Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by John Tonin

OUT AT TWO – P&M Recycling Guns back catcher John Kremer, front, gets tagged out at second base by the Chico’s shortstop during the Men’s A final at the Pepsi Softball Centre on Sunday.

Chico’s bats get hot, down Guns 14-5

The finale of 2019 Dustball was played between the P&M Recycling Guns and the Chico’s, from Skagway, on Sunday at the Pepsi Softball Centre.

By John Tonin on July 15, 2019

The finale of 2019 Dustball was played between the P&M Recycling Guns and the Chico’s, from Skagway, on Sunday at the Pepsi Softball Centre.

The Guns were looking for their third consecutive Dustball win and the Chico’s were looking to avenge last year’s loss in the Men’s A championship game where they lost a tight contest to the Guns.

If last year’s Dustball Men’s A championship game was a nail-biter this game was the opposite. The Chico’s bats got hot, stayed hot and they cruised to a convincing 14-5 victory.

The Chico’s and Guns squared off in a game Saturday to see who went straight to the final and the Chico’s won that game as well. Third baseman Drew Cowman said the Chico’s carried that moment through to the title game.

“We were rolling over from yesterday’s game for sure and we just brought the sticks,” said Cowman. “I think it was in their heads and we were just playing ball.”

In the Saturday ballgame, the Chico’s had a come-from-behind victory.

“We beat them 26-18,” said Cowman. “So we definitely got them in the seventh.”

The Guns scored the first four runs of the game, including a three-run bomb over the fence. After the first two innings, the bats went dry.

The Chico’s defence was unbreakable and they did not cause any errors.

Every fly ball that was hit was caught with ease and if the Guns hit the ball hard along the ground the infield was able to pluck it off the dirt and capitalize on the double play opportunities.

On offence, the Chico’s did not swing for the fences, instead, they hit consistent singles and doubles dropping the ball in front of the Guns outfielders. As the Chico’s continued to swing the hot bat their lead continued to grow.

By the time the fifth inning started, it was evident a blowout was in hand and the fans from Alaska could definitely sense it as they drowned out the local crowd.

“It was a fun game,” said Cowman. “It’s been year’s so we needed it. It feels freaking awesome. This is my fourth season and this is the first victory against them.”

In a fun bit of fate, as the Chico’s were wracking up the outs in the final inning a bald eagle could be seen flying over the Pepsi 2 field. It remained there until the Chico’s made their final out, a force at third.

“I did, I did see the eagle out there,” said Cowman. “That was pretty awesome.”

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