Strong Red Sox dominate
Karina Connors (above) has claimed the upper hand over rival pitcher Ellie Rundle in Softball FNQ’s A-grade women’s grand final with the Red Sox emerging 12-5 victors over Steelers at the weekend. The Sox, undefeated in 18 games leading to the final, entered Walker Road Sport Complex overwhelming favourites and started strongly, scoring four runs in the first innings.
KARINA Connors has claimed the upper hand over rival pitcher Ellie Rundle in Softball FNQ’s A-grade women’s grand final with the Red Sox emerging 12-5 victors over Steelers at the weekend.
The Sox, undefeated in 18 games leading to the final, entered Walker Road Sport Complex overwhelming favourites and started strongly, scoring four runs in the first innings.
But Rundle shut out the Sox’s potent offence across the next two innings as the Steelers rattled off four unanswered runs of their own to tie the game up heading into the top of the fourth inning.
“It was a close game. They clawed back but we pushed away late,” Connors said.
“I think there’s a good rivalry there between Ellie and myself. It was really fun to play with her in the representative team against De Pauw University earlier in the year. She’s a really good pitcher.”
Teenage centrefielder Courtney Low led the Sox’s late charge with the mercy rule invoked in the seventh inning and Connors named the game’s MVP.
Sox assistant coach Liz Fresser said her team’s season was the most dominant in recent memory.
“We think that’s the first time in many years that a team has gone through undefeated. It may have happened a long time ago when Ivanhoes were quite strong,” Fresser said.
While the rest of the Sox enjoyed a pool party, Connors said her postgame celebrations were more subdued.
“I had a sick child. So I went home,” she said.