WANDERERS A-grade men’s have qualified for this Saturday’s Mount Isa softball grand final against Red Devils.
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Rebels also sealed their journey to the season’s decider in the A-reserve men’s at the Mount Isa softball diamonds.
Both teams faced a busy weekend at the diamonds, with games being played both Saturday and Sunday to qualify for their respective finals.
On Saturday, Red Devils and Wanderers played for the right to go straight through to the grand final.
Red Devils held on to win four nil, thanks to three runs in the bottom of the fourth, to seal a tightly fought contest.
Wanderers’ normally consistent batting line-up failed to fire as Red Devils’ crafty pitcher Phil Horne kept them guessing all match.
James Larkin, Jayson Morgan, Ian Downes, Jarred Morgan and Josh Wagner were all strong for the victors.
Wanderers were led by Steven Dredge, Alex Kostowski, Jarrod Nilsson, Matt Croghan and Chris Dredge.
Pirates won their third and fourth play-off against Rebels 8-4, setting up a mouthwatering match against Wanderers for a place in the grand final.
Reggie Nardoo, David Heggarty, Jaymon King, Kieran Punch and Kelvin Dempsey were all strong for Pirates as Rebels Mark Bellamy, Alex Cleary, Chris Tyson, Yael Ladisla and Darryl Parker played well in a losing side.
In Sunday’s match-up, Wanderers batters returned to form, smashing their way to a 10-1 victory against Pirates.
Nathan Drew, Jarrod Nilsson and Chris Dredge consistently provided clutch hits to keep the Wanderers scorecard ticking over.
Pitcher Ryan Smith was the star, along with fielder Joel Naughton restricting their opponents to just one run.
Pirates Kelvin Dempsey, David Heggarty, Andrew Walden, Reggie Nardoo and Jaymon King were handy in a losing effort.
In the A-reserve men, Pirates defeated Wanderers 8-1 to advance to the final, thanks to pitcher Tristan Saltmere.
Saltmere was supported by strong performers Arnold Bowman, Steven Strangways, James Byrne, Kieran Punch and Andrew Gaston.
Wanderers Chris Bulgarelli, Clynton Munns, Justin Bindley, Miguel Kato and Mitchell Nilsson were solid.
On Sunday, Rebels outlasted Wanderers 14-10 in a run-fest to qualify for Saturday’s final.
Rebels sealed the match on the back of a seven-run third innings, thanks to batters Joe Stevens, Will Webber, Mark Fox and Aaron Blackwood.
Rebel’s father and son pitchers Kim and Matt Timmonen kept the pressure on Wanderers all match.
Chris Pocock, Jarrod Nilsson, Mitchell Nilsson, Nathan Drew, Matt Croghan, Dick Kostowski and Alex Kostowski played hard in the side’s final game of the year.
■Mount Isa softball association grand finals (August 30): 8.30am – Wanderers Gold vs Rebels (T-Ball); Wanderers White vs Wanderers Blue (T-Ball). 10am – Red Devils vs Pirates (under 15s); Wanderers vs Pirates (3 pitch); 12pm – Red Devils vs Rebels White (open ladies division 2); Pirates vs Rebels (A reserve men). 2pm – Rebels Red vs Wanderers A (open ladies division 1). 4pm – Red Devils vs Wanderers (A men).
