Intramural softball drew to a close on Saturday afternoon in a three-game campus “world series” featuring the Sigma Alpha Chi Spartans and the Alpha Omega Lions.
Game No. 1 was uncharacteristically low-scoring for both teams as defense reigned and the bats stayed relatively quiet.
Omega first put runs on the table in the bottom of the second inning, stringing three runs together and taking a 3-0 lead. Sigma got one back with a solo shot off the bat of sophomore James Dill an inning later, before Omega tacked on another run to make the score 4-1.
Sigma sophomore Bob Matheus stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and a chance to tie in the fifth, then capitalized with a base-clearing double to match Omega’s four runs. He was thrown out at third, however, and the inning drew to a close.
The Lions did not score in the bottom of the fifth, and Sigma struggled to find a spark without the bats of several missing starters.
With the game tied in the bottom of the sixth, Omega loaded the bases and sent junior Jonathan Eberle to the plate. Eberle rocked the next pitch over the left field fence for a majestic walk-off grand slam and took the first game of the series for the Lions.
Game No. 2 began with the Spartans still struggling at the plate and some highlight-reel defense from Omega’s fielders. The Lions took an early lead in the first inning and kept rolling, running the score to 10-1 by the end of the third. Sigma’s offense, which averaged 15 runs per game during the season, couldn’t get started, and Omega took advantage of the poor hitting by intentionally walking Sigma’s most consistent power hitter, junior Tim Lemponen, stranding him on base multiple times.
The Spartans got good contact several times, but Omega’s left fielder, sophomore Alec Hansen, made a terrific diving catch down the left field line to rob Sigma’s senior Stephen Fisher of a double in the sixth, and sophomore Conner Welby once again demonstrated why he is the premier third baseman on campus with another perfect game in the corner.
In the end, base hits and consistent defense led Omega to a towering championship victory over the Sigma Alpha Chi Spartans, 18-2.
