The Concordes Softball Club will be the 2022 Mount Gambier Softball League premiers with the only question now which side, after Concordes White defeated Warriors Blue in Saturday’s preliminary final to set up a mouth-watering grand final with sister side Concordes United.
Concordes White went into the must-win game as red-hot favourites, having never lost to Warriors Blue in the regular season and with a few blow out victories to boot.
However, Warriors Blue had nothing to lose and got off to a splendid start after Jarvo Queale smoked a huge hit to left field.
Fielding deep, Jo Hopgood got just enough glove on it running back to rob Quale of the safe hit, but the batter was still able to stand up on second.
Leyna Bruggemann then hit a sizzling triple over centerfield’s head to score Queale and suddenly Warriors were off to a flyer.
A sacrifice to Mel Chuck plated Bruggemann before pitcher Billie Jones finished the innings for her side with a strikeout.
Concordes White replied immediately in the bottom of the first, after a lead off walk to Hopgood saw her score after safe hits to Jones and Rachel Bagshaw pushed her round.
With loaded bases and only one down Concordes looked to pounce early but Bruggemann was superb in striking out the dangerous Alli Kreplins and drawing the easy infield ground ball to Queale to get out of trouble.
Jones had no trouble with the bottom half of the Warriors line up in the second, retiring them in order, but Bruggemann followed suit despite allowing a base runner.
Concordes coach Hopgood swung the pitching change at the start of the third to put Kreplins on the mound and she was at her brilliant best, retiring nine batters in a row – including the meaty part of the Warriors line up – through the next three innings.
Jones led off the third with a double to left and was scored by a double to Bagshaw, one of her three hits on the day.
Maddie Bowd kept the hits coming and scored Bagshaw, however yet again Concordes failed to capitalise, leaving runners stranded as Bruggemann turned the screws with her mind games and wily change of pace.
Jones came back on to the mound in the sixth to keep the Warriors batters guessing and ran head-first into the fire power of Brugemann who had her second hit of the day.
Combined with a safe hit from Mel Chuck to right and a wild throw by Concordes the speedster reached home safely.
Bec White had her second of three hits for the day and Warriors were again level on the scoreboard after Daene Wombwell placed a double to right field that scored two in a terrific bit of clutch hitting.
This brought up the ever-dangerous Queale with loaded bases, with Jones desperately trying to stem the flow against an amped up Warriors.
Veteran and cool head Sam Brown did not let her team down, snagging a great catch behind the plate from a foul fly and Concordes breathed a sigh of relief the damage was not worse.
It was crunch time in the sixth for Concordes and they finally showed why they have been top two all year, with pressure batting and aggressive base running by Concordes.
Having had no success against Bruggemann all day, Kreplins showed her fighting spirit, determination and sheer leg speed with a glorious home run to a gap in centrefield, scoring three and giving Concordes a four-run lead to defend in the seventh innings.
She was then asked to pitch the final innings as well, showing the confidence coaches Hopgood and Collins had in her ability and nerve and she did not disappoint.
Kreplins recorded three strikeouts when it mattered to send the Concordes White juggernaut through to the grand final.
The decider between the two Concordes sides will be a fitting end to a season where they have shown almost complete dominance at the top.
Both teams deserve the chance to grab what would be the first premiership for many players whomever comes away with the victory on the day.
