Softball Recap: Teams prep for tournaments

The Malta Parks and Recreation Softball League had plenty of action last Tuesday, June 25, in Trafton Park.

The first week of the two week double elimination tournament kicked off that day. Given their are four men's teams the opening round was also the semi-final round. Goonsquad and Where My Pitches At? and Goonsquad each punched their ticket to the Championship game on Tuesday, July 2, at 7 p.m., at the west field. Phillips County Insurance (PCI) and Heavy Hitters faced each other in the consolation game at 7 p.m. on the east field. Results will be shown in next week's PCN, as well as the first week of the Women's Tournament.

Men

On Tuesday, June 25, Top-ranked Goonsquad rode the momentum of `seven runs scored in the third inning and defeated Fouth-ranked PCI 17-9, thanks in part to home runs from Dean Yeadon and Cody Oxarart.

Yeadon was 3-for-3 with one a 3-run home run in the third inning. Oxarart was 2-of-3 with a two run home run in the fourth inning. Dennis Oxarart batted in the runs off of a pair of singles. Nick Oxarart batted two runs in. Casey Knudsen batted in two runs and Travis Somerfeld went 3-for-3.

Second ranked WMPA? defeated Heavy Hitters 11-2 with WMPA? scoring 10 of their 11 runs in the first two innings. Eight of the team's batters batted in runs. Jase Galt, Tyson Carney, Ray Harms, and Taylor Matthews each batted in two runs.

WOMEN

On Tuesday, June 25, Resting Pitch Faces defeated the Ladies' Where My Pitches At? team 6-0.

IN the first week of Women's Softball, Where My Pitches At? defeated Renegades 13-2,with WMPA? scoring five runs in the first and five runs in the third, on Tuesday, June 18.

"Cassie (Pratt) came in and got a really good hit that got a few people home," WMPA? Captain Bobbi Knudsen said. "We got some good hits and it was just base by base."

Pratt led WMPA? batting in several runs, including a pair of RBIs off of a triple.

"I just stayed calm and kept my eye on the ball," Pratt said. "Usually I get frustrated if I miss something so my friend Bobbi gave me a word of advice to stay calm."

She had a shot at a home run, but she took it easy after reaching third.

"I had an injury last year, so I didn't want to be pushing it on the first game," Pratt said.

Stacie Simanton hit a triple that would score an RBI, and it appeared as though she hit an in-park home run.

"I just swung and crossed my fingers," Simanton said noting that the hit was her first triple. "They were just telling me to go to third, so that's what I was worried about."

Rockford Peaches defeated Resting Pitch Face 19-6 that night.