Easy night's work for Zion, Beck Mountain

By Marvin Birchfield
STAR CORRESPONDENT

   It was the difference between feast and famine in the Church League softball tournament, as Beck Mountain Baptist indulged on a 20-4 victory over Zion Baptist.
   Beck Mountain consumed more runs than a preacher at a Sunday evening church dinner, while Zion walked away still hungry and unsatisfied with the lack of runs that came to the plate.
   In the first inning of play, Beck Mountain stuffed in a total of ten-runs off of 11 hits.
   A hit by Joshua Pierce and an error in the out-field allowed Kenny Timbs to come home to give Beck Mountain their first score.
   Zion captured one-run in the first, when Brad Johnson smacked a double that scored Shane Campbell.
   Two more runs came across for Beck Mountain in the second frame, when a hit by Troy Pepas and an error in the out-field scored John Pierce and David Timbs.
   A run was added for Zion in the bottom of the second when a hit by Mike Clow was mishandled by the second-baseman to enable Ronnie Hall to come home.
   Beck Mountain continued to lengthen their margin after every inning of play, while Zion fell further and further behind, ending their chances of advancing to the next round.
   Sinking Creek Baptist-21
   Emmanuel Baptist -7
   Sinking Creek was over flowing with scores to drown-out Emmanuel Baptist in a 21-7 final.
   It seemed like it had rained 40 days and 40 nights on Emmanuel defense, as they were hit and stormed on by the Sinking Creek offensive.
   Emmanuel came out to grab an early 2-1 lead after the first inning of play, a hit by Jeff Taylor drove-in Adam Turley and Danny Akers.
   Sinking Creek encountered a score, after a double by Tucker Carter knocked home Scott Wiseman.
   It was turned up a notch by Sinking Creek in the second frame, after five runs scored off of four hits.
   A double by Carter drove home Tim Holdren and Wiseman, which gave Sinking Creek the lead that remained throughout the contest with every species coming on board with a hit.
   Hopwood Christian -23
   First Freewill Baptist-11
   Hopwood Christian made it one-step closer to the promised land of the tournament by defeating First Freewill Baptist in a 23-11 final.
   It was a miraculous display by Hopwood in the second frame, that brought belief to the dug-out after capturing 13 runs.
   Two three-run homers were hit by Travis Holt and Craig Ingram, as Holt nailed another home-run to drive-in two more runs.
   First Freewill came back in the top of the third to blast two home-runs themselves coming from Jeff Hutchings and David Bowers.
   But Hopwood was much too strong on this night, as Ingram belted a grand-slam to the green pasture in right-center keeping them at a safe distance.
   The mercy rule came into effect in the bottom of sixth, when Ingram ripped an inside the park home-run to center-field.
   Calvary Baptist-17
   First Christian -5
   If Cavalry Baptist were to be judged by the fruits they bore out on the baseball field Thursday, then they would be considered as great deciples after defeating First Christian 17-5 in the final game of the night.
   The First Christian's marched out to take an early lead of 5-4 in the first frame.
   A hit by Robbie Holley drove-in Steve Sochalski to give First Christian their first score.
   Two more runs came off a double from Andy Franklin which brought home Holley and Jason Range, and a sacrifice fly by Leonard February scored Range.
   Calvary was able to pull back to within one after a double from Larry Treadway brought-in Larry Absher and Chet Sullivan.
   Calvary stretched their advantage in the second, when a three run homer was nailed by Absher.
   They continued their onslaught in the bottom of the third by scoring nine runs off of ten hits to put the game out of reach.