The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Seniorf Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LYLE Sawyer made up for a sluggish start and Eric ‘Papi’ Johnson took advantage of batting behind clutch hitter Sherman Ferguson as the Bahamas routed Aruba for the fourth time to take the crown in the English Caribbean Amateur Softball Confederation’s first men’s softball championship.

In a dominating 15-2 performance last night before a jam-packed Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, Sawyer rebounded after giving up two runs in the first inning, including a solo home run, to shut the door on Aruba.

And Johnson sparked the two explosive innings with a two-run homer in the 11-run first and a two-run single in a four-run second as the Bahamas went on to pull off an abbreviated four-run victory to remain undefeated at 8-0 in the three-day tournament.

While the Bahamas earned their berth into the final with an 8-5 decision over Aruba, thanks to Edney ‘the Heat’ Bethel’s four-hitter and another offensive tear, it was the third straight game for Aruba.

After losing to the Bahamas, Aruba took their frustration out on the British Virgin Islands by securing their berth into the final with a 9-0 whitewashing in the bronze-medal game. BVI had to settle for the bronze. Earlier in the day, they nipped the Cayman Islands 5-4 in the loser elimination game.

But it was clear that the Bahamas was the best team in the tournament and they waited until the championship game to produce their best performance.

“I had a rough start on Friday against Aruba, but I wanted to come out here and give our team a chance to win,” said Sawyer, the big Abaco ace, referring to the Bahamas’ 13-9 opening win against Aruba Thursday night when Edney Bethel from Eleuthera had to come in to replace him.

Like his stellar pitching after he gave up the two runs in the first inning last night, Sawyer said he doesn’t know where the Bahamas got all of their offensive fireworks from, but he was pleased to see how “they just killed the ball.”

“Sherman, I mean, I’ve never seen anybody hit the ball like he did in a tournament in my life.”

Although Ferguson had a huge tournament, hitting 11 home runs, he only had a run-producing double in the first and was walked twice in the championship game. What he didn’t do, Eric Johnson more than made up for as the clean-up batter.

“The manager and the coaches told me today that I was laid back too long and I just needed to relax and take my time and let the ball come to me rather than chase it,” Johnson said. “I just kept my composure and it finally came through. All the hard work in practice as a team paid off.”

Johnson proved why he was inserted in the line-up behind Ferguson as he drilled a two-run shot to drive in Ferguson in the first when the Bahamas batted around the clock. In his second trip at the plate in the inning, Johnson added a RBI sacrifice fly.

And in the second inning, he came through with two of the Bahamas’ four runs on a two-run double.

“That was my motivation really,” said Johnson about trailing Ferguson. “During the games when they walked him, I thought it was a disrespect to me as a player and as hitter, knowing my skill level, so I had to perform.”

It was a classic case of a team performance as every batter in the starting line-up came through for the Bahamas in the clincher, either getting one of the eight hits or getting on base on an error or a walk and scoring at least once.

Leftfielder Garfield Bethel got the ball rolling for the Bahamas as he ended up with a perfect 3-for-3 night with three RBI and three runs scored. Centre fielder Lamar Watkins, who batted in the lead-off position ahead of Bethel, had one hit with a RBI and two runs scored to make his contribution.

And Bethel’s Abaco teammates Andrew Albury, the designated player, was 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored and catcher Grant Albury, who shook off a slight injury in the game, was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.

The Bahamas also got a hit and a run scored from both first baseman Greg Gardiner and second baseman Richard Bain, while Grand Bahamian Desmond Russell, playing shortstop, got on base on an error and scored a run as well.

It was an effort that left manager Godfrey ‘Gully’ Burnside smiling from ear to ear.

“We came together and we really gelled,” Burnside said. “We focused on our offence in practice.”

But after watching Aruba jump out to a quick 2-0 lead, Burnside said they knew it was just a matter of time before the Bahamas came up with their big attack.

“We did it the other night when we came back to beat them.” he said. “These guys were just ready.”

Aruba, playing their third straight game last night, went through three pitchers, but none had the magic on the ball to slow down the Bahamas as they went home as runners-up.