The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Edney ‘The Heat’ Bethel says he was just getting warmed up.

On Thursday night, he spun a two-hitter with 13 strike outs as he led the Elnet Excel Eliminators from Grand Bahama to a 9-0 whitewashing of the Exuma Water Sports Hot Ballers to start the Bahamas Softball Federation’s 2013 National Softball Championships at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

“It was good. I haven’t pitched in a week, but I needed to get in some innings so I can be much sharper for tomorrow (tonight),” said Bethel after the performance as the veteran pitcher prepares for the showdown against the Arnette’s Sporting Lounge Hitmen from New Providence. “I wanted the ball tonight, so I can get sharper for tomorrow night.”

The tournament, being held in honour of Alphonso ‘Chicken’ Albury, Nell Russell and Reggie ‘The Juicer’ Knowles, is slated to continue at 7pm tonight.

The highlight will be the official opening ceremonies when the federation will recognise members of the men’s and women’s national softball teams which were ranked at No.3 in the world back in the 1980s.

The night will close out with the Eliminators taking on the Hitmen in the feature game, just before Grand Bahama and New Providence clash in the ladies’ match-up.

The tournament is set to continue on Saturday and wrap up on Sunday when the two new champions are expected to be crowned.

Bethel, who has won numerous national titles playing for teams from his native home of Eleuthera, Abaco, Grand Bahama and New Providence, said he’s looking forward to meeting the Hitmen.

“We have a pretty good team. It’s a good defensive team,” he said. “Our hitting needs to come around, but once we get rolling, I don’t see any team stopping us.”

The Eliminators made their statement early against the Hot Ballers as Michael Sweeting and Sidney Thomas both had two hits with a RBI double apiece to lead their offensive attack. They scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning, got four more in the second, one in the third and three in the fourth as Bethel did his damage from the mound.

After striking out the side in the first, Bethel gave up back-to-back singles to Kevin Willis and Reno Curling, but he made the Hot Ballers pay for it by retiring the side again on strikes. He again struck out the side in the third.

In the fourth, he got the lead off batter to strike out, but forced the next two to ground out. Then he completed the game by again striking out the side in the fifth. Garth Rolle, another veteran, gave up 10 hits with five strike outs for the loss.

“I felt our pitcher pitched a hell of a game, but the infielders had some problems,” said Exuma’s manager Bradley Sands. “In the second inning, we had two outs and we bobbled the ball and allowed them to push the game out of reach. We just failed to execute.

“Our batters were also intimidated because they were going up against ‘The Heat.’ They kept hearing about Edney ‘The ‘Heat’ Bethel and although we got two hits, a lot of fellows got struck out because they were intimidated. But I believe without pitching, we should go far if our bats can come around. I’m satisfied with the pitching. We just need the bats to come around.”

• In the second game played last night, the Triple A Razorbacks from Spanish Wells broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the fifth inning to beat Andros’ Gemini Cougars 7-3.

Dexter Albury was the winning pitcher on two hits with eight strike outs. Christopher Rolle was tagged with the loss on three hits and five strike outs.