The Digicel Chuggers overcame a 5-run sixth inning deficit and held on to squeak by Canadian Bacon 15-14 last Thursday in co-ed softball at the Field of Dreams.
The win marked the first time this season that a B-league team has defeated an A-league team in inter-league play and improved the Chuggers’ record to 4-0.
The mighty Digicel offence struggled for most of the game, scoring single runs in the first, second, third and fourth innings, and then scoring nothing in the fifth.
Meanwhile, Canadian Bacon, the defending A-League champions, scored nine runs in the first five innings and held what seemed like a comfortable 9-4 lead going into the sixth inning.
Then the Chuggers’ bats came alive. With two outs and one run already in, Doug Sell doubled home a run to cut the lead to 9-6. Addie House then followed with a clutch line-drive two-run single to right field to draw Digicel within one run.
‘Addie’s hit was the key,’ said Chuggers’ coach Alan Markoff. ‘If she doesn’t get that hit, we don’t win.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ said a blushing House after the game.
With House on first base, Wil Pineau – just off the disabled list – hit an inside-the-park home run to give the Chuggers a 10-9 lead.
After Canadian Bacon tied the game with a run in the bottom of the sixth, Digicel came right back with five runs in the seventh inning, capped by a three-run inside-the-park home run by Neil Clements, who had already hit a solo home run earlier in the game.
Canadian Bacon rallied in the bottom of the frame, but with the tying run on second base and two outs, Chuggers’ pitcher Alan Markoff induced a grounder to shortstop Donnie House who easily threw out the batter to end the game.
Other offensive stars for Digicel included Mark Wallace (3 for 4 with a home run) and Shawn Wilcox (3 for 3 with two runs scored.
‘Shawn’s has something like 10 or 11 straight hits over the past four games,’ said Coach Markoff. ‘He’s hitting the ball where they ain’t, but he’s still going to hit last. I need a good bat at the end of the line-up.’
After the game, Wilcox did his Barry Gibb imitation, which cleared out the dugout fairly quickly.
‘I’m glad he can hit better than he sings,’ said Markoff.
The victory was costly for the Chuggers in that outfielder Doug Sell pulled a hamstring muscle and went on the 15-day disabled list immediately after the game.
‘As old as he is, it could take a month to heal,’ said Markoff.
With injuries, vacations and other matters wearing down the Digicel roster, the team added five new players on the last day they could before the rosters were final.
‘Hopefully they can play ball,’ said Coach Markoff. ‘At the very least, I hope they are good communicators.
‘Good communications are very important to the Digicel team.’
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