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Summary: Open Women

Queensland grabbed the early ascendency in their game against the ACT, scoring four runs in the opening inning. However, ACT pitcher Loran Parker then put the clamps on, recording 12 strikeouts for the game. The Diamond bats heated up in the middle innings, with seven runs in a three-inning stretch en route to a 7-4 win. The game paused in the 4^th inning when the Heat’s Laura Coulter was struck in the head by a hit ball, but fortunately she was able to leave the field under her own power.

New South Wales continued their hot start to the tournament with a methodical 7-1 win over Victoria. NSW pitcher Grace Wrixon again put up a good performance with seven strikeouts in four innings. Stacey McManus was possibly the pick of the Firestar batters with three runs, but the Titans didn’t help their cause with three fielding errors in the game.

While Madeline Cameron was phenomenal with the bat, South Australia’s defence was the difference in their 4-1 win over the ACT. Cameron had an RBI in each of her three at bats and has emerged as an early star of the tournament, while Bel White continues to control the defence from behind home plate. The ACT’s Loran Parker notched up another six strikeouts, but the Starz ground out their third win for the tournament against a highly competitive opponent.

After falling behind early, Victoria clawed their way back into the contest against Queensland, only to give up 10 runs in the 7^th inning and have the game slip through their fingers. Erin West recorded an impressive five hits and five RBIs from five at-bats for the Heat, with Janice Blackman and Tamieka Whitefield also scoring three runs each.

Queensland twice led New South Wales in their afternoon game, but the defending champions stood up when it counted, scoring six runs across the 5^th and 6^th inning to secure an 8-5 win. The class of Moore, Tsitsikronis, Cox, and McManus shone through in the batting line-up for NSW.

Victoria’s top order moved on quickly after the loss to Queensland and put together a steady 7-0 win over ACT. Caitlin Laird, Karri Pritchard, and Brianna Trim combined for six hits and six runs, while Nicole Martin threw a tidy five strikeouts in six innings pitched.

The evergreen Jade Pederson pitched the Stars to victory over the previously undefeated NSW Firestars in a cracking game to close out day 2. The first decisive moment came in the top of the 3^rd with South Australia scoring five runs, in part due to a Lana Kaesler triple and some uncharacteristic errors from the Firestars. SA added another three runs in the final frame, before NSW scored three times in a flash to send a scare through the home camp, before Pederson steadied for the 9-3 win.

Day 2 Results:

ACT 7 def QLD 4

NSW 7 def VIC 1

SA 4 def ACT 1

QLD 15 def VIC 4

NSW 8 def QLD 5

VIC 7 def ACT 0

SA 9 def NSW 3

For completed game reports, please click here.

For complete standings, please click here.

For the complete schedule, please click here.

Games start at 10:00am AEDT with a 15-minute break between each game

Day 3 What to Watch For

Despite the loss to South Australia, NSW holds on to top spot going into day 3. The Firestars also rested key players against the Stars, having played triple-headers on day 1 and 2. The loss however has changed the narrative of the entire tournament.

South Australia looks sharp on their home deck and a few potential weaknesses have emerged in NSW. The youthful Queensland Heat have shown glimpses of being brilliant, while the ACT and Victoria are also both super competitive. After a two-year absence, the tournament is quickly reminding us how entertaining the best softball in Australia can be.

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Image courtesy Spacequake Sports