The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

The Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) softball playoffs got underway yesterday with two number one seeds being eliminated from playoff performance.

The Jordan Prince Williams (JPW) Falcons’ unbeaten season came to a screeching halt, loosing to the fourth seeded Nassau Christian Academy (NCA) Crusaders 17-3.

The Falcons steamrolled through competition this season and had been pegged as the team to win it all entering the playoffs. JPW came out of the gate strong, jumping to a 3-0 lead by the end of the second inning but could not parlay that strong start into a win.

NCA coach Ainsworth Beckford called the win a “team effort.” He claimed that the win was a testament to the effort the Crusaders put in from day one of the season.

He stated: “Firstly, I am very proud of the team, I am very proud of my boys. They came out today and played a complete team game. From the pitcher down to the ninth man, they gave it their all.”

NCA now awaits the winner of the Saint Augustine’s College, Charles W Saunders matchup scheduled for today.

The top seeded St Andrew’s Hurricanes junior boys squad was the other first place team to lose after their comeback effort fell short against the Queen’s College Comets.

The Hurricanes flipped on the rally hats in the bottom of the fourth inning but to no avail, falling to the Comets 8-5.

QC coach Gary Markham said that his team “showed amazing resolve and composure.” He added that it took a lot for the Comets to come out and get the win after being beaten by the Hurricanes in the season and defeated by St Augustine’s College junior boys the day before.

SAC junior boys clinched their share of the pennant with a 17-7 win against Comets on Tuesday. QC now anticipates the winner of NCA or SAC in the championship.

The script in the senior and junior girls division took a different tone as the SAC teams in both divisions made easy work of their competition.

The SAC Big Red Machine junior girls kept their pedals going, blasting through the Nassau Christian Academy Crusaders 10-0, while the senior girls got revenge for their sole season loss, taking out the QC Comets 9-0.

The BAISS softball playoffs move into day two today with a junior girls matchup between second ranked NCA and third place St Anne’s. St Andrew’s will take on Charles W Saunders in the senior girls’ matchup.

The two SAC teams will faceoff against the NCA Crusaders in the junior boys division and the Charles W Saunders senior boys division. Play begins at Freedom Farm Field at 4pm.