Springvale 8, Doncaster 7
In its toughest non-Essendon test to date, the Lions eked past a hungry Dragons squad on the road, 8-7. As has become customary, Doncaster’s Amy McCann led the charge, recording three hits in four at-bats, including a double. She also knocked in three of her team’s seven runs.
Madeline Davis and Samantha Hamilton had two hits each for the Dragons.
On the mound for Doncaster it was Erin Collis starting and throwing 5.2 innings and Belinda Cannington finishing off the seven frame game.
With the victory Springvale stays tied atop-the-ladder with Essendon.
Essendon 14, Malvern 6
Speaking of the Bombers . . . they were up to their old tricks on Saturday, plating four runs in the first and one in the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead into the third. Undaunted, the Braves fought back to even the game at five before Essendon pulled away for good, scoring four in the fourth and five in the fifth. Malvern added a single run in the sixth to provide the final margin.
The Braves battered 13 hits, including three each from Ellen Goodrope and Ursula Howard. Goodrope’s hitting clinic also included a double. Jessica Johnson, in addition to pitching 1.2 innings, also hit the game’s only triple.
For the victors, Georgia Page tossed a complete game, allowing only three earned runs and striking out four.
Abbey Kelly (4-4, three runs and two runs batted in) and Bronwyn Gell (3-4, scoring three times) led the offensive assault.
Footscray was idle.