Workers Falcons and Dale’s Turkeys participated in a cliff hangers against Goonellabah Gunnas and Dodgers Demons in Saturday's games at Albert Park.
Falcons were first to take to the diamonds against an impressive Goonellabah side.
Sending Goonellabah into bat, they quickly scored three runs through hits from Jess and Mel McPherson. Falcons rallied when pitcher, Lyn McDonald combining with her catcher, Erin Rucker, struck out Eileen Bolt followed by shortstop Carlie Shailes throwing Matilda Crane out at first. McDonald and Rucker ended the innings striking out Emily Crane.
Workers were solid with the bat scoring six runs at their first turn at bat. Hits to Jacinta & Lyn McDonald and Carmen Thomas pushed their runners around the bases.
Gunnas led-off batter was left on second base after, Lyn McDonald got Falcons first out with a strike out, a throw out from Shailes to Jacinta McDonald at firstbase for the second out and a long high catch to Thomas at centrefield of Kim Gibson’s bat ending Goonellabah’s innings without scoring.
Falcons hit strongly again forcing the ball around the field. Shailes, mother and daughter duo Lyn & Jacinta McDonald and 12-year-old newcomer, Louanna Smith contributing to the runs scored. But it was a massive homerun for Olivia Roberts that had the team up and out of the seats as she crossed homeplate and giving her team a 10 to 3 lead.
A strong hard throw from Bronwyn Gibson at thirdbase to firstbase sent Goonellabah’s leadoff batter back to the dugout for the first out. Angus Gibson scrambled to firstbase to beat the throw from second and stole to second on the next pitch. Crane hit straight back to Falcon’s pitcher who throw her out at first, but Angus Gibson had rounded third and headed home to score a run. Shailes ended the innings throwing Emily Crane out at first.
Goonellabah restricted Falcons to two runs at the bottom of the third with Shannon Eyles the only batter hitting safely for Workers, but they still lead by twelve runs to four.
The top of the fourth innings Goonellabah find form with the bat. Hits from Rosalie Franks, Eileen Bolt, Angus Gibson saw Gunnas cross homeplate for five runs. Workers had to rally to stop Gunnas attack. A close call at homeplate with Eyles retrieving the ball from behind homeplate to link up with Lyn McDonald who made the tag on Bolt crossing homeplate for the second out. A classic catch by Shailes at shortstop ended the innings.
Falcons scored a further run before time was called giving them a 13 to 9 run win over a determined Goonellabah side.
Spectators were in for a treat in a tightly contest game between Dales’ Turkeys and Dodgers Demons which saw the score line fluctuating as the game progressed.
Dodgers came out firing with the bat scoring three runs off a safe hit to Jane Wiltshire and a two bagger to Karina Connors. Workers, Katie Foster accounted for two outs, throwing Brooke Wilson out at first and tagging out Emily Wiltshire at thirdbase. Shannon Eyles wrapped up the innings with a tag out at second base.
Shay Kelly put Turkeys on the board with a safe hit to leftfield and scoring off a hit from Tina Foster before the third out.
The second innings saw Turkey’s shut down Dodgers without scoring. A double play from Eyles at secondbase tagging the runner and throwing the batter/runner out at first.
Aggressive batting from Workers saw them score five runs with outfield hits to Lauren Forrester, Kelly, Ali Tomkins, and a massive home run to Tina Foster.
Worker now led by five runs to three at the bottom of the second.
Again, Workers stifled Dodgers attack. A fly catch to Lyn McDonald at second base followed by two strike outs to pitcher Tina Foster, limiting Demons to scoring one run.
Not to be outdone, Demons held strong keeping Turkey’s to scoring one run after a huge hit from Forrester cleared the outfield and score Oliva Roberts charging around the bases.
With only three runs the difference, Dodgers capitalised on Workers errors together smart batting bunching their hits with Emily Wiltshire and Kaitlyn Dunn hitting strongly to the outfield scoring five runs. The score now nine runs to seven, Dodgers way.
Workers went into bat but had lost their momentum with the first three batters all getting out and giving Dodgers the win.
