Three nail biters were played in the Government and Industrial Coed Slowpitch Softball League Thursday night.
Tutu Park Mall edged out the Fire Department 5-4, National Guard defeated the University of the Virgin Islands 8-5, and in the nightcap the Police Department celebrated Police week by beating Postal Services, 8-7.
The first game was full of hits, 26 total, but short on runs, just nine. Fire was down 5-2 but rallied in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded, Shirley Herbert hit a double into the right-center field gap, driving in two runs. However, Nadine Leonard, trying to score from first, was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the game.
Tutu Park’s Corey Romney was perfect at the plate in three at bats. Teammate Anthony Charles went three-for-four. Pitcher Vancito Sewer picked up the victory.
St. Thomas-St. John Fire Marshall Glen "Milo" Francis led his team offensively with a two-for-three performance. Pitcher Franklyn Sewer got the loss.
Game two featured the National Guard’s Gail Joseph, who was sporting a 4-0 pitching record. She continued her pitching dominance in a battle of the Watlington division’s leaders. Joseph kept UVI’s lead-off hitter Jahmal Kelly off stride and off base for the game. The National Guard totaled 16 hits.
UVI tried to mount a comeback when Emil Aska and Kennard "Kirby" Callender hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth. But it was not enough. Edwin Watley, Llewellyn Roberts and Callender batted two-for-three for UVI. Watley suffered the loss.
In the final game, the Police Department’s defense was sometimes shaky as they committed five errors. The Police were forced to substitute Barbara Heyliger with Joycelyn Lee-Babb because Heyliger sprained her ankle in the third inning. Lee-Babb proved to be the defensive difference in turning two double plays, one in the fourth and another in the seventh.
Kerry Harrigan went two-for-two, Terrence Manning went two-for-three and Victor McCullum hit solo a home run in the fifth inning to lead the Police’s offensive attack.
Even though Postal Service’s Liston George helped his own cause with a three-for-three performance, he absorbed the loss. Teammates Jennifer Jeffers and Juan Rivera each went two- for-three to help the offense. Jeffers also had a two-run home run in the sixth.
