There is just one round to go before VSBL Women's finals, as the stage is set for an exciting last regular season round.
Women's Division 1
Essendon Bombers 3 v Newport Rams 4
A triple play and late runs highlighted this game in which the Rams got their first win on the board over the top side.
Newport's win snapped Essendon's eight-game undefeated streak as the Rams survived a late rally. They got one on the board in the first and another in the third while holding the Bombers at bay until the fifth. Erin Collis threw four shutout innings while Morgan Doty got on base with a walk and a HBP and crossed home twice.
Essendon scored two in the fifth with two-out and Newport went into the sixth looking to break the tie. Doty came up to bat with Zoe Allen and Kira Jansen on base after two hits. Another hit brought two runs home with the score at 4-2 Newport going into the seventh inning.
Essendon got one unearned run in the top of the seventh but Newport buckled down to strand the winning runs on base and secure the win.
Newport's big day included Allen's double, Jansen's single and double, Leslie Anglin's RBI single and walk, and Danni Teasdale's RBI on a single and safe at first. Doty struck out two and gave up one hit and an unearned run in an inning of work. Bronwyn Gell covered two innings, giving up four hits, a walk, and two earned runs with three strikeouts.
On the Essendon side, Emma French pitched three innings with three hits, one walk, two runs - one unearned - and three strikeouts. Abbey Kelly handled two innings with two hits, three walks, a HBP and two unearned runs allowed. She struck out two. Jasmine Bentley handled the other inning for Essendon with no hits just two walks.
Kelly and Kayla Adams walked while Kelly, Bentley, Victoria Brown, and Tayla Weldon had one single each. Courtney Foura had two singles and two RBIs and Emma Davenport doubled.
Essendon remains at the top of the ladder with an 8-1 record and 98 runs for v 45 against. Newport visits Springvale next and Essendon heads to Doncaster.
Springvale Lions 5 v Doncaster Dragons 4
Neither side wasted any time jumping on the board, with the Lions leading 4-3 after the first. The Dragons tied it up in the bottom of the third but it was short-lived as Springvale got it back in the top of the fourth. The last few innings were scoreless as Springvale got win number five after seven innings.
Springvale collected seven hits on the day while Doncaster had 10. Jamie Bastian struck out five in two innings without a hit. She had three hits of her own with two doubles, a single, and an RBI. Belinda Cannington gave up one earned run in two innings with four hits and a walk.
Cannington singled, Erin Collins knocked in a run, and Brooklyn Hutton had a base hit and two walks. Jessica Johnson recorded a walk, a single, and an RBI to help Doncaster's efforts. Hannah Sowden and Rebecca Wright both walked twice as Chelsea Stewart and Maddi Weller had two hits apiece.
Springvale sits second with a 5-4 record on 69 runs for and 58 against. Doncaster is in third place with a 4-5 record on 69 runs for and 64 against. Doncaster hosts Essendon and Springvale hosts Newport next.
Women's Division 2
Geelong Baycats 9 v Footscray Bulldogs 14
The Bulldogs opened with four runs but their lead was short-lived as they gave up seven runs to Geelong in the second. Three more Footscray runs made it a 7-7 ballgame going into the third.
The Baycats scored two in the third but Footscray put four more on in the bottom of the inning and three in the fourth. This marked the Bulldogs' sixth straight win as they sit second with the next matchup at first-place Springvale. Fourth place Geelong has a bye in round 11.
Springvale Lions 27 v Preston Pirates 3
The Lions scored nearly 20 more runs than they did the week before in this big performance as Springvale won all three women's games for the first time since round one. Seven runs in each of the first three innings sealed the deal for Springvale.
Springvale hosts Footscray as the Lions remain in first place at 7-1 with 112 runs scored and just 23 given up. Preston plays 3-4 Essendon after the bye.
Women's Division 3 East
Moorabbin Panthers 17 v Berwick City Cougars 8
The Panthers had the upper hand in this matchup, earning their ninth straight win thanks to scores in each of the five innings. They put up three in the first, four in the second, seven in the third, one in the fourth, and two final runs in the fifth.
Berwick scored one in the fourth before putting together a seven-run rally in the fifth although the deficit was still too much. Overall Moorabbin has collected 145 runs and allowed just 49. Berwick sits sixth with a 2-4-2 record on 80 runs for and 95 against. The Panthers host Wheelers Hill and the Cougars take on Cheltenham next after the 2-4-1 Rustlers had the bye.
Springvale Lions 17 v Pakenham Pumas White 1
Seven runs in both the first and the second got Springvale off on the right foot, and they finished with three more runs in the fourth. Pakenham only got on the board in the final frame as the Lions cruised to their third victory and first since round three when they won 15-7 over Bonbeach.
Springvale has scored 82 and given up 86 while Pakenham White has collected 59 runs and allowed 121. The Pumas have the bye and the Lions host Sandringham in round 11.
Bonbeach Bluejays 5 v Wheelers Hill Warriors 5
Both teams put in the work but couldn't quite complete the win, recording their first draws of the season.
Bonbeach got one in the top of the first but Wheelers Hill responded with two. The numbers were reversed in the second inning as the frame finished with the game tied at three. The top of the third was the only inning where Bonbeach didn't score, while the Warriors stayed off the board in the bottom of the fourth. With each side scoring two more runs as the game wrapped up, the end result was a draw.
Second-place Wheelers Hill has a 6-1-1 record on 103 runs scored and 53 given up. The Warriors only loss was in the 18-9 game v Moorabbin back in round two, and they face off again this weekend. Bonbeach sits fifth with a 3-4-1 record on 81 runs for and 72 against going into a game at Pakenham Black.
Pakenham Pumas Black - FORFEIT v Sandringham Royals
This forfeit result put another win in the column for third-place Sandringham, now with a 6-2 record on 79 runs for and 50 against. The Royals face off at Springvale and the Pumas are scheduled to host Bonbeach.
Women's Division 3 West
Geelong Baycats 4 v Doncaster Dragons 20
The Dragons racked up the runs in their seventh win, bouncing back from a 10-0 loss to Melbourne the week before. The game was tied at three apiece after one and while Geelong briefly led with a run in the top of the second, Doncaster fired back with seven. Another seven followed in the third and three in the fourth as Doncaster protected its second place position.
The Dragons have scored 114 runs and allowed 64 with the round 11 game at home v Fitzroy. Geelong hosts Newport.
Melbourne Demons 12 v Fitzroy Lions 11
This high-scoring matchup was decided in the fourth when Melbourne put up five runs. The Demons opened the game with two runs but Fitzroy quickly powered back with four. The second saw Melbourne score two and Fitzroy score one, and a busy third made it an 11-7 game in favour of Fitzroy.
The Lions almost had it but giving up five runs to Melbourne sealed the deal. The Demons are in first place with an 8-1 record on 128 runs scored and 50 against. Fitzroy sits fourth with a 4-5 record on 105 runs for and 102 against. The Lions visit Doncaster and the Demons head to North Western next.
North Western Titans 16 v Newport Rams 4
The Titans were busy at the plate, eager to collect their sixth victory of the season with runs coming in each inning. North Western had a 4-2 lead after the first, and two more scored in both the second and third. The Titans got five in the fourth and three in the fifth while giving up just two more to Newport.
The third-place Titans have a 6-3 record with 99 runs for and 71 against. Fifth-place Newport sits at 2-7 with 61 runs for and 130 against. North Western plays Melbourne and Newport plays Geelong next.