18/06/2026
🥎 Barracudas vs Lisburn Hawks 🥎
Wallace Park | 17/06/26
Two unbeaten teams. One top spot on the line. And an absolute heavyweight battle from start to finish.
The Barracudas travelled to Wallace Park to face the Lisburn Hawks in what turned out to be one of the games of the season so far. Players and spectators alike would probably agree it felt less like a softball match and more like a boxing match, with two Goliaths standing toe-to-toe and trading blows every inning.
The Cudas came out swinging in the 1st, putting 5 runs on the board and holding the Hawks to 1. The 2nd inning saw both teams shut each other out, before the Hawks came back strongly in the 3rd to close the gap. From there, the game swung back and forth, with both sides landing big hits, making huge defensive plays, and refusing to give an inch.
After 7 innings, there was still nothing between the sides, and the game headed into extras. In the 8th inning, the Hawks managed to edge ahead by a single run, taking the win 17–16 in a game that genuinely could have gone either way.
Despite the result, every single Barracuda put in a performance worthy of the occasion. This was not a game where players waited for something to happen, everyone was switched on, active, backing up teammates, covering bases, moving into position, and doing the little things that often go unnoticed but make a massive difference.
The outfield of Ali Steenwyk, Adam Norman, Matty Turpitt and Carrie Webb were relentless all evening. Whether it was chasing down hits, cutting off the gaps, stopping extra bases, or going after those awkward clutch catches, they gave the Hawks very little for free.
In the infield, there were big performances across the diamond.
Anna Devany stepped in at catcher for the first time and looked like she had been there all season. She read the game brilliantly, got herself in front of the plate, backed up her teammates, chased pop-ups, and made important tags when the pressure was on. A brilliant first outing behind the plate and a fully deserved Female MVP performance.
On the mound, Will Gilpin once again gave the Cudas exactly what they needed. Consistent pitching, difficult balls for the batters to deal with, strikeouts when they mattered, and calmness throughout a high-pressure game.
At first base, Danny McCartney was his usual reliable self, taking fierce throws and making the outs look routine. Shortstops love having a first baseman they can trust, and Danny was that player again, well apart from the one time the foot maybe came off the bag a little early… but we’ll let him away with it. 😉
Charlene McCartney had a brilliant game at second base, showing real confidence and aggression. She attacked pop flies, made key catches, tagged runners, backed up plays, and helped stop overthrows before they became problems.
At third base, Naomi Connor was once again a wall. Nothing gets past Naomi easily, and if a ball goes up anywhere near foul territory, players should already know she is coming for it. Her reading of the game, reactions, and commitment were outstanding.
And at shortstop, Matty Connor captained the side in Marc Taylor’s absence, with Marc enjoying a well-earned honeymoon with his wife Niamh. Matty led from the front and played an absolute blinder, making clutch plays to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and home. He covered ground, attacked infield flies, organised the defence, and gave everything for the team. Nothing got past him… well, maybe the occasional one. 😂
This one will sting, because losing by a single run in extra innings always does. But the Barracudas can walk away with their heads held high. Against another unbeaten side, they showed fight, quality, teamwork and heart from the first pitch to the last.
Barracudas MVPs:
Male MVP: Matty Turpitt
Female MVP: Anna Devany
Final Score:
Lisburn Hawks 17 – 16 Barracudas
After 8 innings
A tough result, but a massive performance.
We thank Lisburn Softball for hosting and giving us a fantastic match.
We regroup, we learn, and we go again. 🥎💪
