The Blaze were left to settle for qualification to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy eliminator after being beaten by Southern Vipers in their final group stage game of the competition at the Haslegrave Ground, Loughborough.
The hosts needed to avoid a bonus point loss to secure passage straight through to the final but fell to a 126-run loss against the second placed side.
The result came despite four wickets for Grace Ballinger, and a fifty for Marie Kelly chasing 289, with Vipers’ middle order amassing three half-centuries between them, before Mary Taylor claimed figures of 3-15 from seven overs to qualify at the expense of the home side.
After The Blaze won the toss, Ballinger got the early breakthrough for the hosts, swinging one back into the pads of Alice McCaughan in the second over before the experience of Mia Boucheir and Georgia Adams combined to get Vipers back on course.
Returning from England duty, the former struck the ball cleanly without finding gaps in the opening exchanges, the rate at 3.5 rpo after 10, but excelled therefrom with the introduction of Teresa Grave and Josie Groves.
Their partnership had stretched past 100 by the time the leg-spinner found the next breakthrough, Adams top edging a sweep to short-fine to depart for 40, before Ella Claridge caught Boucheir, 60, at mid-wicket to give Groves her second key breakthrough.
Georgia Elwiss and Emily Windsor rebuilt for the southern outfit, again though, mixing stroke-making with intelligent running to tee their side up for a strong finish.
Both players amassed half-centuries, with the score 220 when Groves bowled Windsor with a slider in the 38th over.
That was the first of seven wickets to fall in the home straight, as Ballinger, Bryce and two run outs accounted for the Vipers’ line up.
In reply, the away side got an early wicket of their own, Taylor inducing a leading edge from Lizelle Lee but Sarah Bryce and Kelly formed a stand which set The Blaze back on course.
Regular boundaries kept the hosts with the rate, as the pair amassed a partnership worth 67 before Bryce feathered to Southby.
Shortly after reaching a 53-ball half-century, Kelly departed too, skying to cover, before Georgie Boyce was run out four deliveries later to slip to 89/4.
Kathryn Bryce paired with Ella Claridge to deliver another rebuild, before the latter was run out - the fourth of the day - for 22.
Bryce then stood as witness at the non-striker’s end as Graves and Lucy Higham departed in quick succession, before being caught herself for a composed 26.
Her demise preceded the finals wickets of Groves and Gordon, with the home side 69 runs short of a total which would have seen them qualify in spite of a loss.