The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

All tournament long, the Johnson’s Lady Truckers proved that they were the more dominant team in the ladies’ division of the Bahamas Softball Federation’s BTC National Round Robin.

On Sunday night in the Banker’s Field, they showed their true colours by routing the Folley’s Girls 18-6 in four innings via the 15-run mercy rule to win the ladies’ title.

In the men’s final, the Blue Water Jets took the title back to Eleuthera as they stopped the AG & Turf Bulldogs from Abaco 8-0 in a game that was interrupted by a 30-minute delay after someone turned the lights off in the park.

Lady Truckers 18, Folley’s Girls 6: The Lady Truckers produced five runs in the first two innings and added eight more in the third to preserve the abbreviated affair.

Grand Bahama, who had two rounds in the first and four in the third, got shut-out in the second, third and fourth.

“I’m so proud of our girls tonight,” said Lady Truckers’ manager Darren Bowleg. “We didn’t play our best defence, we didn’t hit our best, but we did what we had to do to win the game. It wasn’t our sharpest, but we made it happen.”

Shavette Taylor went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored; Melinda Bastian was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs; Khatrel Dorsett was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored; Marvell Miller was 2-for-3 with three RBI and two run scored; Crystal Evans was 2-for-2 wth three RBI and two runs scored and Shequel Smith was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Curtisha Albury went 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored; Davania Mackey was 1-for-3 with two RBI and Latoya Martin-Knowles was 1-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored.

Marvell Miller, the workhorse for Johnson’s, gave up seven hits and struck out for the win. Salaika Williams gave up 16 hits with two strike outs.

Jets 8, Bulldogs 0: Holding onto a 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth, Van ‘Lil Joe’ Johnson ignited a double play and Lyle Sawyer tried to keep Abaco’s hopes alive with a base hit, Edney ‘the Heat’ Bethel struck out Tyler Russell on a high pitch to preserve the shut-out as Eleuthera began to celebrate winning the men’s title.

The Jets came up with three runs in the second, one in the third and fifth and three in the sixth.

Micah Bethel was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Wade Weinburger Jr was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Adney Bethel picked up the win on four hits and seven strike outs. Lyle Sawyer suffered the loss on eight hits and seven strike outs.

“This feels good. After winning in 2010, our Commonwealth championship, we came back with just a team from JC (James Cistern) and the young guys wanted it, they were hungry and we just swept through it,” Adney Bethel said. “After losing 4-1 to New Providence and 1-0 to Abaco, we pushed that aside and we kept playing. I just thank God for the night. We are the Commonwealth champions of the Bahamas, JC.”

Here’s a look at the playoff and bronze medal games played on Saturday and Sunday:

Jets 4, Hitmen 2: Eleuthera came up with one run in the third and added three more in the fourth as they held of New Providence in the bronze medal game on Sunday for their second straight win.

Van ‘Lil Johnson had a three-run triple in the critical fourth inning to secure the win as the Jets advanced to the men’s championship game. He finished 2-for-3.

Alcott Forbes had a solo homer to lead of the fourth and Hosea Hilton got on base on a fielder’s choice in the second and came home on an error for their first run as New Providence had to settle for the bronze medal.

Adney Bethel got the win on two hits with six strike outs. Alcott Forbes suffered the loss on four hits with strike outs.

“I felt the guys played well. I felt we didn’t get one or two timely hits when we needed it, but the guys performed well,” said Hitmen’s manager Darren Stevens. “They gave me all they had and that is all I could ask for.”

Stevens said the goal this year was to win the triple crown - New Providence pennsnt and championship as well as the nationals - but unfortunately for the third time, they fell short of the ultimate goal.

“It’s still our goal and we have to stay fighting for it,” Stevens said. “We can’t allow anybody to destroy our dream, which is to become the national champions. We just have to come back and try again next year.”

Folley’s Girls 11, Navigators 3: Curtisha Albury had a solo in-the-park home run Tarah Evans was 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored and Davanna Mackey was 2-for-3 with two run scored as Grand Bahama advanced to the ladies championhip game.

Anthonique Williams got on base three times and scored twice for Andros, who had to settle for the bronze medal.

Salaika Williams was the winning pitcher with six hits and four strike outs. Alberth Russell was the loser on nine hits three strike outs.

Bulldogs 1, Hitmen 0: Jarrad Douglas led of the first inning with a walk and eventully scored on an error for the lone run in the game for Abaco on Saturday night in the first and second playoff teams.

Lyle Sawyer tossed a two-hitter with five strike outs for the win. Alcott Forbes had a one-hitter with seven strike outs for the loss.

Lady Truckers 16, Folley’s Girls 6: Melinda Bastian had two hits with a RBI and two runs scored; Crystal Taylor had one hit with a RBI and four runs scored; Theola Ferguson had one hit with a RBI and two runs scored and Crystal Evans had one hit with three runs scored for New Providence.

It was a match-up of the first and second playoff teams on Saturday night.

Marvell Miller was the winning pitcher with five hits and two strike outs. Salaika Williams was the losing pitcher with ten hits.

Jets 9, Sweepers 1: Jeff Bethel Jr was 3-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored; Van Johnson was 1-for-3 with a RBI and three runs scored; Windsor Bethel was 1-for-3 with a RBI and Horatio Greene was 1-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored in the win for Eleuthera.

It was the third and fourth place playoff teams in a game that was played in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Leon Cooper went 2-for-2 with a run scored for Grand Bahama.

Edmund ‘Binks’ Bethel gave up three hits with four strike outs for the win.

Navigators 11, Major Pains 4: Anthoniece Williams was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored and Vashinell Hill was 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored in the win for Andros in Saturday night’s match-up between third and fourth places.

Larranique Saunders was 3-for-3 with two runs scored for Abaco.

Albertha Russell gave up six hits with three strike outs for the win. Clifeina Smith was the losing pitcher.