436th SFS A nips 436 MXS B in softball

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The 436th Security Forces A team proved time and again Monday night its capability to come up with crucial runs and hits.

The 436th SFS A team, down early in the game 6-0, overcame the deficit and defeated the 436th MXS B team 14-13 in American League intramural action June 11, at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Richard Barker went 4-for-4 with a triple, and Adam Fike went 2-for-4 with two home runs as the 436 SFS A team moved to 2-0 on the young season.

Rafael Gonzalez, 436th SFS player-coach, said the comeback was important for his team.

"This is big for us," said Gonzalez. "We are missing a lot of guys who are deployed, but are coming back in a couple of weeks. So we have a lot of guys playing out of position or playing positions they are not used to. It was great to get the win after fighting tooth and nail the whole way."

Early on it looked as though the 436th MXS B team might run away with the game.

In the top of the first inning, Adam Kasprenski, 436th MXS B team player-coach, hit a three-run inside-the-park home run, and Blake White and Matthew Enger each added RBI hits as the 436th MXS B team grabbed a 6-0 lead.

From that point on, the 436th SFS A team methodically came back, eventually taking the lead 8-7 after three innings of play.

After the 436th MXS B team tied the game at 10-10 in the top of the fifth inning, Brandon Shelton hit a two-run double to give the 436th SFS A team a 13-10 lead.

Joshua Prostek belted a two-run homer and Matthew Nelson added an RBI single as the 436th MXS B team tied the game at 13-13 after the top of the sixth inning.

But Michael Roth hit a RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, and the 436th SFS A team defense held the 436th MXS B team to no runs in the top of the seventh inning to eek out the win.

Fike said the bottom of half of the 436th SFS A team batting order stepped up.

"The bottom half our order really picked us up with some key hits, and we had some great defensive plays when we needed them," Fike said. "They all happened at just the right time."

Kasprenski said he was proud of his team in spite of the loss, which drops his team to 1-1 on the season.

"If we could lose every game by one run, but play like we did, I would take it," Kasprenski said. "It was anybody's game and we thought we had the momentum with us. It was a lot of fun. This is just a great group to be with. We're going to be a contender this season for sure."

Gonzalez said the 436th SFS A team hopes to keep on winning while it waits for the return of regulars to its lineup.

"We have veteran infield who didn't let the pressure get to them late and made the plays they are used to making," Gonzalez said. "When we get our regulars back, we'll be able to put our players back in positions they are used to playing. We just want to keep on winning."