All games went according to ladder positions in the first week back of the Mount Gambier Softball league which hit off 2022 with a bang.

Ladder leaders Concordes White took on Warriors Blue and were pushed all the way by their spirited opponents, until finally cracking the game open in the final innings.

Batting first, Warriors got two runners aboard against pitcher Billie Jones, but could not capitalise as she found her groove and recorded a crucial strike out to strand the runners.

Concordes then scored lead off hitter Hopgood after an attempted pick off at second went awry, with Maddie Bowd also scoring on the error.

Jones was then well and truly back in pitching form in the second and despite some rusty fielding at first by coach Jo Hopgood as Concordes retired the batters three up three down.

Concordes built on its first innings with three more safe hits and some heads up base running to plate two more runs, but squandered some chances leaving the bases loaded when Leyna Bruggemann recorded a timely strike out to end the danger.

Everyone then had the treat of watching Australian player Georgia Hood up to bat for her first club Warriors.

The national star batted left-handed so she would not injure anyone with the rockets coming off her bat of late, but she did not disappoint with a safe hit to right field, which she will surely tell all her new team mates about when she joins the Pensacola State College Softball program in the USA next month.

Bec White batted her around with one of her two safe hits for the day and she scored on some heads up running which caught Concordes napping.

Warriors then made it interesting in the fourth, drawing within one run of parity.

Caitlin Bignell reached first on an error and Jones very sensibly avoided anything resembling the strike zone against Hood second time around, issuing her a walk.

Daene Wombwell batted them both in with a lovely safe hit to left.

Luckily for Concordes Brandi Miller ended the innings taking a diving catch in spectacular fashion and it was game on going into what looked like being the last innings.

Bruggemman showed her mettle and competitive spirit turning a single into a double by diving face first into second to beat the throw, putting the tying run into scoring position.

Concordes held its nerve though, retiring the next three batters and stranding Bruggemann on third.

The final batting innings for Concordes blew out the score which was not a reflection of the intensity of the game, as the flood gates finally opened and they piled on 10 runs on five hits.

The run-scoring spree included a bases clearing double by Billie Jones and a triple by Maddy Sutherland that sounded and went like a bullet off the bat, even getting past Hood in the outfield.

In the end it was 14-3, but it was a much more exciting game to watch than the final score indicated.

Concordes United snuck across the line nine runs to eight against Warriors White in a close one.

Leonie McCallum proved why she is the number one big gun of the team with an incredible five from five safe hits, scoring on three of those occasions, plus taking many catches at third base.

Erin Chaplin pitched with terrific accuracy for Warriors all game, recording three K2s and no walks for the match.

Dana Jones battled through in an uncharacteristically difficult game for her on the mound, but worked through her early holiday hangover to keep Warriors to three runs through five.

She was assisted by possibly the catch of the season so far by Western Australian import Nashi McNamara, who caught a huge hit headed for the fence off the bat of Bruggemann who could only applaud as the fielder pulled in a blinder, which was celebrated in equal style by her team mates.

At 9-3 the game looked comfortable for Concordes, but Warriors had other ideas and almost pulled off the upset when a few costly fielding errors and a Bec White double saw Warriors pull to within one run.

However, McNamara fielded the double from White and relayed in to Codie Jackway, who threw to Hannah Taylor to nab the tying run at the plate and end the game in Concordes favour.

In the other match veteran Jo Hart showed her team mates the way with four safe hits in another dominant performance by Wanderers over Demons.

Pitcher Rej Smith only allowed seven hits for Wanderers while Leanne Little had three safe hits in another strong game for her.

Demons welcomed a new pitcher in Janie Pari, who pitched accurately throughout and had a double to right field to show her potential.

In a rebuilding year for Demons, Kezia Feast and Sarah Neiwenhizen continue to lead from the front, while new recruit Nell Eastough hit a double to left field in her first at bat.

Wanderers spread their hitting throughout their line-up, with all players reaching base and touching home plate at least once throughout the game.

The final score was 16-6 to Wanderers.