After an 0-3 start, the defending champions, Just For Fun, have come back to win two in a row, beating the Blue Labels 17-6 at the Renholdt Jackson Sport Complex.
It is the second loss avenged by the champs, and they are looking to moving to 500 Wednesday with a win against another team, the Cobras, who beat them earlier in the season.
Batting first, Just for Fun plated six runs on a two-run single by pitcher Mario Ortiz, RBI singles by Kai Schjang and Reuben Molloy, and a pair of sacrifice flies off the bat of Eustace Davis and Rael Sackey. The Blue Labels responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run home run off the bat of Steve Simmonds and an RBI single by Warren Christian to trail 6-3 after one inning.
JFF was back on the attack in the top of the second, scoring five more runs on a two-run single by Davis, a two-run double by Mario Simmonds, and a sac fly off the bat of Sackey to extend their lead to 11-3. The Blue Labels were only able to answer with one run in their half of the inning, and they now trailed 11-4 after two innings.
After scoreless third and fourth innings, JFF erupted for six more runs in the top of the fifth inning to blow the game wide open at 17-4. They scored six runs on RBI singles by Schjang and Sackey, a two-run double by Davis, an RBI double by Gary Molloy, and a Blue Labels error. Needing to score at least four runs to avoid enforcement of the 10-run mercy rule, the Blue Labels could only muster two and the game was called. The Blue Labels scored two runs on an RBI single by Simmonds and an RBI double by Marlon Williams.
Ortiz got the win on the hill for JFF, while Josue "Weed-Eater" Belardo got the loss for the Blue Labels. Top hitters for JFF were Schjang, 3 for 4 with an RBI; Davis, 2 for 3 with five RBIs; Simmonds, 2 for 3 with two RBIs; and Molloy, 2 for 3 with an RBI. For the Blue Labels, Simmonds went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs, Williams went 2 for 3 with an RBI, and Dennis Brow went 2 for 3.
