The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Johnson's Lady Truckers are now back in the driver's seat and one game away from repeating as the New Providence Softball Association ladies' champions.

After watching the Sunshine Lady Wildcats win the last two games to pull even in the Godfrey 'Gully' Burnside best-of-seven series at 2-2, the Lady Truckers rolled to a 6-1 victory last night to go up 3-2 heading into game six, scheduled for tonight in the Banker's Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

The winner will join the C&S Hitmen, who repeated as the men's champions sweeping aside the BTC Elite Warriors in a defaulted win in game four on Wednesday night, earning the rights to represent the NPSA in the Bahamas Softball Federation's Rozina Taylor's National Round Robin Tournament next weekend.

Lady Truckers 6, Lady Wildcats 1: Marvel Miller spun a five-hitter with a strike out and she got all the defence she needed led by Ruthann Simms at third and they put together two three-run innings to get closer to successfully defending their title.

The Lady Truckers, managed by Mario Ford with Sidney 'Bobby Baylor' Fernander as a coach, came from a 1-0 deficit to snap a 3-1 lead in the fourth, highlighted by Aurelia Russell's two-run single as they marched all nine batters to the plate to face losing pitcher Mary 'Cruise' Sweeting.

Then in the sixth, the Lady Truckers steamrolled to a 6-1 lead as they plated their final three runs, thanks to Shevette Taylor's RBI fielder's choice and Simms' two-run single.

The Lady Wildcats, managed by Anthony Bullard with Hyacinth Farrington as a coach, opened the game by scoring their only run as Rebecca Moss had a one-out single and eventually came home on Chryshan Percentie's run-producing single.

Miller was able to hold Sunshine Auto at bay the rest of the game, thanks to her defence that turned a double play in both the fourth and sixth innings. Then in the seventh, Miller kept the ball on the infield against the meat of the Lady Wildcats' line-up with Simms coming up with two consecutive put outs to close out the game.

Lady Wildcats 9, Lady Truckers 2: Mary Sweeting tossed a three-hitter with two strike outs and helped her cause going 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored, while Chryshan Percentie was 2-for-3 with a RBI as Sunshine Auto tied the series at 2-2 on Wednesday night.

Dawayna Pratt was 1-for-3 with a run and Shevette Taylor was 1-for-2 with a run in the loss for the Lady Truckers. Diva Burrows gave up 11 hits on the mound.

Wildcats 7, Lady Truckers 5: Rebecca Moss was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored and Larikah Russell was 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored as Sunshine Auto cut the series deficit to 2-1 on Tuesday night. Mary Sweeting threw a two-hitter with five strike outs for the win. Dawayna Pratt was 1-for-3 with a RBI and a run and Shevette Taylor was 1-for-4 with a RBI.

Hitmen win men's title

After taking a 3-0 lead, C&S didn't even have to put up a sweat in the fourth game on Wednesday night as BTC Elite Warriors didn't have sufficient players.

Unfortunately, it wasn't what the league or the spectators anticipated as the Hitmen won by default to complete the four-game sweep.

The Hitmen, managed by Darren Stevens, had taken a 3-0 lead on Tuesday night with a 8-1 triumph as Alcott Forbes fired a one-hitter, striking out six in an abbreviated four-inning affair.

Forbes gave up the only run on Richard Bain's RBI single to plate Sherman Ferguson, who led off the first inning with a walk.

The Hitmen then responded, scoring three runs in the second and five more in the third. In the third, Michael Ingraham had a three-run double and Dino Sweeting added a two-run triple to put the game and the series out of reach.

The Elite Warriors, managed by Richard 'the Lion-Heart' Johnson, didn't have enough players to start game four, losing uncharacteristically by default in the championship.