Independence tops field in softball
James Adderley, Reporting
Good evening, I?m James Adderley with this week?s version of Sports Monday. The second annual CLB Rogers Softball Triangular took centre stage over the weekend at Rogers Stadium where Boomers made an early exit leaving Bros. Habet Lady Rebels and Independence United to battle it out for this year?s title.
We join the first match-up between these two archrivals with the Rebels leading a win to stay alive under the double elimination format as Carla Humes forces Sherlene Baptist into this come backer for the third out in the top of the list.
In the bottom of the first the Rebels grab a 1-zip lead when centre fielder Ashanti Anderson lifts this single to bring home Clarencia Jones from third.
We?re into the bottom of the second inning when the Independence Pitcher Shalani Zabaneh gives up three consecutive walks to moves the base for Dareen Montejo who smashes this pitch for a base clearing three runs.
Independence comes back forcing the pace in the next inning, but the Rebels show good defence when Carla Humes forces this double play off Yolanda Garbutt?s bat.
In the bottom of the third, Shalani Zabaneh after giving up two consecutive walks to lead the bases works her way out of trouble by getting Rochelle Smith to pop up on the infield.
The team from the South finally breaks through against Carla Humes who gets smashed by left-handed right fielder Darla Cadle to bring the timer easily from third base.
Meanwhile after giving up a triple to Clarencia Jones, Zabaneh gets an out from Doreen Montejo, but the Rebels do pick up another run as they would go on to post an 8-3 victory making it necessary for a final showdown for all the marbles.
In the meantime waiting for the match up is not an easy thing to do for some of the fans who do exhibit nervous energy. Nevertheless its money time and Independence United has replaced Shalini Zabaneh with Karen Andrews on the mound and she would not give up a run in the first.
We?re scoreless in the bottom of the first when Karen Andrews helps her cause by rising this ball over the infield to bring in Yolanda Garbutt from third with the first run of this match.
For Carlee Humes Game II must have been a nightmare as she gets smashed by Denise Allen to bring home the runner from second and just maybe Clarencia Jones should have made the catch.
Meanwhile folks, what should have been an easy out on Karen Andrews in the bottom of the third turns into two more runs for Independence when the throw to first is mishandled and they do give up another run trying to get the out at second.
The game gets busted wide open in the fourth when Yolanda Garbutt hits Humes for two runs and then get an extra run by turning a triple into an inside the park homer. Carla Humes is lifted out of the ballgame but Independence United goes onto post the 12-zip big W and takes the 2004 edition of the CLB Rogers Triangular. Karen Humes gets the MVP award, some lucky fan won a bicycle; last year it was a car and Belizeans got to honour the memory of Carl Lindberg Rogers, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Belize and an avid sports fan. We look forward to next year?s edition.
Turning to the cycling scene, Kevin?s Barber Shop presented another of its events for non-cyclist in a twenty-mile package on the Western Highway yesterday and your are viewing the actual start of this race.
By now, you should know that these are recreational athletes so there will be no prime time pacing in this particular outing.
Certainly, their inexperience can be easily spotted especially at the turn around point where the rider in second place simply looses his balance.
Our colleague from Channel 5, Steven Ferguson, remains in the mix of things even at this late stage.
However, at money time it?s Jason Gibson with the big W as he edges out Willmoth Simmons, Ian Whitaker takes third, Bart Sabido fourth while Kirk Sutherland rounds out the top five.
As for our boy Stephen Ferguson, he is forced into ninth place this time around.
Nevertheless we do want to say congratulations to the two female finishers?Wendy Simmons takes thirteenth place and Velerie Prince who finishes sixteenth.
Finally, in football news play in for FFB tournament over the weekend saw Verdes F.C. and Boca Jrs. rally to a one, one tie. Boca beat Tropical Produce 1-zip. Valley Pride outlasted Wagiya 5-3 while Palmar and Eagles struggled to a 2-2 stalemate.
Hey that?s it for now folks. We certainly want to thank our cameramen for the great work over the weekend. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.
