The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE front running Sigma Wildcats and the Sting Truckers took a brief break from the New Providence Softball Association over the weekend to travel to Spanish Wells to participate in the Triple A Marine Razorbacks third annual Invitational Softball Tournament over the weekend.

But while the Wildcats endured the rain and the delay in the championship game to win the ladies’ title in three games over the Tee’s R Us Stitchers, tournament director Stefan Newbold said he was disappointed that the men’s championship match-up between the Truckers and the national champions Creator’s Bulldogs from Abaco didn’t come off.

The rain came pouring down Saturday evening, forcing officials to delay the start of the finals. But Newbold said members of the Razorbacks did all they could to get the field ready once it stopped. He noted that the ladies ended up playing with the Wildcats winning the final game in their series 6-3 over the Stitchers.

Pitcher Mary ‘Cruise’ Edgecombe-Sweeting was named the most valuable player for the Wildcats, who lead the NPSA ladies’ division.

However, Newbold said both the Truckers and the Bulldogs refused to play their game, which was scheduled to start after midnight.

“We had the rain and there wasn’t anything we could do about it,” Newbold said. “So once the rain stopped, we got the field ready and the ladies played their game around 10:30 pm. Once their game was finished, both the Truckers and the Bulldogs said they were not going to play because the field was in no condition for them to plsy.

“It was very disappointing for us because we did all we could to get the field ready to play. We feel as if the ladies could plsy, the men could have played too. It was very disappointing for us as the organisers and for the fans who came back after the rain just to watch the games.”

Newbold said the whole idea in putting on the tournament is to provide some excitement for the fans during the fast pitch season. But he indicated that if they continue not to get the kind of support from the Bahamian teams as they expect, they will have to bring in some foreign teams to provide them with the competition.

The Truckers, who lead the NPSA standings with an 8-1 win-loss record, advanced to the championship after they beat the Razorbacks 9-1 in the semifinal. The Bulldogs were awarded a bye into the final. As a result of what transpired, Newbold said they decided to award the men’s MVP title to Delano Cartwright.

Only three men and two ladies teams participated after the BTC Warriors and the COB Lady Caribs from the NPSA both declined the offer from the Razorbacks to compete in the tournament.