On Friday night the bats swung at McDougal Park one last time. The Lovelock Softball Association (LSA) closed its second season with a championship tournament.
Thick N Wild wrested the championship from last year’s winners, Jim’s Point S, with a final score of 17-11.
“It was a back and forth game until the last inning,” said Jensen.
Altogether, beginning on June 7, nine coed teams met at the park twice a week. Each team played 16 games. Friends and family watched from under the shade of the locust trees.
Early on, the top two teams emerged as rivals. Last weekend they settled the score, until next summer.
“Throughout the season, we had exciting competitions with many coming down to the last inning,” said Jared Jensen, the LSA president. “You could see growth in every single player.”
Jensen thanked the rest of the LSA board – Lindsey Williams, Phillip Schmith, Cassie West and Lisa Booth.
“They do so much behind-the-scenes stuff that goes unrecognized,” he said.
The championship tournament ranked the teams as follows: Thick N Wild, Jim’s Point S (2018 league champs), Sandlot Junkies, Swamp Donkeys, Brew Crew, Weekend Warriors, Modelo Time, Cowtippers and Spring Break.
Wherever they ranked, each team built happy memories. To an outsider, it looked like half the town showed up to play the other half. And they kept it up all summer long.
In between games athletes found refreshment at the concession stand, run by Tiffany Jensen with backup from Lindsey Williams, Tiffany Happy and others.
Then they dashed back onto the field in brightly colored jerseys bearing the names and logos of their teams. Barrie Medeiros and Joan Henderson kept the books, deftly marking their scorecards with squares, checks and slashes.
Back on the field, Bruce Medeiros umped. Lisa Pontius and Bill Gorsline also stepped forward as umpires this season.
“Without them, the games would have been frustrating,” said Jensen.
Many of the players doubled as volunteers or loaned their equipment to the league.
“Sean Luna let us use his phone for music during the tournament and Nicole Reitz loaned her PA system,” said Jensen. “It created a positive and fun atmosphere.”
The league drew players from every corner of Lovelock. People of all ages, from high school students to retirees, found common ground on the McDougal softball fields.
The Lovelock Paiute Indian Colony mustered two teams- Thick N Wild (2019 league champs) and the Weekend Warriors. Eagle Picher sent the Cowtippers. Pershing’s 11th Judicial Court came to the softball field as Spring Break.
Spring Break’s DDA Todd Banks served on the Recreation Board, along with Dan Murphy, Tom Donaldson, Maury Nelsen, Robert McDougal and Terri Wilcox.
“Without them, nothing like this league would even be possible in Lovelock,” said Jensen.
Finally, Jensen thanked Pershing County grounds crews for maintaining the environment.
Now Jensen heads for the PCHS football field to coach the JV Mustang’s defense. He looks back on a successful adult softball season, his first as LSA president.
“My best memory of the summer doesn’t even involve playing the game,” said Jensen.
Earlier in the season, a player suffered a medical emergency during a game. Teammates performed lifesaving actions until the ambulance arrived. They continue to rally around the McIntee family.
“To see everyone come together and turn possible devastation into the best possible outcome was pretty special,” he said. “It speaks well for our close-knit community.”
