CGOC makes comeback to beat 1st Six, 18-16, in softball competition

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  In a grueling, hard-fought competition, the Company Grade Officer Council softball team bounced back from early struggles to defeat the Desert Lightning 1st Six Council softball team, 18-16, in extra innings at Thunderbolt Field here Aug. 25.

The 1st Six team held a six-run lead heading into the top of the sixth inning, but a 13-run rally from CGOC sparked by an RBI-single by CGOC reserve player Jonathan Sussman and a flurry of crushing hits from shortstop Cyrus Perry became too much to overcome.

"We never lost sight," said CGOC pitcher Matthew Babcock. "We were having fun the entire time and just kept on fighting back. We had to take two extra innings in 115-degree heat. We didn't get it done in the first extra inning, so we went back for another and finally got it going."

The Chief's Group and CGOC members made their presence felt outside the diamond, selling refreshments beneath the hot summer sun to the faithful enlisted servicemembers and officers braving the Arizona heat to support their peers.

Col. John Cherrey, 335th Fighter Wing commander, kicked off the festivities with opening remarks highlighting the event as a cornerstone for fostering esprit de corps between the enlisted and officer corps.

"I want to thank both councils for putting this game together," Colonel Cherrey said. "It's a great way to meet and get to know each other while on the field of competition and have fun while you're doing it."

Both teams got off to a really slow start in the first two innings, the only score coming from CGOC third baseman Andrew Buchanan, who was brought home by way of an RBI-single from CGOC coach and second baseman Matt Griffie. At the close of the second inning, CGOC held a 1-0 lead.

The 1st Six team responded loudly in the third inning, scoring six runs. Four of the runs came from 1st Six left fielder Justin Gautreau's inside-the-park home run with the bases loaded. The CGOC team managed to close the gap, but still trailed, 6-5, after the third inning.

Innings four and five equaled zero for the CGOC and the 1st Six added five more runs, closing the fifth inning ahead, 11-5.

Then came Sussman's single at the top of the sixth inning. The single drove home CGOC reserve player John Bream and simultaneously kick-started a fire amongst the CGOC team. Two more runs later, the 1st Six's lead shrunk by three, 11-8, and the CGOC's confidence grew exponentially.

"We just needed to get a warm-up there," Griffie said. "We didn't have any practice or anything like that. We just came together and started to mesh once we got rolling. We got some home run power out of some people and the rally caps came out in the end. It really worked."

For the rest of regulation, there would be no runs scored for 1st Six. CGOC tied the game at the top of the seventh inning, 11-11. Though the playing field had been leveled, it was clear CGOC had stolen the momentum.

The 1st Six refused to go down without a fight, shutting down the CGOC at the top of the eighth inning, but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity due to clutch fielding by the CGOC's outfielders.

As with any great slugfest, the final inning contained dynamic display of runs scored from both teams, but ultimately, the 1st Six fell just short of the mark and the CGOC took home the bragging rights, 18-16.

"I don't think I'd really call it a loss," said 1st Six coach and left centerfielder Simon Carr. "I think everyone had fun and we played really well. Everybody played and that's the key - we had a lot of players. Next year, for sure, we'll beat the CGOC."