The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

While Avery Rolle was stingy on the mound, Zhivargo Archer, Richard Bain and Sherman Ferguson all belted home runs. Together, the combo helped the pennant winning BTC Elite Warriors dial up a 12-0 shutout on the Chances Mighty Mitts in game one of their New Providence Softball Association men’s best-of-five playoff series.

The victory came on Saturday night in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex just after the defending ladies’ champions Johnson’s Lady Truckers cruised to a 10-7 win over the Bommer G Lady Operators as teenager Valencia Gibson, Ruthann Simms and Shavette Taylor (on both ends of the field), provided the defensive and offensive spark respectively.

The NPSA postseason got started Thursday night when the Lady Stingers stunned the pennant winning Sunshine Auto Lady Wildcats 17-6 in the ladies’ opener and the Commando Security Truckers had to come from behind to nip the defending champions Ira Dez Hitmen 8-7 in a walk-off-the-field victory.

BTC 12, Mighty Mitts 0

Avery Rolle fired a two-hitter with a strike out and he got all of the help he needed offensively from Zhivargo Archer, Richard Bain and Sherman Ferguson to preserve the abbreviated victory in the fourth inning.

“I was really pleased with it. It was a real team effort. The guys really hit behind me tonight, so I really just wanted to pitch a close game,” said Rolle, who only allowed five of the 15 batters he faced to get on base. “I just wanted to be better than I was against them in the regular season.”

Rolle managed to work out of three opportunities Chances had to score in the first, third and fourth, only to leave a runner stranded on base in each threat. In the latter bid with one out, Michael Ingraham got hit by a pitch from Davis and Chris McPhee singled. But Moses Kerr grounded up the middle to Eric ‘Pappi’ Johnson in short, who orchestrated a double at second and first to get McPhee and Kerr. Then Virgil Bethel popped up to Johnson to end the game.

BTC, managed by Erin Adderley, jumped out on Mighty Mitts’ ace Victor Grant in the first inning on four hits, the biggest coming on a three-run in-the-park homer to plate Sherman Ferguson and Eric Johnson, who had consecutive run-producing singles to score Richard Bain and Anton Rolle.

The Elite Warriors came back in the second to add three more runs on two hits with Jordan Gibson coming through with a two-run double.

Then in the third, BTC got two more hits, which included a solo in-the-parker from Richard Bain and a two-run homer from Sherman Ferguson after Deandre Rigby got a RBI ground out.

Now the two teams will prepare for game two on Wednesday at 8:30pm and Avery Rolle said they are going to be looking for the same results. But he’s not going to let his team rest on their laurels because as he sees it, the Mighty Mitts are a good hitting team that beat them in the regular season.

“We have to maintain our composure. The ball is in our court,” he said. “I will try to do my best and hopefully we can continue to hit the ball.”

Lady Truckers 10, Lady Operators 7

With the score tied at 5-5 going into the top of the seventh inning, Ruthann Simms highlighted Johnson’s Lady Truckers’ bid to go ahead for good. She got a two-run single to score Mechelle Moss and Shevette Taylor, the latter who had a RBI single to knock in Dawayna Pratt with a RBI double. Following Simms’ hit, Marissa Burrows added a RBI single to knock in Simms before Burrows came home on an error.

“I told my team-mates never to give up,” said Simms, who played third base. “After they fell behind, I just kept telling the girls that we have to keep going, we have to chip away, stay together, keep firm and they did it and we got the win.”

Rookie Valencia Gibson, who pitches for St Augustine's College in the BAISS, went the distance for the win on the mound for the Lady Truckers, while veteran Alexandria Gabriel got pulled in the seventh and was replaced by Diva Burrows as she suffered the loss.

Game two is set for 7pm Wednesday and Simms said they intend to come back out and continue to “fight and work hard.”

Lady Stingers 17, Wildcats 6

Kiesha Pratt went 3-for-5 with four RBI and scored twice to pace the way for the winners. Nadia Thompson had a perfect 3-for-3 day with three runs scored, Requel Cooper was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and Kelly Smith was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Thela Johnson gave up six hits and struck out five for the win on the mound, while Mary Sweeting suffered the loss on 17 hits and a strike out.

Candice Smith was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Mary Sweeting 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored and Dornette Edwards 2-for-3 in a losing effort.

Game two is scheduled for 7pm Tuesday.

Truckers 8, Hitmen 7

Down 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded, Terran Wood ripped a shot to centre field that was bobbled as Jamal ‘Sarge’ Johnson, Garfield Bethel and Courtney Smith scored the three runs necessary to seal the come-back win.

On their way to the victory, the Truckers rolled out with one run in the first and third, two in the fourth and run in the fifth.

Lamar Watkins led the offensive attack going 1-for-4 with a run batted in, scoring another, Marvin Wood was also 1-for-4 with a RBI, Eugene Pratt 2-for-3 with a run scored, Jamal Johnson 1-for-4 with two runs scored and Olando McPhee 1-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

Thomas Davis went the distance for the win on the mound with a seven-hitter, striking out one. Keiron Munroe came in relief of Angelo Dillet in the fifth inning for the loss.

Munroe also led their attack with a 1-for-2 night with two run scored, Dillet was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored and Philip Johnson was 2-for-3 with a RBI.

They will play game two 8:30pm Tuesday.