FORT BENNING, Ga., (June 12, 2013) -- Defense, fundamentals, big hits -- 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, had it all Wednesday as it trounced Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 15-0 at Engineer Field.
1-10 FA racked up seven runs in the first inning and didn't allow HHC 1-15 to get through their lineup a second time as a run rule was enforced at the end of the fifth inning.
Cory Monroe, Eric Nard and Jose Alicea, batting second, third and fourth in the 1-10 FA lineup, respectively, led the offensive charge. Alicea took advantage of a first inning error by HHC 1-15, which left runners on second and third, and hit a two-run triple. 1-10 FA had three extra-base hits in the inning and six extra-base hits for the game, including three triples and an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the third inning by Nard.
Alicea batted 4-for-4 with four RBI, Nard went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Monroe went 2-for-3 and an RBI.
"Those are our big hitters," 1-10 FA coach Joseph Holmes said. "We depend on them to get us started. Today wasn't any different -- they got the job done."
Monroe also pitched for 1-10 FA and Holmes said the late movement he puts on his pitches made it difficult for HHC 1-15 to hit line drives.
"He throws a great knuckle ball," Holmes said. "It has a nice little curve … I don't know how he does it. He does a great job on the mound."
Most of all, Holmes said he was pleased his team's defensive play was as solid as the offense -- something they struggled with in the Commander's Cup Preseason Softball Tournament championship game against 5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regiment, in which errors cost the team five unearned runs. 5-15 defeated 1-10 FA, 17-12.
"Our motto is to get the routine outs," he said. "Today, everything was pretty much routine. They did what they were supposed to do.
"You have to have consistency on the field with personnel. Sometimes you don't have that in unit play. We've got a pretty good group of guys … and if we can get them out there and get a good routine going, then we'll be fine."
Holmes also said his team's disappointing runner-up finish in the preseason tournament has served as motivation in the early goings of the regular season.
"We have a bitter taste in our mouth," he said. "We're striving to get better. We're trying to get some more practices in. Hopefully, we'll be able to win it at the end of the season."
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