The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN a pitcher's duel on Saturday night, Edney 'the Heat' Bethel spun a one-hitter with 16 strike outs as he helped the Bommer G Truckers avenge their only loss to Alcott Forbes and the Dorin United Hitmen.

In a showdown between the top two teams in the men's division of the New Providence Softball Association, the Truckers pushed their front running record to 7-1, while the Hitmen fell to 6-2.

In the women's opener, the Bommer G Operators remained undefeated at 8-0 with a 9-2 decision over the YII Shipping Wildcats in what had been billed as a big match-up.

Truckers 2, Hitmen 0

While Bethel was holding Dorin United off the base, his counter-part Forbes had some trouble doing the same with Bommer G in two key innings that spoiled the pitcher's duel.

After going down in order in the bottom of the first, the Truckers got a one-out fielder's choice from Philip Culmer in the second. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored the winning run from there.

It wasn't until the fifth, with two out again, when Ramone Storr drew a walk and after Marvin Wood and Jamal Johnson both singled to load the bases, Culmer got hit by a pitch. That allowed Storr to score the insurance run.

Bethel, who gave up his only hit to Keiron Munroe in the top of the first, was able to shut down the Hitmen, including striking out the side in the seventh to preserve the shutout.

"Another day, another good performance," was how Bethel summed it up. "I've been focusing after the first inning."

Bethel, who returned to the NPSA after playing in the Eleuthera Softball Association last year, said he's now getting into his pitching groove and the fans can expect to see him even more explosive.

"I'm going to bring back the old heat, the old skip," he said. "It's just a matter of time for me to get back into the swing of things. I haven't been doing that much pitching. I just need to pitch a little more and you will see this type of performance again."

Marvin Wood and Jamal Johnson both produced a 2-for-3 appearance at the plate as they got the four hits off Alcott Forbes, who finished with eight strike outs in a losing effort.

"It was a pitching duel, but Edney came out on top with a better performance," Forbes said. "We didn't make some plays. Unfortunately, it happens. The game is made up of hits and errors.

"Both of us were stingy as pitchers and that's the way it's going to be from here on in. It shows that the Truckers are beatable. We have youth on our side, so very shortly we will be the champions of the NPSA."

Operators 9, Wildcats 2

Theresa Miller had a perfect 3-for-3 night at the plate, scoring a run, while Denise Sears and Neressa Seymour were both 2-for-3 to help push Bommer G's undefeated record to 8-0.

Sears also had two RBI, scoring a run and Seymour drove in a run. Shonell Symonette threw a six-hitter, striking out two for the win on the mound over Vernie Curry, who gave up nine hits.

Donette Edwards was 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored and Lindsay Clarke was 1-for-2 with a run for the Wildcats.

The Operators scored one run in the first, one in the third, six in the fourth and one in the fifth.

The Wildcats' first run came in the third and they got their final one in the fifth.