The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The Golden Dome
By Than Acuff
Is it me or does the Golden Dome defense system idea seem like an idea born during a Ketamine/Adderall cocktail party with an escort service? I mean, Golden Dome? Though a Golden Dome over the soccer field would be sick and maybe provide year-round softball.
That said, it might cause some disruptions to both softball and hockey as there are several Inglorious Batters who go both ways and on Wednesday, May 28 it appeared they may still be in hockey mode as KBUT handed them a 19-4 loss on opening night of the Wednesday adult coed softball league.
But what better time for KBUT to gather momentum as
they will be hosting their 23rd Annual Friday Night Fish Fry on Friday, June 13. In case you haven’t heard, it has never been more important to support public radio than now.
And to be honest, KBUT played like their funding is on the brink of getting cut as they brought a run-and-gun style to Gothic Field started by Brady Harper. After Kat Harrington singled and then scored on a triple by Brian Lynch in the first inning, Harper added to their lead in the second stretching a double for a solo inside the park home run (ITPHR) for a 2-0 lead. One inning later Sonny Burgos drove a solo ITPHR to right field, Katie Harper hustled for an infield single and Derek Vincent, Lynch and Courtney Welsh all stroked RBI hits for a 7-0 KBUT lead.
And it wasn’t just their legs and bats doing the work as the KBUT defense was remarkably spot-on given it was just the first game of the season. Consistent play with a highlight thrown in there from Lynch at shortstop helped keep KBUT in control of the game as they continued to build on their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Carly Webb joined the run and gun party as she knocked a two-run ITPHR and the Harringtons combined to score three more KBUT runs. Lynch tacked on a solo shot to put KBUT out front 13-0 and more runs were on the way had it not been for the work of Batters pitcher Jack Foersterling flagging down a line drive up the middle for a juggling circus catch to stop the bleeding.
His work on the mound would help inspire some offense from the Batters starting with Connor Beard as he crushed a solo shot to straightaway center to lead off the top of the fifth inning. Sarah Gross and Trent Smith followed with base hits and then scored on a bloop two RBI single by Mel Briggs. Troy Russ then singled to put two runners on with no outs and the game had a miracle comeback vibe going but KBUT’s defense clamped down again to retire the next three batters and stop the Batters in their tracks.
Things quieted down for a bit until the top of the seventh inning as the KBUT bats woke back up, woke AF in fact, with Webb doubling and scoring on a single from Brett Biebuyck, RBI hits from Kat and Shawn Harrington and then the mother of all exclamation points, a three-run shot from Lynch over the left field netting. Beard did rattle off one more solo shot, but the damage was done as KBUT closed out the 19-4 win.
In other news…
