United and Warriors battled out a tough match in Mount Gambier Softball League action on the weekend, with United grinding out a solitary run win.
Warriors were pleased to have their little speedster back at the top of the line up in Justine Koop (not Jarvo Queale) but it was indeed Jarvo that found her little athletics form of old, stealthily gliding around from first all the way to a unguarded home plate when “The Smiling Assassin” Mel Chuck forced an error in United’s field at the top of the first.
Dana Jones was pitching for United and continued with her tremendous consistency she found when playing in Adelaide for the State Championships, quelling Warriors’ bats.
She then got on base with two out, both her and Sarah Thomson using the sun to advantage, making it hard for Warriors fielders on the right side of the time, scoring an equaliser.
The person who always has a smile on her face in Kelly Doyle led off with a single but was gunned down caught stealing at second by Codie Jackway to her elder sister Allana Feast.
Feast then made an outstanding double play at shortstop, putting out the lead runner “Doddsy” Dodds at second then throwing over to Bec White at first to have Haley Lindner out by a whisker.
White then led off with a well driven single to centre right, showing her old side she had overcome any jitters facing Leyna Bruggemann.
Bruggemann then shifted into gear with three strikeouts in a row with United’s Tylar Kennett having some great cuts earning respect from the supportive veteran.
Koop was scored again by Chuck singling to Thomson up the middle, Warriors went up 2-1 before United intensified its offensive pressure.
Jackway showed that hitting to the right side is now a legitimate part of her hitting repertoire with a double, Rosie Clarke and Jones forced errors before Thomson got hoodwinked by Bruggemann, “Cool Cucumber” Leonie McCallum sac-flied to Dodsy and the score was 4-2 to United.
White creamed another Bruggemann pie for a double this time, Julie Beck patiently picked a walk and Feast was put out to “Saintly” Jasmine Disselbach at first to shut the United rally down.
Doyle got on after a nine pitch at bat, Lindner singled to left, Disselbach walked then Koop stepped up and handled a two RBI double.
Caroline Bradshaw had entered the game for Jarvo and she singled to Beck which scored Koop but when she thought she had the same speed as Jarvo, was put out pushing for the extra base.
Bruggemann was pleased with an eight pitch fourth innings and another two solid catches Doddsy’s way to add to the two earlier ones she snagged.
Feast was wreaking havoc again in the field, the ball magnet making two of the three outs teaming up with Kennett to get Kateesha Yates out as the lead runner after she singled up the middle past Jones.
Feast also had Skylea McLean out by a nose, McCallum making the last out to put her side in to bat 6-4 down.
Showing faith in their ability, Jones put down a bunt that Bruggemann gunned straight over first base but also straight down the right field line, getting a run.
That got the United bellies firing, back to back to back singles to Thomson, McCallum and White before Beck stepped up and drilled a favoured inside pitch for a walk off double and her side’s victory 7-6, creating a great vibe amongst both teams heading into the finals next week.
