With Millicent Bandits improving each week and after a loss last week, United knew it had work to do to come away with a win in the weekend’s Mount Gambier Softball League action.


It was a hot start to the bat for United’s Codie Jackway with a line drive to leftfield and coming away with a home run, while Leonie McCallum had a beautiful hit to centre to get herself on and with a few errors from Bandits she was able to score home.


Bandits fought back with some tight pitching from Chantel Macdonald getting herself some strike outs ending the first innings for United.


Tilly Dohnt picked a walk and got herself on base to start the innings for bandits but United’s tight fielding ended the first bat for Bandits quickly.


Rebecca White got herself on base for United in the second innings to start the runs and safe hits from Dianne Wilson and Julie Beck allowed White to score.


Jackway went back up to bat and got on base while scoring Wilson and Beck.


Tylar Kennett with an RBI allowed Jackway to score home, while Bandits fill in Sarah Polderman at shortstop used her power arm to get the outs they needed, ending the innings for United and the score 6-0.


Bandits did not let this stop them, with Macdonald landing a beautiful safe to right.


Lucy Galpin with a big hit to leftfield scored Macdonald and Maddi Redman, who has been hot with the bat the last few weeks, hit a killer to centre scoring Galpin.


United fought back with some great pitching from Dana Jones and backed up by her team they were able to get some quick outs to end Bandits’ inning.


Jackway picked a cheeky walk and got to first before the hits started to come.


Kennett with a safe hit to second ran hard and got herself on, all while sneaky Jackway crossed home plate.


Jones then with a double to leftfield was about to move McCallum around to third and get herself to second.


Allana Feast smacked another double to leftfield scoring McCallum and Jones.


Bandits fought hard in the forth with some great at bats and safe hits to Natalie Whitehead and another to Macdonald, but Feast at short stop for United was not letting anything go past and made sure they were able to secure the three outs they needed to head into the fifth innings.


Bandits made a pitching change in the fifth putting in all-rounder Chrystal Lock. Wilson started with the bat for United and with some quick running and a little error from Bandits she was able to get herself safe on first.


Speedy Wilson thought she was quick enough and stole to second, but Redman behind the plate picked her off with a brilliant throw, getting the first out.


Jackway was back at the plate again and picked a walk to get herself on, some more strong batting from United loaded the bases for Sarah Thomson come up to bat, waiting for the right one she hit a big one to rightfield and was able to score Kennett, McCallum and Jones, but with beautiful fielding from Bandits they were able to make the play at home, getting Thomson out but not before she scored all three runs.


Bandits came out hot in the last innings, McDonald and Redman looked sharped with the bat for both their third safe hits for the game and got themselves on base.


Jones fought back the next batter with a strike out, another hit to Feast at short stop saw her throw to first for the second out and her seventh out for the game.


A quick pick up by Jones at the mound to throw to first for the last out saw United win 14- 6.


Wanderers v Concordes White


In the second of the 1pm games, Concordes White started in the field with Alli Kreplins on the mound and she made her presence felt right from the start with a strike out to Fiona Finch.


Lily Clifford-Finch made it safely on base due to a fielding error, but was soon called out running to second for hesitation by the plate umpire.


Leanne Little found the middle of the bat with a safe hit to centrefield but was left stranded on base as Charlie Kaigg was struck out by the on-fire Kreplins for the third out.


Sam Brown led off for White with a well watched walk, followed by Kreplins who did the same. Maddie Bowd forced the error from shortstop, advancing to second and scoring two runs.


Kate Altschwager took first after being hit by a pitched ball and sister duo Keely and Lauren Lunsmann both picked walks.


Amber Smith went down swinging before Mel Smaling drove the ball to centrefield to score three runs and Lauren had a rush of blood and ran to third where she was put out to end the innings with White scoring five runs.


At the top of the second Abbie Lovekin drove the ball hard to third forcing an error in the White field and Tracey Anderson picked a walk to advance Lovekin.


Kreplins came back to strike out Jess Ghezzi and Altschwager threw out her glove in what looked like slow motion to take a ripping catch at one and recovered to make the play herself at one for the double play to end the innings.


Sam Brown again opened the innings, but flied out to the ever-reliable Finch at leftfield who took an on the run catch for the first out. Kreplins picked a walk and Aleesha Tucker hit the ball to third and safely made first after a wild throw.


Bowd hit a well-executed shot to rightfield scoring both Kreplins and Tucker.


Altschwager also picked a walk to advance Bowd. Keely Lunsmann flied out and Lauren Lunsmann advanced after being hit by a pitched ball.


Smith hit the ball to first base but was put out for the third out. Concordes added a further two runs to their tally.


Emily Little flied out to short stop for the first out of the third, then Finch had a safe hit to centrefield. Clifford-Finch forced an error to advance Finch, then Leanne Little again hit safely to what seemed the spot of the day centrefield to score Finch.


Kreplins then came back to strike out Kaigg for the second time, but Lovekin made sure the batting run continued with a safe hit to shortstop that scored Clifford-Finch.


Anderson hit to centerfield, but an outfield error saw Wanderers score two runs. Ghezzi was then put out from a good pick up and throw from short stop Lauren Lunsmann to conclude the innings.


Wanderers opened its scoring account with four runs and the game had tightened up.


The bottom of the third was short and sweet for Concordes as Wanderers took control.


Smaling flied out to the pitcher for the first out and Brown was tagged out by the pitcher.


Kreplins picked her third walk of the game, before Tucker flied out to short stop.


In the final innings of the game Concordes needed to step up and put the pressure on Wanderers. Kreplins continued her fine form on the mound with a strike out to Edie Jones.


Emily Little advanced after being hit by a pitched ball and the consistent Finch hit safely to rightfield.


Clifford-Finch then also had a safe hit scoring both Little and Finch.


Leanne Little scored the third run for the innings forcing an error from White’s short stop and the next two batters Kaigg and Lovekin were caught out to end the innings.


Wanderers had added a further three runs to their tally and the score was seven all.


It came down to the final innings for White and Bowd continued her strong batting with a two bagger to that game hitting spot of the day centrefield and Altschwager advanced on a walk. Keely Lunsmann had a solid shot to centrefield that scored Bowd.


Lauren Lunsmann flied out for the first out. Rookie Smith had a sensational shot to centrefield and Smaling picked a walk advancing Altschwager, as did Brown. Lovekin, who had worked hard all game on the mound, came back strongly striking out Kreplins for the second out. Tucker continued the trend also picking a walk.


Bowd again came to the plate and drove the ball to centrefield forcing an error. Altschwager finally got a safe hit for the game and Keely Lunsmann forced an infield error to advance to one and score Bowd.


Lauren Lunsmann was struck out to end the game with Concordes White scoring their fourth win of the season.


This is their second in a row giving the team momentum in the last part of the season.


Demons 12 defeated Warriors 2


In the showdown of bragging rights for first and second on the ladder and one win for each team under their belts, Demons and Warriors were both eager to come away with the win.


Demons started the first innings at the plate determined to not keep batting until the 11th hour like last week’s game against Wanderers.


The girls were disciplined at the bat and took walks when they were offered.


Cody Manning and Steph Chant scored safe hits and all nine batters saw the plate during the first dig which left Demons with five runs scored.


Coach Leyna Bruggemann started Warriors off strong with a ripper drive to centrefield followed by a double bagger from Mel Chuck.


Demons’ pitcher Manning made it hard for Warriors to get on with two K2s and a relay play for a tagged out at third to bring Warriors’ batting the halt and only allowing two runs on the board.


After momentum from the first Demons came out swinging again in the second facing Warriors pitcher Sarah Polderman.


Safe hits from Feast, Hart, Merrett and Jones left runners on bases for most of the innings.


The girls were smart with their base running, stealing seven bases during the innings and allowing them to match their first dig with another five runs.


Warriors were unable to get on base in the second after a K2, a fly catch from short stop and a third to first out, leaving their score at two.


Innings three and four were much the same. Demons worked on holding their lead and Warriors tried to get runners on base including a left handed slap bunt from Bruggemann.


However, Demons proved to be the stronger team on the day, leaving them in top position on the ladder going into the last two rounds before finals.