The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bommer G Operators and Truckers have one thing in common. They both acquired some top-notch pitching during the off-season and it is already paying off big dividends in the New Providence Softball Association (NPSA).

At the Banker's Field Saturday night, refurbished in part by sponsor Bommer George, the Operators extended their front- running winning streak in the women's division at 2-0 with a 14-2 rout over the YII Shipping Wildcats. The men followed with a 11-3 decision over the Blue Chips Buccaneers to also take an early 3-0 lead in the men's division.

No doubt, the performances of the teams have Bommer George walking around the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex as proud as a peacock.

Truckers 11, Buccaneers 3

The last time Adney 'the Heat' Bethel played in the NPSA, he led the Truckers to the championship. He's back and he's hoping for an encore.

On Saturday night, Bethel gave up one of his only two hits in the game in the top of the third to Lamar Watkins, who drilled the one strike pitch deep down the left field line that Van 'Lil Joe' Johnson couldn't retrieve in time.

The speedy Watkins rounded the bases for a three-run in the park home run that gave the Blue Chips a 3-1 lead as he sent Tereco Bain (via a one-out hit by pitch) and Khalil Curry (safely on with an error) across the plate with the first and second runs respectively.

Bethel was working on a no-hit, seven strike out performance up to that point. He finished the game with a two-hitter and 14 strike outs the rest of the way as he shut down the Blue Chips' offense.

"It's nice to be back. This is the big league here in New Providence where you get the recognition, so I promised them that I would play for them again and I made my promise a reality," said Bethel, who has been impressive as usual in leading the Truckers after coming over from his hometown of Eleuthera where he played last year.

"We still have our work cut out. It's no walk in the park. The teams are ready for us whenever they face us. But we're ready for them also."

Bethel admitted that the Buccaneers provided more of a challenge for him in the early stages of the game but he wasn't too concerned because he knew he had the fire power in the Truckers' offensive line up behind him.

Ramone Storr, who started the game with a one-hit 2-2 pitch for a one-out homer off losing pitcher Cardinal Gilbert for a 1-0 lead in the first inning, ended the game with a two-run shot that scored Olando McPhee to stop the game via the abbreviated seven runs after five innings.

Blast

In between, the Truckers got a three-run blast from Marvin 'Tougie' Wood in a five-run third inning as they regained the lead with a double margin at 6-3. They got three more in the fourth on a two-run shot from Jamal 'Sarge' Johnson.

It turned out to be a battle of the long balls as the Truckers erupted for four to account for eight of their runs. The Buccaneers had one for their three runs.

Operators 14, Wildcats 2

She came over from the defending champions Proper Care Pool Lady Sharks as a back up for ace Desiree Coakley. A freak accident in the dug out to Coakley during the first game and Shonell Symonette has stepped into the number one spot in the pitching rotation and she came through in flying colours in her first full game with a five-hitter with six strike outs.

Symonette, who normally plays in the outfield, was the only Bommer G player to get on base each trip at the plate. She did it with a pair of singles, driving in a run and reached safely on two errors, scoring all four times in the process to lead their offensive attack.

Bommer G produced five runs on as many hits in the first inning and got four more runs on three hits in the second as they opened a 9-0 lead before the YII Shipping got their first run in the bottom of the frame as Wandalee Burrows led off with a double and scored on Ruth Coakley's run-producing extra base.

Symonette got the run back in the third when she reached on an error, stole second and eventually caught a ride home on Antonia Simmons' RBI fielder's choice.

The Wildcats struck again in the third when Lyndsey Clarke opened up with a single, stole second and raced home on Maryann Fowler's RBI single.

But the Operators saw that Lathera Brown started a rally with a one-out double and Symonette came through with her RBI single to highlight a four-run fourth on three hits to force the abbreviated fifth inning victory.

Linda Knowles went the distance for the loss on 11 hits with three strike outs.