The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Global Weirding wreaks havoc on rec league
As I mentioned in my other piece this week on local softball—my God, someone call Al Gore quick. Global Weirding is in full effect in the Gunnison Valley.
Recreational league softball action kicked off on Tuesday, June 2 with the Couch Petitos and Crackers game postponed after four innings with the two teams locked in a 10-10 tie, and the Gas Holes and KBUT game ending, after five innings, in a 10-10 tie as the heavens above opened up a big ole can of whup on Crested Butte. We’re talking rain, mixed with hail, and then more rain. Ahhh, Juntember.
The Gas Holes are coming into the 2009 season as repeat rec league champions and appear to be back intact for a shot at a three-peat, especially with the triumphant return of Mark Robbins after he missed the 2008 season with an injury.
Not only that, but it was his birthday, so following true birthday/local softball etiquette the keg was in effect and Robbins threw down a healthy inverted tap hit.
Speaking of comebacks from the injured reserve, after suffering not one but two brutal softball-related injuries, Josh Elmer returned to the KBUT team this year. In addition, KBUT made some key moves, adding competitive league players Andrew Hadley and Lynn Moore to their roster.
KBUT opened the game scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on some fielding miscues by the typically sound Gas Holes defense.
Carson Dickman led off with an error-assisted single and then scored on a double by Mark Ewing to deep centerfield. Shannon Dunlap rapped a RBI single and Amelie Kastning pushed Dunlap home with a sacrifice fly RBI.
The Gas Holes recovered two runs in their first at-bat of the 2009 season as Robbins singled and scored on a flaring triple by John Hopper down the right field line and Gail Barto punched a sacrifice fly RBI.
The two teams traded a run apiece in the second inning as Rich Driscoll drove in a run for KBUT and Alex Mattes-Ritz pummeled a power bunt RBI single.
A case of the first game jitters by the Gas Holes defense combined with a flurry of base hits during the top of the third inning led to a four-run rally by KBUT.
Elmer stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and connected for a three RBI double and then exploited some throwing errors to score on an error-assisted triple by Moore, giving KBUT an 8-3 cushion heading into the bottom of the third inning.
Not to worry though, as it became obvious the Gas Holes offense was merely warming up the first two innings. Kate Schmidt led off with a single and Ian Baird and Meghan Dougherty slapped back-to-back doubles to close the KBUT lead down to two runs by the fourth inning.
Hadley and Elmer stepped up to the plate in the top of the fourth adding two runs on base hits to pull ahead 10-6 but the Gas Holes added two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Then came the rain, and the hail, and then the rain again.
Yet nothing would stop these two teams on opening day of the season as they continued to battle themselves and the elements for one more inning.
The Gas Holes defense shut KBUT down in the top of the fifth inning to hold them scoreless and head into their final at-bat down 10-8 with no relief in sight from the torrential downpour.
Matthew Zazzi led off for the Gas Holes with a single. Keitha Kostyk pushed Zazzi home stroking a triple and then Mattes-Ritz doubled to tie the game 10-10 with one out and a runner in scoring position.
A pop up to third base gave the Gas Holes their second out but the toss to second base for the double play attempt squirted into the outfield. Mattes-Ritz took off for third; Dunlap sprinted from second base into shallow center to retrieve the loose ball. Mattes-Ritz was waved through third base bound for the game-winning play when Dunlap fired to Driscoll at home plate just beating Mattes-Ritz by half a step for the third and final out leaving the two teams soaked with a 10-10 tie.
