It was all about flashing leather, knocking base hits and big egos battling Wednesday night when Mud Bums and Multiple Scorers clashed in the second round of the Newtown co-ed softball tournament.
In the final game of the evening packed with softball, Multiple Scorers had its potent offense put in a chokehold. Mud Bums escaped with a 13-10 win after the time limit was reached in the fourth inning.
With the first round of tournament play out of the way, Newtown late league co-ed softball moved onto the second round. The teams in the winner’s bracket braved the clouds and occasional sprinkles for round two Wednesday.
In the top of the first, Linsey Youngblood got the bats hot for Multiple Scorers with a line-drive shot to right center field. After Rodney Whiles received a free pass, Jeff Chisam sent a worm burner up the middle for a base hit single that scored Youngblood. With two outs and two on Beau Lowe started a string of singles to help Multiple Scorers take a 6-0 lead. Houston Youngblood, Worm Smith, and Perry Reed added RBI singles in the span. Brandon Jefferies was able to stretch a base hit into a double before the final out of the inning.
In the bottom half of the first, Mud Bums started the inning with a pair of walks by Brett Simmons and Christi Flatt, followed by back-to-back doubles by Caleb Northcutt and Andy Southard. Ryan Williams and Hailey Jones ripped base hits through the infield and runners crossed the plate, leaving Mud Bums trailing 6-4. Jeff Simmons hit a blast to left-center field and just did beat out the throw for a double. Penny Wanamaker and Brett Simmons were the last two runs across the plate for Mud Bums and it was enough to claim a 9-6 lead.
Linsey Youngblood starting the second by connecting on her second single in as many innings. Chisam stepped to the plate with one away and blasted a shot to deep right-center field and turned on the speed for a bases-clearing triple. After a walk, Lowe sent a deep shot to the fence resulting in a game-tying double. The inning ended with a pair of singles sandwiched between a two pop outs, leaving the score locked at 9-9.
The bottom of the second inning was a little less than spectacular but Mud Bums did managed to break the tie. After a double play ball, Dustin Rhea started a rally with a line-drive hit. A pair of similar hits by Jeff Simmons and John Herman scored Rhea and Mud Bums held a 10-9 advantage.
In the top of the third inning, Multiple Scorers came out swinging but was not able to reclaim the lead. Nick Cantrell led off with a shot just over the infield that dropped in for a single. Whiles followed with a blistering shot through the infield for a single. With two outs, Cornelius dropped a base hit allowing Cantrell to come around and knot the score at 10-10.
Mud Bums was back to the top of the lineup in the bottom of the third. Brett Simmons started with a double and three consecutive singles followed by Flatt, Northcutt and Southard. Leading 12-10 with a runner on, Rhea tried to squeak into second with a double. A perfect throw came in on a laser though and Rhea’s momentum carried him off the bag ever so slightly where a tag was applied for the final out of the inning, but not before a run scored to make it 13-10.
With time winding down, Houston Youngblood and Smith started the fourth with a pair of singles. Reed put the ball on the ground, but Houston Youngblood was tagged out on his way to third base. Back-to-back fly balls ended with two stranded on base and Multiple Scorers trailing 13-10.
In the bottom of the fourth inning Mud Bums had already put runners on first and second base when the game was called. Mud Bums had just enough left in the tank to outlast Multiple Scorers.
The next round of the tournament will be held Monday night at 6 p.m.
Mud Bums downs Multiple Scorers
