18 Jul 2023

Wells International men’s team and BDF IX ladies’ softball team are the champions of this year’s Softball Extravaganza tournament.

The two softball giants pocked P20 000 each whilst the runner-ups BDF IX men’s team and Titans ladies team walked away with P15 000 each.

The defending champions Titans ladies team lost grip of the floating trophy after suffering a loss to BDF IX ladies by two runs against nine of the BDF IX during the final in Selebi Phikwe on Monday.

Sponsored by SPEDU to the tune of P200 000, the tournament which ran from July 15-17, attracted eight ladies’ softball teams and another eight from the men side, with Selebi Phikwe-based Comets being the host.“We managed to win the tournament by working together as a team.

After losing in the last tournament where we came out position four, we went back to correct our mistakes and improved on our betting,” said  BDF IX ladies team coach, Gerald Mokgweetsi.

He said his team came into the tournament prepared and ready to win all its games, adding that he would like to win the tournament again next year.

Titans ladies team coach, Disang Selemogwe on the other hand accepted defeat saying that his team did its best to defend the cup but BDF came back very strong to win most of the innings.

What added to the team woes, he said was the absence of seasoned players in the likes of Maitumelo Serumola, Wangu Ghondo, the pitcher, Onkokame Tlhakoyakgomo, the showstopper who were playing in the national team as well as captain Malebogo Ramaphane. “Their absence affected our team’s performance,” said Selemogwe.

However, he said his team performed well despite the loss, giving BDF IX a pat on the back for their incredible performance.

In the men’s side, Jwaneng-based Wells International walloped their rivals BDF IX three runs to two in a fiercely contested game.

Wells International Coach Gagoope Ntsholetsang said though his team came out victorious, the game was very difficult to win because both teams had all that it takes to win the tournament.

Wells International, which got position two in the last tournament, snatched the floating trophy from the defending champions Police IX which did not make it to the tournament.

“We would have loved to play against Police IX because police it gave us a hard time in the previous tournament,” he said.

For his part, BDF IX coach Jury Manaka said the team matched Wells in all the departments except speed, which had led to their defeat.

He said going forward, he would work on players’ speed. ENDS