A GRADE REPORT - SATURDAY 15TH - STURT v  WEST TORRENS 

Report from A Grade Coach Dick Coombe

Sturt A Grade caused a massive early season upset by defeating league leader West Torrens on Saturday night in a 1 - 0 thriller.

West Torrens were bolstered by the return of the 3 - time Olympian Tracey Mosley while Sturt had lost two key players to State duties and were coming off a mercy run thrashing by its opponent a fortnight earlier.

However, Sturt responded brilliantly to the challenge.  Rookie pitcher Georgie Thomas had a blinder, picking up 2 of Sturt's 3 hits while keeping West Torrens to 6 scattered hits over the 7 innings.

West Torrens challenged on several occasions but were returned scoreless to the dugout each time by a determined Sturt defence, led by catcher Ada Brincat-Tree, second base Trish Jones and reliable outfielders Belinda Webb, Michelle Hughes and Deni Varnhagen.

With the game locked at 0-0 in the seventh innings, Thomas led off with her second hit for the night and when Varnhagen's safe hit to left field was eroded, Sturt picked up its solitary run.  However, this was enough
when West Torrens, with runners on base, was shut down by Thomas for the last time.

After a shaky start to the season, the win now puts Sturt in a strong position to challenge for a top four position.