AFD Trappers might be sponsored by Alberta Fuel Distribution, but on the diamond, distributing hits is the team’s forte.
With a big second inning, the Trappers twice rallied from behind to beat the Roadhouse 15-13 in Division 1 co-ed slo-pitch action Wednesday at the Pepsi Centre.
The Trappers ended the first half of the season in first with an immaculate 8-0 record, but are 2-2 in the second half since getting home team status for their games.
“We’re a pretty good hitting team and we seem to hit well at the beginning of games,” said Trappers captain Logan Wedge. “In the first half, whenever we started at bat first, almost always the other team is down by at least five runs. Doing that all year, I suppose it adds up.
“Being the home team is supposed to be an advantage, but for us we like going right away.”
After batting their way to a 5-2 lead at the end of the first, the Trappers allowed eight runs in the second. However, they maxed out the 10-run inning rule in the second to go up 15-10.
“We’ve done that three or four times this year,” said Logan. “We haven’t given up 10 runs (in an inning) yet, but we came pretty close to that. It was a long second inning.”
On their first pitch at bat in the second Trappers’ Curt Campbell sent it over the wall for a solo-shot. One batter later, Brian White hit a two-run blast to centre field. Two runs later Derek Haysley sent a line drive up the middle to tie the game 10-10. White then ended the inning with a deep drive to score Donna Chambers.
The league’s rules dictate that a team can only hit two more home runs than their opposition, which can help teams short on power hitters, said Roadhouse captain Dan Johnson.
“That can work both ways,” said Johnson. “When you’re playing a team like those guys—they have four or five guys that usually are going to hit a couple a game—if they get their two that’s OK because they’re going to run into trouble because those guys have to hit a different way.
“We’re not a power team compared to some of the other teams.”
The Roadhouse scored three more runs in the fifth, two of which came in on a line drive up the middle by Megan Feese. For Johnson, a three-run inning is par for the course—it’s the three-up-three-down innings, like the Roadhouse had in the third, which really make an impact.
“It’s not good in softball,” said Johnson. “You’re going to get a few big innings but you have to score every inning.
“If you think about it, if you play seven-inning games and score three runs each inning, you going to have 21 runs.
“But for me softball is a hitting game and we haven’t been hitting well this season. It really doesn’t matter what you do in the field, if you hit 20 runs you’re going to be in the game.”