The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN AN effort to ensure that both the participating teams and the facilities are ready, the Bahamas Softball Federation (BSF) has delayed its National Round Robin Tournament to the first weekend in November.

The Nationals, featuring the championship teams from the affiliated island associations, was tentatively set for the weekend of October 27-30 but because of Hurricane Matthew will now be held on November 4-7, according to BSF president Ted Miller. He said two pressing issues had to be considered when the decision was made.

“Because of the hurricane, some of the teams would not be able to complete their championships in time,” Miller said. “And for those who had the time to complete their series, they found out that the parks where they played were not in condition to play in. For example, Grand Bahama have two more games to play and they can get them played before the end of the month, but they don’t know when they will be able to play because their park (at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex) has had some damage from the hurricane.

“For the NPSA, they also have some time but the park (at the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hillls Sporting Complex) doesn’t have any damage, unlike the four fields where we will be playing during the day across the road (at the Government League fields), but they don’t have any power, so they can’t play in the night. But they just completed their playoffs and only have the championships left.”

Miller said the main issue for the associations in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Andros has been lighting at their parks because of the damage from the powerful storm. As a result, Miller said they felt it would be in the best interest to postpone the nationals to give all of the participating teams an opportunity to complete their championship series.

Once they are done, Miller said they are expecting Grand Bahama to come to town with both their men and ladies teams; Abaco men and ladies; Eleuthera men and Andros ladies. They will join the NPSA, who reduced their best-of-five playoffs this weekend to best-of-three and the championship this weekend to best-of-five rather than best-of-seven with their games played during the day.

The pennant-winning Sunshine Auto Wildcats will take on the Johnson’s Lady Truckers for the ladies’ title, while the defending national champions, Commando Security Truckers, will meet the pennant-winning C&S Hitmen for the men’s crown.

Miller said in an effort to ensure that all of the teams make it to the nationals, the federation is looking at the possibility of providing some assistance to the associations in need, ensuring that there are sufficient teams to make it an exciting showdown.

“We know that both Grand Bahama and Andros are reeling from the damage of Hurricane Matthew,” Miller stressed. “So we are going to look and see how we can assist them. We’re not sure what type of assistance it will be yet, but it depends on how much in the annual grant that we will get from the government. But we will be looking at making some type of assistance to the teams to get them here for the nationals.”

Miller said the unique thing about the nationals is it’s a reunion for the softball fraternity.

“The rivalry in softball comes alive all over again when the teams come to the national round robin,” Miller said. “Some teams are not always competing in the tournament, so it’s always something for them to look forward to when they come together. There is a chance for them to rekindle the relationships that they would have developed with the teams and the players themselves. So when they come to the nationals, the rivalries just get that much more exciting to watch for both the players and the spectators.”

While one national champion is still alive as the Truckers prepare to take on the Hitmen for the NPSA men’s title, a new ladies’ champion will be crowned after the defending champions Lady Stingers were eliminated on Saturday by the Lady Truckers.