Mudcats win tournament

Cal Energy Pitcher Leslie Shaw catches Venom base runner Rey Barco just before he makes it to home plate causing him to belly flop onto the plate following the tag during the Parks and Recreation Softfall Tournament on Saturday. Photo by TV Hagenah

Seven teams took part in the Liberal Parks and Recreation June Softball Tournament, three from Liberal, two from Texas and two from Oklahoma.

When the proverbial dust had settled on the ball field, winning the tournament was the team of the Liberal Mudcats. Taking home the second-place trophy was the Cal Energy team of Amarillo. Third place went to the Venom of Perryton, Tex.

"I think the tournament went great," said Parks and Recreation sports director Donna Atkins-Nelson about the event. "It was hot, but still the weather was good, and we got all the games in. Everybody seemed to have a good time playing the games and moreover, the people watching the games seemed to be entertained.”

Atkins-Nelson said she was especially impressed with the level of softball play put forward by all the teams taking part in the tournament.
"We saw some very good softball out there," Atkins-Nelson said of the level of play during the tournament. "Clearly, most of the teams brought their 'A' game."

Atkins-Nelson said the level of play was sufficiently good that she was looking forward to the next tournament coming up in July when most of the teams that took part in this tournament would be coming back to play.

© 2008 Southwest Times