Category Archives: Nottingham Single-sex

MSC Review of the Year Part 10. Diamond Squeezers take 3rd Place at Nottingham

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One of the areas the club has been trying to develop was in the addition of single-sex teams. There had been attempts in previous years to form a female team, but it never taken off beyond a few friendlies. This year, the momentum was there within the female club members and the Ladies team took shape.

So back in September the Maidenhead Softball Club’s Ladies, Diamond Squeezers, travelled up to Nottingham to play in their first  tournament. After 7 hard fought games they came away as Plate trophy winners and a 3rd overall place out of 7 teams.

This was a big step for the ladies, up to now they had only played a one friendly game and a couple of training game. A whole tournament was new and while the teams that had entered the event were known by name, MSC having played against many of them, the standard of the all-female teams was certainly unclear. Fears about how competitive this new team could be being highlighted in the first inning of the first game were the Diamond Squeezers conceded 6 runs and fail to get anyone close to scoring in reply. In the context of the day, that inning turned out to be their worst all day and the game settled down into a more competitive contest, Diamond Squeezers did loose however, 13-4. While they lost the second game of the day 10-4 to the Manchester ladies, the confidence was growing as the players became used to the system.

This growing confidence showed as they won 16-1 against the Pink Panthers with a polished performance, and followed that up with an 8-1 win over Scared Hitless from Leeds. Game five saw one of the best games of the day, while it was a 5-0 loss to Nottingham Sheriffs, it again showed the Diamond Squeezers were very hard to beat defensively, all the runs come in the very first inning.

Needing to win in their final game to progress to a trophy game, the Diamond Squeezers once again got their batting going and bear Pitchslap 10-4. With a 3-3 overall record, this put the Diamond Squeezers in the 3rd/4th Plate game against Scared Hitless.

This final game followed a similar pattern to the earlier meeting in the day, Diamond Squeezers again fielding very well and batting strongly to back it up. While 11-2 looks a wide margin, the game was a lot closer and only for some exceptional plays by Diamond Squeezers, the score would have been closer.

The whole day was a great success both for the ladies and the club and plans are already in place to enter Nottingham again next year, plus adding a trip to the Nationals, entering the annual Let the Girls Play and the MSC’s own all-female event in May 2016.

Missed Parts 1 to 9?

What is Softball?

Co-ed slowpitch softball is a social and enjoyable game that’s easy to learn and play, even for people who are not “athletes” or don’t have much experience of team sports.

Softball is a lot like baseball in terms of the rules, but because the ball is pitched slowly to each batter (as the name implies!), it’s easy to hit the ball and succeed at the sport’s central skill. The fact that men and women play together in the same team and on an equal level gives the sport a social buzz, and most softball games are followed by sessions at the local pub!

Come and Get Involved

Maidenhead Softball Club runs weekly sessions every Friday at Newlands Girls School in Maidenhead. Sessions from 6pm until 7:30pm and are open to anyone 11 and up.

All sessions are free, no experience needed and all equipment to get you going is supplied.

For all under-18’s attending, a parent must be in attendance at the beginning of the first session to sign permission paperwork.