ROOTERS NEWS SERVICE

(Norfolk, Virginia)  An era has ended.  No longer is J6 the Champion
of USJFCOM Softball.  That distinction now belongs to the Mighty J9,
who vanquished J6, J3/CMSA, and J02/HQ to become the Sports Day 2000
Softball Champions.

  A diverse yet richly talented team, representing six different JWEBL
divisions plus the SJFCG, J9 began the day with a 09:00 contest against
defending champ J6.  What ensued was a tough defensive struggle, with
both teams tied 1-1 after five full innings of play.  J6 squeezed out
one more run in the top of the sixth, taking a 2-1 lead and threatening
J9 with early elimination.  But the team that never quits stormed back
with four unanswered runs in their last at-bat to clinch the victory.
MAJ Mark "Mushdog" Moore (J93) started the scorefest with a 2-RBI double,
bringing Maj Tim Murtha, USAF (J93) and this commentator home.  LCDR Jim 
Cody (J92) followed suit with an RBI double of his own, scoring on a 
clutch two-out single by LCDR Mike Purcell (J94) to put the game out of 
reach.  The final score of 5-2 sent J6 to what may be their first-ever 
last place finish in softball, although they ended Sports Day 2000 in 
second place overall (just one point behind J3/CMSA, and three ahead of 
overall-third-place J9).

  J9 went immediately into a 10:00 semifinal game against J3/CMSA, 
victors of the early-morning Iron Man competition.  In another close-
fought contest, J9 found themselves down 5-4 going into what would be
their last at-bat in the 45-minute game.  And once again, J9 refused
to accept defeat.  Joe O'Toole (J98) ripped a lead-off triple to 
right field.  In a repeat of an earlier performance, LCDR Jim Cody
matched him base-for-base with his own RBI triple -- tying the game 
and putting the winning run just 60 feet away from victory.  After 
an intentional walk of LCDR Mike "Batman" Siracuse (J95) to set up a
potential double-play, LCDR Mike Purcell once again came through in 
the clutch with a game-winning RBI single as time expired.

  The championship game, with no time limit and a guarantee of seven
innings, began at high noon at SACLANT Field #1.  J9 deferred the call 
on the coin toss, and won home field advantage for the third straight
game.  J02/HQ struck quickly, with the 1SG batting lead-off and scoring 
the opening run of the game.  J9 came right back with three runs, but 
was held scoreless for the next two innings.  After exchanging five-run
innings, LTC Mike Winzeler (J97) kept the game tight with a two-out RBI 
single in the fifth inning.

  Following a scoreless sixth, the seventh and final inning began with 
J9 trailing 10-9.  Though two runners reached base, J02/HQ could not 
generate any "insurance" runs.  J9, twice blessed and still not willing 
to go quietly, began the bottom of the seventh with the heart of the 
lineup:  Cody, Siracuse, Purcell.  The by-now predictable result: three 
consecutive doubles, two runs, a second straight game-winning RBI for 
Purcell, and an 11-10 J9 victory for the undisputed USJFCOM softball 
crown.

  Other than our Navy Iron O-4s, many J9 notables took the field:

- Maj Tim Murtha won the three-game batting crown with his .714 
hitting performance and locked down the middle of the infield at 
shortstop -- even after competing in the Iron Man competition 
earlier that morning.

- LCDR Cody's slugging percentage ended at 1.300 and his glove at 
third base squelched many a rally.

- Ron "The Bull" Bullard (SJFCG Log Dog) held J6 to just two runs,
won two from the mound, and struck out RDML(sel) Moffit in the
championship game.

- John Clark (fiancée of J92 CAPSTONE Laura Talbot) pitched a gem 
in Game 2 to shut down the J3/CMSA machine, while Laura brought 
style to the team and the batter's box.

- Maj "Ike" Eichenberger, USAF (J95), stole the day (and a couple 
of extra bases) with aggressive baserunning en route to a .600 
batting average.

- SFC ("Top") Bradsher (J93), another Iron Man competitor, befuddled 
opposing pitchers with a team-leading two bases-on-balls and a .667 
on-base percentage.

- LCDR Jose "Second Cousin to Sammy Sosa" Rodriguez (J93) was a solid 
gloveman in right field, including a key on-the-run snatch near the 
foul line to thwart a J02/HQ rally.

- Bob Knuth (J98), Field Coach Extraordinaire, waged a psychological 
battle with opposing fielders -- letting them know he was going to 
wave home every baserunner to "test" their throwing arms.

- And 14 of our 16 players either scored a run or batted one in.

  There can be no doubt that this team is capable of moving mountains
and besting any opponent.  Three games, three tough challenges, the 
composure to always remain focused, and three dramatic come-from-behind  
victories.

  CONGRATULATIONS JWEBL!


(For full details and stats, visit http://www.deichman.net/softball/j9/ )


<07-Jul-00>