Hercs rally to claim softball title

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tim Taylor
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AFB, Colo. (AFRC) --  This one was scripted for the movies. The hero was down, apparently beaten, and on the verge of a stunning defeat. Of course, that's when the hero gathered strength and rallied to turn back the enemy. 

The hero in this scenario is the 302nd Maintenance Group softball team, which rallied late in the final game Aug. 29 to win the Peterson Air Force Base Recreation Silver League championship. It was the 302nd's second base softball title. 

"It feels good, especially since we had people deployed," said Sol Martinez, 302nd MXG Hercs manager and pitcher. "Nobody thought we would go as far as we did." The 302nd Airlift Wing has been activated since August 2005 with many of the deployed members coming from maintenance. 

"After all the hard work and the many years of coming up short, and then finally winning the big one, was a great accomplishment," said outfielder Gary Douglas, who has been with the team since 1997. "I believe that everyone stepped up to the challenge and everyone played extremely well." 

After squandering a lead late in an 11-8 first game loss, the top-seeded Hercs were just seven outs away from a second defeat in the winners' bracket finale of the double elimination tournament. That's when they rallied their bats and defense to surge to a 13-8 victory over Joint Information Operations Center-North. 

Trailing JIOC-N, 7-5, the Hercs erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Six of those runs came with two outs already in the books. 

With a 12-7 cushion, the 302nd defense then stepped up and allowed just one JIOC-N run over the last two innings. 

In the decisive contest the Hercs led 2-1 after an inning, but it was short-lived as JIOC-N grabbed a 4-2 advantage in the top of the second with a trio of hits and two Herc errors. The home team narrowed the gap to a run in their half of the inning on Rick Carrillo's RBI single. 

The teams traded single runs in the third and fourth and Ivan Allain's RBI double in the top of the fifth made it 7-5 in favor of JIOC-N. In their half of the inning, the Hercs' bats provided the damaging result. 

"We have always had big hitting innings in games," said Martinez. "It was just a matter of time before that happened this time. I think the guys relaxed and started doing what they normally do and that starts the rallies." 

Anaya, Carrillo, Douglas and Rocky Ramirez paced the hitting attack with three hits each. Dennis Robinson, Glenn Blackmann and Brian McCully contributed two apiece. 

The Hercs entered the championship round without a loss, having turned away upset minded 21 SVS just five day earlier. It looked as if they might go unscathed, pouncing on JIOC-N for four runs in the first inning of the opening contest. 

The visitors would have none of it, creeping back to knot the score at 5-5 in the top of the fifth, although the Hercs would forge ahead behind three runs in the bottom half of the inning. 

Clinging to an 8-6 lead, the Hercs finally faltered in the top of the seventh as the JIOC-N bats awoke for five runs, paced by Allain's 3-run blast over the centerfield fence.
Douglas had four hits, Robinson three, and Anaya, Ramirez, Douglas and Carrillo two apiece. 

The Hercs finished what will be a memorable season 11-4 overall and owners of bragging rights for the next year. Martinez praised the play of several players, including Anaya, who battled an asthma attack and an ankle injury in the second game, saying he had big heart, never quit and made big plays. 

"I would have to say that Steve was the one that allowed us to stay in the game and win," added Douglas. "His outstanding play at third base really gave us something to cheer about. Even though he was bruised and battered he still found a way to make sure that nothing got behind him. I believe that the team as a whole contributed in many ways for us to win." 

Martinez lauded other players as well. 

"Gary Douglas stepped up his bat and leadership in the outfield, Glen Blackmann is always at the top of his game no matter where we put him and Jeff Hardsock's defense at second base was a plus," he said. 

One might sum this season up by saying the Hercs players were as reliable as the decades-old aircraft they work on.