The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Maybe the greatest rec league game ever
Despite a valiant effort by the Couch Petitos in the late stages of the game, the Mountain Spirits Likkers held on for a 13-12 win in rec league softball action on Tuesday, June 16.
First there were the Couch Petitos executing a perfect relay from deep right field to throw out a Likkers runner at home to end the top of the first inning.
Then there was Likkers shortstop Matt Roettger snagging a line drive tipped by pitcher Jason Fries in the bottom of the first inning.
Roettger encored his effort in the bottom of the second inning, charging into shallow left field to grab a pop fly.
But Couch Petitos’ Kirk Petersen stole the show in the top of the third inning. With two runners on and two outs, Likkers hitter Dave Ebner stroked a fly ball to deep centerfield. Petersen turned immediately, sprinting for the fence to make a perfect over-the-shoulder grab that would have made Willie Mays proud.
The work of the two teams on defense left them notched in a 3-3 tie heading into the bottom of the third inning, until John Dethloff cracked a two-RBI triple to give the Couch Petitos a 5-3 lead.
Likkers hitter Lisa Slagle established her prominence at the plate early with a RBI single in the fourth inning, followed by a RBI double from Scott Tyree to tie the game 5-5.
The Likkers offense opened up a five-run lead in the top of the fifth inning, led off by Kelly Rasmussen with a RBI single to left. Fries and Slagle each connected for RBI base hits and Tyree stepped up to deliver the crushing blow with a deep shot to the gap in left center, sending runners on the move. One runner scored but the Couch Petitos executed yet another perfect relay to throw out a Likkers runner at home to stop the bleeding.
Couch Petitos’ Jim “Deli” Schmidt continued his perfect batting percentage for the 2009 season, tapping a RBI single down the third base line, but the Likkers added another run in the top of the sixth inning to maintain their five-run advantage.
The Couch Petitos charged back into the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, connecting for five base hits to score four runs.
Drew Cesati led off with a single and moved to third on an infield single by Diane Markowitz. Petersen singled to load the bases and Maggie Dethloff stepped up to crack a two- RBI double, cutting the Likkers’ lead down to three runs. Mark Reaman pushed another run in with a sacrifice RBI and Molly Frame slapped a RBI double to shallow right field to pull the Petitos to within one run with just one out.
Schmidt blooped a single to left but the Likkers turned a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning and take an 11-10 lead into the seventh and final inning.
Fries and Tyree added two runs to the Likkers lead with base hits but Dethloff pulled down a line drive down the third base line to end the inning and keep the Likkers within striking distance heading into the bottom of the seventh.
A single by Allison Yeary and a double by Cesati put two Couch Petitos runners on with two outs and Petersen pushed them in with a two-RBI base hit to pull within one run of the Likkers, but a ground out stopped the comeback in its tracks and the Likkers escaped with a 13-12 win.
