At the end of the three-day tournament, one team stood out from all the rest: U.S... VIEW ORIGINAL
The 2015 Vicenza Military Community softball season is in the books. Eight teams competed in a single elimination tournament July 20-22 at the Del Din softball fields.
At the end of the three-day tournament, one team stood out from all the rest: U.S. Army Africa. After last year's second-place finish, this time the team took home the trophy and bragging rights for the season.
Here is a recap of tournament action:
Round One
Soldiers from Company C, 106th Financial Management Support Unit; 509th Signal Battalion; and the Vicenza Military Intelligence Detachment combined members of their units to create a "combo team." This hodgepodge of players actually put up the best record during the regular season. They took on Co. A, 4th Platoon, Brigade Support Battalion in the first game of the tourney and put a whooping on the Sky Soldiers, 18-1.
Game Two saw USARAF facing the Health Center team, which ended up also being a blowout. USARAF stormed into the semifinals, 15-1.
In Game Three, two 173rd teams were supposed to square off, Co. A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion against 173rd Brigade Support Battalion. However, the BSB team couldn't make the game because of mission, so Soldiers of Co. A advanced via forfeit, 7-1.
In the final game of the first round, the Soldiers of Co. A, 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf. Reg. took on the league's only recreational team, Garrison Rec. Co. A fought off the G-Recs, 11-8.
Round Two (Semifinals)
The first semifinal matchup should probably have taken place in the finals since it pitted the top two team in the league. Even though it was a semifinal, the action did not disappoint. The hodgepodge combo team took on the USARAF juggernaut and put up a big lead, 13-1, only to watch that lead slip away. The USARAF team kept battling and ended up with the win, 18-14. Pretty impressive, seeing as though USARAF was close to losing via the "mercy rule" at one point in the game.
The other side of the semis was also a close game, with the two A companies facing off. Both Sky Soldier squads were evenly matched, but the BSTB team ended up squeaking out the victory, 13-10.
Round Three (Finals)
USARAF once again spotted their opponent an early lead, letting the A Co. team take an 5-0 advantage. But, just like in their semifinal game, USARAF battled back and ended up on top, taking the championship match, 10-7.
USARAF and Co. A are both now eligible to compete in the Army Europe Unit Level Softball Championship Aug. 14-17 in Hohenfels, Germany.
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