Softball: Jets intercept Hawks in thriller win

Jets screamed back into their game against lead-leaders Hawks, recovering from a seven-run deficit to blast 14 runs over home plate, including two home runs off Kirsty Kubala’s bat, to snatch the points in a thriller.

Hawks looked set to take a commanding lead on the minor premiership ladder as the bats of Marissa Bradshaw, Natalie Abbot, Kylee Hodder and the returning Stacey Derschow shocked the opposition into conceding six runs in the opening inning.

Picture of Sue Smith by Alex Massey

Ashleigh Tiller held Jets hitters down from the pitching circle for the opening three digs, while opposite number Kylie Parker made the crucial adjustment to shut down Hawks in the second before Derschow again helped out with an RBO as her side took a commanding lead.

The top of the fourth started with Kubala blasting a solo home run, which proved to be the catalyst for the rest of the team as the Allen sisters reached first and Amy-Lee Tarchini hit safely, followed by Maria Cernak, Diane Tittums and Serina Lefroy with Kubala slamming a second homer for a total of eight runs.

The top side came back once more in their fourth at bat with Bradshaw and Derschow combining to score twice and take the lead nine runs to eight, but following a scoreless fifth by both sides, Jets bats opened up once more with another ten batters coming to plate to score six more match-winning runs in a final 14-10 result.

Kubala’s two homers and a single earned a perfect three form three with three RBI, with Tarchini earning 750 from three safe hits, while Lefroy brought in three runners from two singles, Diane Tittums another two runners also from two singles and Cernak batted two from three.

For Hawks, Derschow went four from four for three RBI and was ably supported by Bradshaw’s double and single, with Abbot hitting two from three, while Hodder picked up a double and single from four at bats.

In the only other league game, Pirates picked up their first points for the season with a 10-nil victory over PCYC as Shelley Glasson took the win as Pirates’ pitcher, allowing just four safe hits and earning four K2s in the five innings shut out.

Nicole Wylie led the batting list for Pirates with her first home run of the season plus two singles for a 1000 average and three RBI, with Megan Nash also getting a perfect score with two from two and two RBI, while Rachel Green hit a double and single from three at bats and Nicole Shipway earned two RBI from a single hit.

Carolyn Ely and Liz O’Neil made just one trip to the plate each and both came away with a safe hit, while Robyn Southern and Natalie Taylor went one from two apiece with their bats.

The reserves competition is beginning to take shape as Rebels lead the ladder with four wins from four games after coming away with a 20-2 win over Pirates, while Cruisers leapt into second spot following their 12-2 result also against Pirates, and Jets’ two wins in four days places the side into third after a 25-2 win over Hawks.

This Saturday sees a general bye for the Foundation Day long weekend, with games returning to the Marie Marland Reserve in South Hedland on June 11.