The Sunshine Coast Fastpitch season kicked off on Monday, June 16, with games taking place at both Hackett Park and Brothers Park.
At Brothers Park, the Bears faced off against Lon’s Gun Show. The game started as a classic season opener, featuring a few miscues as players worked to shake off the rust. The Bears opened the scoring with two runs, but the Gun Show quickly responded with four of their own. The game went back and forth until Lon’s Gun Show pulled ahead with a 9–4 lead.
The Bears, however, were not discouraged. In the top of the seventh, Grant Chapman sparked a rally with a triple, helping bring the Bears within striking distance at 9–8. Later in the same inning, Chapman came to bat again with the bases loaded and two outs. Staying true to form, he hit a hard line-drive that looked destined to score two runs, until a heroic, diving catch by Chris Hanchar ended the rally and secured the win for the Gun Show.
Over at Hackett Park, the reigning champions, the Raiders, took on the Barons. Their game also showed signs of early-season rust but fans were treated to some highlights. Josh Grey launched a solo home run for the Barons, while Brandon Fujimori made a diving catch at shortstop. Ultimately, the Raiders prevailed with a 10–3 victory, powered by the strong pitching of the ageless Bill “Stick” Stockwell.
Games are played Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the next matchups scheduled for Monday and Wednesday, June 23 and 25, at Brothers Park. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.
