After a win from Concordes United and a loss from Demons in the semi finals, the two grand final contenders from the Mount Gambier Softball League’s last season were set to battle it out against each other in the prelims to gain the last spot into the grand final.
United started at the bat and led off with powerhouse hitter Dana Jones.
She met her match with Demons powerhouse Cody Manning with a caught fly ball at shortstop.
Julie Beck faced the plate next and also met the force of Manning with a fielded ball and an out at first base.
Country Champs captain Codie Jackway was ready to get United on base and she did just that with a double bagger to centrefield.
Humble but fierce batter Leonie McCallum was the fourth batter to face Demons pitcher Billie Jones and hit a fly ball to left field which was caught by the oh so faithful Steph Chant, champion of fly balls.
United finished the first innings with no runs scored.
Demons started its batting line up off with Em Hart who hit a single to left field.
She was followed by Sarah McInerney who was coach’s best on bat last weekend in the semi after scoring two safe hits and two out of their four runs scored.
McInerney hit a ground ball to McCallum at third but was misfielded and landed herself on first base.
Big batter Manning faced the plate next and landed a double to left field, scoring McInerney home at the plate for Demons’ first run.
In the battle of the Jones sisters, Billie faced her sister Dana at the plate and was called out after a dropped third strike and the out at first.
With two outs, Coach Feast faced the plate eager to keep her team in the innings.
She landed a safe hit to shortstop and scored Manning home for Demons second run.
Meg Merrett was the last Demon to bat in the first and met the heat of Dana Jones getting a K2.
First Innings
United 0 – Demons 2
Sarah Thomson, who scored five safe hits in the semis, landed herself on first base and started the innings for United.
Bec White and Dana Jones scored safe hits throughout the innings to move runners around bases and score their team three runs, putting United on the board.
Jackway was hot behind the plate for the day catching two foul fly balls, with Simone Little being the first.
Steph Chant hit a ripper single to centrefield for her first bat of the day, followed by two more safe singles from Hart and McInerney.
Manning unintentionally hit what some may have called a bunt straight back to Jones on the mound, but thanks to a slight fumble and Manning’s fast feet she landed herself on first base.
Billie was patient at the plate and earnt herself Demons’ first walk for the day.
Second Innings
United 3 – Demons 5
United was hungry to score again in the third and keep the pressure on Demons.
Jones and Thomson had safe hit singles and White pulled a double safe hit to centrefield.
Two fly balls caught by Billie Jones and Chant and an infield field ended United’s innings with another three on the board.
United backed up its disciplined bat with a strong defence.
Jackway got her second foul fly for the day in Merrett.
While Baby Demon Sofie Morale and Hart could not get their fly balls past Dianne Wilson in left.
Third Innings
United 6 – Demons 5
The fourth innings was tight, both teams knew they were over the half way mark but had a lot of game left to dig deep and progress scores.
Billie Jones struck out two batters at the plate and pick up from Feast at third and play to Merrett at first was the three outs Demons needed for a solid defensive dig, only allowing Jackway to make it all the way around the diamond.
United matched the heat.
Demons brought five batters to the plate – a caught fly, a K2 and a play from Allana at shortstop to first meant three outs for Demons with faithful base runner McInerney being Demons’ only score for the dig after a three base safe hit from Coach Feast to bring her home, only allowing one run for both teams in the fourth innings.
Fourth Innings
United 7 – Demons 6
United entered the fifth starting off Coach Allana Feast at the plate who was coming off an injury.
Feast hit a ball to Manning at shortstop and landed herself safely at first base.
She was the only batter to make it on base.
The next three batters were held to a stop with Merrett at first catching a foul fly, another caught fly from Manning and short and a K2 from Jones at the mound for the third out.
Demons were looking to make moves with the end of the game nearing and after five safe hits for the innings they were able to put another three runs on the board, taking back the lead after being down since the second.
Fifth Innings
United 7 – Demons 9
Both teams were unable to score in the sixth innings – teams meant business and the defence from both teams was too strong to allow any runners home.
Entering the 7th and final innings Demons knew they were up and just had to compose themselves during United’s last offensive dig.
A caught line drive to Feast at third, a caught fly to Chant at left and a KC at the plate with no runs scored home meant Demons walked away with the win with a two-run lead.
Demons will battle it out against Warriors next week in the grand final.
