Let the Girls Play hosted their highest number of teams this year, with a full capacity of eight female-only squads competing for the title. The tournament has developed a strong reputation in recent seasons, and most teams are returning year after year. Mad Hatters were new to the mix in 2011, bringing players from Germany to join in the fun.
The tournament format was a full eight-team round robin, with the top four squads earning entry to the Gold bracket and the bottom four competing in the Bronze bracket. The level of teams ranged from B- to D-grade, but the use of a handicap system meant that all the games were competitive.
Pre-tournament favourites Bristol and Quackers showed their form early in the round robin stage, as neither team lost a game on Saturday. Solent, Chavs and Sticky Fingers were also leading the pack.
Saturday night festivities
But -- at Let the Girls Play -- there is a lot of activity between the final game on Saturday night and the first match on Sunday morning. Saturday evening has become a highlight of the tournament with a home run derby and competition in base-running and throwing.
The home run derby went several rounds before anyone cleared the fence, but Mel Mason nee Colzie from Bristol was a worthy winner.
Heather Williams from the Pink Ladies opened the base-running contest with a time of 13.4 seconds. Others came close, but no one could beat Heather's time.
The test of throwing accuracy involved a throw from second base to hit a low object on home plate. Out of the eight competitors, only one hit it: Martine Edwards from Sticky Fingers on her first attempt.
The tournament organisers are not sure who won the egg-and-spoon race or the broom event, but interested fans can check YouTube for highlights!
Sunday's finals
It was all to play for on Sunday with most teams still clinging to a chance to make the top group. Solent must have still been spinning round their brooms as their Saturday form deserted them, allowing the Chavs to take a 17-2 win. Sticky Fingers then stopped the Chavs dead in their tracks with a 4-0 loss, which effectively put them out of the cup.
Solent bounced back with 10-9 defeat of the pack leaders, Quackers, who went on to beat Bristol to secure top spot.
Quackers, Solent and Bristol were through and the final group game between Pink Ladies and Sticky Fingers would determine the final Gold bracket spot. The good money was on Sticky Fingers, but they were dropping like old ladies at a 48-hour zumba-thon and just couldn’t pull it together. Pink Ladies snatched the last spot in the Gold cup with a 7-4 win.
The Gold semifinals pitted Quackers against the Pink Ladies and Bristol against Solent. Pink Ladies pushed Quackers to the brink and it looked likely to be an upset, but Quackers emerged with a 6-4 win and Bristol secured their place despite a late rally from Solent.
In the Bronze semifinals, Sticky Fingers beat Mad Hatters and Chavs beat Double D’s, the former development squad that were now holding their own in the tournament and having fun doing it.
The Bronze final -- Sticky Fingers vs. Chavs -- was a wash out, literally, with rain and lightening, and the teams decided to call it a day and agreed to a draw after just two innings of play.
The rain soon cleared and the Gold final continued with a full seven innings played. Quackers took an early lead and never lost ground despite some rallying efforts from the ever-strong Bristol Bluebirds. But they just couldn’t do enough and Quackers emerged with a well deserved victory.
Final standings
Gold cup winners: Quackers
Gold cup runners-up: Bristol Bluebirds
Bronze cup winners: Chavs and Sticky Fingers (by agreed draw)
MVP votes were collected after every game and many players received several votes, notably Liz Newham (Double D’s), Ruth Creaghan (SF) and Daphne Erasmus (Quackers).
The tournament MVP went to Lil Smith of the Chavs, with her dominance and presence at first base.
The weekend was a fantastic display of women’s softball and the only opportunity outside the the BSF Single-Sex Nationals to play a two-day female-only tournament.