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Dethroning of the champs

  • Published
  • By Irvin Gourdine
  • 43rd Airlift Wing
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  It's not unusual to see the Joint Communication Unit competing for the Intramural Softball Championship. For 16 straight seasons JCU has made it to the big game. Of course it would have been nice for them if it was just 'the big game,' but their opponents, the 66th Air Operations Squadron Wolfpack, were not going to hand them the title that easily. 

JCU was the obvious odds-on favorite coming into this game, being that they are the returning champions. They finished this season with a 10-2 record, allowing 97 runs and scoring 229 runs. As great as JCU was, it was the Wolfpack with the better record this season as they finished 10-1, allowing a total of 81 runs and scoring 183 runs. They also defeated JCU during the regular season and in 2007 defeated them for the championship. But coming into this championship the Wolfpack had to battle back from the losers' bracket after losing to JCU earlier in the playoffs. 

With such success against the defending champs you would think the Wolfpack would be pretty confident coming into this game, but that wasn't the case according to assistant coach and shortstop Jay Cortez. 

"To be honest, it was a daunting task. They beat us in the playoffs and that loss was still fresh in our minds," said Cortez. 

It wasn't the prettiest day for the championship with rain clouds hanging over a damp field, but the Wolfpack found themselves in a familiar setting with a chance to once again come between JCU repeating as Intramural Softball Champions. 

Game 1 

The game started tight with great fielding from both teams. It wasn't until the third inning when JCU's big hitter, Jason Bender, slapped one over the fence, giving them a 3-run edge. By the end of the third JCU was up 7 to 2 on the Wolfpack. 

The Wolfpack fought back in the fourth inning. With two men on base, Darryl Buck hit a line drive down the third base line, but JCU third baseman Billy Wester made a diving catch, giving them their second out. With one out left, Mark Ramos hit a single that brought in two runs. The Wolfpack was able to hold JCU from scoring in the bottom of the fourth, walking out the inning with the score 7 to 4. 

In the fifth inning the Wolfpack really went on the attack. With the bases loaded and down by one run, Bill Dorofy hit a single, and an error on a throw to home by JCU allowed two runs to tie the game at 7. Alex "Wookie" Walter hit a double that brought in Dorofy, and another error by JCU on a throw to third allowed two more runs, giving the Wolfpack the 10 to 7 lead. 

JCU started off the bottom of the fifth looking strong when Brian Fooshee hit a triple. Great outfield play held JCU to only one run that inning, as Wolfpack left fielder Jude Landry made an amazing diving catch to end the inning with the Wolfpack ahead 10 to 8.
JCU was able to prevent the Wolfpack from scoring the remainder of the game. Down by one run, JCU had their last chance to come back to end the game and win the title. 

Starting from the top of the batting order, Fooshee hit a double. The next batter, Todd Petzel, was walked, putting two runners on and Bender at bat. It was a tense moment, and with two runners on base and JCU's homerun hitter at bat things didn't look too good for the Wolfpack; a double would have won the game for JCU. Bender hit the ball deep into left, but it was caught by Landry, holding the two runners on base and giving JCU their first out of the inning. Another power hitter, Ben Mooring, was next to bat. The Wolfpack wasn't taking any chances this time and intentionally walked him, loading the bases for James Reynolds. A pop fly to second base gave the Wolfpack two outs. Then Brent Hobby was up with a chance to win the game for JCU. Hobby ended up hitting a ground out, giving the Wolfpack the game one victory 10 to 9. 

Great defense in the seventh inning kept the Wolfpack alive in game one. Any error would have been devastating for their chances. 

"If you make any errors you're done. JCU is too good of a team to give them any runs," said Chief T.V. Smith. 

Game 2 

Forced into a second game, JCU had everything to lose. They had their chance to win game one but couldn't pull through, leaving the bases loaded. Petzel said they didn't feel any pressure after the loss in game one. That loss fueled their 9-run offensive explosion in the first inning of game two. JCU went through the entire batting line up, with their first three batters each batting twice in the inning. From the look of it, the game was already over. The defending champs showed their muscle and dominated from the beginning with their overwhelming offense and lock down defense allowing no Wolfpack runner to advance past first base. 

"My guys never quit," said Cortez. "JCU scored nine in the first inning and I came to the dugout and told the team that we were only hitting an underhand pitched softball. We had 21 outs to come back and do the unthinkable." 

That's exactly what the Wolfpack did in the second inning. Holding JCU scoreless at the top of the second inning and then going on a nine-run outburst of their own, they fought back to make it a game again. 

The third inning was the best defensive inning as neither team allowed any runners to get on base, the only time that happened in the two games. 

An error in the outfield by the Wolfpack allowed JCU to take a one-run lead in the fourth. With runners in scoring position, great defense by JCU shortstop Fooshee got them out of the inning safely. His stellar play continued into the fifth inning, as he recorded all three outs and held the one-run lead for his team. 

The Wolfpack was able to hold JCU off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game, but they couldn't seem to hit the ball well enough to tie or take the lead. Once again, JCU's defense wouldn't allow them past first base. 

JCU held the one-run lead coming into the final inning. They had one more chance to seal the win with their last chance at bat. With a runner on third in a position to score, a base hit by Billy Wray would give them a two-run lead, really putting the pressure on the Wolfpack. But his fly ball to right was caught by Walter, keeping the game within reach for the Wolfpack at 10 to 9. 

It was the Wolfpack's chance to win the game at the plate. Cortez started things off for them with a single. Hector Roca grounded to shortstop, forcing Cortez out at second. 

Next was Dorofy who hit a single, but a defensive misplay by Wester allowed Roca to score and tie the game, also putting Dorofy at third base for the winning run. Chief Smith was up to bat with one out and a chance to win the game for his team. He slapped the ball deep into left field. The ball was caught but with only one out, Smith's hit allowed Dorofy to tag up and run home for the game-winning run. 

"Coach told me we needed a fly ball, I did my job. I was happy to be in that spot," said Smith. 

Two hard-fought games by both teams made for a great ending to the 2009 Intramural Softball season. Once again the Wolfpack stopped JCU from repeating as champions. 

"It's tough to repeat as there is always something that changes from year to year," said Petzel. "We will be back next year with a sour taste in our mouths as we let one slip away."