Softball Bermuda’s Post-Season Tournament
A total of 20 teams signed up for Softball Bermuda’s Post-Season Tournament. The B Division combines A and B teams from this summer. FIU – Scared hitless, Hakuna Matata Lions, Team Smokey, and the Kings will face off against each other.
Hakuna Mata surely must have thought this game would be a laugher after scoring nine runs in the top of the first, but Team Smokey replied with nine of their own in what would turn out to be a real battle. Neither side would score in the second before Mata retook the lead in the third by scoring three times. Each club scored one in the fourth before Smokey claimed their first lead in the game with six in the fifth. Like true warriors, both sides gave as good as they got until Smokey’s Che Edmead [4-5] ended it with a walk-off two-run homer. It was the second home run for Edmead in the contest. In a game like this, there were plenty of fantastic batting performances. Eugene Dyer, Quincey Jones, and O’Jay Barnett were all 4-5 from the top of the order for Smokey, but Albert Rameriz, Gerald Simons, Devin Saltus, and Dean Douglas all had three hits for the firefighters. Shannon Raynor [4-5, 4 RBI] was the top bat for Hakuna Matata. Brian Hall [3-5] and Stephen Smith [2-2] helped keep the Lions in this game.
Scared Hitless picked up the easiest of victories when The Kings forfeited due to a player shortage.
The Corporation of Hamilton, Mike’s Trucking, Raggamuffins, and Super Express comprise the C Division.
Raggamuffins edged favourite Mike’s Trucking 13-12 when Ed Desilva hit a walk-off two-run jack in the bottom of the eighth inning. Desilva had a dream game in going 5-5, with two homers and 7 RBI to carry much of the load for Raggamuffins. His club seemed listless at the plate until they scored nine times in the fourth to pull ahead of Trucking 10-9. That inning saw critical hits by Dylan Desilva [3-5], Katie Masters [2-5], and Corey Simas [3-5]. Dylan Desilva would plate the crucial run in the bottom of the seventh to set it up for Ed Desilva’s heroics in extra innings.
Former national team footballer Liam Evans served as Truckings’ leadoff man. He went 3-5 scoring runs in the first, third, and fourth innings, and Carlos Lima [5-5] drove him home on two of those occasions. Michael Oliveira, Brandon Ray, and John Outerbridge [2-4] all gave a great effort in a result that was just short.
Super Express used two big innings to down the Corporation 20 to 15. A six-run first and an eight-run third sent the Express flying to an early lead. Mackhi McGowan [4-5] blasted a grand slam in the third inning to pick up four of his five RBIs. Garic Swainson [2-3] hit a three-run shot in the fourth to help pad the lead for Express. Derwin Adams [3-4] also homered in the victory and collected five RBIs. There were also plenty of fine performances at the plate for the Corporation. Yori Ming[3-4, 4 runs] homered, while teammates Fred Richardson [4-5], Quinn Francis-Simmons [3-3], and Nina Webb [2-3] acquitted themselves well at the dish.
New club Sommersfield joins Five O’s, Killawhat, and Oddballs in the D Division. Things could have gone better for Somersfield in their debut as they were victims of the mercy rule, 22-7 by the Five O’s. The police piled on eight runs in the first and eight in the second to take a lead that would never be in doubt. Cleanup hitter Adam Mattatall [4-5] proved his worth with two huge homers and knocking in five runs. Datschen Chin [4-5] had 4 RBIs of his own, while Jason Savoury was a perfect 3-3 with the bat by smacking three doubles. There were some fine moments for the new club as both James Dockeray and Jon Rolph were 3-3, with Dockeray hitting the team’s first triple in the third inning. Pitcher Nik Eromine added two hits from the fifth spot in the order.
Oddballs waited until late to hammer of Killawhat, 29 to 10. The winners scored 14 runs in the seventh inning to put this game out of reach. Jeff Chisnall [5-6, HR] led the hit parade for Oddballs and collected seven RBIs. Cleanup man Curran Trenouth [4-4] plated six runs, and Adam Fenos [4-6, HR] had four RBI. A large part of the club’s success relied on the bottom of the order to keep things ticking along, and Brian Lewis [4-6] and Pat Schoening [3-5] ensured that happened.
Leadoff man George Fubler [3-4] was the bright spot for Killawhat hitting a homer and getting on base three times. Jarreau Daniels and Christopher Medrano were both 2-4, with Daniels also adding a homer to his resume.
The Z Division features the best clubs in Bermuda: Blue Wahoos, MoonGate Brewers, Paraquet Flyers, and X-Bats, and they will swing into action this week.
Summer champs Western Stars Angels will again compete against Rainbows, HardKnockz, and PHC Zebras in the Women’s division.
