The San Quentin Hardtimers and the Diego Brothers softball game resembled a homerun derby as the Hardtimers edged the Diego Brothers 18-15.
The Diego Brothers opened the first inning with 10 straight runs.
Anthony Firenzi started the rally with a line drive double to centerfield. Then Sean Morgan belted the ball over the right field gate.
After the next two batters hit singles, Todd Morris found the same spot over the right field gate.
“That’s what you call chicken wings,” said Morris over a group of hecklers.
J.D. Diego belted in three more runs with a triple. Next, Ryno Fisher smashed the ball over the left field gate for the 10-0 lead.
The Hardtimers answered back with a rally scoring seven runs.
Nghiep Ke Lam opened with a powerful hit over the right field gate to the cheers of the small crowd and his teammates.
John “Dunie” Windham belted in two runs when he sent the ball deep over the left field gate. Isiah “Zeke” Daniels drove in two more runs with a triple, while Cory Woods brought Daniels in with a single.
“They came to play today, and that’s what we came for — good competition,” said Diego Brother Morgan.
The Hardtimers defense shut-down the Diego Brothers for two innings. Meantime, Ke Lam hit homeruns in the second and third for the 12-10 lead.
With one runner on in the fourth, the Diego Brothers tied the game with another homerun from Morgan.
In the fifth, the Hardtimers retook the lead, 13-12, when Windham smashed a homer over the right field gate.
The Hardtimers put up five runs in the sixth. Windham contributed another homerun and a RBI, this time to centerfield. Ke Lam drove in two runs off a triple. DuPriest Brown bought Ke Lam in off a single for the 18-12 lead.
With their last at-bat, the Diego Brothers scored three runs. Fisher doubled to bring in Jim Grove and Tommy “T-Doe” Dobberstein.
Firenzi double to score Fisher, but with two outs Morgan pop-flied to center field to end the sunny June 26 game.
“Today we jelled. We played as a team,” said Ke Lam. Windham added, “We banged it out today. These guys are awesome.”
“This was a battle, but the team with the most runs in the end wins,” said Diego coach Phil Martino.
¬By Marcus Henderson
