MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- ATC defeated the Devil Donkeys 13-2 in an intramural softball game at the main softball field here June 2.
ATC was the first to strike as Paul A. Torres, ATC center fielder, dropped a fly ball into a center field gap for a double. Wade J. Armstrong, ATC second baseman, hit a sacrifice, bringing Torres home, to left field.
Chad A. Welsh, ATC left fielder, was next up to the plate. Welsh hit a pitch perfectly out to center field for a single.
Next up to bat was Ryan C. Snyder, ATC right fielder. With one strike and two balls, Snyder waited for the Devil Donkey’s pitcher, Bradley A. Hanson, to send one over the plate.
Snyder made a line drive to first base, where Ronald S. Hunter, Devil Donkey first baseman, tagged him out. Charles D. Wine, ATC catcher, delivered a ground ball near first base and was tagged out.
The Devil Donkeys were next up.
Hanson, with his lefty stance, earned the Devil Donkey’s first out with a pop-up to right field caught by Snyder.
Clayton R. Hullet, Devil Donkey center fielder, made a triple. Blade was next to bat. A line drive by Veronica E. Bigornia, Devil Donkey catcher, allowed Hullet to make it to home plate, making the score 1-1.
Bignoria was ruled out at first base at the top of the first inning.
Jameson L. Lazares and, ATC third baseman and Christopher B. Jones, ATC second baseman, earned two more runs in the second inning, making the score 3-1.
Torres and Christopher B. Jones, second baseman, added two more runs to the scoreboard before the end of the inning, making the score 5-1.
The Devil Donkeys were only able to get one player past second base during the second inning.
A series of fly balls were easy pickings for their opponents.
“Our hitting was really poor,” said Hanson. “Our overall game was pretty weak. We didn’t have a full team to really make it work.”
Several times throughout the game, the Devil Donkeys were required to forfeit an out for not having a 10-man team present. This added to the Devil Donkeys’ woes as this forced them off the field even faster as the game progressed.
ATC continued to get hits at will during the third inning, pushing the score to 7-1. The Devil Donkey’s had no answer to ATC.
The Devil Donkeys continued to fight on, even in the jaws of defeat. Raynier Cruzborroto, made one last attempt at a comeback for the Devil Donkeys. Cruzborroto sprinted to home plate when Hanson made a line drive to right field. Cruzborroto crossed home plate as Hanson was tagged out at second base.
The Devil Donkeys had one last attempt to make a comeback before the umpire called the game in the top of the fifth.
Bases were loaded in the bottom half of the fourth inning when Sam J. Graviet, ATC center fielder, made an inside-the-park home run, pushing the score to 11-2.
Two more runs were tacked on by ATC, making the final score 13-2.
Even with such a loss, the Devil Donkeys were unfazed.
“We just came out here to have fun,” said Hanson. “We already know we’re going to the playoffs.”
The playoffs will be a doubleelimination tournament.
Hanson said the Devil Donkey’s batting needs to improve if it is to have a chance in the playoffs.
ATC felt even with the win, there were areas which need fine tuning.
“We were making too many golf club swings,” said Torres. “A lot of our guys were trying to go for home runs. We need to just focus on connecting with the ball.”
This was the fourth game of the season for ATC. The Devil Donkey’s sit at 2-2 with this loss.