Ray Conner
Sports Editor

The Kern Valley Co-ed Softball League title came down to one game and the Blasters exploded for 18 runs to lay claim to the championship over the Vipers.

Saturday’s game saw the Vipers start with a three-run cushion only to see it evaporate like raindrops in the desert.

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The Blasters came up in the bottom of the second and scored seven times to erase the lead. They collected five hits in the inning, including a grand slam from James Tate. They would add one more run in the third inning to make it 8-3.

The Blasters defense clamped down as they allowed only single runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth inning to the Vipers.

The offense for the Blasters sparked again in the fifth as they plated five runs. Three hits and three errors led to the five run explosion and a 13-5 lead.

The Blasters scored another run in the sixth and capped the scoring with four in the seventh to put their name on the championship.

J. Tate on the night had the hot bat for the Blasters as he dialed long-distance twice and had a single to drive in a total of seven runs.

Kristi Tate and Clayton Sprouse each had three hits, including a double, while Brett Ege had two hits.

Latisha Shuman cracked a double and knocked in two runs, while Brian Anderson had a pair of hits and one RBI. Justin Miller and Cendra Parks each had one hit and were credited with one RBI, while MaryBeth Sprouse wrapped up the offense for the Blasters with one hit.

The Vipers team was led by Jacqueline Phillips with three hits and one RBI. James Davis had three hits, including a double and two RBIs.

Guenther Klase scorched a triple and a single, while Lori Jordan and Arianna Tate had two hits apiece.

Jenifer Sims, Kathy Connolly, Cody Jiminez, Dwayne Mutchall, Shane Russell, Jim Phillips and Debbie Loseth each had one hit in the game. Jiminez recorded and RBI.

In the consolation game, the Hyside squad took on Team CARE and won 16-3.

The Mixed Nuts team was forced out of the consolation game due to injuries and a shortage of players. This allowed the CARE team one more game in their season.

Hyside used two five-run innings to propel them to the win and finish at 13-13.

Hyside scored five in the second and eighth innings. In the second, two free passes, two hits and two errors by CARE allowed Hyside to cross the plate five times.

In the eighth, it was four hits and three miscues by Team CARE that led to the five runs.

CARE scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh.

For the Hyside, Dan Link led the charge as he had four hits, including a triple and two RBIs. Paul Armes collected three hits and one RBI, while Jeniffer Conner had three hits and one RBI.

Amy Hanawalt recorded two RBIs on two hits, while Matt Barlow and Ryan Barlow each had two hits, including a double. R. Kirby closed out the offense with one hit.

CARE was led by Brandon Muncy with a pair of hits, including a double and one RBI. Anne Pinion had two hits, including a triple, while Tino Villegas, Jen Johnson, Bob Coogle and Dave Reese each had one hit.

The league would like to thank their sponsors this season. Which included Crossroads Shell, Gene Parks Insurance, Amerigas, Los Polomos, Porcaro II D.D.S, Nash Tile and TNT Enterprize, The Greenberg Foundation, Dave and Nancy Boyd, Sierra South, hyside Inflatables, El Portal, Hungry Rancher, CARE Ambulance, Bottle Shop Liquor, KOA Campground, Precision Automotive, True Value, Freeman’s Lakeside Realty, L & M Lumber and Erskine Creek Water Company.

Without many of our valued valley sponsors, the league would have difficulty putting together teams for the season.