PCRMSBT

Tonight was the first night of the Payson City Recreation Men's Softball Tournament (PCRMSBT).  It doesn't quite have the same ring  to it nor the easy flow off the tongue that the CWS has, but it still generated some pretty exciting moments.

Leading up to this day I found myself actually getting pretty excited to play in this tournament.  I love to play softball but enjoy it even more when there is something more on the line than just going home with a win for the week.  Granted, in this tournament we are mainly playing for bragging rights and a t-shirt, but at my age I'll take any competition that I can get.

For the first game of the night Pirate Motor Sports played a team that we hadn't faced the entire year, JB Electric. We didn't hit very well (actually pretty bad) but still managed to bring in a few runs.  Fortunately we played just good enough defense, despite only having 9 guys once again, to preserve a small lead all the way up to the sixth inning when they were able to tie us at 7-7.

The score remained the same going into the bottom of the seventh with us getting the last at bats being that we were the home team.  I believe it was J-rod that hit first and was able to get on base.  At that point the stage was set as Hub stepped to the plate with it being the bottom of the last inning and the winning run on first.  Rather than caving to the pressure he steps up and in walk off fashion hits a two run jack to the opposite field to win the game for us.  It was a thing of beauty.  It was the only dinger of the whole game and couldn't have come at a better time. 

Going into game #2 we had regained some of our confidence having just pulled off a close victory.  Immediately though CK Playground Apparel was able to jump out to an early 7 run lead.  They're a good team that doesn't lose very often but so far this year we have had their number.  Tonight though, early on, it appeared that they had brought their A-Game and that we might be in trouble.  

Kind of like Wall.e ( 1/3 of Pirate Motor Sports was seen today at Stadium Theatres taking in a matinee) we persevered and never lost focus of our task at hand.  We made a rally, sparked by another long ball by Hub, that is quite possibly unmatched by any other scoring spree in Payson Recreation history. (so I might be exaggerating a little)  

We came back from seven down and by the fourth inning had put up 31 runs to take a 15 run lead going into their last at bats.  Our defense was solid, but our bats are what made the difference.  They absolutely came alive.  

To be honest, I actually hit pretty lousy even in the second game.  I had one hit that actually felt like there was some good contact. Lady luck was on my side though and for one reason or another the ball always seemed to find an open space.  I'll take it.  

In a double elimination tournament to get the first two wins is huge.  We are sitting pretty good right now and hopefully can carry some of the momentum into next weeks games when we go for the championship.  

Stay tuned.