LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The Lackland Men's Varsity Softball Team lit the Texas Riders up with 15 runs in the fifth inning to win March 25 game 28-16.
The Warhawks were on the verge of squandering the lead they had enjoyed the whole game after the Riders earned seven runs in the third inning, closing the gap to 13-10.
Warhawk coach Eric Culver countered by making key substitutions in his batting rotation that really sparked his team.
Jeff Jenkins went in for first baseman for Kurtis Bailey. Mike Humphrey subbed in for third baseman for Mark Hoerner. John Brock took over in the outfield for Eric Schafer, and Tom Roomsberg resumed catching duties for Ted Ayon
"Sometimes you have to put some players in there to light a fire under the people that they are replacing," Culver said.
The new hitters wasted no time contributing in the fifth inning, as Jenkins scored a home run, bringing in two other batters with him.
A grand-slam home run by Warhawk starting pitcher Mike Jenkins highlighted the fifth inning. During the inning, The Warhawks almost went through their entire batting lineup twice.
"We got a couple of errors, a couple of walks and we hit well," said coach Eric Culver. "Once you get on a roll, things seem to happen. They got some bad breaks on their part and some good breaks for us."
The Riders would go on to score six runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it was not nearly enough to erase the 18-run lead that the Warhawks had gained.
The Warhawks earned 6-4-3 double plays in the first and fourth innings, and nearly recorded a rare triple play in the second inning.
Third baseman Mark Hoerner fielded the ball tagged out his runner and threw the ball to second baseman Todd Faber, who tagged out his runner. Faber then gave Bailey a perfect toss before the runner had reached first base, only to have Faber drop the ball, preserving the inning.
Hoerner also went a perfect four for four at the plate, including a two-run homer in the second inning of play.
The Warhawks scored at least two runs in every inning they played and held the Riders scoreless in the bottom of the fourth inning before unleashing their onslaught of offensive excellence in the fifth inning.
"It was a good effort from our guys," Culver said. "We still aren't where I want us to be, but it's coming along."