The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE New Providence Softball Association closed out its regular season over the weekend and will now get ready for the start of the post season in the Banker's Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex on Tuesday night.

In the much anticipated match-up that completed the men's series on Friday night, the pennant winning BTC Elite Warriors blasted the Commando Security Truckers 13-3. It was the only game played as the ladies' games that night and Saturday were defaulted.

League president Henry Dean said as they wrapped up the regular season, they are looking forward to the postseason and the march towards crowning the champions that will represent the NPSA in the Bahamas Softball Federation's National Round Robin Championships at the end of the month.

"We are just a little behind because of the last two weeks of rain," Dean said. "But we have seen some progress in the fans participation and obviously with the placement of our men's national team, we feel that our play will be keen and we look forward to some exciting playoffs."

The first round best-of-five playoffs will be named in honor of Philip Saunders, long time manager of the perennial kingpins Budweiser Eagles; Dencil Clarke and John Rolle, two of the premier players in the league for a number of years, along with Keith Archer, a former contributor to the league.

On Tuesday night, the second place Platinum Pool Lady Sharks, who posted a 13-7 win-loss record will take on the third place Sunshine Auto Lady Wildcats, 17-8. In the men's feature contest, the pennant winning Warriors, who ended the year at 13-2 will face the fourth place Chances Mighty Mitts, who were 2-13.

The other half of the best-of-five series will begin on Thursday night when the pennant winning Lady Truckers, 14-4, will be matched against the fourth place Lady Hitters (5-13). Then in the feature men's contest, the second place C&S Hitmen (8-7) will meet the third place Commando Security Truckers (7-8).

Once the playoffs are completed, Dean said the Godfrey 'Gully' Burnside best-of-seven championship series will get underway.

Dean said at the conclusion of their postseason, the NPSA will head a pitching clinic for school and night league players who all have an interest in pitching.

"We want to use Richard because history tells us that in this part of the world, he is the one person who pitched 19 consecutive innings in an international game and we want to honor him for this effort," Dean said.

Dean said the NPSA is inviting the public to come forth and lend their financial support as sponsors of the venture.

Warriors 13, Truckers 3: In setting the pace as they get ready for the postseason, BTC, managed by Richard Johnson, came up with five runs in the first, two in the second, five more in the third and pone in the fourth as they stopped the Truckers.

The Truckers, managed by Perry Seymour, could only muster a run in the first, second and third innings each before they got stopped by the abbreviated 10-run rule at the end of the fourth inning.

Seymour was the manager of the men's team with Johnson as one of his assistant coaches as they headed the men's team that participated I the recent Pan Am Qualifying Tournament that was held in the Dominican Republic last month.

Eric 'Pappi' Johnson, one of the players on the men's national team, highlighted the offensive attack for the Warriors as he drilled a two-run home run in the third inning. He ended up scoring three runs in the game.

And Sherman Johnson, fresh of his offensive tear for the men's national team, had a RBI double in his 1-for-4 night at the plate, scoring two runs. Carlos Pratt also scored three times, while Austin Hanna and Jeffery Woodside came home twice.

Roscoe Thompson got the win in his starting role before Deval Storr came in the third to close the door.

Eugene Prstt had a solo homer in the first inning; Miguel Hanna singled and scored on Teran Wood's RBI single in the second and Lamar Watkins got hit by a pitch and eventually moved to third on an error and came home on Olando McPhee's fielder's choice in the third.

Dwayne Dean went the distance for the loss.

Teams W L Pct GB

Ladies Division

Lady Truckers 15 5 .750 -

Platinum Pool Lady Sharks 13 7 .650 2

Sunshine Auto Lady Wildcats 17 8 .680 21/2

Lady Hitters 6 13 .315 81/2

University of the Bahamas Lady Mingoes 3 17 .150 12

Men's Division

BTC Elite Warriors13 2 .866 -

C&S Hitmen 8 7 .533 5

Commando Security Truckers 7 8 .466 6

Chances Mighty Mitts 2 13 .133 11