Brown wins the Crown

RBC I All games in the double-elimination bracket for the 2013 Coed Softball League tournament were played out, just as they were last year. This year, however, a different champion was crowned.

Former league champion Ace Trucking finished the regular season undefeated and the No. 1 seed for the 2013 tournament, sponsored by the ERBM Recreation and Parks District. Ace won its first two games of the tournament to face the No. 2 seed and defending champion Rangely True Value Hardware in the championship semi-finals. That game was won by the team from the eastern end of Rio Blanco County.
Ace dropped to the consolation bracket and eliminated Natural Soda and returned to the championship game(s), where they would have to beat Rangely TVH twice in a row to win the title.
Last year, it was Rangely TVH that entered the tournament undefeated and the No. 1 seed, only to lose in the championship semifinals to Ace, then come back out of the consolation bracket to beat Ace twice and win the title.
Ace would accomplish the same feat this year, although they fell behind in the first game. Rangely TVH scored three runs in the first inning but Ace answered with seven of its own in the bottom of the inning. Ace extended its lead to 10-4 at the end of the third inning, when Rangely TVH captain Billy Estes challenged his team to rally, which they did, tying the score at 10 at the end of the fourth inning.
Rangely TVH scored two more in the top of the fifth inning to take its first lead of the game but Ace would answer with three runs to win 13-12, forcing a second and final game.
The second game was also close for the first two innings, tied 2-2 at the end of one. Rangely then scored one to take the lead after the second inning, but it was the third inning where Ace took control.
Ace, which wore brown team shirts, scored 12 runs in the bottom of the third inning and won the championship with a final score of 15-3.