The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With the addition of veteran pitcher Edney “The Heat” Bethel to their line-up, the C&S Hitmen picked up where they left off in 2019, winning the New Providence Softball Association 2022 men’s championship title.

It came down to a sixth inning drama for the Hitmen as they came from behind for a hard-fought 5-2 victory over the Cyber Tech Blue Marlins last night in front of a jammed packed crowd of spectators in the Bankers Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

With the win, the Hitmen joined the Sunshine Auto Wildcats, who a week ago captured the ladies’ crown with a three-game sweep over the R&B Lady Operators behind most valuable player Ciera Bowe, who batted .714 after going 5-for-7 with four RBI and five runs scored.

“I want to thank Jehovah firstly for allowing us to be here in person and to be able to get this victory,” said Hitmen’s manager Darren Stevens. “It was a full team effort today. Everybody had to chip in and we got the job done.

“Hats off to the Marlins. They played a hell of a game. Thomas was very stingy throughout the series, but somehow, we managed to muster up enough runs down the stretch to come out on top.”

Bethel, pitching four games in the series for a 3-1 win-loss record, had a total of 48 strikeouts to earn the MVP honours as the league completed its first season since taking a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is my first time playing for the Hitmen. This was very special. I thank God for allowing us to come back after we were down in the first five innings,” Bethel said.

“We didn’t give up. We fought to the end. We believed in God and we stayed right there to come back and win. “

Bethel, in dedicating his performance to his girlfriend Doris, who was in Eleuthera, shun a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts to out-duel Blue Marlins’ mainstay Thomas Davis, who gave up five hits as well with 10 strike outs.

Thomas, however, said they allowed the full complement of seven umpires led by chief umpire Martin ‘Pork’ Burrows behind the plate and with every corner of the field covered, get to make the difference in what should have been a game for them to win down the stretch. “I felt we did enough in that inning to still pull it off, but we left it up to the umpires and once we did that, we knew what the outcome would be,” said Thomas as the Blue Marlins questioned a few calls, but to no avail. “We still had a good showing and the guys played some good defence with some timely hits. We just fell short at the end.”

The Hitmen took advantage of their best scoring threat with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth as Keiron Munroe raced home on right fielder Edron Knowles’ RBI ground out and first baseman Sherman Ferguson trailed on an error, while left fielder Martin Burrows Jr was awarded home plate on an interference at the third base for third run.

After things cooled down with both dugouts cleared to dispute the call, C&S continued the rally with the bases loaded again with one out. On a passed ball that allowed Alcott Forbes to score, Dino Sweeting got their fifth run on an error at first base. Up to that point, the game was a closely contested one.

With one out in the first inning, Blue Marlins’ catcher Garfield Bethel continued his hot hitting streak as he touched Edney Bethel with a chopper through the third base side for a single, but was left stranded as the next two batters got struck out.

The Hitmen responded in the bottom of the frame as Richard Bain led off with a walk from Thomas Davis and advanced to second on a passed ball, but he too was left on base as the next three batters were retired.

With two out in the second, Cyber Tech threatened to score with back-to-back walks to left fielder Lavaughn Ferguson and third baseman Aron Wood, but first baseman Alfred Ferguson got struck out.

In the bottom of the frame, C&S’ Edron Knowles beat out a grounder between third and shortstop for a single, but Thomas got the side out to keep it scoreless.

On a two balls, one strike count, Garfield Bethel struck a shot to left field for a stand up double with one out to start the third and with two out, he scampered home on centrefielder Angelo Watson’s run-producing single to break up the scoring drought.

But after stealing second, Watson failed to add to their ledger as Austin Hanna flied out. For the second one time to lead off the third for the Hitmen, Bain singled to right field. With two out, first baseman Sherman Ferguson hit a blooper to right field and on Bain’s attempt to score from first, he got thrown out at home on a rally from Winston Seymour to Garfield Bethel.

Shortstop Dino Sweeting led off the fifth for the Hitmen with a double and moved to third on an error, but the Blue Marlins held them in check after they made two crucial pinch-hitting chores.

Cyber Tech had a chance to add to their tally in the sixth as Austin Hanna led off with a double, but he didn’t score as Edney Bethel retired the side, setting the stage for the drama that unfolded in the bottom of the frame.