436th AMXS wins softball championship

Kenneth Armstrong, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, runs to first base after hitting a single during the base championship game Sept. 4, 2013, at the softball field on Dover Air Force Base, Del. The 436th AMXS defeated the 373rd Training Squadron/Maintenance Operations Squadron to win the title. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Morris)

436th AMXS wins softball championship

Mike Small, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, slides into second base after hitting a double while John Haggerty, 373rd Training Squadron/Maintenance Operations Squadron attempts to apply the tag during the championship game Sept. 4, 2013, at the softball field on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Small went 4-for-4 with three home runs, a double and nine RBI in game two to lead the 436th AMXS to the title. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Morris)

436th AMXS wins softball championship

Mike Small, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, speaks to the team after winning the base softball championship Sept. 4, 2013, at the softball field on Dover Air Force Base, Del. The 436th AMXS defeated the 373rd Training Squadron/Maintenance Operations Squadron to win the title. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Morris)

436th AMXS wins softball championship

The 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron softball team poses with the championship trophy Sept. 4, 2013, at the softball field on Dover Air Force Base, Del. The 436th AMXS defeated the 373rd Training Squadron/Maintenance Operations Squadron to win the title. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Morris)

436th AMXS wins softball championship

Matthew Morrison, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron pitcher, tosses a pitch during the base softball championship Sept. 4, 2013, at the softball field on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Morrison pitched in both games leading the 436th AMXS to the title against the 373rd Training Squadron/Maintenance Operations Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ashlin Federick)

436th AMXS wins softball championship

Matthew Morrison, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron pitcher, throws the ball to first base while Jason Vazquez, 373rd Training Squadron/Maintenance Operations Squadron, attempts to beat the throw during the softball championship Sept. 4, 2013, at the softball field on Dover Air Force Base, Del. The 436th AMXS defeated the 373rd TRS/MOS to win the title. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jared Duhon)

436th AMXS wins softball championship

Published Sept. 9, 2013
By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Winning a championship and coming out of the loser's bracket is tough enough. Try doing it against a team you have lost to four times in a row.

Mike Small had a huge night going 6-for-8 with three home runs, a double and nine RBI in the two games to lead the 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron to 9-5 and 13-6 victories against the 373rd Training Squadron/Maintenance Operations Squadron in the base intramural softball championship Sept. 4, 2013, at the softball field here.

Jonathan Mitchell, 436th AMXS player-coach, said his team played well in taking the title.

"It was well deserved," Mitchell said of the victory. "Our team played the best they could have played when we needed it the most. When we're on, we're on."

Early on, it looked like the 373rd TRS/MOS would take home the title. In game one, Benjamin Schaffer rapped a two-run double to give the 373rd TRS/MOS an early 2-0 lead. After a 3-3 tie, James Goerss hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to give the 373rd TRS/MOS a 4-3 lead.

The 436th AMXS took over in the top of the sixth inning. They got back-to-back-to-back RBI singles from Christopher Holcomb, Jonathan Mitchell and Kenneth Armstrong, along with a two-run single by Adrian Perez as they took an 8-4 lead on the way to a 9-5 game one victory.

In game two, the 436th AMXS dominated from the start. After taking a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, the 436th AMXS got a two-run double by Small and an RBI triple by Matthew Morrison as they scored five runs in the second inning to build a 9-0 lead.

The 373rd TRS/MOS attempted a comeback in the top of the fifth inning with a three-run homer from Goerss and a two-run homer from Don Williams as they scored six runs to cut the 436th AMXS' lead to 11-6.

The 436th AMXS slammed shut any thoughts of a comeback in the bottom of the sixth, as Small hit a two-run homer to give the 436th AMXS to secure a 13-6 victory. Small went 4-for-4 in the game with three home runs, a double and nine RBI.

Small said everything just came together for him.

"I was a little upset after the first game because I felt like I let the team down," Small said. "It was a dream game. I've never hit three home runs in one game before. I'm just glad that I was able to come through and help our team win."

Help is an understatement. Of the 13 runs that the 436th AMXS scored in game two, Small accounted for nine of them. Mitchell said Small's play was tremendous.

"There's no doubt about it, his bat was a tremendous factor in us winning the game," Mitchell said. "Everything just came together, not only for him, but for our whole team offensively. He really came through for us."

For the 373rd TRS/MOS it was a disappointing ending to a successful season. Ben Schaffer, 373rd TRS/MOS player-coach said his team just couldn't find its offense when they needed it the most.

"We started off sluggish and slow," Schaffer said. "It was no fun having to fight against the sun in the first game and then against them in the second game. At the end of the day they were the better team. We know them well, they are maintenance guys and we're maintenance instructors. So it was like playing against our own. We just couldn't get it going offensively."

Mitchell said winning the title means a lot to him and his team.

"This ball team is a great bunch of guys," Mitchell said. "They enjoy playing ball and they are good sports about everything. It feels great to win the championship again. We won it two years ago and to come back and win it again is special. Hopefully we'll be able to repeat next year."