The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Bommer G Lady Operators capped off a four-game sweep over the first year Lady Hitmen to be crowned the new women’s champions in the New Providence Softball Association.

On Tuesday night in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, the Operators clinched the title with an impressive 8-2 decision in the best-of-seven championship series to book their berth in the Bahamas Softball Federation’s National Round Robin Championships between the affiliated island champions at the beginning of November.

As soon as the final out was completed on a put out with Melinda Bastian trying to steal second, the Lady Operators and their fans began the celebrations that was highlighted by fireworks in left field. Behind their dugout at third base, balloons were released in the air and on the field as the team popped champagne.

Bommer George, the architect of the team that he has sponsored for the past few years, finally breathed a sigh of relief as they celebrated the victory. But he was looking for a double feat as his Bommer G Truckers were on the verge of sweeping the Dorin United Hitmen in the men’s feature encounter.

Results of that match-up will be published on Thursday.

Desiree Taylor tossed a three-hitter, striking out six to secure the win. More importantly, she got the defense and offense from her team-mates led by third sacker Tyrice Curry, who only had one hit, but it was perhaps the biggest of the game as her triple drove in three runs to fuel a five-run third inning that broke the game wide open.

“It feels pretty good being the first one. I’ve been here with the team for three years, so it’s a good feeling to finally get one,” said Curry, the lead off batter, who played near flawless ball at third, committing just one of the two errors by the Operators. “It feels good to knock down the ball and get it in. I just wanted to make my contribution to the team’s success.”

In their quest to win the title over the last few years, Coakley was the mainstay with versatile Neressa Seymour helping out. This year, Bommer George acquired the service of Sharnell Symonette from the Proper Care Pool Lady Sharks and that made a difference as Coakley got the assistance she needed.

It equated into the championship title.

“It feels good. It was a long time coming. We finally did it,” Coakley stated. “I couldn’t ask for a better team. After gelling all year, this is what happened.”

On the addition of Symonette, Coakley said “it meant that I didn’t have to labour as much. I just had to come out and do my job.”

Coakley’s job was a rather easy one Tuesday night. In fact, she was not only working out on the four-game sweep, but also the shutout.

However, the latter feat went down the drain in the bottom of the fourth when Thela Johnson got on via the Curry error and after Randell Cooper reached first on a fielder’s choice, Shan Taylor produced a single up the middle that drove in Johnson and Cooper scooted home on Judy Taylor’s RBI ground out.

Before Curry highlighted the big third inning, the Operators produced a pair of runs in the first, sparked by Seymour’s one-out RBI triple, then scoring on Vantrice Bowleg’s RBI ground out and in the second, Symonette had a RBI single that plated Shavone Dames.

Both teams went scoreless over the final three innings as Coakley and losing pitcher Ashanti Darville held their opponents at bay at the plate.

Darville, by the way, ended up with a nine-hitter and a strike out added to her ledger.

Despite the loss, her father and coach Ashwood Darville said as a first year team, they are proud of their performance against a veteran team in the Lady Operators.

“It happens,” he said. “That we survived and played them the way we did is a wonder.”

The Lady Hitmen, who dethroned the triple crown champions Lady Sharks during the playoffs, said with the calibre of players that they had to work with this year, he’s looking at a 3-4 year campaign for them to get where the Lady Operators are as the NPSA champions.

“I’m not looking for anything overnight. To be honest, I think this could be a testimony to the weakness of the league this year,” he said. “To have a first year rookie team in the championships. You don’t want to swell the girls’ heads, but they did it. They got to the championship.”