BVI Amateur Softball Association league opens in honor of Gaston Penn

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

The BVI Amateur Softball Association league opened at the Old Recreation Grounds on Sunday, by honoring Gaston Penn, the league’s its first president. Penn, who was at the association’s helm 53 years ago when the first league was held, was on hand to throw out the first pitch, preceding the Crushers vs Hawks game.

Traditionally starting in February, the league is off to its latest start in its history, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Penn, who said he was surprised and embarrassed by the recognition. “Too see, after being the first president and softball being in the community, after 53 years, this is the first time this has happened,” Penn said of the later than usual start of the league. “It annoys me, but, no malice in it.” Penn will be featured in next week’s Island Sun Sports.

Fans witnessing the season’s first game saw a competitive match-up for three innings, as defending champions Crushers pitcher Alya Smith mowed down seven batters before the Hawks got on the board to tie the game at 1-1. In the fourth, the defending champs blew the game wide open by sending 16 batters to the plate to rout the Hawks 12-1 in five innings. The Crushers had seven hits in the inning while the Hawks committed three costly errors. Smith didn’t fan anyone else after striking out seven, got the win, while Elita Parker who had relief help from Athina Maduro, took the loss. The Crushers runs came off 9 hits, 1 error and 2 left on base. The Hawks had 3 hits, 4 errors and 5 left on base.

Crushers’ Kathleen Fahie had a 3 for 3, game, including a triple. She scored twice and drove in one. Gertrude Thomas had 2 triples in 3 at bats, scored 2 and had 3 RBIs. Felicia Wattley also had a triple as one of her 2 hits in 3 trips to the plate. She scored 2 and had one run batted in.

In the men’s game, defending champions Blue Wings scored five in the first and two in the second to beat the Pirates 7-2. The Blue Wings runs came on 8 hits, 1 error and 3 left on base. The Pirates 2 runs were on 9 hits, 2 errors and 8 stranded. Raymond “Mahasa” Mercer was the wining hurler while Pirates’ Allen “Woodrow” Smith struck out 11 in a losing cause.

The Postman, Khoy “Mailman” Frett delivered and was the leading Blue Wings hitter going 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored and one run batted in. Mercer had a 2 for 3 game, scored twice and batted in one. Andre Pickering had one hit in two at bats, scored once and drove in one. Guy Malone was the Pirates’ top hitter. He was 2 for 4 and scored once. Dion Stoutt also went 2 for 4 and had a run batted in.

“I didn’t expect my team to play that well, because of a lack of practice. But, they surprised me today and played better than I expected,” Blue Wings player-manager Rufus Malone said. “Going up against Woodrow (Allen Smith), one of the best pitchers in the league, I knew my guys were not ready. I figure we would have had a hard time getting two, three runs off him. Somehow, we came through in crunch time and score seven runs in the first two innings.”

Smith said his team is not in sync. “We had a few miscues, but, we will be alright,” he said. “We will be back.”