Soldiers who trash talk about how far they can hit the long ball had to put up or shut up Thursday at Gowdy Field, where Sports, Fitness and Aquatics hosted the first slow-pitch softball home run derby.
“Better than the All-Star game last year,” home run champ Martyn Pauwels said. “It’s not like the same old thing and it’s all free.”
Pauwels outlasted about 30 sluggers in the head-to-head elimination tournament. Joe Tomes appeared to be the favorite going into the championship round after hitting five home runs, the most in any round, to top Michael Boganowski’s four home runs in the semifinals.
“I thought five (home runs) was going to be what it took considering the way (Tomes) hit it,” Pauwels said.
Pauwels, the first to bat in the final round, cranked out three homers, which proved to be enough. Struggling to drive the ball, Tomes needed two homers to tie with just two pitches remaining. He hit the second-to-last pitch out, but missed his final chance.
“I thought I had it,” Tomes said. “I had the confidence but I just didn’t get enough pop on it. I had a few pitches that were off and got a little tired at the end.”
Each batter went heads up against another and the winner of that match up advanced to the next round. If neither batter hit a home run in any given round, they were automatically eliminated.
Each batter received 10 swings and was allowed to take two pitches. After the two free pitches were used, batters were required to swing at the ensuing pitches. Batters were also required to provide their own pitchers.
“Some of the pitches I wouldn’t have hit, but you end up having to,” Pauwels said.
Thursday’s weather included heavy rain throughout the day, but the Sports, Fitness and Aquatics staff managed to keep Gowdy Field from becoming unplayable. However, Pauwels said the weather probably had an impact on the amount of home runs hit.
“The balls got heavy because of the wet field. Some close calls could’ve been home runs,” Pauwels said. Pauwels, Tomes and Boganowski each received an aluminum baseball bat worth $300.
The home run derby was part of an open intramural tournament sponsored by DRASH, a supplier of Army equipment.
The Warrior Transition Battalion defeated E Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 7-3 in the championship game played after the derby. Both teams will receive a paid entry fee at the United States Specialty Sports Association Military World Tournament in Panama City, Fla., Aug. 18-21.
