The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas pulled off their second consecutive victory in the English Caribbean Amateur Softball Confederation men’s championships on Friday at the Banker’s Field at the Balliou Hills Sporting Complex.

After stopping the Cayman Islands 13-3 in the late game on the opening day of the four-day double elimination tournament between four countries, the Bahamas came back on day two to stop the British Virgin Islands 11-1. It was the second loss for BVI, who fell 8-5 to the Cayman Islands in the first game of the tournament.

Bahamas’ right fielder Sherman Ferguson said it was a typical performance by the team that the Bahamas Softball Federation has assembled. The team, managed by Godfrey ‘Gully’ Burnside, is made up of players from New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera.

“So far the team is looking good,” Ferguson said. We are starting to gel as one, winning some games and looking good. We are hoping to go all the way and win this.”

Although it’s all about the competition, veteran British Virgin Island’s first baseman Rodney Skelton apologised to the fans at the park on Friday after he inadvertently failed to retrieve a ball during the game against the Bahamas.

“My team was down in the game and we were trying to make a fight to come back in the game. The play came to first base, I could have ran after the ball, but I stood up and the run ended up scoring,” he said. “That is not in the spirit of softball. It’s not what I was thought as a young man. I’m here to represent my national team. I couldn’t accept that from any other player, so I should not accept it. I just want the fans, my teammates and the Bahamas that it’s not what I or our team is all about.”

According to Skelton, the BVI association assembled the team late because they were not sure if they would make the trip. It’s not their best team, but he is confident that they have sufficient players to make a good showing.

BVI will meet the Bahamas for the second time on Saturday at 11.30am.

Bahamas 11, British Virgin Islands 1

Eleuthera’s Edney ‘the Heat’ Bethel fired a two-hit, eight-strike out performance, giving up his only run in the fourth on a solo home run from right fielder Jamal Allen, his second in the series.

By then, the Bahamas had already blown the game open, taking a 10-0 lead, including six runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Bahamas opened the game with three runs in the first, one in the third and another one in the fifth to secure their second abbreviated victory.

Sherman Ferguson led the Bahamas’ offensive attack by going 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored; Grand Bahamian Desmond Russell, playing shortstop, was 2-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored; Jamal ‘Sarge’ Johnson was 1-for-1 with two runs scored; Richard Bain was 1-for-3 with a run scored and Lamar Watkins was also 1-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

Bahamas 13, Cayman Islands 3

Just about every player in the line-up made a contribution as the Bahamas blew out the Cayman Islands on Thursday night with Thomas Davis picked up the win on four hits with 10 strike outs.

Sherman Ferguson cracked a two-run homer in a 2-for-3 night, finishing with three RBI and two runs scored; Wayne Johnson had a solo homer in his 1-for-2 outing, scoring three times; Lamar Watkins was 2-for-3 with two runs scored; Angelo Dillet had two RBIs and scored two runs; Abaco’s William Weatherford was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored; Desmond Russell was 1-for-3 with a run scored and both Richard Bain and Garfield Bethel were 1-for-2 with a run scored each.

Lawrence Taylor suffered the loss on 10 hits.

Davis struck out six of the seven batters he faced in the first two innings before the Cayman Islands came up with three unearned runs in the third. First baseman Santo Castro led their attack by going 1-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored and left fielder Marlon Thomas was also 11-for-2 with a RBI.

SCHEDULE

Saturday

10am: British Virgin Islands v Cayman Islands.

11.30am: British Virgin Islands v Bahamas.

1pm: Bahamas v Aruba.

2.30pm: Aruba vs Cayman Islands.

8pm: Bahamas v Cayman Islands.

9.30pm: British Virgin Islands vs Aruba.

Sunday

1pm: 4th v 3rd - loser eliminated.

3pm: 2nd v 1st - winner advances to gold medal game.

5pm: Bronze medal game.

7pm: Gold medal game.