Rams overcome Marlins in extra innings classic to claim women's softball title

It was a game that went the distance and then some, but in the end, the Rams claimed the cup in the women’s final of the Geraldton Softball Association 3-2.

The game was tightly contested from the first innings, with neither side making errors and only a handful of hits getting off the bat with pitchers Taryn Purcell and Stacey Dershow offering little.

Marlins had the early lead with Rams struggling to get on base as Marlins held a 2-1 lead after the opening three innings.

They threatened to break the game open in the fifth inning with runners at second and third and Zoe Purcell at-bat with a zero-strike three-ball count.

But Dershow dug deep and got the strikeout to leave the runners stranded to give the Rams a huge lift which they used to tie the game up in the next inning.

However, they couldn’t roll on as both sides tensed up knowing the next run was likely going to clinch the match.

With nothing to separate the teams it went to extra innings which has a runner begin on second base.

Marlins were up first with Sally Denton making a crucial play to throw out the runner attempting to sneak to third and with two easy outs Rams needed just one run.

Seventeen-year-old Haylee Coker stepped up and hit a drive down the right to allow Kaycee Monaghan to run in and take victory, as Rams players swamped the field.

Coach Dion Harrison was proud of his side’s ability to dig deep and come up with the win.

“Where do I start what a game I don’t think I’ve got any ticker left well done to Marlins you guys have been the best for a while now,” he said.

“To my girls what a year right at the start of the season we had a goal and we just achieved it.”

Sally Denton, won the MVP for the grand final with a terrific performance behind the plate.

“Both teams deserved to be there and it could have gone either way, but fortunately for us, we ended up taking it out,” she said.

Marlins coach Les Purcell was proud of her team despite the loss.

“We are all good, we have won too many to be disappointed and it was always going to be hard with the injuries we had and other distractions. We had lots of good chances to win but just couldn’t bat when we needed to,” Purcell said.

Marlins took the division two grand final win earlier in the day, with an 18-5 victory over Suiside.

Ava Gould made an impressive home run after errors from Suiside, and Miley Gould batted in four runs (RBIs) for the winners.

Miley Gould took the MVP award for the grand final, the Marlins player solid both in her fielding position and at bat.

Ava Gould took out the division two MVP association award with Susan Mundy from Suiside taking runner-up.