Talk of the Town holds off Aces in softball season opener

“Let’s go! I didn’t practice twice to lose”

By Than Acuff 

The sports world is going nuts these days. Not only are transgender athletes blurring the lines and challenging who should and should not be allowed to compete in what races, but Las Vegas will be the home of the first ever Enhanced Games in 2026. The Enhanced Games “are on a mission to redefine superhumanity through science, innovation and sports.”

In other words, if it’s made in a laboratory and helps you get faster, stronger and, perhaps, a little angrier, shoot it up and line up. Break a world record and you get one million dollars. Hell, I’d shoot up for a shot at one million dollars.

At least they’ll all be confined to one area swimming, running and lifting against each other, in Las Vegas. But say an “enhanced” athlete loses at the craps table. I envision something similar to the intro to the ‘80s show the Incredible Hulk when the tire iron breaks on Bruce Banner in the rain, but without the green skin.

Have fun storming the castle.

Until then, we’ve got our own game here in Crested Butte called softball and the Tuesday/Thursday league opened as the Talk of the Town faced the Aces on Tuesday, June 3 at Gothic Field. Can’t speak to transgender athletes but since it’s coed, I’m guessing not an issue. As for performance enhancing drugs, not so sure about them being enhancing. Perhaps enhancing the experience, but performance? Questionable.

There was something enhanced about the Talk on opening night. The long-standing local softball franchise is back for more this summer with the usual characters including Dave McGuire who may have the second most seasons playing in the local leagues. Second only to Sam Lumb. The Talk loves opening night and they played like it opening a lead in the top of the first inning as Taylor Miller, Robbie Vandervoort and Nicola Roberts combined to drive in four runs. An RBI single from Hollywood then put the Talk up 5-0 but the Aces made a game of it to respond in the bottom of the second inning.

Tucker Brown doubled and then scored when Brett Gardner crushed a double off the fencing in leftfield. A powerbunt pop single scored another Ace and Leila Nichols tapped an RBI single to pull within two, but the Talk responded with some “superhumanity” in the top of the third inning.

Miller proved worth the transfer fee the Talk paid to get him on the roster when he smacked a two-run home run to straightaway center. Kelli McGuire followed with a single and scored when Robbie Vandervoort golfed a triple to right center. Roberts drove another run in with a sac fly RBI and then Hollywood knocked his second RBI hit of the game to put the Talk up 10-3.

While the Aces bats went silent, their defense remained in place including turning a 1-6-3 double play just when the Talk was set up to score more runs in the top of the fourth inning. But that only stalled the Talk temporarily as they returned to the plate in the top of the fifth inning to score five more. Miller started it off with a ground rule double and scored on a single by Kelli. Vandervoort and Roberts combined to drive in two more runs and Michael Ryan and Hollywood capped the five-run surge with RBI base hits to give the Talk a 15-5 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. 

It is at this moment when Aces pitcher Marcus Qualls felt inclined to light a fire under his team with some inspirational words.

“Let’s go!” hollered Qualls. “I didn’t practice twice to lose.”

And the team took it to heart as they rattled off four runs led by an RBI triple from Qualls, double from Bryce W. Miller and additional runs coming off a sac fly by Dan Brown and a single by Carey Willamette.

But before they could get too excited, the Talk answered back led by the heart of their batting order once again as Miller, McGuire and Vandervoort combined to drive in three more runs for what appeared to be a comfortable 18-9 lead heading into the seventh inning.

But appearances can be deceiving, and the Aces weren’t done, not yet anyway. It started with a walk and went from there as Bryce doubled to score the batter that walked. Dan found his swing finally to crack an RBI single as did Willette when he followed Dan with a two-run shot into the cheap seats. Tucker did the same two batters later and when Gardner and Derek Yeadon each singled, it was a three-run game with two runners on.

But, as they like to say at closing time at the Talk, you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here, and the Talk turned the third and final out to hold on for the 18-15 win.