ROOTERS NEWS SERVICE (Norfolk, Virginia) This year's annual "Sports Day" saw J9 reclaim its crown as the champion of U.S. Joint Forces Command softball. By defeating a combined J1/J4 team (this year's Sports Day champion), the combined J2/J5/J8 team, and last year's softball champ J7 in a no hitter, the Joint Futures Lab has once again established itself as this command's softball powerhouse. Play began with an 8:00am contest against J1/J4. J9 started slow, trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning. But three straight extra-base hits by EE's Maj Dave "G" Gauthier, new Chief of Staff COL Tony "Chief" Tata and FA's LtCol(sel) Mark "Brain" Werth led to a four-run inning for J9. Two innings later, the ten-run mercy rule gave J9 a 12-2 victory after just four innings. Moving to ACLANT's Field #2, J7 -- who had just defeated age-old softball champs J6 -- hosted J9 for the semi-final. J9 wasted no time, starting the top of the first inning with six consecutive hits and amassing an early five-run lead. EX's MMCS(SW) Dean "Senior" Lacy, who held J1/J4 to just two runs, was nearly flawless on the mound, forcing two pop-flies and a routine grounder to hold J7 hitless. The second inning was a repeat -- six consecutive J9 batters reached base to stretch their lead to ten runs; and again "Senior" Lacy kept J7 hitless. The lone J7 base runner was due to a walk, and was quickly erased by a 6-4-3 double play. In the bottom of the third, J7 faced quick elimination -- and folded with three more outs and a 10-0 no-hitter for "Senior" Lacy. The championship game, with no time limit and a guarantee of seven innings, began at 11:00am at SACLANT Field #1. J2/J5/J8 had staged a remarkable come-from-behind win over J3, scoring ten runs in their final at-bat, and had momentum on their side. The ninety-minute pause between J9's semi-final and final game slowed them down, and just one J9er crossed the plate in the first two innings -- with J9 finding themselves in the unfamiliar position of trailing 2-1 after two innings of play. J9 rebounded in the third inning, racking up four runs there and another three off of a "Senior" Lacy homer in the fourth to take an 8-5 lead into the sixth. "Senior" added a second homer (this one for two runs) in the top of the sixth after a thirty-minute pause to hear GEN Kernan award the Sports Day trophy to J1/J4 (who had an uncontestable 41 total points, compared to a possible 38 for J9 with a softball victory). With the game's outcome detached from the overall Sports Day, J9 and J2/5/8 continued for bragging rights -- and possible sole- possesion of Sports Day "Second Place" for J2/5/8. Entering the bottom of the sixth trailing 13-5, J2/5/8 fought back by loading the bases before the first out. Heads-up fielding by "Chief" Tata stopped the first run from scoring, and sharp reflexes by "G" Gauthier and "Brain" Werth squelched the late rally. J9 only added one insurance run in the top half of the seventh; the last half-inning saw J2/5/8 trailing 14-7, three outs from "runner up" in the softball tourney. Two quick fly-outs to "Brain" Werth and it looked like curtains -- until they strung together five consecutive hits and rallied for three more runs. Trailing by just four with the tying run in the on-deck circle, a J2/5/8 baserunner going from second to third was gunned down by "Chief" Tata to MAJ(P) Jim "Producer" Lee to end the game. Final score: J9 14, J2/4/8 10. Other notables stats and figures in the J9 lineup: - All 13 J9 players got a hit *and* scored at least one run - 10 of our 13 players batted in at least one run - Joe "O.T." O'Toole tied for the team lead with five runs - IT2 Brian "Tron" West, a J63 loaner to EE, had four doubles - LTC Mark "Mushdog" Moore went 3-for-3 between golf chipping - LtCol(sel) Mark "Brain" Werth led with seven RBIs - MMCS(SW) Dean "Senior" Lacy had a 1.714 slugging percentage - Bob "Duck" Yingling sealed the outfield gaps with superb fielding and speed - Steve "Rock" Weir had three put-outs and assists from behind the plate - Jason "Wailer" Whalum promised two cases of beer for our next "outback" beer call :-) - Ron "Strike" Batdorf and Geoff "Sly" Fox braved the verbal abuse of fans and players alike, providing consistent ump'ing - And Jack "Send'em" Klevecz, All Pro Base Coach, continued his perfect winning streak for another year 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 stellar victories. CONGRATULATIONS J9! (And double-congrats to Tim "Spike" Bacon and his USJFCOM Champion volleyball team!) For full details and stats, visit http://www.deichman.net/softball/j9/ <22-Aug-02>