Rangely True Value defends title

RBC I They did it the hard way but the Rangely True Value Hardware softball team defended their coed softball title by playing and winning four games in a row last Thursday after losing in the championship semifinals.
“It was kind of amazing after the way we played in the league,” Rangely captain Billy Estes said of his team’s accomplishment.
Rangely lost four games during league play and lost to Ace Trucking in one of the championship semifinal games to put them into the loser’s bracket. Ace Trucking entered the tournament undefeated and was the No. 1 seed.
The ERBM Synergy team lost to Renninger Log Homes in the other championship semifinal game and were eliminated from the tournament with a loss to C&D Production in the loser’s bracket, setting up an elimination game against Rangely, which Rangely won.
Ace Trucking gave Renninger Log Homes its first loss of the season, dropping them into the loser’s bracket. After the loss to Ace Trucking, Rangely would play and defeat Natural Soda then beat C&D Production to play Renninger Log Homes to see who would face Ace Trucking in the championship game.
“I think we beat them by one run in a very close game,” Estes said of the game against Renninger Log Homes.
Since Ace Trucking had not lost a game, Rangely would have to beat them twice in a row, which they did, to win the title.
“Our young kids started hitting early in the night and kept it up through the night,” Estes said. “They did a wonderful job.”
Estes said both teams in the championship game were evenly matched and he was thankful his team is able to participate in the ERBM league.
“They (Ace Trucking) are a strong team and on any given night either team could win, we were so evenly matched,” Estes said. “Nicole (Dupire) and the rec center run a quality program and I’m thankful they let us come over and play. We don’t have coed softball in Rangely but we have some girls who like to play and they carried us through the tournament, they are pretty good.