Senators pick up two more regular season wins

  • Published
  • By Ron "Bama" Brown
  • 360th Training Squadron
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Sheppard Senator softball team picked up two more wins in the regular season, bringing their record to 8-0.

The Senators still have four more regular season games to make up because of rainouts, then they advance to the city league championships.

Prior to their latest wins in the city league, the Senators got a harsh dose of reality when they traveled to a men's U.S. Specialty Sports Association class "C" qualifier at Softball World in Euless, Texas.

The Senators got their money's worth and more. They had to face the teams Strictly Performance once and PLG, twice. These two teams are presently ranked number 10 and three in the nation, among 960 teams in the class "C" division. What the Senators learned in route to their 0-3 performance was that great teams rarely make mistakes, but they make you pay for yours. While giving up 50 total runs in three games, the Senators could only muster eight in response.

Back in Wichita Falls, the Senators seemed to take advantage of some of the lessons they learned at Softball World. As if in revenge for the trauma suffered there, the Senators hammered the Hammertime team by 23-3.

Clint Wilkerson led all players with a solid 3-for-3 effort. Not to be outdone, newcomer Mathew Poe substituted for Wilkerson as shortstop and promptly hit a dinger in his first official at bat for the Senators. Joshua Greene added a strong 3-for-4 hitting performance while flashing terrific speed in the outfield. Vernon Anderson added another opposite field blast en route to a 2-for-4 night.

In their second game the following week, the Senators faced a stiffer challenge from the Wild Wings team. A very sluggish start saw the Senators in a bit of trouble late in the fourth inning, down 9-4.

Shawn Nunnally would help power the Senator offensive attack with a stellar 3-for-3 performance, including one 300-foot bomb to left field. Mathew Poe, in the starting position, went 2-for-2 with a walk and played a solid shortstop. Steven Dale, John Hirst and Marc West all helped out with good 2-for-3 performances. Joe Calderon helped shut down the Wild Wings attack, limiting them to nine runs and no more after the fourth inning. In the last inning, several key pinch hits placed the Senators in the lead 12-9.

Time was out and the Wild Wings were hitting in the bottom half of the inning. Key hits right off the top seemed to spell certain disaster for the Senators. Their first three batters advanced, and the Wild Wings had the bases loaded with no outs.

A "tweener" pop flew just out of the infield and behind second base; it would have scored at least two runs and advanced everyone. But apparently second baseman Marc West has seen a few Willie Mays videos; an over-the-shoulder slap of leather and strong throw resulted in a double play, leaving the Wild Wings with only the runner at third. Calderon got the batter to fly out, ending the threat and the game.

The Senators are scheduled to play makeup games over the next few weeks.