MARYSVILLE — For two innings, the first-round playoff game between kickball rivals the Grasskickers and the Belmark Bombers remained scoreless.
In the third inning, the Grasskickers broke through, scoring six runs that would carry them through to a second-round game later that evening of July 14.
Darrin Lingle, Aaron Austin, Jenny Granger, Leanne Falenski, Clayton West and Tim Granger all scored runs in the third inning, forcing the Bombers to play a more risky offense.
The Bombers scored a single run in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. In the seventh, aggressive base running by the Bombers’ leadoff kicker put the runner on third base and the team added two more runs.
But the Grasskickers played good defense — mom and daughter Margie and Anna West connected with a pass to first base for the final out in the seventh inning — and added runs in the fourth inning and seventh innings to pull off an 8-5 win.
“It was a great game,” said Tim Granger, who leads one of the league’s longest-playing teams. “They key is that both teams were out there to have fun. That lends itself to a more relaxing game.”
With the win, the Grasskickers earned another stab at Home Plate, the undefeated team that has dominated the league this year. The Grasskickers were eliminated from the kickball semifinals which will take place at Cedar Field July 21, falling 13-3 in the evening’s second game.
As veterans of the Marysville kickball league, Granger expressed excitement that there will be a competitive kickball final. With many of the teams featuring players who’ve graced Cedar Field with a baseball glove, he said it was fun for the teams to return there in a similar sport.
“It’s hard to say who’s going to win,” Granger responded, when asked for a final prediction. He added of undefeated Home Plate, “They’re very serious about their games.”
The kickball final moves to Cedar Field as the NSA Western World Series takes over the Marysville-Pilchuck softball diamonds July 21. Semifinal matches will take place at 6 and 7 p.m. with the championship game at 8 p.m.
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