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Photo Gallery Company I, Headquarters and Support Battalion’s softball team survived a see-saw battle in the opening round of the Camp Lejeune intramural softball tournament Monday, beating the Warriors 8-7 in extra innings.
Company I drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning, starting with Joshua Rojas’ lead-off double. Justin Davis hit a sacrifice fly to move the runner to third, and Tequan Tirado brought Rojas across the plate with a single.
Carmelo Mangindin was Company I’s starting pitcher, and preserved the team’s first inning lead with a 1-2-3 frame, thanks in large part to Tirado’s spectacular catch in foul territory to make the third out.
The Company I offense continued to play “small” ball in the top of the third; manufacturing another run with Mangindin’s sacrifice fly that scored James Dale from third.
Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the third inning, the Warrior bats finally came to life, marked by five consecutive hits, including Joseph Kirkland’s 2-run triple and Adam Stauffer’s RBI single. The Warriors sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the second inning and came out of it with a 3-2 lead.
Not to be outdone, the Company I offense caught fire in the top of the fourth. Tirado led-off with a double, followed by a walk and Charles Crossfield’s single to load the bases with no outs. Warrior pitcher, Daniel Allen struck out Dale for the first out, but could not get out of the jam unscathed. Marc Zayas hit a 2-run single that retook the lead for Company I, followed by another run scored when the Warriors booted a play at the plate.
With the lead back up to 6-3, Company I struggled to stay ahead as the Warriors came to bat. Four singles in a row translated into two runs for the Warriors in the top of the fifth, cutting the Company I lead to 6-5.
Allen threw his first scoreless inning in the bottom of the fifth, setting the table for the Warriors to regain the lead in the sixth inning. Jerry Corral hit a one-out single, followed by Zachary Faw’s base hit and Allen’s sacrifice fly to advance the runners into scoring position. With two outs, David Paguaga crushed a pitch to deep right field. Two runs scored, but Paguaga was thrown out at third to end the inning.
The game appeared to be the Warriors’ to win, but Company I rallied in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to Tony Price’s season-saving single that tied the game at 7-7 and forced an extra frame to decide the outcome.
After fending off the Warriors’ offense in the top of the eighth, Company I plated the winning run with Mangindin’s two-out triple and Rojas’ RBI single.
“This was a very valuable game for us to win,” said Company I coach Michael Cox. “It shows our guys that we have the talent to come from behind to win.
“Our defense is there, we just need to keep our bats going.”
Editor’s note: The intramural championship game was played Wednesday after The Globe had gone to press. Read about Camp Lejeune’s 2009 softball champions in the July 9 edition.
