By Jeff Wedgle
DENVER’S notoriously successful Jewish Softball League came to a close Sunday, Aug. 11. But something different happened this year. For the first time in eight years, new kings were crowned.
The JCC Sox snatched the league title and will celebrate a full year as the new champions. And they won with conviction.
They didnt lose a single game during the regular season (they tied a game with The Denver Synagogues Bullets) and secured the title with a commanding win over the runner-ups, the Denver Synagogue Bench Jocks, 13-5, in the championship game.
To get to the championship game, the Sox had to do what no one has done in recent memory: defeat the Hebrew Educational Alliances HEA-Brews.
A nice crowd gathered to watch this game which evolved into a game one expects in the playoffs; a close nail-biter with the lead flip-flopping in the final innings.
The final result, The Sox win in the bottom of the last inning with a sacrifice fly and one out to bring in the winning run from third base and close out the game with a 18-17 win.
MEANWHILE, on the other field, EDOS (The Holly Street Jews) was attempting to further their short-handed squad past the Jocks.
Missing some of their top players, EDOS played one player short in the outfield. Top that off with an ankle injury in the wet-grass-from-Saturdays-rain to their left fielder, the squad was now down two men.
A tough situation for EDOS, the Bench Jocks took advantage and piled on the hits to advance to their first championship appearance in franchise history.
LOREN Knaster has done a bang up job as league commissioner these last two years. A thankless job, Loren is always doing it with a smile.
So once again, we return to do what we do this time every year; figure out what to do with ourselves on Sunday mornings. I personally have a date with my lawnmower.
Copyright © 2013 by the Intermountain Jewish News
