KBUT dials in for win over Mountain Colors

Did I mention it’s World Cup time?

by Than Acuff

If you can get past the long history of corruption and embezzlement surrounding FIFA, the world soccer governing body and the embarrassment of FIFA president Gianni Infantino (is that Italian for Giant Baby?) sucking up to Donald Trump with a trophy and, yes, the theatrics of “injuries,” the occasional 0-0 tie or 1-0 win, then buckle up because the World Cup is here.

There have been 22 World Cup tournaments since it started back in 1930 with eight countries having won led by Brazil with five titles. England, surprisingly, has just one title from back in 1966. For the second time in a row, four-time World Cup champion Italy did not even qualify for the World Cup, and they expanded the tournament to 48 countries resulting in countries such as the Cabo Verde Blue Sharks, the Curaçao Blue Wave, Uzbekistan and Jordan making their first appearances.

Any World Cup fans in Elkhorn, Nebraska? Because I’m hearing there are some Crested Butte town league softball fans there.

Therefore, let’s get to it.

KBUT is on a bit of a heater in the Wednesday league to start out the 2026 season having won its first three games including a 15-9 win over Mountain Colors on Wednesday, June 10. But it didn’t look like that to start.

Mountain Colors built a 7-1 lead as Prawit Durgan got things started with an RBI single, Brice Koval knocked a two RBI double and Sam Reaman smacked a three-run shot with additional runs coming from the efforts of Robin Yost and Garrett McBride.

Then Sonny Burgos struck, lightning and thunder in a bottle, to get things going for KBUT. Burgos led off in the bottom of the second inning turning a routine double to left field into a run down between second and third base, a slide into third to avoid the tag and eventually a solo inside the park home run (ITPHR). Jess Ladwig and Shawn Harrington followed that with back-to-back base hits, Rachel Brodsky drove them home with a base hit and Brady Harper connected for an RBI double to pull KBUT within two of Mountain Colors.

So far this season, and granted it’s early in the season, KBUT has given up the second least runs and they proceeded to hold Mountain Colors scoreless over the next four innings while racking up 10 runs.

Courtney Welsh helped inspire a quick three-run burst by KBUT in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI single and then scored on yet another ITPHR from Burgos for an 8-7 KBUT lead.

Next inning, more KBUT defense paired with more KBUT offense as Adam Westlake doubled and scored on a powerbunt infield single by Fran Morales and TJ Hughes singled to score one more KBUT run.

Next inning, same thing. Defense locks down and offense continues to score runs, some of which were assisted by Mountain Colors; struggles to hit the cutoff with Brian Lynch and Burgos (trending) combining to score a run, Harrington tacking on two more with a base hit to right and Westlake connecting for an RBI single before Mountain Colors turned a 1-6-3 double play.

One would hope that effort would inspire some Mountain Colors offense, but it did not as Harrington robbed Ben Hayes of a base hit with a shoestring grab and Carly Webb scooped a grounder tapped third and fired to first for a 5-3 double play to hold Mountain Colors scoreless once again.

KBUT scored two more runs in the top of the seventh inning and while Mountain Colors would eventually score as Koval knocked a solo ITPHR and Hunter Lucas an RBI double, it was far too little too late ending with a 15-9 KBUT win.

Oh, and, the U.S. won their opening World Cup match against Paraguay 4-1 and play Australia on Friday, June 19 for their second match of group play.