Co-Ed Softball has nine teams in 2019

The 2019 Malta Parks and Recreation Softball League kicked off last Tuesday, July 9, at Trafton Park as nine teams played a total of six games.

Winners of the 6 p.m. games included the Lucky Bullet Rusty Bullets who defeated Oh My Quad 12-11 and the MEC Grounders who defeated Independence Bank 10-6. The winners of the 7 p.m. games included Heavy Hitters who defeated The Free Agents 14-5 and the Northern Crusty Sox who defeated Make Softball Great Again, a team sponsorred by Young's Floor Covering. The 8 p.m. winners included the MEC Grounders who defeated Make Softball Great Again 15-4 and the Free Agents who defeat the Northern Crusty Sox 10-5.

The PCN caught up with teams from the Free Agents and Northern Crusty Sox clash, that featured many athletes from Northern Phillips County. In the win, the Free Agents overcame a 5-0 deficit.

"We just kept getting hit," said Omar Lett, Co-Captain of the Free Agents. "It took one batter at a time. The pitcher (Charlene Wasson) made some plays off of a couple of line drives. It was a little dangerous but she made them. I am just glad that we got one out of two today."

Though both teams were unable to score in the first inning, the Crusty Sox started things off with five runs scored in the top of the second.

"I think it's just a lot of north country farm boys," Crusty Sox captain Jason Morrison said of the teams offensive explosion.

He was also asked what would be key in winning the game.

"Score more points," Morrison said.

Given the amount of teams and players present at Trafton Park that evening, Morrison who has played in the league for the past four years was asked what was so enjoyable about the Co-ed league.

"It's fun, it's competitve," Morrison said. "Everything about it is competitive, especially the coed, because the girls are good athletes too and everyone wants to have fun."

With the scoreboard and time against them, the Free Agents found instant offense in the third inning with Kaden Bedwell scoring an in-park home run off of a hit to right field.

"I just listened to Zach Handley in the stands," Bedwell said. "He said hit it into right field and its a guaranteed triple. He was right about right field, but not the triple part."

Bedwell wasn't sure he could possibly score until he rounded third.

"I honestly didn't think that I was going to make it all of the way," Bedwell said.

Bedwell came down to Malta for a few days and while he was in town from Billings, he was recruited to play. He plays in a men's league in Billings.

"I'm just down here playing with the family," Bedwell said. "They didn't have enough players, so I am just subbing in for the day."

The 2013 Malta High School graduate shared what it meant to play in a softball league in his hometown.

"It's cool. I like seeing everyone come out to support this. Malta didn't have anything like this when I was in school. It's cool to see everyone get together and have a good time. Small communities need this."

Bedwell's run triggered more offense as the Free Agents tied the game 5-5 by the end of the third inning. Free Agents would take the lead in the sixth, going up 7-5. The team would score three more runs before the end of the game, winning 10-5.

Though there were many colorful uniforms on the field that day, Make Softball Great Again's uniforms had the most detail as their jerseys featured Donald Trump riding a Tyrannosaurus Rex on the front lawn of the white house with jets in the air.