MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Team Torii remains undefeated in the Intramural Softball season after a narrow 13- 11 victory over Sasquatch and the Dislexic Abominable Rastas at the main softball field here June 9.
Sasquatch’s gut-wrenching loss to Team Torii leaves them with a 2-6 record while Team Torii remains the team to beat.
Sasquatch came out swinging, but couldn’t heat up their bats, only running in two. Team Torii, on the other hand, came out of the dugout with their bats on fire, going around the lineup and earning 8 runs off multiple back-to-back home runs for a 8-2 lead early on.
Sasquatch was able to get runners on base in the second but didn’t have the sticks needed to bring them in. Luckily, it didn’t affect the score because Team Torii went three and out.
In the top of the third, Sasquatch loaded the bases off three singles but was unable to capitalize on the good position, holding them at two runs.
With consistent base hitting, Team Torii managed to squeeze three runs out of Sasquatch’s defense in the bottom of the third, bringing Team Torii to a 11-2 lead.
The fourth inning was a short one with the Sasquatch once again unable to get any type of momentum going at the plate; however, they were able to force Team Torii to go three and out.
It wasn’t until the top of the fifth that Sasquatch was able to heat up their bats, bringing in 6 runs by taking advantage of Team Torii’s sloppy play and capitalizing on their several errors.
“I told (my team) to take their time, wait for their pitch and they started hitting the ball,” said Christopher Burke, Sasquatch coach and second baseman. “I let the players do their thing. Everybody started getting a feel, started getting rhythm and started running bases.”
At the turn of the inning, Team Torii coach Rodney Buentello huddled up the team to motivate them as the game was quickly on its descent.
“I yell at them all the time, but it’s just a morale booster because we don’t play like (we did tonight),” said Buentello, Team Torii coach and second baseman. “I know we can play at a hard level, and we’re playing at an intermediate level. It’s kind of embarrassing for us because we don’t play like that.”
With motivation ringing in their ears, Team Torii was only able to bring in two runs, leaving the fifth at 13-8.
Sasquatch short stop Kevin Maynard drove the ball into left field in the top of the sixth, bringing in two much-needed two runs. First baseman Rory Duane knocked the ball into right field to in turn bring Maynard home. A
fter finally finding their groove, Sasquatch held Team Torii to 13 runs in the bottom of the sixth, bringing the score to 13-11.
With one inning to go and Sasquatch closing in on the lead, Team Torii anxiously hoped the 1-hour game time limit would come into play and the game would be called at the bottom of the sixth. However, it didn’t and both teams moved into the seventh uneasy.
“When you’re on top, it’s lonely on top,” said Buentello. “When you take that for granted and start playing the way we (did tonight), any team can beat you at any given time.”
The pressure was on. Sasquatch, the underdog with an overall losing record, only needed to bring in three runs and hold Team Torii for the win. However, neither team was able to score any runs.
Team Torii left the field with a 13-11 victory over Sasquatch, miraculously keeping their perfect record.
“I’m like Ricky Bobby; all I do is win,” said Buentello. “A win is a win no matter how you look at it.”