9th AS pounds 436th MXS 20-4

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Despite playing only five games this season due to rainouts and forfeits, one of the hottest teams in the National League at the midpoint of the Dover Air Force Base intramural softball season is the 9th Airlift Squadron.

On Tuesday night, the Pelicans proved how hot they are, again.

The Pelicans pounded out 24 hits as they completely whipped the 436th Maintenance Squadron 20-4 at the base softball field July 27.

Pelicans pitcher/coach Lance Conley said his team is doing well despite having a hard time fielding a team due to its squadron's mission and various deployments. The win pushes the Pelicans' record to 3-2.

"We're doing fair," Conley said of his team at the halfway point. "The first couple of weeks we only had 50 people total in the squadron because everyone was on the road. When we have everyone here, I don't think there is a team on base that can beat us."

The Pelicans put this game away early. In the first inning the Pelicans scored all the runs they would eventually need when Jeff Seren hit an RBI-single and Josh Cutrer blasted a three-run home over the left-centerfield fence to give the Pelicans a 4-0 lead.

MXS scored two runs in the third inning and added two more in the fifth inning to try to stay in the game, cutting the Pelicans lead to 9-4.

But, the Pelicans put the game away with a nine-run seventh inning, ending any hopes for a MXS comeback.

Cutrer led the Pelicans in hitting going 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and four RBI. Seren went 3-for-4 with a double, homer and 4 RBI and Allen Diffenbaugh went 4-for-5 with a double, triple and an RBI.

According to Cutrer, the biggest challenge for the Pelicans in the second half of the season is having its complete team able to play.

"A lot has to do with what we all have going on," Cutrer said. "One week they are here and the next week they are gone. When you have that going on, it's hard to just get 10 players so you can play. The last three years, I've missed the playoffs every single time due to the mission. Hopefully this year will be a little different."

Vincent Alois led MXS going 1-for-2 with three RBI.

MXS left centerfielder/coach Chris Smith said his team simply needs to improve on its hitting as they move to 5-5 at the halfway point.

"We've got to hit," Smith said. "We're getting them at the beginning of an inning, but we're not driving those runs in. We need to get hits consistently through the inning."

Conley said he feels good about the Pelicans heading into the second half of the season.

"(Tuesday) we hit good," said Conley. "The fly balls that we hit were hit hard and we even scored runs on most of our outs with sacrifices. We just need to improve our defense. We can't make errors."