Golf Course takes Recreational Softball Championship

  • Published
  • By Dave Castilla
  • 10th Force Support Squadron
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Golf Course took its third-straight title when they defeated Finance-306th Flying Training Group 27-18 in the Recreational Softball Championship here August 11.

Golf Couse ended the regular season in first place (8-2). Finance-306th FTG started the season at 0-3 and finished in second place (6-4).

Hospital No. 2 took third place and the 10th Communications Squadron took fourth place during the regular season.

Earlier in the Winner's Bracket, Golf Course beat Finance-306th FTG 21-11. Finance-306th FTG defeated Hospital No. 2 17-5 in the Loser's Bracket to set up the championship game with Golf Course. Finance-306th FTG won the championship game 26-22 to force the winner take the all "if" necessary game.

The fourth inning of the Recreational Softball Championship was critical for Finance-306th FTG as they scored eight runs with Kyle Vonnahmen's two-run homerun as the inning's key hit. Brandon Ward's three-run inside-the-park homerun in the top of the fifth inning helped clinch the game.

Both teams agreed to play a complete seven-inning game without run rules or a score clock. Golf Course scored five runs in the top of the first inning, with Dave Malmquist's two-run double as the inning's big hit.

Chay Derbigny, Finance-306th FTG, smashed a three-run hit far over the left-field fence. The team scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Golf Course's Brian Whitehouse hit a second double of the night, driving in a run as Golf Course scored four runs in the second inning to lead 9-6.

Austin Fedrich tripled in the top of the third, driving in a run and reached home plate when John Riddlebarger hit a two run homerun as Golf Course scored four more runs, taking the score to 13-6.

Golf Course kept the pressure on as Ryan Hofsheier ripped a double to left field, driving in two runs as the team scored four more runs to lead 17-6.

With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning, Golf Course's Weston Laskey laced a double off the centerfield fence, clearing the bases, taking the score to 22-6.

Finance-306th FTG woke up in the bottom of the inning as Andres Chong hit a three run homerun over the centerfield fence. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Brian Ross hit long fly to right center and scored two runs on a sacrifice fly. Kurt Wells and Bill Walsh had RBI singles as the team put up seven runs, closing the gap to 22-13.

In the top of the sixth inning, Eli Mackay and John Riddlebarger drove in two runs with their base hits. Golf Course scored five runs, extending their lead to 27-13. Finance-306th FTG went scoreless in the bottom of the inning.

Golf Course didn't score in the top half of the seventh. Finance-306th FTG scored five runs: Ian Johnson drove in a run with a base hit, Kurt Wells hit a sacrifice fly, and Brandon Ward drove in the last run with a double, for a final score of 27-18.
Golf course head coach Brian Whitehouse said he was proud how his team came back in the" if" necessary game.

"Their big hitters beat us in the first game and we tried to make sure it didn't happen again," he said. "It was a team effort. Everyone contributed."

Finance-306th FTG head coach Ian Johnson admitted that it's difficult to beat a talented team like Golf Course.

"When you can't score in four of the seven innings, it is very difficult," he said. "They made sure our better hitters didn't get good pitches to hit and they just played better defense than us."