Lackland Air Force Base, Texas –
The Lackland Warhawks Men's Varsity Softball Team smashed 26 hits through five innings as they put together their first win of the season earlier this week.
Lackland beat CFA Bomb Squad 19-6 as the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Spring League Softball League got under way March 6 at the Alva Jo Fischer Memorial Softball Complex.
"Not too bad for a first game," said Eric Culver, Warhawks coach and catcher. "It looks like we have a pretty decent team."
Pitcher Mike Jenkins picked up the win for the Warhawks, and he scored four runs and went 4-for-4 with three doubles from the batter's box.
Also for Lackland, right-center fielder Rich Burley hit a two-run home run. First baseman Scott Shirley hit a grand slam. Second baseman Lance Harris went 3-for-3. Left fielder Tom Roomsburg, a Warhawks newcomer, scored twice, went 3-for-4, with two doubles and two RBIs.
Early against CFA, Jenkins doubled and scored on a single by extra hitter Paul Hackett during the first inning. During the second, Roomsburg doubled and scored from third base on a double play.
The Warhawks were trailing 5-2 as they came up to bat during the bottom of the third inning. Then, their bats exploded for eight runs on 10 hits.
Harris led off the inning with a double. Burley came up next and smacked a home run over the centerfield fence. Another Warhawks newcomer, left-center fielder Tracy Oliver, singled after the Burley homer. Jenkins singled. Right fielder Steve Reichert singled to send Oliver across the plate and tie the score at 5.
The Warhawks offensive was not finished. Hackett singled Jenkins home to give Lackland a 6-5 lead. Shortstop Sean Chaney singled to drive in Reichert.
CFA enjoyed a little breather while the next two Lackland batters made outs.
However, before the third was finished, Hackett scored on a double by first baseman Ted Ayon. Chaney scored on a single by third baseman Tony Formell, and Ayon scored on another single by Harris.
When their third at-bat had come to an end, the Warhawks were leading 10-5, and they had a lock on the outcome of the game.
The Warhawks put six more runs on the scoreboard during the fourth inning. The grand slam over the right field fence by Shirley drove in Roomsburg, as well as Chaney and Culver. Also during the fourth, Jenkins doubled and scored on a single by Chaney. Formell doubled and scored after Harris delivered his third base hit of the game.
During the fifth frame, Lackland tallied three more runs. Jenkins doubled and scored on a single by Culver. Roomsburg doubled to drive in Chaney and Culver.
Lackland looked good in the field, too, especially Jenkins, who had four assists and two putouts on screaming line drives. Chaney and Harris turned over a double play on a short grounder during the second inning.
CFA did show some heavy hitters. During the first inning, third baseman Allan Cross hit a solo home run. Cross singled and scored on a double by Anthony Salinas, and first baseman Matt Trepkowski belted a three-run dinger during the third. Salinas smacked a solo homer during the fifth.
Altogether, CFA had 12 hits. However, that was not enough to down Lackland, who went undefeated in SAPAR competition last year. Indeed, the Warhawks have not lost a game at the Alva Jo since April 26, 2005, when they fell 18-15 to the Jupe Mills Mashers.
The next Warhawks game is March 13 at the Alva Jo. First pitch is set for 7:45 p.m.