JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
After being on the short end of the Softball tournament here, losing to the 149th Fighter Wing Gunfighters in the finals, the Navy Information Operations Command was ready for a second chance at softball success.
On Aug. 13, NIOC clinched the JBSA Intramural Softball Championship in a 9-5 victory over their JBSA-Lackland rivals.
The JBSA Intramural Softball Tournament pulls the top two intramural softball teams from each operating location to compete for the title.
On its way to attaining the base-wide trophy, the NIOC defeated Air Education and Training Command and the United States Army Installation Management Command.
Ben Martinez, NIOC coach and pitcher, was quick to give respect to its opponents.
"(The 149th) is a great team, and it feels good to finally get back in this position," Martinez said. "It seemed like we were so close last year, and we just couldn't get it done."
Last year, NIOC lost in the base finals to the 343rd Training Squadron, and subsequently, in the second round of the JBSA tournament to AETC.
When the course was set for an all-JBSA-Lackland softball final, Martinez said the team was happy to get an opportunity to avenge its base finals loss.
"We wanted to see them again because they got us in the (JBSA-Lackland) finals," Martinez said. "We were happy to play them because they are a bunch of good guys. We know them from last season.
"We are happy that revenge is done, and now we will see how next season turns out."
After two years of disappointment, Martinez felt that it was the right time for NIOC to reign atop JBSA.
"We have been playing softball with each other for over three years now," Martinez said. "For most of us, this was our last go at (winning a championship) before we [permanently change stations] so we all wanted to get this championship."
Jesse Rodriguez, the 149th FW Gunfighters head coach, believed his team would have stifled NIOC's championship hopes once again if his team was healthy and intact. He said the team was playing hurt after playing in a national tournament in Florida.
It was "awesome" how the team made it to the JBSA softball finals despite its struggles, Rodriguez said.
"We all thought it was going to be a real tough struggling with injuries, but we showed up and played our hearts out for the love of the game," Rodriguez said.
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Aug. 12
Quarterfinal
NIOC defeated IMCOM 14-5
Army South defeated Air Force Personnel Center 7-5
Aug. 13
Semifinals
NIOC defeated AETC 12-6
149th FW defeated Army South 10-3
Finals
NIOC defeated 149th FW 9-5