USCG Use Last Out to Extinguish Bombers

USCG Use Last Out to Extinguish Bombers
BY SPARKY CHALMERS

Park Ridge, NJ - Should fans have expected any different? When USCG and B&T play you shouldn’t leave your seats, don’t arrive late, and don’t leave early. Get to the concession stand and plant yourself before the first pitch because you might be in for a classic.

Tuesday night in Park Ridge rewarded those brave enough to taunt the freshly parched skies and take in the action. Both teams, that own the last three Pearson Championships, brought the game to the last out in the 7th, with USCG singling home the winning run in an 11-10 victory over B&T.

The two teams moved to the 7th and final inning with a 10-10 tie. The Bombers uncharacteristically went 1-2-3, and left the door wide open for USCG to plate one measly run and move on to the Championship. USCG led off the inning when their left-fielder hit a double down the left field line. A great play by catcher Janine Lucas to knock a foul ball into fair territory and pitcher Ian Gold to collect and keep the runner at second while getting the out at first gave the Bombers life. The next USCG batter, one of the best in the league, would strike out, and leave USCG with one lifeline to win the game.

“I thought we had them,” Captain Patrice Jones said. “I thought when we got two outs that we would get one more, score a bunch of runs, and put them away. Have to tip your cap to them, they played a great game.”

A semi-intentional walk to a dangerous lefty brought up a manageable batter, who in typical clutch fashion, hit a ball that dodged second-baseman Marta Karell’s glove by inches. The winning run would easily come home from second and USCG was moving on.

The Bombers had won both regular season games against USCG, one with ridiculous defense, another with ridiculous firepower. Tuesday night, USCG did their part in keeping the Bombers defused.

“Most of the time in softball the team that makes less mistakes wins,” pitcher Ian Gold said. “Not that we made many errors, but USCG doesn’t make any. When we score only 10 runs it’s not one or the other, it’s both, we didn’t play our best and the other team did.”

For a layman, B&T is a Ferrari, shiny, sexy, and fast—with the ability to just awe their opponents into a quick fatality. USCG is a Ford Crown Victoria, reliable, generic, and law enforcements car of choice—they don’t make mistakes, they come at you in waves and basically Chinese water torture their opponent.

Without feeling guilty or restricted, a person could say the Pearson softball rivalry between B&T and USCG hasn’t always been sunshine and flowers. It’s natural to play up to the moment and target your main competition wearing a different color jersey. But on a humid day in Park Ridge the game itself brought both teams together in respect to their tightly contested spirit. We may not be sharing a lunch table, but maybe B&T will dodge some auditing that a third straight Championship would have guaranteed.

Once again, it’s been a pleasure covering the team for a fourth straight season. Thank you to the team and its fans—and of course, thank you to Sparky’s loyal readers.