SOUTH Wagga Warriors have successfully defended the Wagga A grade softball premiership by edging out Turvey Park 3-1 in a tight grand final at French Fields on Saturday.
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In a classic grand final, the game went right down to the wire but it was the Warriors that again prevailed over Turvey Park in the decider.
Warriors batted first and Kiara Ervine was quick to settle the grand final nerves when she hit the first pitch from Jade Olsen to left field and made it to first base.
Ervine scored the first run of the grand final, making it to home base courtesy of hits from Shellie Ervine, Montana Kearnes and a rare wild pitch from Olsen.
Turvey Park started their first innings with Deb Griffiths and Sarah Stewart out but Nicole Baldry hit safely to third base only not to make it any further.
With an 1-0 lead, South Wagga could only get Tamika Raufers onto base in the second innings and were unable to add to the scoreline.
Turvey Park’s second innings mirrored Warriors’ with no runs scored.
The Warriors were again unable to get a runner on base thanks to good work from Amanda Gooden and Griffiths.
Still trailing 1-0, Turvey Park were unable to get anyone on base in the third.
The scoreline remained the same when Warriors’ were quickly dismissed in the fourth, as Olsen struck Jane Kearnes out and caught Sarah Shaw.
Turvey Park got Gooden on base in their fourth innings but could only get to second before her team was out.
At the top of the fifth, Warriors finally added another run to their score to go 2-0 up.
Layhnee Kearnes hit safely to centre field to make first base and was then batted in after Kiara Ervine hit safely to left field.
Down 2-0, Turvey Park got Jane Wadley safely on base after she hit to left field.
Griffiths also got a safe hit to shortstop and she advanced to second but she was given out at third after some slick fielding between Montana Kearnes and Raufers.
The innings ended after Sharon Hall and Baldry were given out with Turvey Park still not off the mark.
Warriors went 3-0 up in the sixth to make it that little bit harder for Turvey Park.
Montana Kearnes hit a two base hit to left field and she was in turn batted around after Shaw also hit a two base hit to left field.
Turvey Park finally got a run on the board and closed the margin in the sixth, courtesy of Gooden.
She hit safely to left field and scored after Amanda Lenon hit a sacrifice fly to Veronica Scott at right field.
Up 3-1 going into the last innings, Warriors were unable to stretch their lead.
Turvey Park’s final innings did not start well when Wadley and Hall were out in a double play.
When Raufers caught Griffiths, it was all over and South Wagga prevailed.
Full-time
WARRIORS 3
1 0 0 0 1 1 0
TURVEY PARK 1
0 0 0 0 0 1 0
B grade: Saints 6 d Turvey Park 1; C1 grade: Blu Js 13 d SWW Gold 11; C2 Grade: Saints 14 d Saints D 4.
