The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

When good pitching stops good hitting, you take a win anywhere you can. For the Spanish Wells Bulldogs, they took advantage of a costly error that led to their 2-0 victory over the North Andros Seminoles in the boys’ final of the Bahamas Softball Federation’s Austin Knowles National High School Softball Tournament.

Last night’s grand finale between two undefeated teams came down to a pitcher’s duel as the Bulldogs prevailed by scoring both of their runs in the fifth inning, denying the Seminoles the opportunity to clinch both titles.

Earlier Sunday night in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, North Andros took advantage of the CR Walker Knights’ pitching woes to secure a 14-2 rout for the girls title as they remained undefeated in the four-day tournament.

In the bronze-medal game on Saturday night, Central Eleuthera clobbered NGM from Long Island 10-3 on the boys’ side and on the girls’ side, Spanish Wells pulled off a 10-6 decision over CV Bethel.

In the boys’ playoffs, CR Walker out-slugged CV Bethel 13-11, while North Andros got by Spanish Wells 7-4. On the girls’ side, Spanish Wells blanked Central Eleuthera 2-0 and North Andros routed NGM 12-2.

In the sudden death playoff to determine who will get second place after the two teams finished with the second record, NGM def. Preston Albury 11-2.

Here’s a summary of the

post-tournament games played:

Bulldogs 2, Seminoles 0

After Kendall Underwood got all the way to third on an error to start the top of the fifth inning, Storm Ricks singled and on a RBI single from Kendrick Sweeting, Underwood scored the game’s winning run. Ricks eventually came home on an overthrow or the insurance run. That was all that most valuable player Kirby Albury needed as he went on to finish off the Seminoles by leaving one of their runners stranded in the bottom of the frame before he struck out the side in the sixth to end the game.

“Once we played the way how we knew we were capable of playing, I knew that we could beat them,” said Albury, who threw a two-hitter with 10 strike outs or the win. “It feels good.”

For Delano Cartwright, the winningest manager in the history of the tournament, having won titles with two other schools, this one was the sweetest.

“Our first words in September was anything less than a championship was going to be disappointing,” Cartwright said. “We came here and we did what we had to do to win. This was probably the best senior boys high school that I ever saw. I’m just glad that we won it.”

Johnathon Scott gave it a gallant effort for North Andros, despite giving up six hits. He also struck out four. “We were doing good, but we just didn’t hit the ball,” Scott said. “We were fielding the ball very well. If we didn’t have that error, it probably would have been a little different, but we didn’t hit the ball.”

Seminoles 14, Knights 2

After scoring four runs in the second inning, North Andros went wild in the third, batting around the clock as they produced 10 more runs to push the girls’ championship game out of reach to remain undefeated.

Dalexia Barr and Wellisha Farrington had consecutive two-out RBI singles to highlight the second and Aurelia Russell sparked the third with an in-the-park home run, while Notoria Knowles had a pair of hits with a RBI, scoring twice in the rally. Russell (walk) and Juliette Evans, who had two walks, both scored two runs in the inning.

Knowles, who went on to earn the MVP award, held CR Walker in check on just one hit with five strike outs. “It feels good. We worked hard all year for this,” said Seminoles’ manager John Ingraham. “I expected us to play even better. We knew what we had to do and we did it. But we could have played better.”

The Knights struggled with their pitching as starter Taquona Ferguson went the first two innings before she was relieved by Tercel Rolle. But before the inning was over, Gia Minus had to come in and finish the game.

CR Walker’s manager Tyrice Curry said they were simply not ready for the tournament.

“Like I’ve been telling the girls, we only started preparing for this a week and-a-half ago. This is our off season. I didn’t expect them to be at their best because we don’t play softball until next year,” she said. “If this was another time, it would have been a different story. But I was proud of the way the girls played in this tournament.”

Central Eleuthera 10, NGM 3

Micah Bethel had a pair of two-run home runs in a three-run first and a four-run second inning. Waden Weinburger added a solo homer in the first and he led off the third with another shot.

Adrian Wells had a solo homer for NGM’s first run in the first and he had a single in a two-run third inning.

Spanish Wells 10, CV Bethel 6

Toya Joseph got the lone hit and scored a run as Spanish Wells went on an offensive tear in the first inning, scoring all of their runs as they batted around the clock. Kailey Bailey, Arianna Pinder and Pinky Pinder all got on base twice and scored two runs apiece. Ticara Collie doubled and scored a run, while Sevetra Johnson singled for CV Bethel’s only other hit.

Individual Awards

Girls Division

Batting champion - Dalexia Barr (North Andros) .625.

Most hits - Dalexia Barr (North Andros) - 5.

most runs - Dalexia Barr (North Andros) - 7.

Most RBI - Aurelia Russell (North Andros) - 5.

Most wins - Notoria Knowles (North Andros) - 4-0

Best ERA - Tori Lee (CV Bethel) 2.52

Round Robin MVP - Dalexia Barr (North Andros)

All-Tournament team

Pitcher - Notoria Knowles (North Andros); Catcher - Oresia Newman (North Andros); first base - Pinky Walker (Spanish Wells); second base - Elijah Johnson (CR Walker); third base - Toniquel Ingraham (CV Bethel); shortstop - Takara Collie (CV Bethel); leftfield - Theresa Woodside (North Andros); centerfield - Dalexia Barr (North Andros); rightfield - Madisson McGee (Spanish Wells); utility player - Gia Minnis (CR Walker)

Championship MVP - Notoria Knowles (North Andros)

Batting champion - Chedi Ferguson (CV Bethel) .667

Most hits - Tiko Moss (Preston Albury) 6

Most runs - Terrance Johnson (North Andros) 8

Most RBI - Warden Wienburger (Central Eleuthera) 7

Most wins - Johnathan Scott (North Andros) 5-0

Best ERA - Kirby Albury (Spanish Wells) 0.00

Round Robin MVP - Johnathan Scott (North Andros)

All-Tournament team

Pitcher - Johnathan Scott (North Andros); catcher - Waden Wienburger (Central Eleuthera); first base - Terrance Johnson (North Andros); second base - Ellis Adderley (CV Bethel); third base - Chedi Ferguson (CV Bethel); shortstop - Tirik Leary (Preston Albury); leftfield - Tyler Leary (Preston Albury); centerfield - Stephen Augustine (RM Bailey); rightfield - Kevin Symonette (Spanish Wells); utility player - Tiko Moss (Preston Albury)

Championship MVP - Kirby Albury (Spanish Wells)