Things were hot on and off the field July 14 as the lst Transportation Squadron No. 1 softball defeated the 72nd Helicopter Squadron, 9-4.
At stake was the lst TRANS', 13-2, two-game lead on the 72nd HS, 12-4, for second place.
Powered by strong pitching, defense and a four-run fifth inning, lst TRANS extended its lead to three games.
TRANS started the scoring early with a twwo-run second inning. It followed it up in the third with Arthur "Fish" Fishman driving in Rich Higgins and Shawn Alexander.
It didn't take the 72nd HS long to answer. It came back with two runs by first baseman Steve Paar and left center fielder Joey Flannagan in the fourth, cutting TRANS'lead to two runs.
Transportation would score only once in the fourth inning, a sacrifice pop out that scored pitcher Drew Rougemont. However, the story was different in the fifth.
The game took a strange twist in the fifth when Higgins was called out at second after being declared safe. There was clear confusion on the field as two umpires made three separate calls
deciding whether or not Higgins was safe. In the end, he was declared out because he moved the bag. The call was met with disagreement by several Transportation fans.
But instead of deflating TRANS, the odd call seemed to encourage the team more. Alexander drove in an RBI followed by Fisher and Jones scoring. All in all, TRANS would score four runs,
extending its lead to 9-2.
Despite being behind, the 72nd didn't give up. Paar and Flannagan scored again in the sixth inning, digging into TRANS lead. Then, it all came down to the bottom of the seventh.
TRANS' Rougemont found bases loaded with one out.
Paar sacrificed an out to first to make a double play. Two runs were not counted when third baseman Engleman tried to score. He was tagged out at home, ending the game.
"The 72nd team was a threat there in the last inning," said James Mrdutt. "They played a good game."
"We're playing good quality ball," Mrdutt said. "We've got some good guys: who are giving us some great efforts."
"They are one of the best teams we've played all year," Rougemont said.
"They're one of the best out there and they gave us a good game."
