hantie Pretorious, Sharon Perkins, Mis O’Keefe, Deb Hopgood and Lisa Wilson to help bring in five runs before Strath’s third baser Tiahna Mayes fielded well and threw to Kelly Roe at first to make two outs and the third to end the innings was a catch at centre field by Tash Mayes. Strath came in for their first turn at bat and started well with a two baser to Tessa Norris, a home run to Britt Jackson and safe hits to Kim Cutting, Ta Mayes, Roe, Ti Mayes, Casey Taylor and Kathryn Milne to bring nine runners home, while Masters first baser Emilie Noble was on fire receiving a throw from pitcher Lisa Wilson and then taking two catches to send the Panthers from the diamond.

In their second batting dig, the Masters did not add to their tally even with safe hits to Pretorious, Perkins and O’Keefe with Strath’s shortstop Jackson combining with second baser Milne for the first out and then fielding and throwing to Roe at first base and again Ta Mayes took a catch at centre to end the innings. Strath again batted well with a three baser to Cutting and safe hits to Roe and Ti Mayes and included some walks to move runners around the diamond to bring home a further seven runs. Masters worked hard in the field with an infield fly, an out at third and an out at first by Noble to finish the innings.

Masters came in for their third dig and had safe hits to Jane Wreghitt, Wilson and a two baser to Noble to add one run to their tally before Strath shut them down with a catch taken by pitcher Norris, an infield fly and then a catch taken at second by Milne ending the innings and the game as time was called with Strath finishing in front on the run tally. Final scores were Strathalbyn 16 to Hills Heat Masters 6.