A SUPREME pitching performance by Raine Padgham helped the Brisbane Bandits win the Australian Women's Baseball Showcase.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bandits took down the Victoria Aces 4-2 in the final at Albert Park, Lismore.
Padgham dazzled on the mound, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing just four hits, two runs, a walk, while striking out three in the process.
Regional New South Wales rep Elodie O'Sullivan was was both the star at the plate and on the field.
She went 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs, and made several incredible plays at right field to limit the damage of the Victoria bats.
Claire O'Sullivan and Ticara Geldenhuis both scored an RBI.
Jess Johnson pitched two perfect innings for the Victoria Aces with a strikeout, stifling the Brisbane bats and keeping the Aces at close distance.
Team Japan Erika Nakae hit a late-game home run in the top of the fifth to cut the lead down to two.
She went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs and an RBI.
Nine international World Cup players from America, Canada and Japan joined the best players in Australia for the showcase.
They played a four day-tournament under the Adelaide Giants, Brisbane Bandits and Victoria Aces banner from the Australian Baseball League.
New South Wales entered two teams along with Adelaide, Brisbane, Victoria and Western Australia.
NSW Blue were dominant with a 15-1 win over Victoria in the gold medal game.
In the end, NSW Blue scored 89 runs in just six games.
Emma Gainsford was brilliant on the mound for NSW. She pitched all 4.0 innings, allowing just two hits, one run and tallied nine strikeouts.
Hannah O'Keefe and Adele Acosta each had two hits.
Hannah had two runs batted in, while Acosta led the team with three.
Lilly Farrell also had a big game, going 1-for-1 with two RBI and a walk.
"We all worked together very well as a team and it took a long way to get here but we did it. I loved playing with the team and my friends and that," Lilly said.
The team comprised Adele Acosta, Taylor O'Keefe, Juno Bromley, Lilly Farrell, Neveah Fungalei, Emma Gainsford, Caitlyn Gainsford, Chilli Hanlon, Isla Metuisela, Miranda Murray, Hannah O'Keefe, Riviera Harris, Yvette Wild and Ashleigh Rose-Thompson.
Game recaps supplied by Irvin Chiu/Baseball Australia.
