The NSWPSSA state softball knockout competition finals were played at the Blacktown International Sports Park a fortnight ago on Thursday, December 8, and they included Narrabri Public School teams in both the girls’ and the boys’ open divisions.
That venue hosted softball matches at the 2000 Olympic Games, at which the Australian women’s team won a bronze medal in the sport, so it was quite an amazing experience for the Narrabri players to line up at such a historic arena.
Parents, students and the coaches travelled down on the Wednesday, in readiness for the big day, and when it finally arrived the semi-final matches were played first.
All four teams in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions would get a chance to play two matches each, with the semi-final winners progressing through to the deciders and the semi-final losers playing in third-place playoff games.
Games consisted of seven innings or 75-minute contests, whichever came first.
The Narrabri Public School boys team played first against Narranga Public School from the North Coast area.
That was a very closely-contested game from the first pitch until the last, and the game went right down to the wire, with the score at 6-all after the third innings.
In the fourth innings, Narranga scored three runs to Narrabri’s none to win the game nine runs to six.
The girls’ game followed as Narrabri Public School took on Sunshine Bay Public School from the South Coast area.
That was a match that could have gone either way, with the score after the first innings being seven runs to four in the opposition’s favour.
In the second innings, Sunshine Bay scored a further eight runs with some great batting, and then the Narrabri girls dug deep and scored nine runs of their own.
Unfortunately, time wasn’t on the Narrabri team’s side as the final score finished 15 to 13 to Sunshine Bay.
Those results saw both Narrabri Public school teams qualify for the third-place playoff matches, in which they were both victorious.
The boys took on Lake Albert Public School from the Riverina area.
In that game, the Narrabri boys were behind eight to seven after the second innings but turned it around in the third innings with some great batting and base running to score six runs to two and take a 13 runs to 10 lead.
In the fourth and final innings, due to time being called, both of the teams scored one run each to make the final score 14 runs to 11 in the Narrabri side’s favour, placing it third in the state.
The girls then took on Tocumwal Public School from the Riverina area.
The Narrabri Public School side got off to an amazing start with some great batting and base-sneaking to score nine runs to three.
In the second innings, the girls had total control of the game. They scored another five runs, and then with some great teamwork in the field, they dismissed the opposition without scoring a run.
The final score was 14 runs to three in Narrabri’s favour, which saw them place third in the state as well.
Coaches Keeley Glass and Lorraine Scott told The Courier they were both very proud of the teams, especially of the way they approached each game, their sportsmanship, and the teamwork that all players displayed.
“To finish the day with a win and to be crowned third in the state is an outstanding achievement for a small country town,” Scott said.
The coaches said that throughout the two games, the Narrabri Public School boys and girls produced some awesome hitting, base-running and catching that had the crowd cheering with amazement from the sideline.
Back, Martha Barton, Bella Lettice, Eva Goodwin, Olivia Shoobert, Elsie Barton and Georgia Herden, middle, Chloe Cameron, Ashlyn Saunders, Grace Lennox, Lily McCahon, and front, Eliza Lennox. Photo: Narrabri Public School
