The 2020/21 VSBL Women's competitions are heating up with five weeks to go before finals. Essendon is undefeated in Women's Division 1 while Moorabbin and Doncaster have no losses on their records in Women's Division 3.
Women's Division 1
Doncaster Dragons 9 v Essendon Bombers 10
The Bombers got the edge over the Dragons by just one run, the same final score as the round one game at Doncaster.
Essendon's Allie Bebbere pitched three innings with five hits, two strikeouts, two walks, one HBP, and three runs - two of them unearned. Abbey Kelly gave up two unearned and two earned runs in three innings with six hits and five strikeouts, while Emma French allowed two runs in her solo inning of work. She gave up two hits and a walk with a strikeout.
Jamie Bastian handled 3.33 innings on the mound for Doncaster, with three hits, four strikeouts, two walks, and two unearned runs. Chelsea Stewart pitched 2.66 innings, giving up six hits, six walks, three earned runs, and four unearned runs with three strikeouts.
Jasmine Bentley knocked in three for Essendon as French plated two and Victoria Brown, Tayla Weldon, and Kelly had one RBI each. Courtney Foura took three walks to contribute quality at-bats while Brown had two. Bentley had the team's lone extra-base hit of the day as Kelly singled four times, Kayla Adams and Bentley singled twice, and French once.
Bastian collected five RBIs for Doncaster with two singles and a walk, while Belinda Cannington, Vanessa Clifford, Erin Collins, and Maddi Weller plated one each. Cannington had two singles, one double, a walk, and a HBP, as Clifford also singled twice and doubled once. Weller had an extra-base hit and Hannah Sowden, Jaymee Hassett-Smith, and Collins had singles.
Doncaster sits third with three wins, three losses, 46 runs for, and 40 runs against. Essendon stays in first place with a 6-0 record on 81 runs for and just 30 runs against.
Both teams are away next, with Doncaster visiting Newport and Essendon going to Springvale.
Springvale Lions 19 v Newport Rams 0
Lili Cavanagh shined for Springvale as the Lions won back-to-back games for the first time this season. Cavanagh batted 1.000 with four hits and a sacrifice fly.
Gabby Bevan threw four scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and five walks with four strikeouts. Hannah Jackson contributed one inning, giving up one hit and striking out two. Newport's Georgia Page and Leslie Anglin helped Newport out on the mound.
In addition to Cavanagh's three RBIs, Springvale had runs plated in by Shae Lillywhite, Siobhan Stephenson, and Simone Wearne, who all knocked in three. Lily Bell-Tanner and Emily Devine had two RBIs apiece while Hanami Campitelli, Jade Hough, and Jackson plated one each.
Cavanagh had two doubles and Jackson had one as Devine and Wearne singled three times and Stephenson singled twice. Morgan Doty had Newport's only hits of the day.
Springvale takes over second place from Doncaster with a 3-3 record on 49 runs for and 43 against, while fourth-place Newport has 13 runs for and 76 against.
Springvale hosts Essendon and Newport hosts Doncaster next.
Women's Division 2
Preston Pirates 6 v Essendon Bombers 21
The Bombers scored seven runs in each of the three innings while only giving up six to the Pirates in the final frame.
Essendon's hard-hitting lineup included contributions from Elizabeth Billen, Reenie Cook, Amy Dillon, and Emily Dimech as the entire team came together to get their biggest win margin to date, even better than their 22-10 win at Preston in week one.
Essendon is in third place with three wins, two losses, 66 runs for, and 52 runs against. Fifth-place Preston has scored 16 and given up 85 so far. The Bombers play the Lions in round seven and the Pirates host the Baycats after their bye.
Springvale Lions 3 v Footscray Bulldogs 4
The Bulldogs prevailed against the undefeated side, handing the Lions their first win of the season with a pair of late runs.
The game was tied at one after the first and the next runs came in the third, when Springvale scored two and Footscray scored one. The Bulldogs scored two in the fourth and held on with a scoreless fifth to secure the win.
Springvale is still at the top of the ladder with a 4-1 record, the same as Footscray. The Lions lead in runs scored with 69, compared to 35 for the Bulldogs. Springvale has given up just 14 and Footscray has allowed 21 runs.
Springvale hosts Essendon next while Footscray has the bye.
Women's Division 3 East
Pakenham Pumas White 4 v Cheltenham Rustlers 16
The Pumas were no match for the Rustlers in this high-scoring matchup.
Cheltenham led 2-1 after the first, and the Rustlers extended that lead by seven in the second. Pakenham scored three in the third as Cheltenham tacked on seven more.
Fourth-place Cheltenham has a 2-2-1 record with 51 runs for and 57 against. Pakenham White is still looking for a win with 34 runs for and 77 against. Cheltenham visits Sandringham next and Pakenham White plays Berwick.
Sandringham Royals 4 v Moorabbin Panthers 11
In this matchup of the undefeated teams, the reigning premiers prevailed to improve their record to 6-0.
Neither side scored in the first although the Panthers tacked on seven in the second. Defence was strong on both sides in the third and fourth with no runs coming across before each team scored four in the fifth.
Moorabbin has scored 99 and given up 33 as the third-place Royals have scored 56 and given up 29 in four wins and one loss. The Panthers play Bonbeach next and the Royals play Cheltenham.
Wheelers Hill Warriors 20 v Pakenham Pumas Black 6
The Warriors wasted no time racking up the runs, putting six on in the first and seven in the second. The score was 14-6 at the end of the third, but the Warriors weren't done, scoring another six to finish the game on a high note.
Pakenham Black its eighth with one win, five losses, 22 runs for, and 95 against. Wheelers Hill sits second with a 4-1 record on 70 runs for and 41 runs against. The Pumas have a bye next and the Warriors host Springvale.
Berwick City Cougars 7 v Springvale Lions 7
Both sides fought hard but neither could come away with the win as Berwick tied it in the final frame.
Springvale led 6-1 after the first and added another run in the second, but it didn't last as the Cougars stayed in it. They scored three in the third, one in the fourth, and two in the fifth.
Springvale sits fifth at 2-3-1 with 57 runs for and 67 runs against, while Berwick is 1-2-2 in seventh with an even 55 runs for and 55 runs against.
Springvale plays Wheelers Hill next and Berwick hosts Pakenham White.
Women's Division 3 West
North Western Titans 8 v Melbourne Demons 11
Both sides wasted no time at the plate, with the Titans scoring five and the Demons scoring seven in the first. North Western added three in the second while Melbourne stayed just in front with four.
Melbourne is in second place with five wins and one loss on 88 runs for and 36 against. North Western is one spot behind with a 3-3 record on 49 runs scored and 53 given up.
Round seven has North Western at home v Doncaster and Melbourne on the road to Newport.
Geelong Baycats 5 v Newport Rams 12
The Baycats fell behind early and couldn't quite come back as the Rams recorded their second win of the season.
Newport led 4-0 after the first and by the end of the second it was an 11-1 ballgame. The Baycats got four in the third as Newport scored one more before a scoreless fourth to finish the game.
Geelong relied on solid pitching efforts from Ella Wilson, Sarah Upton, and Lily Kevelham. Michelle Searle made her catching debut and had two hits and an RBI. Upton had two hits while Katrina Edwards plated two with a big hit. Magda Boros and Sara Brennan had an RBI each.
Despite the loss, the Baycats did pull off an amazing triple play in the first inning.
Sixth-place Geelong has scored 40 runs and given up 92 while fifth-place Newport has two wins, four losses, 40 runs for, and 81 against. Geelong hosts Fitzroy and Newport hosts Melbourne next.
Doncaster Dragons 15 v Fitzroy Lions 9
The Dragons racked up the runs in defence of their undefeated record, now sitting 6-0 and holding on to first place.
Doncaster has scored 83 runs total and given up just 33, while Fitzroy sits in fourth place with a 2-4 record on 58 runs for and 69 runs against.
The Dragons look to go 7-0 at the Titans in the next round as Fitzroy visits Geelong.