Recalling Banes debut season playoff title win

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Donna Bane, shown here at bat during a 2019 game, had a pair of hits in Banes 2000 debut season playoff title win over American Legion.

This past weekend Banes rallied in the late innings to edge Jr. Wilson 1 13-9 for the Medina Women’s Softball ‘A’ League playoff championship.

That win recalls that Banes also had a sparkling debut season in Women’s League competition in 2000 when they outlasted American Legion 16-13 for the ‘B’ Division playoff championship.

Banes wasted little time in moving on top to stay by scoring six quick runs in the first inning highlighted by hits by Becky Bromsted, Kathy Riggs, Shelly Harling, Kim Morrell and Donna Bane.

Keeping the momentum, Banes tacked on three runs in the second inning on RBI hits by Sue Bane, Harling and Morrell. Two more runs in both the third and fourth frames then upped the advantage to 13-2.

American Legion did come battling back with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings and four more in the sixth. Legion then sliced the deficit to 16-13 in the bottom of the seventh but could get no closer as they left the bases loaded.

Bromsted finished with a total of four hits and Harling three for Banes as Donna Bane, Sue Bane, Riggs, Morrell and Becky Spears each had two.

Traci Preston led Legion with three hits as Lisa Pritchard, Michelle Gray and Tara Stawicki each had two.

Banes had a pair of close calls in route to the title contest as they had to rally from a 12-6 deficit to nip Legion 13-12 in the first round and then edged VFW 10-8 in the winners bracket final.