It was a very windy day and the gusts were blowing in, negating “most” home runs. I could tell this would be a game of base hits and walks as the men’s 23rd Maintenance Squadron and the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron softball teams battled it out June 8 at the softball fields here.
MXS led off making three straight outs, so AES answered with three runs, highlighted by a triple by Christopher Howard.
The second inning was scoreless with exceptional defensive play by both teams.
In the third, MXS loaded the bases and scored with a nice single. AES answered again as Howard added another triple (error-aided) and helped score two more runs for AES, thus making the score 5-1 after three innings of play.
MXS, helped by gusts of wind, loaded the bases as the AES pitcher was having a hard time finding the strike zone.
MXS player Steve Miller took advantage of this and lined a drive in between outfielders for a stand-up triple. He later came home to cap off a four-run inning.
AES was defensively stymied by MXS’s Gregory Sartain. His rifle arm gunned down the AES single-handedly.
With the momentum in favor of the MXS they once again took charge. AES’ pitcher again walked two batters and allowed a base hit later - the bases were loaded again. MXS’s Randolph Benton cracked a nice hit giving him a double.
By the time AES got the third out, the damage had been done. Four more runs had scored.
It was now AES’s turn to do some damage, and they got it with their hottest player, Howard, who started off the inning with a nice single.
MXS’s pitcher also had problems with the wind and actually walked in a run. AES added one more run and the bases were also loaded for Scott Waters who hit a pop up , ending the possibility of a lead change.
With the score now 9-7 and going into the sixth inning, time was running out. MXS was put out one-two-three as AES would not to be denied.
But Howard was still not done. He and his bat had come to play. Two runners were on base after walks and the outfielders were playing a little up when the shot was fired.
Howard crushed a ball against the wind and over the outfielders head. He got on his horse and rounded the bases before MXS could get the ball to the catcher.
A three-run inside the park home run had given AES the lead. The homer ignited the rest of the team who kept getting hit after hit and when the umpire called “time” (meaning the game had exceeded the time limit), AES had put seven runs on the board, thus ending the game 14-9.
