Travis Holcomb and his 96th Security Forces Squadron teammates celebrate after he crossed the plate for the winning run during their intramural softball championship game at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Mike Horton, of the 96th Medical Group, gets a hit during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Security Forces Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
James Colbourne, of the 96th Security Forces Squadron, catches a fly ball at the wall during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Medical Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
96th Medical Group's Zach Higgins is ready to run as Charles Dean swings during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Security Forces Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Travis Holcomb, of the 96th Security Forces Squadron, is all concentration as he swings at a high pitch. SFS powered past the 96th Medical Group in the final two innings July 20 to win the intramural softball championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Jeff Milam, of the 96th Medical Group, gets a hit during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Security Forces Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Ethan Cross, of the 96th Medical Group, waits for the next batter during their intramural softball championship game against the 96th Security Forces Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Branden Brader, of the 96th Security Forces Squadron, sends a pitch to home during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Medical Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Derwin Cumming, of the 96th Medical Group, swings for the fences during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Security Forces Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Myles Fair, of the 96th Security Forces Squadron, watches his team from the top of the fence during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Medical Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Jesse Schroeder, of the 96th Security Forces Squadron, tries to 'turn two' during the intramural softball championship game against the 96th Medical Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Sophia Ott calls her shot from her mother Kim's arms as they pull for the 96th Security Forces Squadron during the intramural softball championship game at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 20. SFS came from behind in the final inning against the 96th Medical Group to take the championship 16-15. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
7/22/2011 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 96th Security Forces Squadron powered past the 96th Medical Group 16-15 July 20 in a come-from-behind dazzler to take the intramural softball championship here.
MDG finished the regular season with an 8-2 record. SFS, who posted at 7-2 regular season record, beat MDG 9-5 when they met during the regular season.
Both teams displayed finely tuned offensive and defensive skills in the seven inning matchup. They protected their respective outfields by grabbing long balls out of the air and turning many double plays in the infield.
After MDG led in the first two innings, SFS nailed three runs in the third to go up 7-6.
In the fourth inning, with Matthew Maples, Drew Salas and D.J. Cummings loading the bases, MDG team coach Zach Higgins sent a line drive to right field to bring two of the three runners in and put MDG ahead, 8-7.
MDG piled on in the fifth inning with seven runs, widening their lead to 15-7, with hot bats from assistant team coach Dante Harris, Davey Dean, Higgins, Maples, Cummings and Salas. SFS could not answer, going three-and-out on their turn at bat.
"If we keep hitting, we'll be fine," Higgins said. "But they can score runs, too. We have to keep playing good defense."
Despite the momentum shift, 96 SFS felt they were still in the hunt and didn't get down on themselves.
"We're feeling pretty good," said team coach Travis Walker. "We just need to keep scoring runs."
Momentum shifted again, when MDG went cold at the plate in the sixth and seventh innings. SFS made up four runs in the sixth.
Then, with clutch hits in the seventh inning from Travis Holcomb, James Colbourne, Brandon Brader and Billy Taulbee, 96 SFS picked up five runs to win the championship 16-15.
"We had to be smart on the bases and had to know when to run," said Walker. "That helped us out a lot. 96 MDG is one of the best teams here and we knew we had to have a lot of heart in order to win. We played as a team and we won this together."
