Alicia Herron
It was a big day for South Australian softball on Thursday, when the SA Starz won three games on day five to seal a finals berth, at the Australian Softball Championships, in Mirrabooka, Western Australia.
Game one went as expected, with a 3-0 win over ACT Diamonds – all runs coming in the fourth inning, as Belinda White hit a double, Alicia Herron tripled and Jordan Lambert batted two runs in.
On the mound, Vanessa Stokes pitched well, conceding just three hits for eight strikeouts in seven innings.
The crucial clash was the next game against Victoria Titans, which could have been the decider on which of these teams would make the play-offs.
For five innings neither side scored, then in the bottom of the sixth frame the Starz exploded for five runs, Ada Brincat-Tree smashing a long three-run double, in the 5-0 victory.
Monica Perry was again outstanding from the circle to lead South Australia, giving up just two hits while striking out 13.
Then with confidence high, South Australia played arguably its best game of the championships to beat Western Australia Flames 2-1.
The Starz scored a run in the third inning on Ada Brincat-Tree’s triple and an insurance run on Sophie King’s single in the sixth to lead 2-0.
In the bottom of the seventh and final inning, the flames loaded the bases with one out, with a walk bringing their first run home.
Then SA pitcher Courtney Auger struck out the next hitter for the second out, with right fielder Kelsey Knuckey finishing the game with a catch. Auger pitched seven innings for six hits and six strikeouts.
Friday’s games: the Starz play NSW Firestars at noon to finish the minor round games, then at 7pm play a knockout semi-final against WA Flames.
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Australia Softball Championships, Mirrabooka, Western Australia, day five results:
SA Starz d ACT Diamonds 3-0 (hits: Starz – White 2, Herron, Lambert, Brincat-Tree; Diamonds – Pino, Moore, McGovern. WP: V. Stokes; LP: S. Greenwood).
SA Starz d Victoria Titans 5-0 (hits: Starz – Lee 2, Brincat-Tree 2, Dunn, Robinson; Titans – Dunstan, Tutchener. WP: M. Perry; LP: M. Melloh).
SA Starz d WA Flames 2-1 (hits: Starz – Brincat-Tree 3, White, Maslin, King; Flames – Kosterink 2, Forkin, Forte, Bollard, Godfrey. WP: C. Auger; LP: L. Stidworthy).
Queensland d Northern Territory 20-3, NSW d Queensland 4-1, NSW d Western Australia 4-3, Queensland d Victoria 5-2,
ACT v Victoria, Western Australia v Northern Territory
Points table: NSW 20, Queensland 18, South Australia 14, Western Australia 12, Victoria 6, ACT 2, Northern Territory 0.
