New teams, tight games in first fortnight of softball

Softball is back for another season. 367067 Picture: SUPPLIED.

The season has kicked off in fine style across the past two weeks in the Casey Softball Association.

A new-look Berwick Chickasaw team took on Berwick Geronimo in the social women’s competition.

Geronimo first base Merrelee Mackey had a great game in her team’s comfortable 20-1 win.

On diamond one, last season’s premiers, Penguins White, took on Cobras.

Both teams welcomed new players, and while Cobras started well, holding a 5-1 lead, the experience of the Penguins was too much for Cobras with a come from behind 19-6 win, led by Jess George.

MVP’s clash with Cranbourne Comets was a thriller, with Miah Taylor and Lisa Lever shining.

Comets had a fast start, and just managed to hold off a fast finishing MVP, with pitcher Lisa Lever making a double play to shut down MVP, helping her team win 9-8.

Cobras enjoyed a cracking start to their season with a stellar performance taking down Cranbourne Goldstars 22-5.

Doveton women’s SEMR team travelled to Dandenong to take on Southern Knights, with Doveton’s Melissa Spencer, Elisabeth Collins and rookie Kasey Davies batting well.

Southern Knights hit the gaps with some hot bats to take home the win.

Arapaho played Cobras Grey in the men’s competition, with the game deadlocked after four innings.

Cobras pitcher Alec Chapman had struck out six batters, hit a double, and then a huge hit over the fence for a home run.

Arapaho pitcher Nathan Mackey finished the game with seven strike outs.

Good team batting and fielding from Kane Bell, Josh Mackey and Jack Grattidge was enough to get Arapaho their first win of the season 7-3.

Cobras Black won the other game 8-3.

Meanwhile, round two kicked off with a grand final replay in the social women’s between Narre Warren Penguins White and Berwick Geronimo.

Geronimo’s 17-run first innings blew the Penguins off the park and set the scene for a 23-5 win.

Cobras’ Ana Saleshis’ triple, and Maddie Wingraves’ catches at shortstop helped Cobras over the line for a 10-9 win against MVP on diamond one.

There were two games in women’s B-Grade: MVP defeated Cranbourne Gold Stars 18-6 and Cobras outplayed Penguins 14-5.

Rounding off the day were two open men’s games.

Two Cobras teams – Maroon and Black – went head-to-head with Jordan Stockdale coming out of retirement to catch the fast pace of Shane Harrison’s pitching in Black’s 15-9 win.

The second game saw men’s competition newbies Berwick Arapaho and MVP face off for the first time.

Arapaho’s batting was too strong for MVP in a 21-7 win, with Nathan Mackey and Ethan Chavasse hitting home-runs, and Kevin Petersen backing up with a triple.

The Young Guns and Doveton played out a thrilling 3-3 draw under lights in the A-Grade competition.

If you’re interested in finding out more about softball please contact Casey Softball via Facebook or Instagram.