The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THOMAS Davis was stingy on the mound and Marvin ‘Tougie’ Wood came up with a clutch two-run home run and that helped to propel the Commando Security Truckers back into the limelight as they clinched the Bahamas Softball Federation men’s national championship title.

In the late game Sunday night in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, the Truckers remained undefeated by pulling off a 4-1 victory over the 5 Star AG and Turf Bulldogs. The win snapped the Bulldogs’ two-year reign as the national champions.

And in the process, the Truckers joined the first year Lady Stingers - the ladies’ national champions - as they kept both titles in New Providence. Prior to the men’s game, the Lady Truckers powered past the Grand Bahama’s Lady Wolverines 12-8 on the final day of the four-day tournament.

Manager Perry Seymour said it was just a matter of putting the core base of the team back in place and he knew that they were going to be a contender for the title.

“We put it in the hands of the young guys, but they couldn’t do it, so we decided to come back and put in our family and you see how we played,” Seymour said. “I told everybody, once you see how we play with the pitcher I have, nobody can beat us.”

In firing a four hitter with five strike outs and a couple of great defensive plays at first base, Davis was named the most valuable player of the championship, a feat he credited to his team-mates.

“I had confidence in my defence and the guys with the bat,” Davis said.

Wood, who provided the biggest offensive blow with a two-run homer as the Truckers broke up a 1-1 tie to surge ahead for good, said they knew that after going into the round robin undefeated, they couldn’t rest on their laurels until they had completed the job in the final.

“We are from the old school. We play that 21 game where we go for the one shot to win the game,” he said. “We just told Thomas (Davis) to keep focus and we will pull him through.”

While Wood went 1-for-3 with his two RBI and a run scored to lead their offensive attack, Ramon Storr was also 1-for-3 and Courtney Smith was 2-for-3.

The Truckers got five hits off Bulldogs’ losing pitcher Lyle Sawyer, who struck out eight.

The Bulldogs got a 3-for-3 night from Tyler Russell, who scored their only run. Andrew Albury got the only other hit.