Acros is the National Champ, James Adderley has sports
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re tuned into another dish of Sports Monday so we’ll quickly take you out to Rogers Stadium where the National Softball Tournament was staged over the weekend.
We pick up the action with Lady Rebels waiting in the wings while Acros of Belize City and Camalote Durleys battle it out to make it to the championship round. It’s the bottom of the second in a scoreless ball game when Acros gets the opportunity to strike first off an errant toss by third baseman Emogene Coye but Castillo can’t beat the throw to the plate. However, the next batter Martha Rhys touches Kenisha Sutherland for a single that scores the runner from third. With bases loaded, national team pitcher, Kenisha Sutherland works her way out of trouble by getting Lydia Cacho to pop up on the board but not before three runners had crossed the plate.
In the top of the fifth Camalote gets to pitcher Mary Flowers with a triple from Charlene Avila but ill-advisedly tries to stretch it into an in the park home run and gets out. On defense Camalote comes back with Francine Salazar instead of Kenisha on the mound and with bases loaded she gets victimized by a run producing fielder choice out. Acros goes on to take the ball game five-two to get into the finals against Leslie Rogers’ Lady Rebels. Acros would need two wins under the Paige System to take the title since the Rebels reached moneytime in undefeated fashion.
Acros strikes in the very first inning when Audrey Reyes smashes a pitch from Shirlene Banner. The Lady Rebels come right back in their half of the inning on a single from Robinson which brings Cadle home to tie the score at one apiece. In the second, Acros takes the lead for good when Orcelia Staine brings home the pitcher Mary Flowers. They add another in the third when Keisha Reyes connects. A shot by Jackie Yorke brings in run number four. Acros takes the game five-one to force a do or die shootout with Lady Rebels for the National Championship.
Lady Rebels strikes first blood in the bottom of the second as Baptist smokes Mary Flowers for a long single scoring Westby. Westby makes it two-nil by taking advantage of a fast ball charged to Ruth Lamb. The Rebels go up three-zip in the third with a blood single on the infield. Acros comes back in the fourth and it starts with a pair of throwing errors that brings the first run home.
The pitcher Flowers then helps her own cause with this run scoring single. When the Rebels try to turn the double play it brings home another run for Acros and we have a tied ball game. It’s the Rebels with the lead when Baptist comes up with a triple and she gets home on a throwing error. In the fifth Acros ties the ball game on a blatant defensive infield error, but they’ll take it. Acros takes the lead in the sixth off a two-runs in the park homer by Mary Flowers. And then it’s a three-run lead when Keisha Reyes singles to the right. But in the seventh the Rebels rally led by a big time smash from Yvette Martinez who comes up with two RBIs. Westby then comes up with a single off Flowers and we have a tied ball game.
We go to extra innings and in the top of the eighth Acros breaks the seven-seven tie thanks to a throwing error to third base and it would prove to be the winning run. Now here’s high drama. Acros tries to get the lead runner off but the Rebels wind up with runners on the corner instead. Again it’s a bunt but Flowers throws to first this time only to see the ball hit Robateau in the back of the head.
A meeting of umpires is trying to determine if the runner stayed in her lane. They decide she did not. It’s an out and Leslie Rogers is beside himself in disbelief. He bumps the umpire; he gets tossed. Acros goes on to take the eight-seven big “W” while Leslie Rogers has formally announced his retirement from softball permanently because of that decision. You’re losing a good man softball.
In the meantime here are the individual awards from the National Tournament: Mary Flowers from Acros is Most Valuable Player and we say congratulations. Josephine Meighan from Grace Kennedy has most strikeouts; Shirlene Baptist of Independence United has most home runs, the only one. Highest batting average goes to Deseree Gordon of Independence United. Most stolen bases is Miriam Myvette of Grace Kennedy. Belvia Gillett of Grace Kennedy has most RBIs. Miriam Myvette of Grace Kennedy has most runs scored and best defensive outfielder is Lydia Cacho of Acros. Best defensive infielder is Yolanda Garbutt of Independence United and the winning-est pitcher is Mary Flowers of Acros. Incidentally Acros had to win four ball games in a row to pick up the title and we say congratulations.
In football play, results from the weekend in the Regent Cup Tournament finds Yabra with yet another scoreless stalemate this time yesterday against Real Verdes. Sagitun mashed up San Pedro Dolphins two-one to leap to the top of the standings, Grigamandala knocked off Belmopan Bandits three-one, La Victoria downed Juventus two-nil while Acros Bombers got its first “W” of the semi-pro season beating Ambergris Turquoise out at the island.
That’s it. We invite you back same time, same place. Jah over all. I’m James Adderley.
