MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron Team Torii defeated Marine Aircraft Group 12 19-4 in the intramural softball season championship here July 23.
MAG-12 clawed their way up from the losers’ bracket for the rematch after losing in the quarterfinals to Team Torii.
As expected, the rematch began with a typical barrage of friendly banter and trash-talk.
Going into the bottom of the third, the game was shaping up to be a tight contest with score at 6-4.
Team Torii went on an absolute tear, letting their bats do the talking and putting on a hit clinic.
“It was close, and then we started putting on a hitting show,” said Team Torii coach Rodney Buentello.
MAG-12 contributed to the proverbial merry-go-round with MAG-12 pitcher Charles Van Allen walking two to load the bases early and followed by a crucial fielder error allowing three runs.
Opening the bottom of the third, Rodney Buentello, Team Torii coach, was walked.
A single to left by right center-fielder James Mitchell and another walk of first baseman Bryan Tanner loaded the bases and brought up Team Torii pitcher Frank “The Tank” Meraz.
Meraz belted a frozen rope straight to the left-fielder who couldn’t snag the ball, giving Meraz a triple with three RBIs. The sudden swing in momentum was only a taste of what was to come.
Right fielder Wylie Rakestraw was walked followed by a rip to dead center by third baseman Joseph Campbell to bring Meraz home and put runners on second and third.
Steve Debruyn, Team Torii shortstop, smashed one to right where another error allowed Team Torii to chalk up two more runs and put the score at 12-4.
Left fielder Adam “Skoot” Sanders dropped a shot into the center field gap and was quickly brought home on left center-fielder Carlton Kholer’s ground-rule double.
Team Torii proceeded to generate a combination of hits and tagups to push the score up another four runs and exit the inning 18-4.
The top of the fourth proved unfruitful for MAG-12, who came up with one hit to show for their efforts.
Team Torii locked-up the win in the bottom of the fourth. Campbell was walked and Debruyn cranked one to right. With Campbell threatening from third, Sanders jacked one to center. The play was made at second but that was all the time Campbell needed to tag-up. The game was called at 19-4.
The odds may have been stacked against MAG-12 because Team Torii boasts six players from the station team.
“We knew we were going to play MAG-12,” said Debruyn. “They’re definitely the second best team.”
Despite the loss, MAG-12 players said they had a lot of fun playing and emphasized that everyone on their team was from the same unit.
They ended the season with a final war cry, “Baaaaaa.