Baseball is finally back as the 2021/22 VSBL season got underway over the weekend and Women's Division 1, 2 and 3 returned to the diamond. While a weekend of wet weather resulted in several washouts, six women's games were completed, and teams wasted no time getting their offense back up and running with impressive scores and 129 runs scored overall.
View full season fixtures, results, and ladders HERE and check out recaps below.
Women's Division 1 & 2
Newport Rams 0 v Essendon Bombers 17
Last year's runners up got a big win to start the season, scoring seven runs in the first and another seven in the second.
There were hits up and down the lineup as Kayla Adams, Allie Bebbere, Jasmine Bentley, Emma Davenport, Courtney Foura, Emma French, Abbey Kelly, Megan Kelly, and Tayla Weldon put on a dominant team performance in their first game back.
While the Bombers got three more in the third, Newport buckled down to keep Essendon from scoring anymore in the fourth and fifth inning.
After a high-scoring effort to open the season, Essendon looks to do the same at Doncaster as Newport hosts Springvale.
Springvale Lions B 13 v Footscray Bulldogs 8
Last year's premier got the victory over Footscray in a busy game where Footscray tried to battle back in the later stages.
Springvale struck first with one run in the opening frame, followed by five in the second and three in the third.
Footscray brought the game within four by putting up five in the bottom of the third, but the Lions weren't deterred, getting four right back in the next frame.
The Bulldogs scored three more in the bottom of the fourth before a quiet fifth on both sides led to the final score.
Lili Cavanagh had a double and two walks while Emma Jenkinson had two singles for four RBIs.
The Lions are looking ahead to playing Doncaster B in the next round while Footscray hosts Geelong.
Women's Division 3 North East
Preston Pirates 14 v Research Lower Plenty 9
Preston opened the season with a win after starting the game off strong with a four-run first and a six-run second.
Research put up one run in both the first and second before tacking on five in the third, but the catch-up game was just out of reach. Preston scored four more in the fourth and gave up two to Research in the final inning to end the game.
Preston takes on Malvern Ormond Glenhuntly and Research has a bye next.
Women's Division 3 South
Pakenham Pumas 5 v Sandringham Royals 20
The Royals had the upper hand in the first game of the season, outscoring the Pumas by 15 for the round's highest run tally.
Sandringham will look for a repeat at Bonbeach in the next round while Pakenham hosts last year's runners up Moorabbin.
Springvale Lions 0 v Bonbeach Bluejays 14
The Bluejays kept chipping away to secure a big first victory, made possible by five runs in the first, three in the second, and one in the third.
Bonbeach finished on a strong note with five runs in the fourth, all while keeping Springvale off the board.
Round 2 sees Bonbeach host Sandringham and Springvale host Berwick.
Moorabbin Panthers 17 v Berwick Cougars 12
Both sides produced plenty of offense, but ultimately Moorabbin got the job done with five runs at the end to break the tie.
The Panthers were the first to score, racking up seven in the opening inning. Berwick scored four and the back-and-forth carried on as Moorabbin got four back in the second but gave up another to the Cougars.
The score was 12-5 Moorabbin's way going into the bottom of the third, but Berwick put together an impressive rally to tie it up.
A late last effort from Moorabbin gave the Panthers the win, something they will hope to replicate on the road at Pakenham. Berwick heads to Springvale for the next game.